Sol de Janeiro

Sol de Janeiro is an American skincare and fragrance brand founded in 2015 and inspired by Brazilian beach culture. Sol de Janeiro products carry its signature base of almond and vanilla scents.

History
Co-founder and CEO Heela Yang worked as a director of marketing at Clinique and as a manager at Lancôme before moving from New York City to Brazil with her husband in 2008. Yang, a Korean-American and Harvard Business School alumna, founded Sol de Janeiro after  living in Brazil and experiencing its inclusive beach culture firsthand.

In 2021 L’Occitane Group acquired a majority stake in Sol de Janeiro, valuing the company at US$450 million.

Marketing
TikTok had a major effect on the brand's business, collaborating with social media influencers such as Katie Fang. "Euphoria" star Barbie Ferreira was chosen as a brand ambassador in 2023.

Awards and honors
Fast Company named Sol de Janeiro to its 2024 list of the most innovative companies.

Controversies
In December 2023, a review of a Sol de Janeiro moisturizer went viral, claiming it attracted spiders. Other users backed up this claiming by saying the cream contained pheromones sexually attracting male spiders. Sol de Janeiro later denied the rumors, along with experts labeling it unlikely to be true.