thank you so much for your support. I appreciate it a lot. I have prepared the first bunch of perfume empties from 2024 for you. You know I do not take perfume purchases lightly and I am committed to use up my beloved fragrance bottles. If I seriously do not like a scent, I either return it or re-sell it as soon as possible. The most of my perfumes I am using and enjoying my life with them. Fragrance makes makes me feel alive!
Here, on my blog and YouTube channel, you can explore the journey with me. If you want to see Etat Libre d’Orange, Lancôme, Hermes, Dior and Ormonde Jayne and much more, keep on watching …
Lime Basil & Mandarin by Jo Malone London Citrus Aromatic Jo Malone
Lime, basil and vetiver. Fresh, bitter, unisex as expected. Lingers on the skin well. It is similar to Tea Tonique by Miller Harris. It is useful to have a citrus aromatic in your collection. I feel it never goes out of style. There is always time and place for a fragrance like that. Some may argue it issimple and direct, for me it is a plus. Perfume does not have to be complicated to smell perfectly fine.
Moreover, Lime Basil & Mandarin is versatile, you can share it with your significant other, and simply, you cannot go wrong with it. I have it also in a body & hand wash and every time I put it on, I feel clean refreshed and juicy. It is a scent that suits me well, my personal style, way of life.
I am sporty, dressed more unisex, relaxed and prefer warmer climates. If you are like me, a quality yet simple citrus aromatic is a must have.
I cannot believe I have used up 28 perfume bottles in 2023. Yay! Okay, okay, minis, travel sizes, but full sizes too. I have to show mostly summer feminine scents but some heavy stuff also. You can look forward to Vetiver D’Hiver by Armani Prive, Delina La Rosee by PDM, Figues & Agrumes by Maison Lancome and much more.
It is a great feeling to not only display the fragrances but actually use them and enjoy them. In other words, to spice up your daily routine with a bit of aroma. There is something magical about a fragrance … and to see me tenaciously going through them brings me joy. I created this video for you to enjoy as well.
Jasmine Sambac & Marigold by Jo Malone Floral Celine Roux and Mathilde Bijaoui
Jasmine is a widely used floral in perfumery. There are hundreds of shades and nuances to jasmine. I personally love jasmine in my fragrances, and marigolds too. However, it depends on whether you like fresh watery modern jasmine or challenging on the verge of decaying jasmine. I stand in the middle of the spectrum, with a distinct smell but still fresh jasmine. And this JM’s jasmine is everything yet I struggle big times wearing it.
It smells undeniably white floral with a sweet and balmy feel. Fresh and incredibly heavy floral at the same time. If you are not used to floral compositions like Carnal Flower by Frederic Malle, you are not going to enjoy this aroma. It is 90’s style realistic and warm. I am 36 and feel I am too young for this. Am I really?
Ok, it does not have the sillage and lasting power we are used to with jasmine scents so it fades away relatively fast; however, when it is at its peak, it must be suffocating for co-workers. It is not strong but heady floral. Besides, I do not find it particularly sexy to wear it on a date. Neither it is an official scent to events like graduation etc. Maybe meeting in-laws. Or a bedtime scent as it is relaxing the same way pure lavender can be.
All in all, a good reference scent to get the feel of realistic jasmine. But other than that? Been there, done that and it is time to move on to something slightly more put together.
Nectarine Blossom & Honey by Jo Malone Floral Fruity Gourmand Jo Malone
If you like nectarine and peach, you will like this scent. It is lovely. The opening is green and sharp and stays only for a while, the dry-down creamy and sweet. A good one for spring and summer. Nothing fancy or complicated. Just an easy-going fruity scent yet elegant enough.
I compared it to my favourite Eau So Fresh Daze by Marc Jacobs, and Jo Malone is naturalistic and more fruity gourmand than fruity fresh. Nectarine Blossom & Honey is a sweetened nectarine and peach, Marc Jacobs is perfumey, fun and fresh. I cannot say that one is better than the other; it depends on your preference.
On one hand, I am sure you can layer Nectarine Blossom & Honey almost with anything where you want to add a sweet fruity touch. On the other hand, Eau So Fresh Daze smells ready as it is, but being a limited edition it must have been discontinued by now.
