My Dive into the Sol de Janeiro Discovery Set
So, I kept seeing these colorful Sol de Janeiro sprays everywhere. Online, people raving. Usually, I stick to what I know, you know? Got my couple of go-to scents, job done. But curiosity got the better of me. Felt like everyone was in on this secret beach party smell and I wasn’t. Didn’t want to splash out on a big bottle without knowing, so I figured, okay, let’s grab one of those discovery sets they do. Seemed like the sensible way to figure out what the fuss was about without committing too much cash.
Got the little box delivered. Nothing fancy, just a straightforward package with these small spray bottles inside. Four of them, I think? Yeah, four little guys lined up. Looked kinda cute, like miniature versions of the big ones. First thing I did, naturally, was just sniff the spray tops without actually spraying. Doesn’t really tell you much, but you gotta do it, right? Ritual.
- First up, the famous yellow one. ’62, they call it. Sprayed a bit on my wrist. Whoa. Okay, it’s strong. Sweet, nutty, kinda like caramel popcorn mixed with something beachy? Wore it around the house for a day. It’s definitely a vibe. Loud, fun. Lingered for a decent while, too. Not sure if it’s ‘me’ everyday, felt a bit young maybe? But pleasant enough.
- Then I tried the pink one, ’68. This was different. More floral, fruity? Lighter than the yellow one. Sprayed this one before heading out to grab groceries. Felt less like a dessert, more like… clean, sweetish air? It was nice, less in-your-face. Faded quicker, though. By the time I got home, it was pretty faint.
- Next was the reddish one, ’40. This one was kinda intriguing. A bit darker, maybe some vanilla but also something fruity, like plum? Tried it on an evening just chilling at home. It felt a bit more grown-up than ’62, but still sweet. Liked this one quite a bit, actually. Seemed balanced.
- Finally, the ’71. The brown cap one. Okay, this one. Sprayed it and immediately thought: cookies. Like, straight-up gourmand, warm, buttery, caramel-macadamia cookie smell. It’s STRONG. Like, really strong. Wore it for an hour and felt like I was walking around inside a bakery. Too much for me, personally. Gave me a bit of a headache, gotta be honest. Had to wash it off. Just not my kind of thing.
So, what’s the verdict after trying them all?
Well, it was definitely an experience. Glad I got the set instead of blind-buying a big bottle, especially of that ’71. Phew. The ’62 is popular for a reason, it’s got character, but maybe a bit too loud for me regularly. The ’68 was nice but vanished fast. The ’40 was probably my favorite of the bunch – sweet but not overwhelming, felt a bit more versatile.
Overall? It was interesting dipping my toes in. The sprays are definitely potent, especially that ’62 and ’71. They’re very much perfume sprays, not just light body mists, despite the casual look. They have a very specific sweet, gourmand, beachy theme going on. If that’s your jam, you’ll probably love these. For me, it was fun to try, confirmed ’71 is a no-go, and put ’40 on the maybe-list for a future purchase if I feel like something super sweet. Getting the discovery set was the right move. Did the job, figured it out. No regrets, just learned it’s mostly not my usual style, but I get the appeal now. Mission accomplished.