Brazilian Touch Hand Cream
Cheirosa '62 On-The-Go
Verified reviewer
Pros & cons.
- +Thoughtful 2023 reformulation added squalane and sodium hyaluronate
- +Iconic Cheirosa '62 scent in a portable 50 ml format
- +Fast absorbing with a non-greasy finish compatible with work
- +Real cupuaçu butter content for meaningful emollient action
- +Layered humectant, lipid, and occlusive system
- +Sustainable 33% sugarcane-derived tube packaging
- +Leaping Bunny certified and fully vegan
- −Four declared fragrance allergens rule out sensitive skin
- −Small 50 ml tube at $16 is premium for the format
- −Scent is polarizing — gourmand isn't for everyone
- −Not suitable for severely cracked or eczema-prone hands
- −Contains coconut oil which may not suit every user
The full review.
There’s a specific pleasure in a brand reformulating a product to fix something that was actually wrong with it. Sol de Janeiro’s Brazilian Touch Hand Cream launched around 2018, riding the Cheirosa ‘62 wave that had already made Brazilian Bum Bum Cream into a cultural object. The idea was simple: put the beloved pistachio-salted-caramel scent in a bag-friendly format so fans could refresh it through the day. The execution, in its first version, was mostly fine — but a consistent complaint in early reviews was that the finish felt powdery and the hydration ran thin on very dry hands. For a cream at this price point, that was a real weakness.
Then in 2023, Sol de Janeiro reformulated. They added squalane and sodium hyaluronate to the deck — not trace additions at the bottom of the list, but meaningful inclusions that changed the texture and the hydration ceiling of the product. The updated formula reads as a quietly smart response to customer feedback: the fragrance story stays identical, the fast absorption stays identical, and the hydration improves because the humectant and lipid components actually got upgraded. Most brands reformulate for cost reasons and hide the downgrade behind marketing language. This was the opposite, and it’s worth flagging because it changes the recommendation.
Read the current ingredient deck from the top and you see what the formulation is actually doing. Caprylic/capric triglyceride and phenyl trimethicone are positioned second and fifth, which is why the cream wears fast and non-greasy despite being called rich. Cupuaçu seed butter — Sol de Janeiro’s signature Amazonian ingredient — sits ninth, and sodium hyaluronate follows right after. Brazil nut seed oil, coconut oil, açaí oil, squalane, and glycerin round out the emollient and humectant system. The result is a cream that layers humectant, lipid, and occlusive action properly rather than leaning on any single mechanism. That’s thoughtful formulation for a hand cream category where most products are afterthoughts.
Scent
The scent is the obvious selling point. Cheirosa ‘62 is the same gourmand that anchors Brazilian Bum Bum Cream and the rest of the body care lineup — pistachio, salted caramel, vanilla, jasmine — and putting it in a 50 ml squeeze tube means you can refresh it on your hands after washing them, which is really the whole reason to buy this product. If you already love the scent, having a portable version on your desk or in your bag is a genuine upgrade over only encountering it after a shower. If you’re ambivalent about or actively dislike Cheirosa ‘62, none of this matters and you should pick a different hand cream.
Texture
The experience on hand skin is the other thing worth knowing. The cream goes on rich, absorbs within 30 to 60 seconds, and leaves behind a softly conditioned finish with none of the residue that makes some hand creams incompatible with touching your phone or keyboard. The non-greasy finish is a big part of why this product earns its place in a desk or bag — it’s the kind of cream you can apply between emails and keep working. For very dry or cracked hands, you’ll need something heavier (a petrolatum-based cream or an overnight treatment), but for daily comfort, the formula holds up.
Common Complaints
Here’s the honest part. The fragrance allergen load is a known limitation. The deck declares benzyl salicylate, coumarin, limonene, and hydroxycitronellal — four separate allergens, each with documented contact sensitization profiles. For most people with healthy hands, this won’t cause problems. For anyone with a known fragrance sensitivity, contact dermatitis history, or eczema on the hands (which is common given how often hands are washed, exposed to detergents, and subjected to climate stress), this formula is a hard no. Sol de Janeiro does not market to sensitive skin in this range, and reactive users should shop elsewhere. Fragrance-free hand creams from brands like CeraVe, Eucerin, or La Roche-Posay are the right substitutes.
Price
The price is the usual conversation. At $16 for 50 ml, Brazilian Touch sits in the premium hand cream bracket — more than a L’Occitane Shea Hand Cream at comparable volume, but in the same general luxury tier. You’re paying for the Cheirosa ‘62 fragrance, the 2023 reformulation quality, and the brand experience. Whether that’s worth it depends on whether you want a hand cream that functions as both a practical moisturizer and a mobile fragrance. For people who already own and love the rest of the Cheirosa ‘62 range, the answer is almost always yes. For shoppers buying purely on performance-per-dollar, a $4 tube from the drugstore will do the moisturizing work at a fraction of the cost.
