Natura and O Boticário are the two Brazilian beauty companies most international shoppers eventually hear about. Both started in the seventies, both built nationwide networks Brazilian families grew up with, and both have apps that try to translate decades of door-to-door selling into a phone screen. They look similar from the outside, but the shopping experience inside the apps is quite different. This guide compares Natura vs O Boticário across catalogue, price, loyalty, app quality, sustainability, and global availability so you can pick the one that fits your routine.
Quick verdict
- Pick Natura if you want refillable packaging, vegan formulas across most ranges, and the broader fragrance catalogue (Ekos, Tododia, Kaiak, Essencial). Best for buyers who care about sustainability claims and want consultant pricing without leaving the app.
- Pick O Boticário if you want a tighter retail experience, faster delivery in major Brazilian cities, and the Viva O Boticário loyalty programme. The app skews toward people who already buy at physical stores and want the same prices and points online.
- Pick both if you live in Brazil and shop seasonally. Different campaigns drop on different weeks, and overlapping the two apps lets you catch the better promo each time.
Comparison table
| Feature | Natura | O Boticário |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1969, São Paulo | 1977, Curitiba |
| App downloads (Google Play) | ~10M+ | ~10M+ |
| Catalogue size | Larger, with refills and body care depth | Tighter, perfumery-led |
| Signature ranges | Ekos, Tododia, Kaiak, Essencial, Chronos | Malbec, Egeo, Floratta, Lily, Match |
| Refills available | Yes, on most body and home ranges | Limited to a few perfume lines |
| Vegan and cruelty-free | 100% cruelty-free since 2006, mostly vegan | Cruelty-free, mixed vegan coverage |
| Loyalty programme | Natura&Co rewards through consultants | Viva O Boticário, points per purchase |
| Consultant network | Central to the model, still active in-app | Mostly retail and franchise stores |
| Delivery (capital cities) | 3 to 7 business days | 1 to 4 business days |
| International shipping | Selected Latin American markets | Selected Latin American markets |
Catalogue and product range
Natura runs a wider catalogue. Body care (Tododia), facial skincare (Chronos), male grooming (Kaiak, Homem), and fragrance (Essencial, Una) are all deep ranges with refill versions for the headline products. The app gives a lot of shelf space to Ekos, which uses Brazilian biodiversity ingredients like açaí, cupuaçu, castanha, and andiroba. If you are international and want a Brazilian-sounding gift, Ekos is the line people recognise.
O Boticário leans into perfumery. Malbec, Egeo, Floratta, Lily, and Coffee Woman drive the brand image, and the app gives them prominent placement. Skincare exists (Botik, Nativa SPA) but it is not the centre of gravity. If you came in for a fragrance, O Boticário is faster to navigate. If you came for body lotion or refills, Natura is the deeper catalogue.
For shoppers exploring the broader Brazilian beauty market, see our guide to the best Brazilian beauty apps.
Pricing and promotions
Pricing strategies differ in a way that affects which app is cheaper on a given week.
Natura uses a tiered consultant pricing model that the app exposes when you link a consultant. List prices look standard, then a consultant discount drops them 10 to 25 percent depending on the campaign. The app handles consultant routing in the background, so you do not have to call anyone. Campaign cycles run roughly every three weeks and each cycle features one or two ranges aggressively.
O Boticário uses retail pricing with promotional discounts that change weekly. There is no consultant tier inside the app. Headline promos tend to be percentage-off on a bundle, or three-for-two on selected ranges. The app surfaces these on the home tab, so you can spot a good week quickly. Viva O Boticário members get exclusive previews and points multipliers a few times a year.
In practice, Natura’s consultant pricing is more consistent week to week. O Boticário’s promotions are more aggressive on the specific weeks they run, then quieter in between.
App experience
Both apps work on Android and iOS and both have improved a lot since 2022.
