Body care dupes: the creams, oils and washes
Body products are bought by the tub, so the per-ounce gap is where the money is. Each dupe here is matched on what does the work, colloidal oatmeal, cocoa and shea butter or sweet almond oil, rather than on the scent, which is what the luxury versions are partly bought for and the part the cheaper ones most often leave out. Each comparison says what the dupe drops.
What are the best dupes for Sol de Janeiro, Kiehl's and other luxury body care?
NOW Solutions Sweet Almond Oil, about $3.50 ($0.88 / fl oz), against the $53 L'Occitane Almond Supple Skin Oil — 94% less. The main ingredient is the same: L'Occitane's first ingredient is sweet almond oil, and NOW's bottle holds nothing else. L'Occitane blends it with caprylic/capric triglyceride, camelina, rosehip and sea buckthorn oils and a bergamot fragrance, so NOW is unscented, a little heavier and without the extra oils. Slightly more oil for a tenth of the price or less.
- 6
- 94%
- $189.01
1. NOW Solutions Sweet Almond Oil for L'Occitane Almond Supple Skin Oil
$3.50 against $53, 94% less ($0.88 / fl oz versus $15.67 / fl oz). Both list Sweet almond oil.
Cost per fl oz
L'Occitane$15.67 / fl ozNOW Solutions$0.88 / fl oz- Size
- 100 ml
- 118 ml
- Key ingredients
- Sweet almond oil, Camelina oil, Rosehip oil
- Sweet almond oil
What matches
The main ingredient is the same: L'Occitane's first ingredient is sweet almond oil, and NOW's bottle holds nothing else.
What the dupe does worse
L'Occitane blends it with caprylic/capric triglyceride, camelina, rosehip and sea buckthorn oils and a bergamot fragrance, so NOW is unscented, a little heavier and without the extra oils.
2. NIVEA Cocoa Butter Body Lotion for Kiehl's Creme de Corps Body Lotion
$6.79 against $39, 91% less ($0.40 / fl oz versus $4.61 / fl oz). Both list Cocoa butter.
−91%per ozCost per fl oz
Kiehl's$4.61 / fl ozNIVEA$0.40 / fl oz- Size
- 250 ml
- 500 ml
- Key ingredients
- Squalane, Cocoa butter, Sesame oil
- Cocoa butter, Shea butter, Glycerin
What matches
Same kind of lotion: glycerin, shea butter, cocoa butter and dimethicone in a light emulsion that sinks in without a greasy film.
What the dupe does worse
Kiehl's leads with squalane and adds sesame oil, while NIVEA builds its slip from mineral oil and isohexadecane and adds coconut oil.
3. Tree Hut Coco Colada Whipped Body Butter for Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream
$8.94 against $48, 81% less. Both list Coconut oil.
−81%on priceWhat each one costs
Sol de Janeiro$5.91 / fl ozTree Hut$1.06 / oz- Size
- 240 ml
- 240 g
- Key ingredients
- Cupuaçu butter, Coconut oil, Açaí
- Shea butter, Coconut oil
What matches
Same coconut-and-vanilla gourmand scent trail and the same whipped, fast-absorbing body cream texture.
What the dupe does worse
No guaraná caffeine and no cupuaçu butter, so it moisturizes without the firming claim, and the scent sits closer to the skin.
4. Aveeno Eczema Therapy Daily Moisturizing Cream for First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration
$12.78 against $42, 75% less ($1.75 / oz versus $7 / oz). Both list Colloidal oatmeal and Ceramide NP.
−75%per ozCost per oz
First Aid Beauty$7 / ozAveeno$1.75 / oz- Size
- 170 g
- 207 g
- Key ingredients
- Colloidal oatmeal, Shea butter, Ceramide NP
- Colloidal oatmeal, Ceramide NP, Panthenol
What matches
Same skin-protectant approach: colloidal oatmeal is the listed active in both, backed by glycerin and ceramide NP, the ceramide First Aid Beauty labels ceramide 3.
What the dupe does worse
Aveeno carries twice the oatmeal (1% against 0.5%) plus petrolatum, so it sits heavier, and it has no shea butter or eucalyptus oil.
5. Cake Beauty The Finishing Touch Mist – Pistachio & Salted Caramel for Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa '62 Hair & Body Perfume Mist
$11.49 against $39, 65% less ($1.70 / fl oz versus $4.81 / fl oz). Both list Almond and Jasmine and Vanilla and Salted caramel.
−65%per ozCost per fl oz
Sol de Janeiro$4.81 / fl ozCake Beauty$1.70 / fl oz- Size
- 240 ml
- 200 ml
- Notes
- Pistachio, Almond, Jasmine, Salted caramel, Vanilla
- Pistachio cream, Almond, White peach, Jasmine, Vanilla, Salted caramel
What matches
Almost the same pyramid note for note: pistachio cream and almond on top, jasmine petals in the heart, vanilla and salted caramel in the base.
What the dupe does worse
Cake trades Cheirosa's heliotrope and sandalwood for white peach, tiger lily and freesia, so it leans fruitier and more floral and has none of the creamy wood underneath.
6. La Roche-Posay Lipikar Wash AP+ Gentle Moisturizing Body Wash for Nécessaire The Body Wash – Eucalyptus
$16.49 against $28, 63% less ($1.22 / fl oz versus $3.31 / fl oz). Both list Niacinamide and Glycerin.
−63%per ozCost per fl oz
Nécessaire$3.31 / fl ozLa Roche-Posay$1.22 / fl oz- Size
- 250 ml
- 400 ml
- Key ingredients
- Niacinamide, Glycerin, Marula oil, Meadowfoam oil
- Niacinamide, Glycerin, Shea butter
What matches
Both are non-stripping washes for dry, sensitive skin built on glycerin and niacinamide, the barrier ingredient Nécessaire leads with.
What the dupe does worse
Lipikar cleans with sodium laureth sulfate where Nécessaire uses sulfate-free glucosides, and it has no scent and no plant oils, only shea butter.