Verdict
The verdict: this is a legitimately good hand cream, quietly improved by a thoughtful 2023 reformulation, that earns its place on the desk of anyone who loves Cheirosa ‘62. It’s not a product for sensitive skin, not a treatment-grade option for severe dryness, and not the cheapest way to moisturize your hands. It is, however, exactly what it’s supposed to be — and after the reformulation, it actually delivers on the hydration promise the original version stretched on.
Ingredient analysis.
Full INCI list
Aqua (Water, Eau), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Dodecane, Phenyl Trimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Parfum (Fragrance), Theobroma Grandiflorum (Cupuaçu) Seed Butter, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bertholletia Excelsa (Brazil Nut) Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Euterpe Oleracea (Açaí) Fruit Oil, Squalane, Glycerin, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Ilex Paraguariensis Leaf Extract, Ilex Guayusa Leaf Extract, Bixa Orellana (Annatto) Seed Extract, Glyceryl Caprylate, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Phytate, Citric Acid, Benzyl Salicylate, Coumarin, Limonene, Hydroxycitronellal
Skin match.
The science.
The Science
This formulation uses updated hand cream hydration chemistry. The vehicle layer — caprylic/capric triglyceride and phenyl trimethicone — spreads and absorbs fast, making it compatible with work. Caprylic/capric triglyceride is a lightweight ester from coconut and palm fatty acids; cosmetic chemistry shows it is one of the fastest-absorbing lipid vehicles. Phenyl trimethicone is a silicone that spreads easily and leaves a soft-focus finish without the heaviness of dimethicone. Cupuaçu butter, Brazil nut oil, coconut oil, and squalane do the moisturizing work underneath. Research shows cupuaçu butter's fatty acid composition — mostly oleic and stearic acids — and its water-holding capacity can match or exceed shea butter.
The 2023 reformulation added squalane and sodium hyaluronate. Squalane is a skin-identical lipid; studies show it reduces transepidermal water loss and improves skin hydration without comedogenic effects. Sodium hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid, a humectant that binds water in the upper stratum corneum. The original Brazilian Touch formula had a thin humectant layer — mostly glycerin — and relied almost entirely on occlusion. Adding sodium hyaluronate creates a humectant-occlusive pairing, the architecture that delivers durable hydration to hand skin. This uses well-established cosmetic chemistry to fix a known formulation gap. The update is small on paper but meaningful in practice.
Dermatologist Perspective
Dermatologists view layered humectant, lipid, and occlusive formulations like this one as appropriate for daily maintenance in patients with healthy or mildly dry hands. Board-certified dermatologists note that frequent washing, exposure to detergents and sanitizers, and climate sensitivity make hand skin one of the body's most stressed areas; they recommend applying a moisturizer after every hand wash to maintain the barrier. For patients with contact dermatitis, hand eczema, or occupational dryness from medical or food-service work, dermatologists consistently recommend fragrance-free hand creams — brands like CeraVe, Eucerin, and La Roche-Posay dominate clinical recommendations. For patients with healthy skin who want a sensorial hand cream that also moisturizes, this formula is a reasonable choice, though the fragrance allergen load requires patch testing. Dermatologists recommend using this scented hand cream for non-medical use rather than treating symptomatic dryness.
Where it fits in your routine.
Apply a small amount to clean, dry hands after washing. Massage it into the backs of the hands, knuckles, fingers, and nail cuticles for 30 to 60 seconds until absorbed. Reapply after every hand wash or when hands feel dry, especially in cold or dry climates. The tube is portable; keep one at your desk, in your bag, or on the bathroom counter. For overnight use on very dry hands, apply a thicker layer before bed and use cotton gloves. If you need heavy-duty overnight barrier repair, a petrolatum-based cream outperforms this formula.
At $16 for 50 ml, Brazilian Touch is a premium hand cream. It costs more per ounce than L'Occitane Shea Hand Cream at similar volumes and several times more than drugstore options. No larger size exists, so the per-ounce price stays fixed. You pay for the Cheirosa '62 fragrance experience, the 2023 reformulation, the sustainable packaging, and the brand. For Sol de Janeiro loyalists and scent fans, this premium makes sense—the 2023 reformulation improved the product and the scent drives the purchase. For shoppers prioritizing moisturization performance, a $4 drugstore hand cream matches most practical benefits. Both views are valid. Unlike hype-driven brands charging $30+ for glycerin-and-water, Sol de Janeiro backs its premium price with real ingredient investment and a decade of track record.
