Everyone’s Still Talking About Bum Bum Cream. But is it Really That Good?
Main image – Courtesy of writer
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of the brand Sol De Janeiro. Boasting countless products with beautifully bright packaging, the brand’s portfolio ranges from perfume sprays, bronzing oils and foot creams, to sunscreens, shower gels and hair conditioners.
But possibly the most talked about product in the range, and one that is apparently sold every six seconds, is the best-selling Sol De Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream (£48 for a full 240 ml size from Cult Beauty UK /$48 from Sephora US).
Image – Courtesy of writer
Why? Hazarding a guess, I’d say it was because of its famous, unique (and seemingly divisive) scent and the fact that it promises to firm the skin instantly thanks to its fast-acting, high caffeine content.
Never one to feel left out, I needed to get my hands on a pot to see for myself whether the scent really was that amazing and whether the skin on my body would, in fact, look years younger in a flash.
Keep scrolling to read my honest review.
The product details
Bum Bum (apparently pronounced ‘boom boom’ but really, who is going to opt for that?) comes in a whopping 240ml “standard size” pot, but there are smaller sizes available – 150ml (£36 from Boots UK /$36 from Sephora US), 75ml (£21 from Cult Beauty UK /$24 from Sephora US), and also a 240ml refill for £42 from Cult Beauty UK /$44 from Sephora US).
@soldejaneiro When you choose to use our Bum Bum Cream Refill pod, you are reducing your plastic usage by 89%! ?? #soldejaneiro #sdj #refill #sustainability #refillpod #brazilianbumbumcream #brazilianbumbumcreamrefill #bumbumcream #cheirosa62 #bodybutter #bodylotion #beauty #selfcare #fyp @jodieglowz | Skincare
Promising to be fast-absorbing, it apparently ‘visibly’ smooths and tightens the skin’s appearance using caffeine-rich guarana extract whilst cupuacu butter helps to hydrate in the process.
It also aims to provide a glow, thanks to Brazil nut oil and it smells of Sol De Janeiro’s signature Cheirosa 62 fragrance (‘cheirosa’ apparently meaning ‘to smell incredibly delicious in Portugese).
The scent is apparently made up of pistachio and almond top notes, heliotrope and jasmine petals in the middle and it dries down to a vanilla, salted caramel and sandalwood finish.
First impressions
My cream arrived in its large sunshine yellow pot (240ml) with an oversized, chunky lid. It was an instant mood lifter if truth be told, and the branding is loud and fun.
I unscrewed the huge lid and was greeted by a yellowy pigmented cream that looked so invitingly buttery, frankly, I couldn’t wait to slather it onto my skin.
Image – Courtesy of writer
But first, the smell. There is absolutely no getting away from the fragrance of this body cream as soon as you open the lid. My advice would be to try it in-store rather than taking a punt online because if you hate it, you just can’t avoid it.
It is a vanilla lover’s dream and once it was on my hands, I knew I would be smelling it for the rest of the day. This is all excellent news, if you’re a fan of warm, caramel-y scents.
However, vanilla isn’t usually my favourite scent. And here lay my first problem.
Because to me- as a non-lover of Bum Bum cream’s fragrance- it has a heavy, musky, clingy and (sorry!) sickly smell that reminds me of the vanilla body sprays or anti-perspirant deodorants I used to wear as a teen.
Now, a nostalgic smell isn’t always a bad thing, as long as you liked it when you were younger. And the fact that this fragrance reminds so many young social media users of their youth is probably part of the reason this viral product has become so popular with Gen Z TikTokers recently, who were teens when this product was originally launched in 2015.
I just wish this particular pot of nostalgia was more enjoyable for me. Having said that though, tons of people love the smell of Bum Bum cream; and if you like warm, vanilla scents you probably will too.
Image – Courtesy of writer
Anyway, I persevered with applying it, first onto my legs and the backs of my thighs and then I moved onto my arms and stomach. The cream felt smooth and silky as I massaged it in. Just like a normal body cream really. It’s not greasy or oily – just buttery – and as promised, it absorbs into the skin quickly.
I had heard that there is a shimmer in the formula (thanks to added mica) but try as I might, I just can’t see it. And I didn’t notice the glow I had been promised from the Brazil nut oil either.
Equally though, my skin didn’t exactly look dry, just nicely hydrated.
But does it actually firm the skin?
Honestly? I really haven’t seen any difference to the firmness of my skin.
Perhaps I haven’t been using it for long enough, and I’m willing to keep going, but the firming ingredients are meant to be fast acting, and I haven’t witnessed any urgency in the firming department whatsoever. Not instantly, nor over a longer period of time. Nada.
My verdict – firming skin transformer or standard body cream?
To me, this is simply a decent buttery body cream that hydrates the skin well, sinks in quickly and holds its fragrance all day (and, fellow vanilla haters, I mean all day).
In my opinion, there is nothing firming about it I’m afraid and it is meant to be fast-acting. However I am willing to carry on using it consistently for 12 weeks in the hope that I can be proved wrong and perhaps experience some long-term firming.
My guess though, judging by my results so far, is that my firming hopes may be a bit of a dead end.
Image – Courtesy of writer
Rumour has it that it used to contain more caffeine than it does now and has actually been reformulated. If this is the case, then I wonder whether the old formula would have made more of an impact on my skin and actually given me the firm results I’d been looking for…
What other users are saying
Like I said, the smell is certainly divisive. Kathy J says, “this product has an extremely unpleasant scent. I threw it out.” And Kelly B writes, “this cream smells terrible to me. Like medicine.”
But others enjoy it. “Love the smell and texture of this cream, it is my favourite. Will come back for more,” says Massiel B. “It smells AMAZING,” adds Lakyn L. “I get so many compliments. I love it.”
Some people have claimed that their pots were only half full. Mine arrived pretty much full with around a one centimetre gap between the surface of the cream and the lid – perfectly acceptable.
And then there are the diehard fans. “I recommend this cream to everyone; it smells so good and it helps reduce stretch marks,” says Ezmerelda C. Wait, what?! I certainly didn’t experience this but I’m glad someone did.
“Love the richness and moisturizing of the cream. The scent is wonderful,” writes Karen U. And Katrina S says, “my favourite body lotion! I get compliments on how I smell often when I use this lotion. It’s hydrating, keeps my skin soft and smells incredible.”
Overall value for money
Well, it depends on which size you go for and what you want to get out of it.
For firming effects I can’t say that there’s value here, whatever size you go for in my opinion. But for a hydrating body butter, with a committed fragrance you might want to put it on your Christmas list or treat yourself on pay day.
£48/$48 for a pot of body cream is a lot but if you love the smell, you’re doubling up on fragrance too.
The dupes
If you’re interested in trying a copy to save money, there is are two very similar ones available. In the US, Nutrius Brazilian Body Butter Cream ($19.99 from Amazon US) looks identical to Bum Bum and has very similar ingredients. Lots of users swear by this as a great alternative.
In the UK, the Skin Techniques Booty Balm (£3.99 from B&M) is meant to have a very similar scent but a slightly thicker texture.
The takeaway
For those looking for a hydrating, smooth, buttery body cream and a heavy, musky scent that lasts, then you have found your perfect product! If you’re specifically looking for something firming though, my advice would be to look elsewhere.
Don’t get me wrong, my skin feels smooth and hydrated hours after use, but it doesn’t look any firmer than normal sadly. I love the packaging, the look and feel of the formula and the brand as a whole, but, for me, as a firming body cream it sadly doesn’t cut it.
Get Glowing!
