Tired of Ashy Limbs? This Delicious-Smelling Lotion is the Speediest Antidote to Dry Knees and Elbows This Summer

As a beauty editor, I am regimented about my facial cleansing, skincare and SPF application all year round, but sadly, the same can’t be said for my arms and legs.

I have good intentions when it comes to my body lotions—I always promise myself that I will apply them regularly to keep my limbs feeling soft and hydrated, but more often than not, I will use a cream a few times, and then it’ll sit untouched in my cupboard. It’s not that I don’t enjoy using them, and I know how much of a difference they can make to my skin, but that step of my routine always seems a bit of a faff, and waiting for it to absorb properly is not ideal when I need to get dressed in a hurry.

Because of my lazy-girl ways, every year when summer comes around, my legs can often feel rough and look a bit dreary. I am always filled with regret for not being more on it with my moisturisers or body oils during winter, and it happened last week when I popped on a sundress, and saw how dehydrated my limbs were.

I needed a quick fix, and thankfully, I had a bottle of the new Sol De Janeiro Body Badalada to hand. I slathered it over my legs, and I’m not exaggerating when I say that within a minute they looked and felt like new. It was the ultimate speedy pick-me-up, and I was massively impressed.

Sol De Janeiro’s range is filled with amazing bodycare products that all nourish skin while smelling gorgeous. This latest addition to the collection launched last month and is all about hydration; it's packed with seven different molecular weights of hyaluronic acid, which means it can penetrate different layers of skin for a serious thirst-quench that will last, and on top of that it's filled with sugarcane, cactus pear and Brazilian nut oil. The ingredients are designed to hydrate and condition skin to leave it looking and feeling healthy, and after a few days of use, I can confirm that it does exactly what it promises.

The body cream is fresh white in colour, feels very light, and it glides over my arms and legs easily, before absorbing in less than a minute. It sinks in impressively fast and without any stickiness, so I can get dressed without having to hang around, and it creates a glowy yet non-sparkly sheen on my skin. It really did tackle my rough skin, too. Just one application softened any lizard-like areas, and after a few days of use, I noticed how much squishier and happier my arms and legs looked and felt.

The tropical and sweet aromas are a big part of the brand’s identity, and as with the rest of the range, the scent of this cream is bold. It has the Cheirosa 62 Fragrance, which is the same smell as the brand’s cult-loved Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, and has notes of pistachio, salted caramel and vanilla. It’s very sweet and sunny, and I love how the smell lingers on skin, but if you aren’t so keen on strong fragrances, this one is definitely not for you—it really does pack a punch.

The packaging also brought a smile to my face. I love the cheery curved, yellow bottle and as well as looking good, the pump applicator makes it easy to use when I’m in a rush. It squeezes out the perfect amount of product each time without any waste, and compared to some of the larger round tubs in the range, it's less messy and slippery to deal with when my hands are covered in lotion.

I really, really love this new cream, and it is the perfect antidote to my dull and wintery legs. It works at warp speed to bring back hydration and softness to my skin, and the tropical scent makes me think about summer holidays every time I apply it. Realistically, I will always be a bit lazy with my wintertime body care, but now that I have this quick fix ready for the warm weather, it doesn’t matter.