Another Jo Malone favourite… I feel like I say this so often, but there’s just something about this brand, and I can’t help but fall in love with so many of their creations. Now don’t get me wrong, there are scents from here that I’ve tried and not enjoyed as much, or ones that just haven’t worked for me – but when I do find a new one that I adore, I get so excited to post it on here. I’d say about two thirds of my perfume collection is now Jo Malone and whenever I have a “treat yourself” moment, it’s always their website I end up on. I feel as if they’ve taught me so much about scent and how to appreciate a really good quality fragrance.
Peony and Blush Suede is an offering that I’ve never been interested in picking up before, it’s been around a while now (well, since I discovered my love for the brand) and it’s one of the more famous fragrances they do… but I’m really not a floral person at all. I prefer sweet, gourmand, woody or masculine scents usually and have never been wowed by a fragrance that has floral notes as the main contribution. So I’m not really sure what made me pick up the tester bottle on a Christmas shopping trip in London a few months ago to be honest, but I found myself intrigued to give it a whirl. The thing I’ve learned about Jo Malone colognes, is that they can often smell quite different once they have dried down – and the scent goes through different stages throughout the wear, so I always like to try it out for at least a day before I purchase.
At first I wasn’t too sure. On opening, you get a modern floral with hints of rose, peony (obvs) and something subtly fruity – which upon having a look on the website, I identified as red apple. Not at all powdery, but pleasant, a little sparkly and very girly. Lovely, but not being a huge floral lover, I wasn’t overly excited.
But then oh, the dry down. Oh the dry down. The suede note becomes prominent and this scent switches from being girly, to womanly. I Could. Not. stop sniffing my hand. I Could. Not. stop thinking about it the entire train journey home. I Could. Not. wait to purchase it. The suede just perfects this cologne, and turns it from an ordinary sweet and friendly floral, to something exceptional. It’s the masculine fragrance note I was craving and the thing that adds the complexity and depth Jo Malone are so well known for. It’s not a scent I can really liken to anything else, but it’s a very very welcome addition to my collection. Finally I can add a floral to my fragrance wardrobe, but one that stays true to my personal scent preferences and style. Jo Malone, you’ve bloody done it again for me.
*Affiliate links used
