A Very Honest Review Of Sol De Janeiro's New Body Lotion

Graziadaily

20-06-2025

I have a confession: I've never fully identified with the cult of Sol De Janeiro's Brazilian Bum Bum Cream. I'm not saying there aren't enough reasons to love it, there are indeed plenty – read: the dopamine-inducing sunshine yellow tub, the sugary beach holiday scent, the skin-perfecting formula and that rich unctuous texture, the list goes on.
But my personal, and rather pivotal, gripe has long revolved around the latter. When temperatures are soaring outside, the last thing I want to do after a shower is coat my skin in a thick, heavy cream that requires some dry down time before getting dressed, no matter how deliciously fragranced it is. For those, like me, who have been too afraid to speak any ill of this cult classic, whose cultural cachet spans the run of beauty editors, A-listers, tweens and TikTokers the world over, it is time to rejoice as Sol De Janeiro has answered our secret prayers with its newest offering: the Badalada Vitamin Infused Body Lotion, £32.
The latest launch from the now billion dollar beauty brand marks a return to its body care origins. Sol De Janeiro launched in 2015 with the Bum Bum Cream, but ten years on the Brazilian-born beauty brand has reimagined its inaugural release with a lighter, more spreadable iteration of the OG, which is understandably already causing a stir online.
Sameeha Shaikh, beauty writer, testing Sol De Janeiro's new Body Badalada™ Lotion
Perfect for lazy girls (guilty as charged), the new Badalada Vitamin Infused Body Lotion promises 24-hour weightless hydration with an airy, non-sticky formula that sinks in on contact to quickly reveal soft, supple, silky-smooth skin. While it bears some of the same key hallmarks as its older relative – namely that sunshine yellow packaging and the iconic Cheirosa 62 scent – there are clear distinctions between both.
Described as being 'more like cousins than twins,' according to the brand literature, the differences between the original Brazilian Bum Bum Cream and the new Badalada Vitamin Infused Body Lotion are down to texture, ingredients, packaging, and even price – so quite a lot then.
The OG is packed with a high concentration of emollient oils and butters which lends it a rich, creamy texture that bodes well for dry skin. Plus, it's enriched with caffeine-rich guaraná extract and cupuaçu butter to firm and tighten. On the other hand, the new upgrade is loaded with a higher water content, which makes it featherweight, malleable and ideal for oily skin types. It also boasts humectant like hyaluronic acid and Brazilian sugarcane to attract water and retain moisture in the skin. Both are also bottled up in their own unique ways making the user experience totally different (more on that further on). And while the Cream retails for a fairly pocket-denting £48, the Lotion comes in at £32.
Sol De Janeiro's new Body Badalada™ Lotion (L) and Brazilian Bum Bum® Cream
Sameeha Shaikh, beauty writer, says: 'This summer-ready lotion arrived just in time for the soaring temperatures London has been enjoying of late, a time when my body care craves a light and refreshing all-over hydrator even more than usual. As someone who hasn't been totally overcome by the force of Sol De Janeiro's original Brazilian Bum Bum Cream (I rarely use it outside of winter), I was keen to see how I would get on with its new modern counterpart and I can confirm it did not disappoint.
Straight off the bat, its pump applicator makes it much easier to dispense the lotion when I'm pressed for time, plus I can control how much I want to use without wastage. It also means I don't need to dip my fingers into a tub, which usually awakens the germophobe in me and leaves the tub a slippery mess. The formula itself glides on like a dream, no thanks to the humectant-rich, watery content, which makes it spread like water (not butter) and leaves my skin feeling quenched (not drenched), sans that heavy, sticky feeling. It sinks in with impressive speed, too, so I'm not sat there waiting for my skin to dry before I can get dressed.
That all too familiar, addictive holiday-in-a-bottle scent is ever bold and present, which means those of us who haven't yet found the breathable body care products that you can layer to make the brand's pistachio, salted caramel and vanilla loaded Cheirosa 62 scent really last (thanks for the hack TikTok), can now finally get stuck in.'
Sameeha Shaikh, beauty writer, testing Sol De Janeiro's new Body Badalada™ Lotion 1.
Sol De Janeiro Badalada Vitamin Infused Body Lotion
Price: £32
What the brand says: 'Quench thirsty skin with 24-hour weightless hydration. This fast-absorbing, irresistibly scented body lotion is infused with Brazilian sugarcane to actively boost surface hydration, seven-hyaluronic-acid blend to draw moisture deep into the skin's layers, and the iconic scent of Cheirosa 62™.'
What we know: The cult of Sol De Janeiro's Brazilian Bum Bum Cream has helped the brand to become the billion dollar empire it is today which churns out quick-to-go-viral products that become the go-to for fashion editors, A-listers, tweens and TikTokers everywhere. This upgrade features moisture drawing Brazilian sugarcane, seven different molecular weights of hyaluronic acid to reach deeper layers of the skin, and antioxidant-rich cactus pear extract to offers a new way to enjoy the OG body cream.
Sameeha Shaikh, beauty writer, says: 'Straight off the bat, its pump applicator makes it much easier to dispense the lotion when I'm pressed for time, plus I can control how much I want to use without wastage. It also means I don't need to dip my fingers into a tub, which usually awakens the germophobe in me and leaves the tub a slippery mess. The formula itself glides on like a dream, no thanks to the humectant-rich, watery content, which makes it spread like water (not butter) and leaves my skin feeling quenched (not drenched), sans that heavy, sticky feeling. It sinks in with impressive speed, too, so I'm not sat there waiting for my skin to dry before I can get dressed. That all too familiar, addictive holiday-in-a-bottle scent is ever bold and present, which means those of us who haven't yet found the breathable body care products that you can layer to make the brand's pistachio, salted caramel and vanilla loaded Cheirosa 62 scent really last (thanks for the hack TikTok), can now finally get stuck in.' Pros Lightweight, fast-aborbing, 24-hour hydrating formula
Loaded with the brand's iconic Cheirosa 62 scent Cons Bulky packaging is not ideal for travel
Sameeha Shaikh is Grazia's beauty writer, covering all categories to bring you insights on the latest trends, industry news and the products you need to know about, viral or not (most probably viral).