Few brands capture the essence of a vibrant culture quite like Sol de Janeiro. Known for its deliciously scented body products (such as the iconic Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, £21), it's really no surprise that the Sol de Janeiro's Perfume Mists are considered some of the most popular fragrances of the moment. Honestly, I can't go anywhere without smelling one of them at the moment, whether it be on the tube or walking down the street. They're instantly recognisable and earn themselves as not just one of the best body sprays around, but one of the best perfumes around, too.
In Portuguese, "cheirosa" means to smell incredibly delicious, and Sol de Janiero certainly met the brief. Inspired by the sun-soaked beaches, tropical landscapes and energetic spirit of Brazil, these mists provide sun-kissed escapism with every spritz. What's not to love?
I know some perfume snobs will turn their noses up at these sugary-sweet scents. They're crowd-pleasing, sure—and definitely not a niche fragrance brand by any means—but there's nothing wrong with that. I firmly stand in the camp of that if you like a scent, you should wear it and enjoy it, no matter what others say. In fact, the renowned French perfumer Jérôme Epinette (the nose behind cool-girl fragrances from Byredo and Victoria Beckham Beauty) has created some of Sol de Janeiro's scents. And they're such a joy to wear.
Curious to find out which Sol de Janeiro perfume mists are the best, I decided to conduct a top-secret experiment. Over the course of the month, I wore each one on rotation and noted down every time I got a compliment, whether it be from friends, colleagues or total strangers running down the road to ask what I'm wearing. Below, I've ranked them from most- to least-complimented, and jotted down all my findings—you're welcome.
The Best Sol de Janeiro Perfume Mists, Ranked
- Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa '71 Perfume Mist (£24)
- Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 62 Perfume Mist (£24)
- Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa '40 Perfume Mist (£24)
- Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 87 Perfume Mist (£24)
- Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 59 Perfume Mist (£24)
- Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 68 Perfume Mist (£24)
- Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 76 Perfume Mist (£24)
1. Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa '71
Fragrance family: Gourmand
Key notes: Caramel, macadamia, vanilla, white chocolate, sea salt, coconut blossom
How it smells: A calorific, caramel-drizzled white chocolate dessert, sprinkled with nuts and crushed biscuits
It might be a controversial one for some, but, the '71 Perfume Mist got me the most compliments by a mile. If you want to smell mouth-wateringly delicious and triple-dipped in caramel, this is the one for you. I'm not usually one for very sweet perfumes, but I actually don't hate it. There is something so fun in how over-the-top edible this one smells, but I'd be careful about how much I'd spray and where I'd wear it, because this stuff projects (I can smell it on people everywhere I go). Out of curiosity, I also asked my boyfriend to name his favourite out of the bunch and this was his firm favourite. The warm, syrupy-sweet scent was inspired by Brazil's deep love for desserts and the legendary Confeitaria Colombo bakery, which became a Rio icon in 1971.
2. Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa '62
Fragrance family: Gourmand
Key notes: Pistachio, almond, heliotrope, jasmine petals, vanilla, salted caramel, sandalwood
How it smells: Like you just put your out of office on. Sun-drenched pistachios, salted caramel and beach sunsets
This one followed in close second, and I'm not surprised. It's one of Sol de Janeiro's best-selling perfumes mists. It's also the signature scent you'll find in Sol de Janiero's iconic Brazillian Bum Bum Cream (£21), so it's instantly recognisable. It smells like you just put your out of office on. Think a Brazillian summer, bottled and bathed in sunshine. It's similar to '71 in that it's quite nutty, but the pistachio in this makes things less intense and not quite as sweet. It's more floral and sun-drenched. I'd say this is one of Sol de Janeiro's most universally appealing scents, and it definitely got noticed when I spritzed it in the Who What Wear UK office. I'm not surprised it's one of the brand's brand's best sellers.
3. Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa '40
Fragrance family: Fruity-floral
Key notes: Black amber, plum, crème de cassis, jasmine blooms, Brazilian orchid, vanilla woods, warm musk
How it smells: Shimmering flowers, ripe plum and sparkling outfits at Rio carnival
Coming in at third, Cheirosa '40 got lots of love when I wore it. I'll admit, it wasn't an initial favourite on the first spritz, but it really grew on me. Out of all of the perfume mists, I'd say this is the most 'subdued'. It's fruity, floral and very sensual and sophisticated. You can really smell the juicy plum as it unfurls into a warm amber embrace that's surrounded by creamy florals, before drying down into cosy vanilla woods and musk at the base. I actually love it more and more as it dries down throughout the day. Sol de Janeiro created this with the opulence of Rio's carnival in mind.
4. Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa '87 Rio Radiance
Fragrance family: Solar-floral
Key notes: Coconut milk, warm sand accord, tuberose, ylang -ylang , vanilla, amber essence
How it smells: Sun-drenched skin and sun cream, wearing a yellow bikini on Copacabana Beach
This is my personal favourite of the lot—and I think it's a criminally underrated perfume. This is by far the best Sol de Janiero perfume mist (in my opinion). It smells like reapplying your sun cream after a dip in the sea, salty beach hair and dozing the day away while basking under the sun on a golden beach. Bliss. It's coconutty, creamy and milky, which pairs so well with the creamy tuberose and ylang-ylang, making you want to head to the beach. Warning: may cause cravings for a piña colada.
5. Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa '59
Fragrance family: Vanilla
Key notes: Velvet plum, sugared violet, vanilla orchid, amber, sandalwood, vetiver
How it smells: Drinking sugared violet cocktails at midnight
This one also got noticed, but personally, I don't love it. One of my friends owns this one and it smells utterly hypnotic on her. But on me it just felt a little too cloying and overly sweet, so I spritzed with caution. If you love sugary-sweet vanilla scents with a cosy warmth to them, then this one is for you. Once the fluffy, powdery violet dries down, I actually like the woody, vanilla base of this a lot more. Unfortunately for me, it takes a while to get there, but it's testament to how long-lasting this particular perfume mist is.
6. Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa '68
Fragrance family: Fruity-floral
Key notes: Pink dragonfruit, lychee, Brazilian jasmine, ocean air accord, hibiscus, vanilla, musk
How it smells: An ocean breeze through a secret Brazilian oasis nestled by the coastline, covered in flowers and fruit
This scent is as fresh as biting into a bright pink dragonfruit. While it didn't earn me any compliments, it's a nice scent. It's floral and breezy with a heavy helping of candied vanilla, but I can't help but notice that it smells very similar to Zara's bestselling perfume, Red Temptation, which has clearly borrowed inspiration from the more premium Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540. I don't dislike it by any means, but I feel like I've been smelling this one a lot lately.
7. Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa '76
Fragrance family: Fruity-floral
Key notes: Blackcurrant, pear, nectar, jasmine, vanilla crème, freesiaamber woods, caramelised patchouli
How it smells: Like a moonlit Brazilian disco in the '70s
This one is the fruitiest of the bunch. Cheirosa '76 was inspired by the discotheque era of Brazil and has a fun, vibrant spirit of after dark. Think moonlit dancing and fruity cocktails. This one is really hypnotic and juicy. To me it feels quite nostalgic, reminding me of the fruity summer scents I used to obsess over and save up my pocket money for in the mid '00s. I really like the warming amber in this one, which takes it from fruity to flirty territory.
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