Common Scents

After working in the cosmetics industry for eight years, I've seen and smelled it all.  And I quickly grew bored with fragrance.  After a while, they all smell the same.  It's hard to find unique fragrances that smell interesting, clean, and light.  I discovered Jo Malone a few years ago and found some truly outstanding fragrances.  My personal favorite is Mint & White Jasmine, which has a really interesting green fresh mint layer so that the heady feminine jasmine layer is not overwhelming.  Since then, I've also fallen head over heels for Nectarine Blossom & Honey, Lotus Blossom & Water Lily, and most recently, Vanilla & Anise.  The Vanilla & Anise is now a personal favorite.  It's the perfect balance of sweet and spicy, and it's surprisingly light.  I was afraid that it would smell too overpowering, but it's certainly not.  I plan to wear this one for my wedding.

The great thing about Jo Malone, besides the innovative notes and combination, is that these simple two-note fragrances are designed to either be worn alone or layered with each other to create your own personal scent.  For example, I've found that the Lotus Blossom & Water Lily is a great base layer that I can spray any of the other fragrances over to add some interesting differences and help them last all day.  It's a great line for people who get bored with fragrance and wearing the same thing every day.  Plus they have all kinds of goodies to layer fragrances: lotion, shower gel, hand cream, candles, and bath oil.

One tip I have is to buy the bath oil.  First, I find that besides the cologne, the bath oils keep the scents with you best of all the products.  Second, I personally prefer to use the bath oil as a body oil instead of a lotion.  It's not at all greasy, and it makes your skin silky soft.  It just gives a soft glow to the legs, arms, and decolletage, which is great for the summer.  And a little goes a long way, so it lasts.

If you do decide to buy Jo Malone, you can find it at premier department stores like Neiman Marcus, Saks, and Bloomingdales.  But the best place to buy is at www.jomalone.com, where every order gets free shipping and two fragrance samples of your choice.  I would also suggest picking up their Vitamin E Lip Conditioner with SPF 15.  It's very hydrating, and it's fantastic for soothing dry or cracked lips.  It's $20, but it comes in a generously sized tube.  Often the Jo Malone counters at the departments stores will give you a sample of this if you ask.  The brand prides itself on generous sampling, so don't be shy.