How Sol de Janeiro Created the World’s Most Iconic Body Cream
April 14 | 4 minute read
Words by Christie Sinclair
Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2025, Brazilian Bum Bum Cream (pronounced ‘boom boom’) has undeniably sparked a worldwide obsession with body care, introducing the idea that a body cream could be more than an addictively sweet-smelling lotion – it could also improve the look and feel of skin and lift our spirits at the same time.
Back in 2015, before Bum Bum hit shelves, body care wasn’t what it was today. Lotions, scrubs and creams were seen as functional, overshadowed by the innovation happening in the makeup and skincare categories. Hydration was generally the one goal and anything beyond that was a bonus. But Sol de Janeiro’s CEO and co-founder, Heela Yang, saw an opportunity and was set on changing the status quo.
Yang, who lived in Brazil, was captivated and inspired by the country’s beauty rituals, warmth and spirit, along with the role that personal care routines played in the culture. This became the brand’s DNA and inspired her very first product – Brazilian Bum Bum Cream.
By building a brand that went beyond the idea of just looking beautiful, Yang turned scented body lotion into an instant icon. Curating every detail to spark that euphoric, peak Brazilian summer feeling, from the sunny yellow packaging and irresistible, gourmand fragrance to the fun-loving, cheeky name, it was aspirational, collectable and became the most-wanted body product of the decade.
Not only that, the cult-loved cream would become the standard by which every new body care launch was measured. As much as they tried, no one could replicate the iconic whipped formula, which includes powerful skincare ingredients found only in the Amazon: its luscious cupuaçu butter base is enriched with caffeine-rich guaraná extract to stimulate circulation, resulting in a firming effect on the skin. Together, the cream locks in moisture and supports skin elasticity, leaving skin feeling silky soft.
“With Brazilian Bum Bum and all of our body care innovations, it was our mission to create efficacious, nutrient-rich formulas that take care of both the body and soul,” the brand tells The MECCA Memo. “Brazilian Bum Bum was created specifically to help visibly smooth and tighten the appearance of your skin and add a radiant glow – so you can exude confidence each moment of every day.”
But it was that scent that first caught the attention of beauty lovers across the globe. “Using an addictive, edible gourmand fragrance in luxury cream rather than the typical floral or citrus-forward profile, was a very out-of-the-box choice,” the brand says. “It was something consumers didn’t even know that they wanted but ended up catapulting the brand to the forefront of the ‘neo gourmand’ fragrance frenzy.”
The signature Cheirosa 62 fragrance in Brazilian Bum Bum Cream elevated body care to new heights with unexpected and complex notes, while still keeping the edible and delicious, mood-boosting qualities that give that feeling of nostalgia. ‘Cheirosa’ is the Brazilian Portuguese term that means ‘to smell absolutely delicious’ – and the cream’s irresistible notes do just that.
