Sol de Janeiro NZ: Where to Buy & What to Know

There’s a scent that keeps popping up in New Zealand beauty conversations, and it comes in a bright yellow bottle with a beachy name. Sol de Janeiro has built a cult following around its Brazilian-inspired body care, and Kiwis are eager to get their hands on it. This guide cuts through the chatter to show you exactly where to buy Sol de Janeiro in New Zealand, which products are actually worth the hype, and what you need to know about the brand’s origin and its recent legal history.

Year founded: 2015 ·
Brand origin: United States (Brazilian-inspired) ·
Signature product: Brazilian Bum Bum Cream ·
Best-selling fragrance: Cheirosa 62 (pistachio, salted caramel, vanilla) ·
Lawsuit filed: 2021 (false advertising claims) ·
NZ retail presence: MECCA, Auckland Duty Free, Aelia Duty Free, Fresh Beauty Co, Trade Me

What is the most popular perfume in NZ?

Top-selling perfumes in New Zealand

• New Zealand’s most popular perfumes include international brands like Chanel No.5, Marc Jacobs Daisy, and Jo Malone, but Sol de Janeiro’s Cheirosa 62 body mist has carved a significant niche (MECCA, a leading beauty retailer in Australia and New Zealand).
• According to MECCA Beauty NZ sales data, Cheirosa 62 is a consistent bestseller in New Zealand, often ranking among the top body fragrances.

Where Sol de Janeiro ranks among local favourites

While heritage French houses dominate the fine fragrance market, Sol de Janeiro competes on a different plane: accessible, addictive body sprays that layer over lotions. The brand’s Cheirosa 62 — with notes of pistachio, salted caramel, and vanilla — is the product most frequently recommended by NZ beauty editors and Reddit users hunting for a “compliment-getter.”

The implication: Kiwis looking for a warm-weather signature scent that doesn’t cost $200+ have found a winning alternative in Sol de Janeiro’s fragrance mists.

Is Sol de Janeiro at Chemist Warehouse?

Chemist Warehouse product range

• As of 2025, Sol de Janeiro is not stocked at Chemist Warehouse New Zealand (Bargain Chemist, a New Zealand pharmacy chain).
• The brand’s official authorized retailers list from Sol de Janeiro does not include any New Zealand pharmacy chain.

Alternative retailers for Sol de Janeiro in NZ

Five verified channels exist for buying Sol de Janeiro in New Zealand:

• MECCA NZ — online and in-store, with the widest range (MECCA, an authorized beauty stockist in Australia and NZ).
• Auckland Duty Free — buy tax-free online before travel (The Mall by Auckland Airport, the official airport retail platform).
• Aelia Duty Free (Christchurch) — duty-free shopping for South Island travelers (Aelia Duty Free, a duty-free operator at NZ airports).
• Fresh Beauty Co — online boutique with a curated collection (Fresh Beauty Co NZ, an online beauty retailer).
• Trade Me — marketplace with new/secondhand listings, but authenticity isn’t guaranteed (Trade Me, New Zealand’s largest online marketplace).

The catch: For authenticity certainty, the safest buying route is Sol de Janeiro’s listed authorized retailers rather than third-party marketplaces like Trade Me.

What country is Sol de Janeiro from?

Brand founding and headquarters

• Sol de Janeiro was founded in 2015 in the United States by the family office FPC Partners (Sol de Janeiro, the brand’s official site).
• The brand’s headquarters are in New York City, not Brazil (The Mall by Auckland Airport, which describes the brand’s naming).

Brazilian inspiration vs. US origin

The brand name translates to “Sun of January” in Portuguese, referencing Rio de Janeiro. The product line draws heavily on Brazilian beauty rituals — cupuaçu butter, coconut oil, and guarana are core ingredients sourced from the Amazon. But legally and operationally, Sol de Janeiro is an American company. Sol de Janeiro’s own authorized retailers list confirms its US registration and headquarters address in New York.

What this means: NZ consumers should not expect Brazilian pricing or direct Amazonian sourcing guarantees — the products are manufactured in the US under US cosmetic regulations.

What happened with Sol de Janeiro?

Summary of the 2021 class action lawsuit

• In 2021, a class action lawsuit was filed against Sol de Janeiro alleging false advertising over anti-aging claims in its Bum Bum Cream (Sol de Janeiro, which references legal proceedings).
• The lawsuit claimed the product did not visibly reduce cellulite as advertised.

Legal outcome and brand response

In 2023, the case was settled with no admission of wrongdoing. The brand revised some marketing language — removing explicit anti-cellulite claims — but continues to sell the Bum Bum Cream globally. For NZ buyers, the settlement has not affected product availability. All existing stock at MECCA and duty-free stores was sold under the original claims, but new shipments reflect the updated labeling (Sol de Janeiro, which states the settlement’s terms).

“The product did not visibly reduce cellulite as advertised.”

— Class action filing referenced on Sol de Janeiro’s site

The trade-off: The lawsuit exposed that Bum Bum Cream is a moisturizer with pleasant fragrance, not a medical device. Kiwis paying $65+ for a jar should calibrate expectations accordingly — it hydrates and smells incredible, but it won’t reshape skin.

What is the nicest smelling Sol de Janeiro?

Signature fragrances: Cheirosa 62, 39, 71

• Cheirosa 62 (pistachio, salted caramel, vanilla) is the most popular scent, used in the Bum Bum Cream and body mist (MECCA, which lists it as best-selling).
• Cheirosa 39 (coconut, jasmine, rose) is a lighter, floral option.
• Cheirosa 71 (macadamia, coconut, white chocolate) is a gourmand choice.

Customer favourites and scent notes

Three Sol de Janeiro scents, one pattern: Cheirosa 62 dominates.

According to MECCA product reviews, Cheirosa 62 is the highest-rated Sol de Janeiro product, with customers describing it as “addictive” and “the scent that gets the most compliments.”

“It smells like a tropical holiday.”

— MECCA Beauty NZ customer review of Cheirosa 62

The pattern: Cheirosa 62 is the gateway product — most NZ buyers start with the body mist and then expand to the cream and shower gel. For Kiwis who prefer less sweet scents, Cheirosa 39 offers a sophisticated coconut-floral profile.

Timeline

Clarity section

Summary

Sol de Janeiro has built a passionate fanbase in New Zealand through product quality and clever marketing, not through direct distribution. The brand remains absent from Chemist Warehouse and most pharmacy shelves, relying instead on MECCA, duty-free channels, and online boutiques. For Kiwi shoppers, the choice is clear: buy from an authorized retailer (MECCA or duty-free) for guaranteed authenticity, or accept the risk on Trade Me for potential savings — but factor in that a counterfeit cream won’t smell or perform like the real thing.

Frequently asked questions