A Clean Play — Sol de Janeiro Brazilian 4 Play Moisturizing Shower-Cream Gel
It may have a cheeky name with a clever double entendre, but the new Sol de Janeiro Brazilian 4 Play Moisturizing Shower Cream-Gel isn’t a pleasure-enhancing lubricant — at least not in the customary, keep-in-the-nightstand-drawer sense! It is, however, a body cleanser with a deliciously nutty aroma and a creamy but lightweight texture that might just make you feel a little bit naughty and frisky. The playfulness of the shower cream’s scent, combined with the smooth skin it helps you attain (which practically begs to be caressed), might just lead to some steamy action so, in that sense, the product does live to its “4 Play” moniker. At the very least, it will make your showering experience feel like an island getaway and, when it’s over, you’ll feel like Stella after she got her groover back in Jamaica (though your swag will come courtesy of a sensory trip to Brazil).
What makes the Sol de Janerio Brazilian 4 Play Moisturizing Shower Cream-Gel ($25 at Sephora.com) so special? Well, first, there’s that delicious pistachio caramel scent which is unexpectedly sexy and sunny. Initially, I feared the aroma would be too sweet, that I’d feel like a walking biscotti or a pistachio ice cream sundae. To my delight, the scent isn’t as sweet as I’d imagined — if anything it’s nutty and buttery but with an earthiness that grounds the scent, thereby eliminating any possible association with baked treats. But, most importantly, what makes this paraben- and phtalate-free body wash so impressive is that it manages to gently cleanse the skin, leaving you feeling refreshed and renewed — all without stripping the skin of any moisture or, on the other end of the spectrum, leaving behind a filmy and icky residue.
The cleanser’s hydrating and softening properties can be attributed to a blend of cupuaçu butter, açai extract, and coconut oil — all of which nod to the wondrous healing properties of the plants, fruits, and trees that are indigenous to the Amazon region. Cupuaçu butter, for one, is produced by cold-pressing the seeds of the fruits that grow on the Theobroma grandiflorum, a tropical tree native to the Amazon forest and found in particular abundance in Brazil. The butter is rich in essential fatty acids (palmitic, stearic, and oleic acids) that condition and soften the skin, as well as in polyphenols with excellent antioxidant properties (meaning they protect the skin from UV rays, pollution, and other environmental aggressors that can lead to premature aging signs). Açai, meanwhile, is an antioxidant powerhouse and it also boasts anti-aging properties thanks to its vitamin C content (which, in turn, helps to promote collagen and elastin production, leading to firmer skin) and the presence of omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids that soften and brighten the skin. Coconut oil completes the tropical ingredient trifecta, hydrating the skin and sealing in moisture, leaving your skin soft, smooth, and supple.
The one ingredient in this product that gives me pause is ammonium lauryl sulfate (ALS), a surfactant and emulsifier that helps to create a slippery lather but which can, in fact, strip the skin of natural oils and could be a potential irritant. As a general rule, I try to avoid all skincare and haircare products that contain sulfates and, while I didn’t have any negative experiences while using this product (no topical irritation of any kind), I do wish the ingredient weren’t present at all — especially given that the formula includes cocamidopropyl betaine, a surfactant derived from coconut oil that’s generally considered much gentler.
If there’s one aspect of this product I’d change, then, it would be to remove the ALS from the formula. Otherwise, the Sol de Janeiro Brazilian 4 Play Moisturizing Shower Cream-Gel is an absolute delight — and yes, it will leave you smelling so yummy that it might just lead to an afternoon delight!
