Sol de Janeiro's Best-Selling Deodorant Smells Like Pistachios and Caramel

Until recently, many "natural" deodorants lacked efficacy and left the armpits smelling stinky. When switching from regular deodorant to aluminum-free, it can take a few weeks for the body to adjust, potentially causing your armpits to smell. And personally, I could never get past the adjustment process.

Luckily, aluminum-free deodorants have evolved in recent years, and many modern formulas now leave the underarms smelling fresh and feeling dry all day. With this in mind, I jumped at the chance to test the buzzy Sol de Janeiro Rio Deo Aluminum-Free Deodorant Cheriosa 62. This 98% naturally derived, aluminum- and baking soda-free deodorant claims to eliminate odor. Plus, it offers benefits like soothing the skin, improving skin tone, and preventing the formation of ingrown hairs. Ahead, read my honest review.

About My Skin: Rough, thick, and prone to underarm bumps

The skin on my body is dry and itchy more times than it is not. Specifically, the skin on my underarms is thicker and rougher than elsewhere on my body. I've also suffered from small bumps on my underarms and a five o'clock shadow, regardless of the razor I use, how often I shave, and my deodorant.

I've relied on drugstore deodorant—Dove Advanced Care Antiperspirant Deodorant has been my go-to—for years because they're non-sticky, smell clean, and keep my armpits dry from morning to night. Although I've dabbled with natural deodorants, they leave my underarms feeling so sticky, almost like they are glued together, and I don't smell as fresh. Plus, I sweat a lot while wearing natural deodorant.

The Feel: Creamy and smooth 

The first time I tried Rio Deo Aluminum-Free Deodorant Cheriosa 62, I followed the instructions explicitly and only swiped the product onto my armpits twice. Immediately, I took to the deodorant's creamy texture—it wasn't chalky nor wet like a gel. The deodorant also felt light on my skin and not the least bit sticky. It glided smoothly and effortlessly across my skin, making putting on deodorant enjoyable and not like a chore. Unfortunately, a layer of white cream was sitting on my underarms and did not absorb fast enough into my skin for my liking. And no matter how much or little I wore, it did transfer onto my dark-colored t-shirts and tops.

The Scent: A delicious mix of pistachio and salted caramel

Sol de Janiero's iconic Bum Bum Cream has one of the most recognized fragrances in body care. That same beloved scent is the heart of Rio Deo Aluminum-Free Deodorant Cheriosa 62 (in Brazil, cheriosa means "to smell incredibly delicious"). The deodorant starts with notes of almond and pistachio before drying down to a mid-layer of jasmine and eventually vanilla and salted caramel for a warm, gourmand scent. It smells like summer spent on a remote tropical island.

The Packaging: Eco-friendly

Recently, Sol de Janeiro made its deodorant refillable with 100% PCR plastic inserts, sold separately. The sustainable packaging is easy to replace—align the tube and click it into place. Then, remove the refill cap and swipe on the deodorant. Refilling the inner packaging reduces plastic consumption by 58% rather than buying a new deodorant every time.

Ingredient Quality: Natural yet effective

The Sol de Janeiro franchise has earned a reputation for incorporating high-quality, Amazonian-derived ingredients into its formulations. With Rio Deo Aluminum-Free Deodorant Cheriosa 62, it's no different. The 98% naturally-derived formula contains a bevy of good-for-the-skin ingredients such as exfoliating papaya enzyme to even out the skin's tone and prevent ingrown hairs; moisturizing coconut oil; Brazilian Bacuri butter and mango seed butter to strengthen and calm the skin barrier; citric acid ester, which reduces odor-causing bacteria; and moisture-absorbing tapioca starch.

Odor Protection: Pretty good

The fundamental purpose of using deodorant is to protect against nasty odors, and most use ingredients, like baking soda and aluminum, that mask odors while simultaneously clogging the pores. But this deodorant works differently and eliminates stinky pits by lowering the skin's pH, which prevents odor-causing bacteria from forming. It also harnesses the power of citric acid ester to neutralize odor. The brand's signature Cheriosa 62 scent takes center stage. But as the day went by, I could smell some of my natural scent peeking through, especially when putting the deodorant through high-intensity workouts and warm weather.

For those who like to wear deodorant to bed, the brand recommends applying a light layer of product to the underarms for a light scent that lasts through the night and into the morning. I can attest that it does, indeed, last through the night. In the morning, I woke up smelling pretty sweet.

Antiperspirant: Expect some sweat, especially during workouts

When I worked from home and spent most of my time at my desk, nary a hint of sweat or wetness was an issue when wearing Rio Deo Aluminum-Free Deodorant Cheriosa 62. However, I wore the deodorant to the gym several times and noticed more dampness in my underarms than my regular antiperspirant deodorant. On top of feeling sweaty, I also sniffed out a whiff of my natural muskiness coming through, which made me feel like the whole gym could smell my stinkiness. But again, Rio Deo Aluminum-Free Deodorant Cheriosa 62 isn't an antiperspirant, so if you tend to sweat a lot, the wetness protection may not be enough for you.

The Results: Smells great, but isn’t sweatproof

I immediately noticed the deodorant's delectable pistachio and salted caramel scent. It reminded me of pistachio plus salted caramel. The scent lasted most of the day and tapered off as the hours ticked by. Although the directions say two swipes are all that is required, I used more to get the full level of freshness that I needed.

While my armpits didn't feel sticky when wearing Rio Deo Aluminum-Free Deodorant Cheriosa 62, it offers little sweat protection, so this likely won't be my summertime deodorant. But, of course, aluminum-free deodorants aren't the first line of defense against sweat (they're not antiperspirants).

The deodorant claims to brighten discoloration and prevent ingrown hairs, but I didn't experience those benefits after a two-week trial run (perhaps it takes longer to see these effects). The skin color on my underarms remained the same, and as far as ingrown hairs go, I did experience a pretty nasty one about one week into wearing the deodorant daily. Conversely, I didn't experience any itching or sensitivity to the deodorant, which is a plus.

The Value: Pricey for a deodorant

I've never considered deodorant a luxury beauty product, and I tend to stick with drugstore products under the ten-dollar mark. The product is somewhat pricey at $16 for a two-ounce refillable bottle of Rio Deo Aluminum-Free Deodorant Cheriosa 62. Yes, it smells fantastic, but the fact that it offers little to no sweat defense puts it in the category of steep for a deodorant. But if you're dead set on finding the best-smelling aluminum- and baking soda-free deodorant, this one fits the bill.

Similar Products: You have options

Mega Babe Rosy Pits: This rose-scented deodorant goes on clear sans any stickiness and keeps the armpits feeling refreshed with odor-fighting enzymes, extracts, and butters. It also contains corn starch, which sops up wetness in the underarms. Still, like most natural varieties, some dampness is expected since the Rosy Pits Deodorant ($14) is formulated without aluminum or baking soda. 

BeautyCounter The Clean Deo: Quite possibly one of the prettiest deodorants—it’s also refillable—this one relies on a mix of non-GMO cornstarch and baking soda to keep the underarm area dry and odor-free. The Clean Deo ($26) glides on smoothly, hydrates, and nourishes dry skin with coconut oil and shea butter, leaving behind a tropical scent of vanilla and coconut.