Jo Malone: Blackberry and Bay

www.jomalone.com

 

I'm a very big fan of Jo Malone fragrances. Before I discovered this fragrance house, I was a mass consumer of mainstream, popular fragrances created by celebrities, and of perfumes by major designer brands, notably Marc Jacobs. I will admit that although initially it was because I loved the smell of Daisy, I ended up buying the EDP, and the 'Eau So Fresh', mainly because of the gorgeous perfume cap designs. Maybe it's because I started to appreciate perfume more, or maybe it's because I grew up, but at some point, I decided to look for a unique fragrance that represents me. And, as you have probably guessed, Jo Malone was the answer I was looking for.

 

Jo Malone creates fragrances designed to be worn alone or layered with others, and as such, it is possible to create your own signature, bespoke scent. The colognes are named after their simple, but gorgeous, blends of core ingredients, and they are categorised under citrus, fruity, floral, light floral, spicy and woody, which makes it easier to find complementary scents to combine. I personally like fruity and light floral fragrances, so my fragrance purchases have included the Nectarine Blossom and Honey and Plum Blossom, their latest limited edition fragrance. So naturally, when I saw the new Blackberry and Bay cologne advertised on the Jo Malone website, I had to check it out. The line was set to be launched officially on the Sunday just gone, so I booked myself in for a complimentary hand and arm massage and introduction of the new fragrance for that afternoon, at the Jo Malone counter at David Jones.  

 



The hand and arm massage was done with the Blackberry and Bay body creme, which smelt heavenly! I actually like the smell of the cream better than the actual cologne itself, because it's not as strong and you can smell more of the sweet blackberry. Of course, I don't think any pampering hand massage could entice me to buy this product, which costs a whopping $130 for 175mL! The picture above is a bit of a giveaway - I did end up buying a 30mL bottle of this new fragrance. I love the initial fresh burst of blackberry, but unfortunately, this fruity top note doesn't linger long before the heavier, stronger bottom notes take over. I don't know if I'll like wearing this fragrance alone, but I know I will have a lot of wear out of it, when combined with the Nectarine Blossom and Honey that I have. For some reason, layering these two scents somehow eliminates the heavy notes and bring out the scents of the nectarine and blackberry, which I simply adore.

The hand massage was also accompanied by a complimentary little jar of blackberry and bay jam to match the new fragrance. According to the sales assistant, it isn't too sweet and is very yummy, smelling/tasting just like the fragrance. Edible promotional material is just the best, isn't it? Unfortunately, I didn't realise until I got home and uncovered the jar that the safety button on the lid had popped up already. I wasn't game enough to risk my health and try it, so ended up tossing it. A shame really, because it did look like it would be quite tasty.   

I love how the counter offers fragrance samples when you make a purchase. I love the Wild Bluebell cologne alone and when combined with the Blackberry and Bay, so I might have to purchase that next! A lot of skincare counters don't like giving samples, but I think it really is the best marketing strategy you could employ. The sales assistant also gave me little samples of the Blackberry and Bay, and French Lime Blossom body cremes, the latter being because she didn't have a sample of the fragrance, which I really wanted to try together with the Nectarine.

 



The only thing that prevents me from buying Jo Malone products more often and freely is the price point. I know that products imported into Australia generally get a huge mark-up, for some peculiar reason, especially for fragrances and skincare lines, but I think it is absolutely ridiculous that a 30mL bottle of cologne retails for $90, when it is £38.00 (~AU$59) in the UK, a 100mL bottle is $170 vs £76.00 (~AU$118), and a 175mL of body creme, as mentioned before, is $130 vs £48.00 (~AU$75). Surely, even if taking into account the shipping cost of wholesale product quantities would not justify this? And they wonder why consumers are largely shopping online and/or holding out on purchases until they go on overseas trips. Regardless, I will not give up so easily on Jo Malone products, because it is, at least for now, my mainstay fragrance line.

I encourage everyone else to break out of conformity with trends, and find their own signature scent to express their individuality. No one likes to smell like the dozen other girls in the same office, right? I should also point out also that Jo Malone fragrances are not differentiated by gender; so guys, you can also have some fun with these!

Happy fragrance combining!