Hello! One of my favourite things to write about are Fragrances. There is just so much work involved in the creation of Fragrances. From the creation of the fragrance to the design of the packaging and marketing strategy behind them, there is just so many things that one can appreciate.
In this article, I discuss Jo Malone London's Limited Edition Wild Flowers & Weeds collection. There are five in this limited edition collection. I was sent two for the purposes of my review by Jo Malone London's PR team (very grateful, thank you so much).
Disclaimer: All of the photos here with my watermark were taken by me. You cannot use them without obtaining my written permission first. These are my personal views and I do not any way guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any message and will not be held responsible for the content of any message.
The collection is comprised of the following five fragrances (available in 30ml bottles):
Lupin & Patchouli – notes of Lupin, Rose and Patchouli
Nettle & Wild Achillea – notes of Wild Achillea, Nettle and Vetiver
Willow & Amber – notes of Pink Pepper, Willow Headspace and Amber
Hemlock & Bergamot – notes of Bergamot, Hemlock and Vanilla
Cade & Cedarwood – notes of Cade, Cedarwood and Ciste Labdanum
Each one retails for RRPAU$98in Australia.
You can purchase them online at (and also find your nearest stockist) at: https://www.jomalone.com.au
This collection was created by Jo Malone's Global Head of Product Development, Céline Roux and Master Perfumers Louise Turner and Yann Vasnier.
I absolutely love how the "noses" for this collection have described the collection as being "imperfect beauty". It is so whimsical and in a way very English. With that statement, please accept my apologies for making that stereotype but I do mean it in a much loved and positive sense. By way of example, think of the names of famous English pubs like "Bull and Spectacles" and "I am the only running footman". [Click here to read a fascinating article on interesting English pubs.]
The paragraph below is an extract from Jo Malone London's online magazine (click here to go there) about this collection.
In life, it’s the troublemakers who make all the difference, those brave enough to harness a moment of rebellion in order to lend a new perspective. In Britain, we are forever rooting for the underdog and looking for beauty in imperfection – and Jo Malone London’s new Wild Flowers & Weeds collection does just that. It’s a celebration of nature’s rebels. The use of the finest ingredients is our signature, so don’t be fooled into thinking that these wildflowers and weeds don’t have unique and precious qualities. Take it from perfumers Yann Vasnier and Louise Turner, the noses behind our Wild Flowers & Weeds collection, as they explain why each of its five fragrances is so special. ‘With wild flowers and weeds nature takes over, with no rhyme or reason- and makes things unexpectedly beautiful.’
The "unexpected beautiful". That in itself as a statement is "kinda awe" inspiring to me. It reminds me a lot of the Japanese aesthetic that "perfect beauty" is not always so beautiful and that it is the tiny imperfections that make us or things stand out and be truly beautiful.
Here is "Nettle & Wild Achillea". It begins with a top note of wild achillea which then develops to a heart note of nettle and vetiver.
My first impressions of this was that it smelt at first to be more fruity than floral. It has a slightly tangy scent which filled my mouth (and made it "water" from the deliciousness of it).
Before this, I had not discovered the delights of wild achillea. I guess it was because I knew it by its more commonly known name "yarrow". Interestingly, yarrow is used in traditional medicine.
Nettle, as you might know, is a weed that some people are allergic to (they break out into rashes). The addition of Nettle gives this fragrance a slight minty scent - the heart notes hits my nose as a slight spearmint and very green scent. I like the juxtaposition of the flower (wild achillea) and the weed (nettle). Absolutely brilliant and quite an unexpected pairing.
This then develops into vetiver. Vetiver is a fairly well known ingredient in the Fragrance world. I think I got the sense of the "fruity/citrus" scent from this note. Whilst doing my research, I also found out that vetiver has been used as an antiseptic to treat acne and sores.
There is a distinct good weight to this fragrance. I would describe it as being "meatly" and very "grounded". It is generally classified as a "green floral". It definitely is a unisex scent.