English Pear & Freesia by Jo Malone Chypre Fruity Christine Nagel
This cologne is named after my two favourite notes in perfumery. Pear because it is sweet juicy and sparkling, and freesia because it is a spicy green floral. These two mixed together and supported with earthy notes like patchouli are heavenly.
It is an intriguing scent. Fruity from pear and melon but the chypre part is right underneath which gives the fragrance depth and body. It reminds me of something but I can’t quite pinpoint what it is. Something I smelled way in the past. It is elegant and classical. I see Marylin Monroe wearing this at home, or a mother of the bride at the wedding venue. It is not exactly a young scent, it has the chypre quality which is darker.
It is captivating in the same way Si by Georgio Armani is. They do not smell the same at all but there is certain magic they both have. It is a scent that transfers you to your fantasy and allows you to live it for a while.
You may need to be over thirty to appreciate English Pear & Freesia, and you have to enjoy the scent of freesia. Although I love it I am marking it down a little bit because I think it is appealing only to a certain type of audience. To those who may concern, they know.
Blackberry & Bay by Jo Malone London Floral Fruity Fabrice Pellegrin
This fragrance has surprised me! I adore blackberries. I like both eating them as well as smelling them. This scent however does not smell fruity, it does not smell like blackberries. It is an aromatic, earthy aroma.
Imagine a spring walk in the English countryside. Rain is omnipresent, you smell grass, moss, bushes, and trees. The scent is very clean and fresh at the same time, like pure waterfall droplets. It is definitely a cologne you would use during spring and summer to freshen up. It gives me the same cleanliness and freshness as Wild Bluebell by Jo Malone. So if you like those types of crispy nature-like moody fragrances, you are going to enjoy it.
I expected juicier blackberries, not necessarily something overly sweet, fruity and girly, just a nice blackberry, a little bit tart and green but that is. Blackberry & Bay smells blackberry-ish from the atomizer but on the skin, it turns more masculine, ozonic and earthy. It is a work of art as it represents a certain mood, a period of time well; however, it is not something I strive to wear.
Save your money and buy Wood Sage & Sea Salt. It is much better.
Wood Sage & Sea Salt by Jo Malone Aromatic Christine Nagel
Jo Malone does cologne concentrated scents with a very natural simplistic character. Wood Sage & Sea Salt is indeed a great example of that.
The cologne smells like a breeze by the sea in a colder climate. I picture a seaside somewhere in the northeast of the US or the North East of England. It has a naturalistic vibe filled with salt, minerals, sand and stone. It is dreamy perfection. I do not recognise much salt but get this musky mellow quality with a hint of sweetness.
It is neither a typical aromatic nor marine aroma. That is how special this is. It feels like your skin but enhanced with the touches of countryside, sea and air. Wood Sage & Sea Salt is a totally inoffensive all-year-round fragrance with no gender. I would even say that it is suitable for people who do not like perfumes at all. The lasting power is decent but bear in mind it is a cologne, and its wearing capacity is naturally weaker than one of an EDT. Definitely full bottle worthy.
Mimosa & Cardamom by Jo Malone Amber Floral Marie Salamagne
Mimosa is a sweet honeyed flower. I do not handle okay honey in fragrances. It often gives me a headache. Hence, that is why I thought I was not going to like this cologne. But there is something intriguing about it. It obviously smells like mimosa combined with cardamom. Sweet, slightly spicy. However, something about it is fluffy and comfortable. It is such a happy calming scent.
Frag fanatics all over the world compare Mimosa & Cardamom to one thing. A lobby of a luxurious holiday resort on the beach! And so it is! It does have this open-minded “don’t worry, be happy” vibe. At the same time, it is not childish. The concentration is cologne-like which means not very high, yet it projects well and stays on your skin for quite some time.
This perfume remains a mystery: I do not like the note profile but I have to have the fragrance anyway because it is so addictive.
OMG, this is wonderful! The fragrance screams springtime in a park, with apples and flowers. The combination of juicy red apple together with a bouquet of fresh peonies works wonders. It is all rounded with soft and musky suede. The cologne is light yet intoxicating. The note profile is simple but not juvenile.
You have never liked floral perfumes? Still try Peony & Blush Suede. There is a reason why it is not another springtime floral freshie.
An uplifting romantic lady-like cologne for a special spring day.
alexaperfumes 