Every day, another gourmand perfume enters the chat. For the uninitiated, “gourmand” scents are all about smelling so good you’ll want to eat it, with notes of honey, coffee, vanilla, or even croissants. But you can’t talk about gourmand perfumes without bringing up Carolina Herrera Good Girl, an iconic perfume in an equally chic and opulent bottle.
Launched in 2016, this perfume remains a hot topic on #PerfumeTok and r/fragrance, and it even surpassed Chanel as the most popular fragrance in the world. And the brand has continued to innovate within the Good Girl line—from the fruity-floral Very Good Girl to the newest iteration, Jasmine Absolute, there’s plenty of Good Girl to go around, no matter your scent preference.
Cosmo editors have tested the perfume for months, read/watched reviews for hours, and even wear-tested it against other bottles. Keep scrolling to learn more and read a full Carolina Herrera Good Girl perfume review, including what it smells like, how long it lasts, and other Good Girl favorites.
What does Carolina Herrera Good Girl smell like?
Good Girl’s scent is undeniably sweet, with a top note of almond that instantly adds creaminess, followed by floral heart notes of jasmine sambac and tuberose that take over. Then, the base of tonka bean and cocoa strikes that just-right gourmand balance. It’s basically like a barista’s dream order. It feels like the mature version of your favorite sweet perfume, with warmth that lingers on the skin.
Are Carolina Herrera perfumes long-lasting?
Yes, a few spritzes last all day long, no matter how many subway rides you take or how much you sweat through a workout class. I even sprayed it on my skin before bed, and when I woke up, I still smelled just as delicious as I did when I first applied it. But if you want the numbers, the brand claims the base notes of Good Girl linger on the skin for up to six hours. However, I would go as far as saying it lasts up to 12.
Cosmo’s Carolina Herrera Good Girl review:
“As someone who doesn’t gravitate towards a dessert-y perfume, I immediately appreciated Good Girl’s elevated sweet notes. It reminds me of my teen years, wandering through department stores while admiring beauty counters in search of any trace of glamour in my painfully mundane hometown (non-derogatory). The bottle itself is undeniably nostalgic, housed in a stiletto-shaped vessel—the kind you’d expect to see next to a framed black-and-white magazine cover and a carpe diem poster in 2014. Maybe that’s why it’s hitting so hard right now. People want to feel comforted.
I now spray Good Girl every time I want a boost of confidence and to feel sexy. I’ve come to think of it as a scent that functions like catnip. ‘Here, kitty kitty kitty,’ I whisper, doused in jasmine, tuberose, and tonka bean.”—IMAN BALAGAM, CONTRIBUTING BEAUTY WRITER
“I didn’t understand the term most popular perfume in the world until I first sniffed this, then realized how many fancy people I’ve passed in the street and smelled this on. It’s not something overly saturated in the market with a million dupes (like some other luxury fragrances). Still, it’s recognizable enough to turn my head every time I catch a whiff of the sweet and floral combo. I love spritzing this on when I have a special occasion or when I wanna feel extra chic, and the bottle is a piece of art in itself. Plus, it lasts for hours on end, so you’ll still smell those rich gourmand notes late into the night.”—JASMINE HYMAN, ASSISTANT BEAUTY EDITOR
More Good Girl Scents We Love:
“Even though it’s a best-seller, the original Good Girl is way too much for me. But this Blush version? Much more wearable in my opinion. The warm, floral notes feel fresh and approachable and the stiletto-shaped bottle is absolutely iconic.”—LAUREN BALSAMO, BEAUTY DIRECTOR
Final verdict:
We completely see why the internet goes feral for this perfume. Not only does it smell simultaneously yummy and sophisticated, but it also lasts so long on the skin. It’s not an everyday wear, per se, but on a special occasion, this is a hit. And for those who want something they can spritz on morning til night, Good Girl Blush and Good Girl Jasmine Absolute are lighter and smoother alternatives. The brand warned us in the press release: “There isn’t just one way to define a Good Girl, except that sometimes she’s so bad, she’s good.” Someone tramp stamp that on me, ASAP.
Why trust Cosmopolitan?
Iman Balagam is a beauty contributor at Cosmopolitan with nearly three years of experience. She’s an authority in all beauty categories, but is an expert when it comes to perfumes, thanks to years of personally researching and testing different scents and brands.
Jasmine Hyman is the assistant beauty editor at Cosmo, who writes about all things fragrance. In her years testing perfumes, she’s tried all the Good Girl iterations and tested them for longevity, notes, sillage, and more.
Iman Balagam is a freelance writer who has been in the beauty industry for nearly five years. She has written for and contributed to top women’s magazines and digital brands such as Harper’s BAZAAR, Allure, Byrdie, Elle and more. She will try *nearly* anything and spends a lot of time looking for new ways to store her beauty products in a small New York apartment.
Jasmine Hyman is the Assistant Beauty Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she writes about the latest beauty trends and must-have products. Her most prized beauty possessions are a meticulous skincare routine and salon blowouts. You’ll also likely find her in bed reading a good book or endlessly scrolling TikTok (spoiler: it’s usually the latter) while listening to Harry Styles’ entire discography on repeat. Follow her on Insta to be inundated with pictures of her meals.
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