Does *That* Sol de Janeiro Bronzing Oil Live up to the Hype?
Main Image – Courtesy of writer
What do you get when you mix Brazilian summer-inspired beauty brand, Sol De Janeiro with a body oil, the smell of holidays and a hint of bronze? A hydrated, shimmery, holiday-scented glow – you’d hope.
At least that’s what I was hoping for anyway when I tested the Sol De Janeiro Glowmotions Glow Oil (£35/$35). And if the hype over on TikTok was anything to be believed, I would be very happy with the results.
Here’s my honest review.
The product details
The Sol De Janeiro Glowmotions Glow Oil comes in a 75ml bottle, with a chunky, oversized lid and promises to be transfer-resistant. There is a pump dispenser (meaning no pouring oil into your hands and then accidentally spilling it onto your cream carpet) and the scent is Sol De Janeiro’s famous Cheirosa 62, a mix of almond, jasmine, sandalwood, vanilla and salted caramel.
The Glow Oil comes in two shades – Copacabana Bronze, a warm brown, and Rio Sunset, a champagne shimmer. I tested Copacabana Bronze.
Image – Courtesy of writer
First impressions
When you squeeze out your first pump, you notice its gorgeous fragrance straight away – a musky, warm scent that smells of a mix between sunscreen and a heady perfume. The bronze shade pleased me – it’s dark at first but because it’s an oil, you know it’ll dilute quickly on contact with the skin.
I took one pump and spread it from my knee downwards. I love a shiny, shimmery, bronzy leg-look and thanks to already having a bit of colour on my usually fair legs, the colour of the oil blended in beautifully.
The formula on the other hand didn’t quite blend in as well as I’d hoped. But don’t panic, I have a reason why. That morning, I had applied a body lotion to my legs so when I tested the oil a few hours later, I experienced some pilling. Not the best first impression, granted, but now I knew not to apply body lotion beforehand (because why would you even need to anyway?) and now you know too!
The finished result on my first leg – despite the pilling – was very pleasing. So, I applied another drop onto my thigh and then moved onto the other leg. My pins ended up looking just the right side of shiny, shimmery and bronzy. And they smelled great too!
I noticed a very slight hint of sparkle on my skin (not glitter – just subtle sparkly shimmer) but only if I looked very closely. Top tip – make sure you blend it in properly. Of course, the Copacabana Bronze shade dilutes as soon as you apply it, but it still has dark pigment in there, particularly on light skin tones, so a blended, streak-free finish is vital.
My holiday-worthy results
So far, so good. But how did this Glow Oil fair when it comes to transferring onto bed sheets/clothes? Pretty good actually. I haven’t noticed any stains and yet it still washes off easily in the shower. I mean, I don’t exactly go rubbing it on my freshly washed sheets. But if you’ve come home from a night out and you’re too tired to shower before bed, rest assured, your bed linen will cope.
I love applying it to my legs, but I’ve also taken to applying it on my collarbone and shoulders when I go out for the evening too which adds a really nice finish to my summer tan.
Applied anywhere else like my arms/back and I might feel a bit oiled up and sticky. Don’t get me wrong, the formula doesn’t feel sticky. It’s just that applying any sort of oil all over can feel like a lot, so I keep to the bits where the light will catch.
You’re meant to be able to apply it to your face too, adding it to your foundation or applied directly, but I’m opting out of that one. My oily skin type just wouldn’t cope, and I think I’d end up regretting it as soon as I applied it. If you have a dry skin type though and need a bit of extra hydration on top of your usual skincare regime then it might work better for you.
The bottle gets a bit slippery and messy from all the ‘handsy’ dispensing and applying but no matter, just give it a wipe when you’re finished and it’s as good as new. And by the way, you’ll definitely need to wash your hands afterwards.
All in all, I have become a little addicted to the bronzy shimmer this Glow Oil gives my legs and decolletage. It gives them a proper glow-up and brings out the best in them without looking too oily or feeling uncomfortably sticky.
Image – Courtesy of writer
What other users are saying
Kelly-Anne on lookfantastic.com experienced streakiness. “I think if I spent more time, I would have spread it more evenly and hopefully the shimmer doesn’t transfer onto clothes and objects if it’s dried properly.”
This is a great point – I didn’t notice any transfer however if I had gone to bed or worn a white dress straight after application, I don’t think I would have been so lucky. It doesn’t take ages to dry and is much quicker than other body oils I’ve tried but still, take your time and apply it well in advance.
Atlanta gave a mixed review. “Lovely colour and shine however does leave a weird feeling on the skin and did irritate me when used on my chest.” If you have sensitive skin, make sure you do a patch test before applying it anywhere, just to be sure.
And Kelly says, “leaves a really nice colour and smells nice. And don’t worry if you think it will be too shimmery as it’s very subtle. Can understand the 5* reviews, very pleased.”
Overall value for money
At £35/$35 this is on the expensive side, but I would spend that again in a heartbeat. I don’t need to use much for a start and I don’t need to wear perfume when I’m wearing it either – bonus! What’s more, it hydrates my skin and tops up my tan beautifully, leaving it with a gorgeous shimmer that just makes my skin look really supple and healthy. The only thing I would change is the size of the bottle – a 100ml bottle would be just right. But other than that, I’d say it’s pretty perfect.
The takeaway
This gorgeous Glow Oil is officially coming on holiday with me next week. Not only does it bring out the best in certain areas of my body – collarbone, legs and shoulders – it smells divine too. I hate to sound like a cliché, but it really is a summer holiday in a bottle and provides the bronzed tan to prove it too.
Remember to skip the body lotion the day you use it to avoid pilling – you don’t need both anyway – and blend, blend, blend to avoid streaks. And a little goes a long way – two drops per leg worked for me, as well as half a drop per shoulder and then the excess from my hands onto my collarbone. And there you have it – *chef’s kiss*!
Get Glowing!
