We Put Sol de Janeiro's Haircare Range To The Test

If there was any Sol de Janeiro creation that captured the label's jovial spirit, I would say the Brazilian Joia Strengthening and Smoothing Shampoo would be it. Powered by the label’s pioneering SOL Seal Technology™, this shampoo is infused with plant-based keratin micro-capsules that ionically fuse broken, damaged and split ends, wrapping each strand with a hug and treat action that restores hair to optimum strength.

With fine and chemically coloured hair, my tresses often bear the burden of heavy, sulphate-rich formulas, but this moisturising marvel left my mane feeling featherlight and soaked in a glossy lustre that glistened like rays of sunlight. Building to a creamy lather, this shampoo neatly purified my scalp of any product build-up and pollution, dousing my hair in a deluge of sumptuous hydration that endured against environmental aggressors before wash day was quite clearly demanded!

With the Brazilian Glossy Nourishing Hair oil, it’s almost as if Sol de Janeiro took a trip to the sun, pouring its brilliance into this little bottle of liquid gold. Enriched with a sumptuous cocktail of Brazilian patauá, pequi and buriti oils – alongside nourishing antioxidants – it floods hair in a much-needed hit of hydration, promising to smooth pesky tangles and curb frizz for up to 72 hours.

With snapped, split and strained ends, it will take any army of frizz-fighting superstars to tame my tresses, but this hair oil was a welcomed comrade in this seemingly infinite beauty battle. Although I'm not convinced this sunshine-scented treatment protected my hair to the extreme temperature claimed (450 degrees, to be precise), my mane was illuminated in a glossy, mirror-like shine that deeply replenished and restored my dry, damaged strands.

With a single spritz of Sol de Janeiro’s celebrated Cheirosa ’62 scent, I can almost feel the warmth of sun-baked sand and hear the melodic peal of waves rippling against the shore – and the Brazilian Joia™ Milky Leave-In Conditioner was the magic that sparked the private paradise to life. Like summer in a bottle, this lightweight liquid is enriched with a botanical blend of babaçu oil to lock-in moisture, alongside selenium-rich Brazil nut oil to protect locks against further breakage.

Sprayed onto damp strands, this product was a haircare hero when it came to tackling my tough tangles and smoothing my stubborn knots. After multiple uses, I felt this product performed particularly well as priming my hair in preparation for styling with heated tools, transforming my expected frazzle into noticeably fresh, silky-soft locks.

I have a complicated relationship with my long, reasonably thick, wavy and frizzy hair – I love it, but it doesn’t always love me back. My scalp is quite sensitive – sometimes verging on flaky – and it gets oily very quickly. I’m cursed with the oily roots and dry ends syndrome and keep my hair routine quite simple – a scalp treatment, shampoo, conditioner (which I exclusively put around the ends and sometimes even skip to avoid my hair lacking volume and being weighed down) and hair oil if I’m feeling fancy or when my ends are looking extra dry.

I stopped washing my hair every day a while back – and while I know this is generally considered a healthier practice, it can be a struggle due to my scalp’s oiliness! Luckily however, I don’t think my hair needs too much strengthening – I’ve never dyed it, so my main concern is to keep it as healthy as possible when using heat styling products.

I’m definitely a Sol fan so couldn’t resist trying out the brand’s haircare range – I tested the shampoo, leave in conditioner and hair oil. I was a bit worried about the nourishing aspect of the shampoo, as I feel like formulas with lots of hydration and nourishing qualities can potentially exacerbate my oiliness. Luckily, this cleanser and my hair seemed to get on. I found the texture divine, very luscious and rich, and of course, the scent was amazing. Despite the richness, it didn’t seem to weigh down my hair at all. The big test for me is how my hair would look the next day – some cleansers may make my hair look amazing on the first day, but oily and already ready for a wash the next day. This shampoo passed the test – my hair didn’t look any oilier than usual.

As for the leave-in conditioner, it’s not a product I would usually reach out for as again, I worry it would just make my hair oily all over. However, I’m due a haircut and my ends are especially dry at the moment, so any extra nourishment is welcome! I used it after showering and before styling my hair with any heat products, and I even used it when letting my hair dry naturally. I actually loved this conditioner – I didn’t find it heavy at all, and the spray-on packaging makes it so easy to use! It did help to some extent to detangle my hair – but as my hair gets very, very knotty, if I have time I will brush it before washing it to make things easier. I didn’t put too much on, but I can imagine someone with very dry hair would absolutely love this.

Then there’s the hair oil – I may have oily roots but that doesn’t stop me from loving hair oils. Personally, I prefer a hair oil that’s fragranced – and this oil in particular smells incredible thanks to Sol’s unmistakable Cheirosa ’62 scent. It’s a treat for the senses, but it’s also lightweight and felt lovely on my hair. I don’t think it weighed my hair down at all, although I made a point of not using too much. I used it when my hair was both still damp and dry (I’d use it after blow-drying my hair but also if I let it dry naturally). I might even go as far as saying this has been my favourite product out of all three!

I’ve used these products a few times for a few weeks and even though I’m yet to see any long-term benefits, I will continue to keep using them as my hair hasn’t reacted in any negative way towards them. Also, on a daily basis my hair is looking smooth and fizz-free, and the dry and split ends are less pronounced. I wouldn’t say they make my hair look particularly shiny, but I think my hair in particular would need a miracle for that to happen!