This story first appeared on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, in The Strategist Beauty Brief, a weekly newsletter in which our beauty writers share their must-tries, can-skips, and can’t-live-withouts. But we liked it so much we wanted to share it with all of our readers. If you want more first impressions of buzzy launches, quick takes on what’s trending on TikTok and Instagram, and deep dives into the week’s best beauty launches, sign up here. The Strategist Beauty Brief is delivered every Wednesday.
Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream is a decadent treat. Whenever I wear the pistachio-and-vanilla-scented body lotion on its own, I get tons of compliments on how I smell. But it’s too strong for an everyday lotion, and I get burnt out. It’s also expensive, at $48 for a 240-milliliter tub. I’ve been on the hunt for something more affordable and subtle ever since the dupe Rio Viera-Newton discovered was discontinued a couple years ago. So when I got a press email about MCoBeauty’s new body cream that seemed similar to Bum Bum — at about half the price — I called it in to give it a test.
Both the MCoBeauty’s No. 2 lotion and Sol de Janeiro come in white and yellow-orange tubs. Sol de Janeiro’s is definitely a better vanity display — it has a weightier twist-off top and better-looking branding. But onto the stuff that really matters to me: the scent and moisturizing. I did a blind scent test. I closed my eyes and had my boyfriend put each tub up to my nose. They smelled nearly identical, rich yet sweet. The similarity makes sense, since MCoBeauty’s body cream has the same notes as SDJ’s: pistachio, sandalwood, caramel, and vanilla. Next, I applied each to my arms. MCoBeauty’s cream had a slightly thinner consistency than Bum Bum, and it took a couple more swipes than SDJ’s to fully sink in. But it left my skin feeling silky soft without any greasiness and with less of a sheen than the Bum Bum cream.
For the next week, I applied MCoBeauty’s as my sole body moisturizer. After some trial and error, I realized a little bit of the lotion goes a long way. The thinner formula spreads out farther than SDJ’s thicker formula, while still moisturizing. My skin felt smooth and nourished, even after days out by the pool and through a heat wave. I also realized by the end of the week that I wasn’t completely over the scent. While it has the same sweetness as the Bum Bum Cream, it’s not as strong and doesn’t project as far — I can only smell the MCoBeauty on my skin if I bring it right up to my nose. Though it doesn’t create a sweet-smelling aura around me like the Bum Bum Cream does, the staying power is there, and it still lasts a whole day.
While I haven’t completely retired my Sol de Janeiro cream, I see myself buying it less frequently now. It’s like a nice all-in-one lotion and perfume reserved for going out. MCoBeauty’s body cream has become a daily staple, though. It’s exactly what I was looking for: a microdose of my favorite sweet scent that keeps me moisturized all day long.
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