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Sol de Janeiro went from niche Brazilian brand to global phenomenon in under two years, driven entirely by TikTok. The iconic Bum Bum Cream — that pistachio and salted caramel scent that seems to follow you for hours — sells out repeatedly across the UK. But at £48 for the full-size body cream, it’s not exactly an everyday purchase.
I’ve found the UK dupes that genuinely replicate that experience. Some are impressively close.
Best Bum Bum Cream Dupes UK
The Bum Bum Cream’s signature is threefold: the scent (pistachio, salted caramel, cupuaçu butter), the texture (whipped, fast-absorbing), and the skin-firming caffeine and guaraná complex. Here’s what comes closest.
1. Aldi Lacura Brazilian Butter Body Cream — £4.99
This is the dupe that broke the internet in 2023, and it’s still the closest match on the UK market. Aldi’s seasonal Lacura Brazilian Butter Cream replicates the scent profile with remarkable accuracy — that warm, sweet, nutty caramel note is unmistakably similar. The texture is rich but absorbs quickly. The catch: it’s seasonal stock, so grab it when you see it.
2. Lidl Cien Luxury Body Butter — £3.99
Lidl’s answer to the Bum Bum phenomenon arrives with a similar whipped texture and a warming, gourmand scent profile. Not an exact match, but at £4, if you’re buying it for the daily moisturising ritual rather than the brand name, it absolutely delivers.
3. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Body Cream — £6
Palmer’s is the high street’s closest permanent equivalent to the Bum Bum texture and finish. The cocoa butter base gives skin that same smooth, almost polished appearance, and the warm vanilla-coconut scent has genuine overlap with Sol de Janeiro’s fragrance DNA.
4. Soap & Glory Smoothie Star Breakfast Scrub Body Butter — £8
Soap & Glory’s body butters have a whipped, fast-absorbing texture almost identical to Bum Bum Cream. The scent family is slightly different — more citrus-forward — but the application experience and skin feel are genuinely comparable. Available nationwide at Boots.
Best Brazilian Joia Shampoo & Conditioner Dupes UK
Sol de Janeiro’s hair care range commands a premium in the UK. For similar results at a fraction of the price:
Elvive Dream Lengths No Haircut Cream — £7
L’Oréal’s leave-in treatment delivers comparable conditioning and frizz control to Brazilian Joia at a fraction of the price. The castor oil and hyaluronic acid formula leaves hair with the same glossy, manageable finish.
Best Perfume Mist Dupes UK
Sol de Janeiro’s Cheirosa 71 and 62 body mists (£30+) have become beauty must-haves. These come impressively close:
Aldi Lacura Brazilian Glow Body Mist — £3.99
When Aldi stocks these (seasonal), they’re genuinely the closest scent match available in the UK under £5. A viral TikTok moment for good reason.
Impulse Very Me Body Spray — £2
For the warm, sweet vanilla-gourmand profile, Impulse’s Very Me is a surprisingly close fragrance family at a completely negligible price.
Is Real Sol de Janeiro Worth It?
If you love the brand experience — the packaging, the cult community, the specific Cheirosa scent — yes. But for daily body moisturising? Aldi or Palmer’s will give your skin everything it needs. Save the real thing for a treat.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Cream smell like?
A warm, sweet blend of pistachio, salted caramel, cupuaçu butter, and guaraná. It’s a distinctly gourmand, Brazilian-inspired scent — distinctive and long-lasting.
Does the Aldi Sol de Janeiro dupe smell exactly the same?
Very close, but not identical. The overall scent profile is in the same warm, nutty-sweet family and is impressively similar for the price point.