Bad Boy Le Parfum by Carolina Herrera

It’s a particular perfume. The opening is strange due to that cannabis note, giving it a distinct herbal vibe that won’t appeal to everyone; I’d even dare say it’s a risky move for a designer, but that’s exactly what makes it marvelous and unique. Its longevity is excellent, and I love it even more once it dries down. Maybe it won’t suit everyone, but I absolutely adore it.

I’ve been wearing this for over a year, exclusively at night. The recent reviews are a bit ridiculous, with all due respect. It’s a unique scent among designer fragrances I’ve tried; it reminded me slightly of 212 Heroes at first, but then it turns floral, which I don’t like. It’s hard to describe, but I’d say herbal and spicy at the start, then slightly sweet and barely warm, nothing like those mainstream vanilla or lavender sweets. It doesn’t smell like marijuana; maybe a brief burst reminds you of a wet plant, but there’s no weed odor. I don’t notice the leather, or it’s very soft when close to the skin. It lasts at least 8 hours.

I’ve never tried this fragrance, but I was intrigued to discover it has a cannabis sativa note. I’m just leaving this review to express my amazement at reading that some people say it smells like a penis. We’ve read reviews mentioning plastic dolls, petroleum, burnt rubber, urine… but the “smells like a penis” comment really got to me. Luckily, I’m straight and not Inspector Gadget, so I don’t have to smell it myself. I’ll happily keep the mystery of what it smells like. Maybe it smells like Melendi in the 2000s.

I don’t like designer fragrances because nowadays all the masculine ones smell like bubblegum or are overly sweet. In that context, Bad Boy Le Parfum is one of the few I have because it’s an interesting proposal. It has a citrus opening with grapefruit and then develops herbs that would be fresh cannabis, giving no sensation of having smoked. It’s a bold, daring, yet elegant composition. I can’t say bad things; it’s creative, the best face of the cannabis world, and the real bad boy of the family. At the bottom, it has leather and dense things that give it a chocolatey and dark aroma, so I don’t recommend buying it blind or going by the opening alone, as it changes a lot: it starts herbal/citrusy and ends dark. It’s true that because it’s risky, it can drift into metallic, oxidized, and bodily sensations, giving it a reputation as a strange perfume; even it seems the brand wanted to leave that concept behind with flankers that are sweeter and more vulgar. In summary, it’s easy to test in stores so it’s not worth buying blind, but be careful with the opening; this has several hours of development. It’s an elegant and youthful aroma, and even with its cannabis note, it’s more elegant than the rest of the Bad Boys. A perfume that might interest you if you’re a hipster who wouldn’t wear Invictus or One Million.

Smells terrible, like someone who hasn’t showered in days.

Reviewing this separately to say it smells exactly as promised: cannabis, grapefruit, and leather. In the dry down, the vetiver is very characteristic of CH. There’s an undeclared note that isn’t smoky but rather gunpowder. Be careful not to confuse it with patchouli/marijuana; it’s a different story. The grapefruit reminds me a lot of Scandal Le Parfum but without the sweetness. If you like that but not the sugar, this is your perfect option: fresh but with weight from the leather. It’s very similar, just without the sweetness.

Without a doubt, it’s the worst perfume I’ve ever smelled. It smells like cheap marijuana. Never buy it blind.

It’s a night in a bottle. If you try it at first, you might not like it and say it’s horrible, because it has a very intense and masculine scent. You have to be brave to wear it. It’s ideal for night, but it’s not for everyone.

It has an opening of apple and cannabis that makes you want to move away. After a few minutes, you start to feel the spicy notes, the pepper, and the citrus very subtly. From time to time, I get waves of a scent similar to Scandal Le Parfum, very aromatic, to finish on a base of leather and vetiver that is very pleasant to wear. You have to endure the opening, which doesn’t please everyone.

Projection and longevity are a solid 10; perfect for going out at night. It has a youthful touch but with a masculine vibe, though that spicy base might not appeal to everyone. I’d give it 8.5—it’s rich but not for everyone. The trail is fantastic, making it ideal for nighttime wear.

I’m writing this to share something about batch numbers. I bought this perfume online from a well-known retailer and it’s still clinging to my jacket after over a week of daily wear. Hopefully, it lasts as long as older batches did, because lately, people are complaining that batches don’t last. My point is: don’t panic about batch numbers. Over time and with use, batches repeat. This perfume is already years old, and the website data might be outdated. I bought a 2025 Hermes bottle, but the batch code said 2021; another site listed 2023, and the box had no data. I went to the store as a regular customer, and comparing my sample to the counter sample, they were different batches. Research shows batch websites are way behind; I even had a batch from before the perfume existed. Sure, there’s maceration time, but that date was way off. The perfume should have been expired or oxidized, yet it doesn’t look oxidized in color. Important note: after using it for months, regarding longevity, it doesn’t last a short time—it has an intense sillage that blinds the nose. You stop noticing it, and that’s where the myth of poor longevity is born. It’s still there, magnificent, even if you forget to perceive it.

A perfume that invites you to sniff it constantly. It’s a sweet, dark cannabis scent that accompanies you throughout its entire evolution. Something new, something different. An excellent fragrance.

A perfume that gives me great satisfaction for special occasions and makes you noticed. It’s not the typical citrus, marine, and sweet scent; it leans more into leather with that cannabis note that makes it unique. I recommend it for nightwear and special events. In conclusion, I give it 8 out of 10. Sillage 7, Longevity 8, Innovation 9, Compliments 7. Total 8.

In the world of designer perfumery, Bad Boy Le Parfum is one of the most original fragrances. Its blend of leather, pepper, and a very prominent cannabis note creates a truly distinctive aroma. Personally, that cannabis note overwhelms me; I don’t feel comfortable wearing it, but I understand it varies by taste. However, its performance is excellent, making it an interesting option to stand out at night events, without a doubt.

Bad Boy Le Parfum is a daring and surprising olfactory experience. Zesty grapefruit and electrifying hemp notes give way to an aromatic, spicy heart of geranium and black pepper, while the base reveals woody vetiver and sensual leather. It redefines the iconic original with a novel, bolder formula. Perfumers: Fanny Bal and Bruno Jovanovic. I’ve been saying for years that sexy perfumes are noticeable at first sniff, and this is one of them. Seriously, you detect a subliminal, carnal, and daring scent; the moment I smelled it, I knew it was mimicking the smell of 🤭. It’s a great perfume, women will absolutely love it, I know.