Natura’s app is built around the catalogue tree. Tabs for skincare, fragrance, body, hair, and home pull from the same content the website uses. Consultant linking is the most distinctive feature. Once you select or accept a consultant, pricing and promotions reflect that tier, and you can split orders between yourself and the consultant for delivery. Refill availability is flagged inline, which makes the sustainability angle hard to miss. Search is decent but slow on older devices.
O Boticário’s app feels more like a typical retail app. Big banners, weekly promos, ranked perfume lists, and a streamlined checkout. The Viva O Boticário tab shows your point balance, available rewards, and tier status. Click and collect at a physical store is offered for most regions, which is faster than home delivery in São Paulo and Rio. Search is faster than Natura’s, and category filters work better.
If you already use one and want to compare further, look at our roundups of the best Natura alternatives and best O Boticário alternatives.
Sustainability and ingredient story
This is where Natura still leads. The company has been carbon-neutral since 2007, certified B Corp since 2014, and runs refill programmes across most ranges. The Ekos line ties ingredient sourcing to Amazonian community partnerships, and the app surfaces those stories on product pages. Cruelty-free since 2006, with most formulations vegan.
O Boticário’s sustainability work is real but communicated less prominently in the app. The Grupo Boticário has set 2030 climate targets, runs a foundation focused on Atlantic Forest conservation, and progressively rolled out PCR plastic packaging. Cruelty-free status is confirmed, vegan coverage is improving but inconsistent across ranges.
If sustainability claims sway your purchase, Natura will give you more to read inside the app. If you care about it but do not want to research, both brands are credible.
Availability outside Brazil
Natura has the broader international footprint. Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru have country-specific Natura apps and stores. The brand also sells through select retailers in the United States and Europe under the parent group.
O Boticário ships within Latin America through partner stores and runs a smaller international franchise network. Shoppers outside Brazil generally find Natura easier to access without a forwarder.
For broader Latin American retail comparisons, see our best Avon alternatives roundup.
Which Brazilian beauty app should you pick?
Pick Natura if any of these match you:
- You want refillable body and home care.
- You like fragrance ranges with strong Brazilian ingredients (Ekos, Kaiak).
- You shop with a consultant or want consultant pricing without the in-person friction.
- Sustainability messaging matters to your purchase decision.
Pick O Boticário if any of these match you:
- Perfumery is your main category and Malbec, Egeo, or Floratta are on your list.
- You live in a major Brazilian capital and want fast delivery or click-and-collect.
- You already shop at the physical stores and want the points to consolidate in Viva O Boticário.
- You prefer a tighter, retail-style app over a sprawling catalogue.
If you cannot decide, install both. The apps are free, the accounts are independent, and the campaign weeks rarely overlap.
FAQ
Is Natura bigger than O Boticário?
Yes, Natura&Co (parent of Natura) is the larger group by revenue and international footprint. Grupo Boticário is the second-largest Brazilian beauty group and stronger in domestic perfumery share.
Are Natura and O Boticário the same company?
No. Natura is part of Natura&Co. O Boticário is part of Grupo Boticário. They are independent, competing companies founded in different decades and headquartered in different states.
Which app has better prices?
It depends on the week. Natura with a linked consultant tends to be cheaper on staple ranges. O Boticário runs aggressive weekly promotions that can beat Natura on specific bundles, especially around perfumery launches.
Are these apps available outside Brazil?
Natura has dedicated apps in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru. O Boticário ships to selected Latin American countries through partner stores. Both reach buyers in the United States and Europe through retailers or forwarders.
Which is more sustainable?
Natura currently communicates more sustainability detail inside the app, with refill availability, B Corp certification, and Amazon community sourcing for the Ekos range. O Boticário’s group has comparable conservation work but does less in-app storytelling.
Do both apps support Viva O Boticário and Natura&Co points?
Each app supports its own programme. Natura’s app handles consultant-routed promotions and the Natura&Co loyalty signals. O Boticário’s app surfaces Viva O Boticário points, tier status, and member-only previews. There is no shared loyalty across the two.
