After reading reviews raving about it, I’d been wanting to try it for nearly a year. A few days back, I visited the Jo Malone store to check this out along with a bunch of other colognes.
When I wore it there, I was wowed! I picked up a full bottle without thinking.
I earlier stated that I like this. But after spending some time with it, I’m afraid I’ve changed my mind.
I am now regretting this purchase. And my lack of impulse control at the store reminds me of something I’d been practising diligently until a few months back: One must not get carried away and pick up a perfume after just a few minutes of trial 😔
I like the opening. It’s heavy on melon in the first few minutes, and then on I get the pear, which is not as intense as I’d like it to be. The combination is nice, and together with the floral note that comes out soon after the opening, it’s pleasant and airy.
By the time we get to the early drydown, the fruity notes are gone. It’s just the floral with the patchouli emerging, coming forth to get ahead of everything else.
It’s the deep drydown that’s the real problem for me. Only the patchouli remains. It has a musty, dusty air to it, and that does not sit well with my nose, and my senses. Both the times I wore it, it ended up triggering my migraine. Most perfumes with patchouli irritate me, but this being a cologne, I didn’t anticipate the base note to be this strong or long-lasting. And that was my mistake.
Jo Malone colognes are notorious for their poor lasting power, but this one, thanks to the patchouli in the drydown, lasts 6+ hours for me. The fruity-florals are gone past the second or third hour, while the musty earthy dustiness of the drydown keeps lingering on my skin. And because it’s only the patchouli, I don’t quite want it to last that long 😩
Conclusion: After years, this is a purchase I regret. I don’t usually pick up a perfume within minutes of trying it, but sometimes I get carried away, and this was one such instance 😭
On the upside, my sister absolutely loves it. So I’ll be giving it away to her 😀
The drydown not suiting me is a me-problem, but I still can’t bring myself to recommend this at this price point. And like the old saying goes, do not judge a fragrance by its initial few minutes. But as another saying goes, perfumes are subjective. If, after all this, you try this out and love it, I’m not going to dissuade you, so go get it 👍