Sol de Janeiro shot to fame thanks to its bestselling bum bum cream (from £16.80, Lookfantastic.com) in 2018, just three years after the brand was born. If you’ve picked up the product, you probably understand why it’s so popular – the sweet scent, instant absorption and long-lasting hydration are just a few reasons that make it many people’s top body care pick.

But the brand’s perfume mists are also not to be missed, and, excitingly, a new scent has launched: Sol de Janeiro cheirosa 59 delícia drench. Shooting to the top of many fragrance fan’s wishlists, the perky purple bottle is certainly getting a lot of attention. But going above and beyond a regular perfume, the key pull is its positive mood-boosting claims.

According to a clinical study conducted by the brand, after one application of the new scent, 92 per cent of people said that it made them feel happy and more than 80 per cent said it instantly boosted their mood. Both are bold claims, of course, but in the middle of winter, perhaps it’s the pick-me-up many of us could benefit from.

Spritzing away two weeks ahead of the official launch, I set out to see whether the plum, vanilla orchid and sandalwood scent was strong enough to really put a smile on my face.

The good news is, if hot holidays are your happy place, you may be in luck as whiffs of warmer climes certainly come through. Although, despite a sweet scent, it’s hard to argue that this fragrance will completely alter your emotions. Keep reading below to read my full review.

How I tested Sol de Janeiro new spray

I got my hands on the new scent two weeks ahead of the launch (Lauren Cunningham)

Always one of the first to get my hands on an exciting new product, I had a couple of weeks to play around with the new perfume mist ahead of the launch to see what I made of it. Opting for the extra large 240ml bottle, I spritzed and sprayed away each day to find out how the scent made me feel, how long it lasted and how many compliments I received on the new scent – always a core component when testing a new perfume. Keep scrolling to read my honest thoughts.

Sol de Janeiro cheirosa 59 delícia drench perfume mist

Sizes available : 90ml, 240ml

Key notes : Velvet plum, sugared violet, vanilla orchid, fresh sandalwood

Type : Perfume mist

Why we love it

Holiday in a bottle

Great for travelling

Take note

Needs frequent reapplication

Inspired by the first-credited bossa nova album, João Gilberto’s Chega de Saudade (translating to ‘no more blues’ in English), which launched in 1959, this sweet scent was certainly created with good intentions. Just like the album, it instantly conjures up images of beaches and sun-soaked relaxation, so it’s sure to satisfy all Sol de Janeiro fans.

The bottle

The scent of the Brazilian bum bum cream is a key part of what made the brand as popular as it is, so bottling that up into a hair and body perfume was a bit of a no-brainer. Since the launch of the original scent, cheirosa 62, all body mist bottles have been built the same.

Housed in a vibrant coloured plastic tube, they’re incredibly travel-friendly, meaning you can pop it in your bag without worry of breaking it, a huge plus point. However, I must stress they definitely don’t feel as luxurious as glass-bottled perfumes.

All options are joyful at first appearance, thanks to their bright and bold shades – and cheirosa 59’s perky purple bottle is no exception. I imagine it’s this colour that represents the top notes of velvet plum and sugared violet. So, it’s sure to brighten up anyone’s bathroom cabinet.

Read more: Best perfumes for women

The scent

Cheirosa means to smell delicious, and this body mist certainly lives up to its name. Initially, it’s sweet thanks to top notes of velvet plum and sugared violet, but balancing this out are woody whiffs of sandalwood and vetiver, lending it a warm, slightly spicy scent.

In the middle is vanilla orchid, owing to its almost edible aroma, followed by whipped amber, which gives off light, powdery whiffs. It’s not overpowering in the slightest, even if you get carried away with your spritzing.

The softness of the scent comes from the fact that it’s a body mist rather than an eau de parfum or an eau de toilette, so the percentage of actual perfume oil is much lower, measuring around five per cent compared to at least 20 per cent in an eau de parfum.

The mood-boosting moments

Interestingly, Sol de Janeiro conducted a consumer study on this scent to see how it made people feel after one application of the perfume mist, and the results were incredibly positive. It found that 92 per cent of people said it made them feel happy and transported them to a positive place, while 83 per cent said it instantly boosted their mood and soothed their senses, and 81 per cent said it uplifted their spirits – all rather great reactions to a couple of spritzes of a body mist.

Of course, I would argue that a good whiff of any nice scent would probably prompt a positive lift in mood for most, so these results could possibly be quite common for almost any good perfume trial. But at least it’s statistical proof that people like the smell of Sol de Janeiro’s new scent.

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The verdict: Sol De Janeiro cheirose 59 delícia drench perfume mist

I’m a big fan of the Brazilian brand Sol de Janeiro, loving both the bum bum cream and the body mists, and this new perfume mist certainly did not disappoint. Following the same formula that has seen the brand’s success so far, the bright purple plastic tube houses a soft scent that smells like a holiday in a bottle.

It’s sweet, soft and definitely moreish, so I wasn’t surprised to see people give it positive mood-boosting results when questioned in the brand’s clinical trial. However, I would imagine most great scents would get good feedback when questioned, so perhaps treat these claims as a reminder of the power of perfume rather than a must-have reason to pick up this specific spritz.

For more beauty recommendations, read our review of the best hair oils to smooth and soften your locks

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I tried Sol de Janeiro’s new fragrance – and it’s like a holiday in a bottle

Claiming to be a mood booster, the new scent did not disappoint