About four months ago I bought my first ever Jo Malone perfume. That one perfume that made me feel like a grown up. Like a woman. Sounds pretty dumb when I say it like that, but at the same time it makes all the sense in the world. Step in to a Jo Malone shop or counter and you enter a world of luxury, and that’s not just down to their prices. It’s elegant, clean without being clinical, and you feel special just being there.
I wouldn’t normally shell out on a expensive perfume for no real reason, or any single pricey item for that matter. However, I was feeling a bit down, had just got the deposit from my old place back, and just fancied a little pick me up. I had initially gone to the Jo Malone counter with the Wood Sage & Sea Salt perfume in mind. However I did a little browsing, and I found the White Jasmine & Mint cologne. A crisp, floral fragrance, something not only cool for Summer, but also refreshingly uplifting for me.
After making my purchase, I was offered a free hand and arm massage in store for me and a friend. Yes please. For sure. Definitely. That’s the day it all started, a string of complimentary hand and arm massages every few months. Lovely. That first massage happened way back in June with the lovely Caroline. Lex opted for an Orange Blossom wash, cremè and spritz while I went for the English Pear & Freesia.
That’s when we were offered another session to try out the new Basil & Neroli fragrance this month, inspired by the free spirit of London, the mix of botanical gardens and urban areas. Jo Malone celebrate their heritage, using basil as a nod to their signature perfume, Lime Basil & Mandarin that has been around for 20 years. Safe to say we were super keen to give it a go, both of us being avid lovers of Neroli. It seemed like ages away but it came around so quickly, a lovely little surprise as we had almost forgotten about it.
This time we were with Penny, who is super knowledgeable and passionate about the company. She started off by breaking down the perfume to us. Basil as the top note lends a herbal overtone, while neroli, as the heart of the fragrance comes through with its floral/orange aroma. Finally, the base note of white musk releases a powdery tone throughout the day. We smelt them all individually, and then together. It’s definitely different to other neroli fragrances, a little greener, just as lovely. Penny then selected a range of different fragrances for us to layer up with. This time Lex went for the crisp and fruity English Pear & Freesia and I chose the slightly heavier Black Cedarwood & Juniper, which I just fell in love with.
I did a bad. I bought a perfume. Not the Basil & Neroli as I expected, even though I loved it, I already have quite the selection of fresh and fruity scents. What was missing from my collection was the deep, brooding, sexiness of Black Cedarwood & Juniper. Quite possibly my new favourite.
If there’s a Jo Malone near you I’d definitely recommend popping in, even if only for a hand and arm massage. It’s completely free, and you even get to take away little sample of the cremè they select for you. This time they were all out of sample pots, but we didn’t go away empty handed as Penny gave each of us a sample of the Basil & Neroli cologne instead. The lovely assistants really work hard to make sure each experience is a special one, they know their stuff, they’re caring and just passionate about everything they do. I even got a note through the post after my first purchase from Patsy, who took the time to show me through all the fragrances before I landed on White Jasmine & Mint.
Pop in to your nearest Jo Malone, spritz a few colognes, feel fancy, and let the lovely assistants show you the way.
x
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SAMANTHA MAE 