It’s basically impossible to go anywhere without smelling Sol de Janeiro on someone, whether it’s the nutty vanilla original Brazilian Crush scent or the Baccarat Rouge 540-lite Cheirosa 68 Beija Flor. In just a few short years, the brand has become a power player in the beauty space, in part because of its memorable, craveable aromas. If you love a gourmand or fruity floral, Sol de Janeiro’s ever-expanding lineup of scents are right in your sweet spot, literally, and their latest launch is perfect to bridge the gap between the sultry summer nights of August and the advent of fall.
After Hours Perfume Mist ($24) is the latest addition to their lineup of bestselling body mists. (No, seriously. According to the brand, they sell one mist every seven seconds, which I suppose makes Sol de Janeiro the new Victoria’s Secret and Bath and Body Works for today’s teens and tweens.) Ahead, everything you need to know about the new launch.
Sol de Janeiro
The Scent
As its name and midnight blue bottle would imply, After Hours is a seductive scent meant for evening explorations. The mist opens with a lush, jammy blackcurrant top note that you can practically bite into, it’s that vivid. As the scent develops, it blooms into a romantic bouquet of jasmine, vanilla and freesia. An amber and caramelized patchouli base gives After Hours its flirtatiousness, beckoning anyone in your immediate vicinity to come closer ASAP.
Since After Hours is a body mist and not a more concentrated eau de toilette or eau de parfum formulation, the notes develop quickly and don’t stick around too long. If you’re looking for something with a long-lasting sillage that will trail behind you all day, this isn’t it, but because it’s a lighter formula, it can be reapplied liberally throughout the day or layered with lotion or other fragrances to increase its longevity. At first, though, After Hours makes quite a big impression thanks to its bombastic blackcurrant and patchouli notes, but it’s not too heavy to wear on a super hot and humid day, either.
Sol de Janeiro
My Review
If we’re bringing the 2000s and early 2010s back in our wardrobes, then we might as well do it with our fragrances too! While my junior high and high school days were scented with the ubiquitous aroma of Victoria’s Secret Love Spell body mist, After Hours would have been the essential fragrance for dances and double dates had it existed at the time.
I definitely had deja vu when smelling After Hours for the first time. It reminds me of the popular fruitchoulis of the late ‘00s and early 2010s like Calvin Klein Euphoria and Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb, what with the juicy opening and the quick transition to that sticky sweet base. If that genre is your jam, After Hours will be right up your alley; it’s a nice addition to their lineup of lighter weight vanilla and beachy scents, and if you like Cheirosa 68 Beija Flor, you’ll love After Hours in the cooler months. While the other Sol de Janeiro scents are intrinsically tied to the brand, this one feels more broadly crowd-pleasing in scope and less directly inspired by the beach.
Sol de Janeiro
After Hours Perfume Mist
$24.00
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On my skin, After Hours lasts about a few hours before I can’t smell it anymore, though if you apply it to your skin and hair, it sticks around longer and wafts pleasantly through the air when you shake your head. I think it would be absolutely lovely on a crisp fall day with a thick cashmere sweater or cozy scarf or with a velvet cocktail dress on a date. You could also experiment with layering, like wearing it over an amber oil to bring out the amber notes or mixing it with a fruity lotion. After Hours isn’t a scent for lounging on the beach—it’s for hitting the dancefloor post-beach day.
It’s worth noting that After Hours is limited edition, so act fast before its gone.