Sol de Janeiro

Sol de Janeiro is an American skincare and fragrance brand founded in 2015 by Heela Yang. Sol de Janeiro products are inspired by Brazilian beach culture and are known for its signature scent base of pistachio and vanilla.
The brand is majority-owned by Groupe L'Occitane.

History

Co-founder and CEO Heela Yang worked as a director of marketing at Clinique and as a manager at Lancôme before moving from Brazil to New York with her husband in 2012. 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.

Spider pheromone hoax

In December 2023, a review of a Sol de Janeiro moisturizer went viral, claiming it attracted spiders. Other users backed up this claim 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.

Marketing

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.