You know that feeling when you finally find a scent that doesn't smell like a cheap car air freshener? That was Sol de Janeiro 39 for a lot of people. If you’re scouring the internet trying to figure out what Sol de Janeiro 39 smells like, you’re likely chasing a ghost. Officially known as Cheirosa ‘39 Coco Cabana, this fragrance was the black sheep of the Sol de Janeiro family, and honestly, the brand's relationship with it was a bit of a rollercoaster. It wasn't just "coconut." It was a polarizing, buttery, heavy-hitting gourmand that people either worshipped or wanted to run away from.
It’s gone now. Discontinued.
But the memory of that scent lingers in the fragrance community because it was so drastically different from the tropical, fruity vibes of the ubiquitous Cheirosa 62. While 62 is the "Bum Bum Cream" scent we all know—salted caramel and pistachio—39 was a deep dive into a toasted, nutty coconut that felt more like a dessert than a suntan lotion.
The Actual Scent Profile: It's Not Your Basic Coconut
Most people hear "coconut" and think of a refreshing, watery Piña Colada or perhaps that synthetic, waxy smell of a cheap candle. Sol de Janeiro 39 was none of those things. It was a "Coco de Grão" scent.
Think toasted coconut.
When you first sprayed it, the top note was a hit of coconut cream. But it wasn't cold cream; it was warm. The middle notes brought in tropical orchid and toasted praline. This is where the magic (or the controversy) happened. The praline gave it a sugary, buttery weight that made the coconut smell almost like it had been caramelized in a pan with a heap of brown sugar. The base notes were vanilla and sandalwood, which anchored the whole thing in a creamy, woody finish that lasted for hours.
Basically, it smelled like a high-end coconut macaroon that had been left in the oven just a minute too long. It was thick. It was edible. It was extremely loud.
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The "Buttery Popcorn" Controversy
We have to talk about the popcorn thing. If you look at old reviews on Sephora or Reddit’s r/Fragrance, you’ll see a recurring theme: "Why do I smell like movie theater popcorn?"
This wasn't a hallucination.
Because the scent was so heavy on the buttery praline and toasted elements, some people’s skin chemistry turned those notes into a savory, salty butter vibe. For some, it was the ultimate "snack" scent. For others, it was a dealbreaker. Sol de Janeiro actually reformulated the scent in 2019 to try and tone down that "buttery" aspect and make it more "coconut-forward," but the reputation stuck. Even after the tweak, it remained the most gourmand, food-like fragrance in their entire lineup.
How Cheirosa 39 Compares to the Rest of the Line
If you’re trying to triangulate the Sol de Janeiro 39 smell by comparing it to what's still on the shelves, you have to look at the "weight" of the fragrance.
Cheirosa 62 (The Yellow One) is the gold standard. It’s sunny. It’s nutty. But it has a saltiness that keeps it from being too heavy. Cheirosa 40 (The Pink One) is much more floral and sophisticated with that black amber plum and vanilla woods. Then you have Cheirosa 68, which is the "dupe" for Baccarat Rouge 540—airy, floral, and bright.
Cheirosa 39 was the heaviest of them all. It lacked the floral airiness of 68 and the fruity brightness of 40. If Cheirosa 62 is a day at the beach, 39 was a late-night bonfire where someone is roasting coconut-filled pastries. It was dense. You didn't wear 39 if you wanted to be subtle. You wore it if you wanted people to smell you from three aisles away in the grocery store.
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Why did they discontinue it?
The beauty industry is brutal. Even though 39 had a cult following—and I mean obsessive—it didn't have the mass appeal of the others. The "popcorn" complaints likely hurt sales, and as the brand expanded into scents like Rio Radiance and Cheirosa 59, the space for a heavy, toasted coconut gourmand started to shrink. In 2022, the brand officially pulled the plug on the Coco Cabana line, including the cream and the mist.
Since then, the resale market has gone absolutely insane. You can find bottles on eBay or Mercari, but you’re going to pay a "nostalgia tax" that is frankly a bit ridiculous for a body mist.
The Science of Why We Miss It
There is a psychological component to why people are still searching for what Sol de Janeiro 39 smells like years after it vanished. Olfaction—our sense of smell—is more closely linked to memory than any other sense. The "Coco Cabana" scent was released during a specific era of the "clean girl" aesthetic transition, and for many, it represents a specific summer.
Beyond that, true gourmand coconut scents are surprisingly hard to find. Most perfumers lean into the "solar" or "aquatic" side of coconut. They add sea salt, jasmine, or lime. Finding a scent that embraces the toasted, sugary, fatty side of coconut without smelling like a literal cupcake is rare. 39 hit that niche perfectly.
Finding an Alternative (Since You Can't Buy It Anymore)
If you're desperate for that specific toasted coconut vibe, you have a few options, though none are a 100% match.
- Comptoir Sud Pacifique - Coco Extreme: This is probably the closest in terms of pure, unadulterated coconut intensity. It’s very creamy and very food-like.
- Kyse Perfumes - Cocco alla Vaniglia: An indie gem. It captures that "toasted" quality and the heavy vanilla base that 39 was known for. It’s a literal gourmand lover’s dream.
- Skylar - Coconut Cove: This is much lighter and more floral. It’s not a dupe, but if you liked the coconut part of 39 but hated the "heavy" buttery part, this is your winner.
- 7 Virtues - Coconut Sun: Again, more of a "perfume" smell than a "snack" smell, but it has a creamy dry down that scratches the itch.
Honestly, the best way to recreate the 39 experience is to layer a basic coconut body oil with a heavy vanilla or praline perfume. You need that "weight" to get the 39 effect.
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Is It Worth Buying from a Reseller?
Short answer: Probably not.
Fragrance mists, unlike high-concentration extraits de parfum, have a shelf life. They are mostly alcohol and water. Over time, those top notes—the creamy coconut and orchid—are the first to degrade. If you buy a bottle of Cheirosa 39 in 2026, there’s a high chance it’s going to smell more like alcohol and "burnt sugar" than the lush, creamy dream you remember.
Plus, the prices people are asking for a plastic bottle of body spray are bordering on the edge of a scam.
Actionable Steps for the Fragrance Hunter
If you are determined to find your way back to that Sol de Janeiro 39 smell, here is how you should actually approach it:
- Check the Batch Code: If you do decide to buy from a reseller, ask for the batch code. Use an online calculator to see when it was produced. Anything older than 3 years is a gamble.
- Focus on "Toasted" Notes: When searching for new scents, look for "toasted coconut," "praline," "dulce de leche," or "coconut cream" in the notes. Stay away from "coconut water" or "shaved ice" notes—those will be too thin.
- Layer Your Scents: Buy a high-quality coconut body butter (like the one from The Body Shop or even a luxury brand like Kopari) and layer it with a vanilla-heavy fragrance like Eilish No. 1 or Kayali Vanilla 28. This mimics the "gourmand density" that 39 was famous for.
- Explore the "Mist" Market: Brands like Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works frequently release seasonal coconut scents. Every couple of years, they'll drop a "toasted" or "dark" coconut that comes very close to the Coco Cabana DNA.
Ultimately, Sol de Janeiro 39 was a moment in time. It was the scent of a brand finding its footing and taking a risk on a fragrance that wasn't "safe." It was loud, it was buttery, and it smelled like a tropical bakery. While it’s unlikely to return in its original form, the "snackable" fragrance trend it helped start is bigger than ever.
Search for the "toasted" and "creamy" descriptors in your next haul. That’s where the spirit of 39 lives now.