I can't stop smelling this. I'm extremely attracted to it. I think because it is a more subtle floral and more of a fresh green scent. I seem to smell some vanilla and camellia in it. I also note that this scent lasts for a good length of time (about 4-5 hours). I was pleasantly surprised by this, as colognes are generally known to last for only 2-3 hours.
This one "looked" like twinkling sunshine streaming through the leaves of trees for me. More white than warm.
I'm a sucker for good packaging. For all five fragrances in this limited edition collection, each bottle is "printed" 360 degrees with illustrations of the "plants" that form that particular scent.
I've always loved bergamot in a fragrance. I think it is a beautiful ingredient. The essential oil is made from the rind of the bergamot fruit. It does appear fairly frequently in fragrances because it impart that citrus scent with a touch of bitterness so that you don't get a cloying sweet scent. You get a more well-rounded scent.
Hemlock & Bergamot has a top note of bergamot, a heart note of hemlock and rounded off with a base of vanilla. To me, this scent smells like the coconut sticky candy that my grandmother would make. It is a very nostalgic scent for me. I think the "vanilla in it invoked this memory for me. Anything with vanilla in it gives me very fond memories. There is also a "powdery-ness" to this scent.
Now Hemlock is very exciting (forgive as I am a fragrance nerd). I've yet to come across a read hemlock plant and thank goodness for that. A quick internet search and I found out that "hemlock" is (and I quote from Wikipedia): "a highly poisonous biennial herbaceous flowering plant". WOW. I pity the person(s) who had to pick the hemlock for the production of this fragrance but I thank them very very much for doing so. It is such a COOL ingredient!!
Hemlock gives this scent a kind of berry-fruitiness and some earthiness to it. I won't lie, I think I'm in love.
Hemlock & Bergamot lasted for a good length of time on me (just like Nettle & Wild Achillea). At least 4-5 hours. The base note of vanilla was there for a much longer time.
This one definitely filled my mind with a shiny warm gold ball (so realistic when it first came to me). Almost palpable. I got a very cozy feeling from this one.
The remaining three from left to right (see photo above): Willow & Amber; Lupin & Patchouli; and Cade & Cedarwood. I went in store to have a sniff. (Side note: sniffing coffee beans between scents is not a full-proof way of clearing the nose. I personally feel that it is best to, after you have sprayed your "blotter", that it is a good idea to go out into fresh air and let the Fragrance oxidise and slowly dry down.)
Willow & Amber: A top note of pink pepper. A heart note of Willow and a base note of Amber.
Lupin & Patchouli: The top note is Lupin. It has a heart note of Rose and a base note of Patchouli.
Cade & Cedarwood: This one has an interesting top note of cade. A heart note of cedarwood and a base note of Ciste Labdanum.
The other three fragrances are just as beautiful - the packaging is divine. I went into a Jo Malone boutique to have a sniff. Aren't the bottles gorgeous? All of them smelt delicious to me but I was most intrigued by "Cade & Cedarwood". It is the first fragrance I've come across that has a base note of ciste labdanum. Ciste Labdanum is a resin from a shrub known as Cistus ladaniferus. It is more commonly found along the Mediterranean coast. It is known as the "darling" of the perfume world. It has grass, wood, resin and balsamic chords. Very yummy! I found a short article that explains more with this beautiful ingredient (click here to read it).
Suggested Pairings
Jo Malone London's fragrances were made for layering. With this collection, I think you can definitely come up with some interesting combinations. It really depends on what you like and what you like can change each day based on your mood.
I mixed "Warm wood & Leather" with "Hemlock & Bergamot" and came up with a sexy-amber musk scent that oddly reminded me an orange syrup cake. I love it.
With Jo Malone fragrances and pairings, I suggest just going for it. There are so many layers you can create. And that is quite charming don't you think?
So I hope you enjoyed this article and found it useful. I'm pretty much on my social media platforms in some way or fashion 7 days a week. I hope you enjoyed this review.
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