Sol de Janeiro has built its identity around its famous Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, which claims to firm and tighten skin over time.
Although the brand was founded in 2015, it blew up online in 2023. Cofounder Heela Yang told Glossy in December that 90% of the brand’s triple-digit growth came from organic social promotion.
Like many others, my interest was piqued. But one 8-ounce tub of the lotion costs $48, so I wasn’t sure if it was a sustainable holy-grail product for my budget.
Luckily, Costco stocks a two-pack of 6-ounce Brazilian body butter creams from the brand Nutrius for $22. It’s been dubbed a Bum Bum Cream dupe by some based on similar packaging and shared ingredients — namely cupuaçu butter, coconut oil, acai oil, and guarana extract.
I purchased both to test out just how similar the cheap and expensive products are.
Sol de Janeiro’s product exudes luxury.
If I’m going to spend $48 on a lotion, I’m expecting it to deliver. Luckily, I was pleased by the Bum Bum Cream’s luxe packaging.
When I opened the tub, the cream smelled nutty and almost vanilla-y — likely from the Brazil nut and coconut oil in its formula.
A little bit of the thick cream goes a long way.
Sol de Janeiro advertises its Brazilian Bum Bum Cream as “fast-absorbing.” But after applying a thin layer, it took over 20 minutes for it to fully dry on my skin.
A little definitely goes a long way.
Texture aside, after a couple of days of consistent use across my arms, legs, and torso, I noticed a difference in the smoothness and plumpness of my skin. I was especially pleased with how it helped correct the texture on my upper arms and shoulders.
Bum Bum Cream contains sodium hyaluronate.
To hold in moisture, Bum Bum Cream is made with sodium hyaluronate.
According to Tina Seitz, a licensed medical esthetician and holistic skin specialist, “This is the sodium salt form of hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance in the body. It acts as a sponge helping the skin to hold onto water, being plump and aiding in the elasticity of the skin.”
This fact may be directly responsible for the lingering dampness after application. But in theory, the water retention should help even out cellulite and other skin bumps.
I got nearly double the product (and twice as many scents) at Costco.
Nutrius’s tubs are only 6 ounces, but that still means I got 12 ounces of lotion for $21.98, including taxes.
The brand offers several different scent options for its body creams. My particular Costco two-pack included the original cream and the Berry Bliss Brazilian body butter.
Just getting two scent options for less than half the price of the luxury product was already a major pro.
The smell of the original (yellow lid) lotion was very light — it almost reminded me of sunscreen. It was definitely less rich and luxe than the Sol de Janeiro jar.
I loved how light the product was.
For the fairest results, I waited 72 hours after my Bum Bum Cream trial before using this lotion on my arms, legs, and torso for a couple of days.
Perhaps because of its less expensive formula, the Nutrius cream didn’t feel as thick as its luxury counterpart. But because of this, it was way easier to rub in.
If you hate the texture of putting lotion on (like me), this is probably the jar for you. It also dried on my skin much faster than the Bum Bum Cream.
After a couple of days, I noticed improvements that were very similar to the hydrating and bump-reducing effects of the Bum Bum Cream.
Nutrius has a slightly different ingredient list.
Nutrius’ original cream highlights the same main ingredients as Sol de Janeiro: cupuaçu butter, guarana extract, and acai fruit oil. But the Berry Bliss jar swaps the cupuaçu and acai with cocoa butter and vitamin C for a slightly different hydrating cocktail.
“Cocoa butter contains procyanidins, which increase blood flow, improving circulation,” Seitz said. “This can ease fluid retention and break up fatty deposits under the skin.”
This by no means guarantees cellulite reduction — no product can — but some ingredients have the potential to decrease the appearance of it.
I prefer the dupe to Sol de Janeiro’s original.
As someone who doesn’t like to sit in what feels like layers of product all day, I was a big fan of the fast-absorbing Nutrius cream.
I know some people may prefer a rich, thick cream for hydration. But since I saw similar results from both lotions, I’d rather be comfortable (and save some money).
The real Bum Bum Cream is priced at $6 an ounce, but the dupe costs less than $2 an ounce, so it’s kind of a no-brainer for me. And if you don’t have a Costco membership, Nutrius sells a two-pack on its site for $28, which is still only $2.33 an ounce.
Once my official experiment was over, it was also great to have two different Nutrius formulas and scents to play with. Berry Bliss ended up being my favorite of all three options.
The post I compared Sol de Janeiro’s $48 Brazilian Bum Bum Cream to the Costco dupe. It’s a third of the price, and I prefer it. appeared first on Business Insider.