Cheirosa '62 fragrance fans wanting a portable version for desks or travel. People with normal-to-dry hands seeking a fast-absorbing, elegant hand cream that moisturizes without residue. Sol de Janeiro loyalists wanting to match hand care with the rest of the body care lineup.
This product suits people with fragrance sensitivities, contact dermatitis history, eczema on the hands, or a compromised skin barrier — the four declared fragrance allergens rule it out. It works for shoppers seeking a budget hand cream or a treatment-grade option for severely cracked or damaged skin. It also suits people who dislike gourmand scents.
Product details.
Rich but fast-absorbing cream that melts into hand skin without residue
Cheirosa '62 — pistachio, salted caramel, vanilla, jasmine
Soft squeeze tube with 33% sugarcane-derived plastic, portable size
The scent hits immediately — the same Cheirosa '62 gourmand that defines Brazilian Bum Bum Cream. The texture is surprisingly light for a cream labeled rich: it absorbs within 30 seconds to a minute, leaving hands soft, slightly glowy, and carrying the signature scent. The 2023 reformulation is noticeably less powdery than the original.
Roughly 6-10 weeks with multiple daily applications from the 50 ml tube
12 months
All Year
The backstory.
Brazilian Touch launched around 2018 as Sol de Janeiro's portable extension of the Brazilian Bum Bum Cream's Cheirosa '62 scent story, aimed at fans who wanted the fragrance in a desk-and-bag format. In 2023, Sol de Janeiro reformulated the product, adding squalane and sodium hyaluronate to address feedback that the original felt powdery and wasn't hydrating enough for very dry hands. The tube also moved to 33% sugarcane-derived plastic as part of the brand's sustainability updates.
About Sol de Janeiro
Established Brand (5–20 years)Sol de Janeiro launched in 2015. Brazilian Touch joined the lineup around 2018 and received a 2023 reformulation that added squalane and sodium hyaluronate. The brand has a decade of commercial history but markets sensorial experience instead of clinical validation.
Common myths.
A hand cream with fast absorption can't really moisturize.
This formula uses phenyl trimethicone and caprylic/capric triglyceride as a fast-absorbing vehicle layer. It layers cupuaçu butter, Brazil nut oil, coconut oil, squalane, and sodium hyaluronate underneath. The cream moisturizes without the heavy residue that stops you from returning to work. That is the goal of the formulation.
The 2023 reformulation is marketing; nothing changed.
The updated formula adds squalane and sodium hyaluronate, which the original deck lacks. These additions matter: squalane adds a skin-identical lipid layer, and sodium hyaluronate provides humectant action. Users who tried both versions report a better texture.
FAQ.
Does it smell like Brazilian Bum Bum Cream?
Yes — it carries the same iconic Cheirosa '62 fragrance, with the classic pistachio, salted caramel, vanilla, and jasmine notes. If you love the Bum Bum Cream scent and want it in a portable hand format, this is the product.
Is the new formula different from the original?
Yes. Sol de Janeiro reformulated Brazilian Touch in 2023, adding squalane and sodium hyaluronate. The updated version is less powdery and more hydrating than the original, which some users called drying on very dry hands.
Is it greasy?
No — caprylic/capric triglyceride and phenyl trimethicone at the top of the deck ensure a fast-absorbing, non-greasy finish. You can apply it before typing, scrolling, or handling paper without leaving residue.
Is it safe for sensitive skin?
This formula is not ideal. It contains four fragrance allergens — benzyl salicylate, coumarin, limonene, and hydroxycitronellal — so people with fragrance sensitivity should avoid it. Fragrance-free hand creams like Cetaphil or CeraVe work better for reactive skin.
How long does the tube last?
The 50 ml tube lasts about 6-10 weeks with multiple daily applications. Usage depends on how much you apply and how often you wash your hands. Heavy users finish it faster; occasional users stretch it longer.
Is it good for cracked or very dry hands?
It works for mild-to-moderate dryness. For severely cracked, eczema-prone, or wind-damaged hands, use a petrolatum-based or occlusive-heavy hand cream for better results. This formula optimizes everyday comfort rather than treatment-grade barrier repair.
What the community says.
"signature Cheirosa '62 scent on hands"
"fast absorption and non-greasy finish"
"travel-friendly tube size"
"soft non-sticky afterfeel"
"noticeable improvement after 2023 reformulation"
"small 50 ml tube for $16"
"scent too strong for some users"
"fragrance load unsuitable for sensitive skin"
"doesn't last as long on very dry hands"
"not a treatment-grade hand cream"
