What Does Bad Bunny Smell Like? Fans Finally Solved the Mystery of His ‘PERFuMITO’
Bad Bunny fans rejoice! The boricua singer’s fragrance mystery has finally been solved. His go-to product? Le Labo’s Thé Matcha 26, a cult eau de perfume well-loved by connoisseurs and the fragrance-enthusiast community online.
PERFuMITO NUEVO
Internet detectives deciphered the enigma after watching Benito’s SNL performance on May 17. Fittingly, the discovery occurred as he performed his hit, “PERFuMITO NUEVO” (New Perfume), with Rainao. Hawk-eyed fans and fragrance content creators didn’t miss the moment Benito spritzed a scent as he checked himself in front of a mirror.
While Le Labo’s signature bottle was easily identifiable, figuring out the fragrance among the brand’s extensive catalog took some time. After initial speculation, Maria Helen, a perfume content creator who goes by @thetopnotes on TikTok, stepped up to confirm that Benito wears Thé Matcha 26. The source? Benito’s stylists Marvin Douglas and Storm Pablo, whom she met by chance at a restaurant.
What does Thé Matcha 26 smell like?
Let’s start with a caveat. No, Thé Matcha 26 doesn’t smell like matcha tea. While the fragrance indeed features matcha notes, its composition ultimately delivers a creamy, herbal, and slightly citric scent. Fig notes bring that creamy quality, while vetiver and bergamot add an airy and floral facet.
Le Labo describes their 2021 fragrance as “introverted and deep by nature.” Thé Matcha 26 is also labeled a “skin scent,” a type of perfume meant to appeal to people only when they get close enough to smell it. In other words, it’s a very demure and quiet scent. Considering Benito’s private nature, that sounds like a quality he might appreciate in a fragrance.
Now, onto the price tag
Le Labo’s products are known for their high quality and unique scents. Their perfume bottles are highly coveted. Some are even exclusive to specific locations or come in small batches. Thankfully, Thé Matcha 26 is available in their stores and website. A 50ml bottle currently retails at $235.00.
The dupes
If you’re looking for budget-friendly alternatives to Le Labo’s popular fragrance, there are a couple of products worth trying.
Let’s start strong with Dossier’s Citrus Matcha, which retails at $43. In recent years, Dossier has emerged as the go-to brand for “impression perfumes” inspired by famous fragrances in the market. Citrus Matcha boasts a structure resembling Le Labo’s eau de parfum. Just like Thé Matcha 26, Citrus Matcha features notes of fig, vetiver, and matcha tea, enhanced with top notes of orange and bergamot, as well as musk and cedarwood base notes.
Another in-demand dupe is Emper’s Captcha 36. While this fragrance certainly has a similar olfactory profile, it does not include matcha notes. Instead, Captcha 36 leans on the subtly citric and floral facets of Thé Matcha 36. If you’re down to trying more fragrances from Emper, a discovery box featuring Captcha 36 alongside three other fragrances is available for $35.99.
Similarly, the impression perfume brand CA Perfume Club offers a Thé Matcha 26-inspired fragrance. Their take on Thé Matcha 26 features fig, matcha tea, cedar, bitter orange, and vetiver, and you can get it for only $25.99.
Finally, if the name of Bad Bunny’s fragrance inspired you to dip your toes into matcha-rich perfumes, we have a recommendation: Le Monde Gourmand’s Thé Matcha. We have to accept that it doesn’t smell just like Thé Matcha 26. However, its name, as well as the herbal and floral facets of this eau the parfum, evoke the same refreshing and calming spirit.
More Bad Bunny-inspired fragrances
While Thé Matcha 26 is Bad Bunny’s go-to perfume right now, that doesn’t mean it’s the only fragrance with his seal of approval. The singer has previously shared some of his favorite products on social media and during interviews.
In 2023, Benito shared a selfie that showed a bottle of Layton by Parfums de Marly lying on his bed in the background. This seductive and spicy fragrance boasts a complex olfactive pyramid. It first opens up with notes of apple, lavender, bergamot and mandarin orange, before blossoming with middle notes of jasmine, violet and geranium. Then, the fragrance settles in musky notes—vanilla, cardamon, patchouli, sandalwood and pepper.
As the brand describes it, Layton is the perfect choice for a “confident, stylish and charming man.” Sounds exactly like Benito, to be honest!
You can find Layton Eau de Parfum online for $275.
In his Bag
Last year, Bad Bunny also offered a glimpse into his fragrance collection during an interview with Vogue Italia. The “DtMF” singer admitted to being a big perfume fan who often carries more than one perfume in his bag. Proving that celebrities are just like us, Benito revealed that he uses fragrances to accompany different life periods.
The fragrance that defined his 2024 era was Maison Louis Marie’s No.04 Bois de Balincourt. As he explained, the perfume was a Christmas gift from his brother, and he carried it everywhere. Like the name suggests, No.04 Bois de Balincourt evokes the smell of a forest with earthy and woody accords. The top notes combine the warmth of sandalwood and cedarwood, while the heart of this perfume thrives on vetiver, nutmeg, and cinnamon notes.
The best part? This is a high-quality product with a reasonable price tag — it is currently available for $98 on Amazon.
