In Pursuit of a Signature Scent, Part 4

This week I tried the remaining samples in my collection: Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt (a "Woody" scent), Dark Amber & Ginger Lilly, and Oud & Bergamont (both "Cologne Intense" category).  I also decided to do a little write-up of my beloved Coco Mademoiselle and share the scent notes on that fragrance as well.

Wood Sage & Sea Salt: "Escape the everyday along the windswept shore. Waves breaking white, the air fresh with sea salt and spray. Alive with the mineral scent of the rugged cliffs. Mingling with the woody earthiness of sage. Lively, spirited, and totally joyful."

This is yet another scent that has grown on me. Almost to where I would wear it were I not doing this experiment. The "Woody" scent seems to have some floral in it. I would completely agree with the beachy-description given by the company. The beachiness is not the typical beachy scent that would first come to mind but a more organic scent that actually brings you back to walking along the waves at sunset.

Dark Amber & Ginger Lilly: "Rare Kyara wood. Prized in the Kahdo ceremony, the highly ritualized Japanese art of incense appreciation. Enriched with amber and black orchard. Illuminated by the clean sensuality of black cardamon, ginger, and water lily. Calm and relaxing."

I'm sure the fist thing you noticed about this scent was the bottle. It is in the "Cologne Intense" fragrance category, and like the other scents in this category have a dark bottle. I had heard about Jo Malone having unisex fragrances, but can really see how this one (along with a few others I've already written about- Pomegranate Noir, Blackberry & Bay, Lime Basil & Mandarin, Earl Grey & Cucumber) would be suited for a man.  Maybe it was growing up during the CK One revolution (I adore Kate Moss), but I've always found wearing a man's cologne very mysterious and extremely empowering.  While I don't necessarily get that feeling of empowerment from Dark Amber & Ginger Lilly, I definitely feel it when wearing this next one:

Oud & Bergamont: "Precious oud, reframed. This mysterious, smoky character of the revered wood, central to Middle Eastern fragrance traditions, radiates with the clarity of crisp bergamont and an orange granite accod. Hypnotic. Alluring."

"Alluring" is definitely my favorite word to describe this scent. Putting a few dabs on my throat and behind my ears transports me to a Middle Eastern cafe, sipping spicy tea while watching rich foliage dance in a breeze. The citrus notes do help it to not feel too exotic or over-powering. Every scent is very subtle. I would definitely enjoy wearing this scent, especially in the evening, going out for drinks or dinner.

Coco Mademoiselle: "Inspired by the irrespressible spirit of the young Coco Chanel, the modern oriental fragrance entices with an utterly feminine composition, expressing refined sensuality and incredible freshness. Top Notes of Sicilian Oranges, Calabrian Bergamont, Sicilian Grapefruit; Floral Heart of pure rose extract and pure jasmine extract, along with a fruity touch of litchi; Base Notes of Indonesian Patchouli, Haitian Vetiver, Bourbon vanilla and white musk. Dedicated to courageous, brave, and modern women who prefer luxury and elegance."

I will admit, one of the reasons I wanted to explore other scents before recommitting to Coco Mademoiselle was because of its popularity- if everyone wears your scent, is it truly your signature scent? After spending some time with the slew of Jo Malone fragrances, I applied some of my beloved Coco and remember why I loved this scent so much. "Luxurious," Feminine," and "Sensuous," are the three words I would pick to describe this scent. It also has the Rose I crave and adore, along with delicate bergamont I fell in love with in the Jo Malone Oud & Bergamont.

 One aspect of Jo Malone that is very appealing (but I did not incorporate into my writing) was her patented "Fragrance Combining," which allows you to truly create a "Signature Scent," by selecting your favorite fragrance and then choosing to make it "Warmer" or "Fresher." Using this technique, I decided to make Coco Mademoiselle "rosier," by adding the Jo Malone "Red Roses," on top of it. The result was a warmer, more floral version of Coco; one that I could definitely see becoming my Signature Scent. I do believe I will save the Oud & Bergamont for some evening wear, as well.

Thank you for joining me on this pursuit of a signature scent. While there are so many other scents I would have liked to try and write about (Jo Malone herself now has a line of scents I am anxious to try- check out Jo Loves ), I am happy I took the time to very purposely go through the scents that I had. I feel as though I can confidently invest in the quality scents I chose and wear them knowing they truly embody the essence of me.

I would love to know if you have ventured on the journey of a signature scent, what the journey entailed, and what scent you choose to represent you. Please comment below and share this blog with your friends!

Signature Scent Series, Part 3

In my last "Signature Scent Series," I wrote about how some of the fragrances I had been trying immediately brought to mind memories of events, places, or people. Many of us know that the sense of scent is tied to memory, but have thought about why exactly that happens? Allow me to present a brief biology review :) Special sensory cells, located in tissue found high inside the nose, connect DIRECTLY to the brain (the olfactory bulb, to be exact). The olfactory bulb connects to the Limbic System of the brain, which is responsible for memory. It is also a part of the brain which regulates emotions, which can explain why certain scents make you happy, relax you, or can even agitate you.

An update on the Search for My Signature Scent:
This week, I tried the Jo Malone Lime Basil & Mandarin, Earl Grey & Cucumber, Orange Blossom, and Red Roses. Lime Basil & Mandarin along with Earl Grey & Cucumber both fall into the "Citris" category on the Jo Malone website, while Orange Blossom is in the "Floral" category and Red Roses in the "Light Floral."

Lime Basil & Mandarin: "Our signature fragrance. Peppery basil and aromatic white thyme bring an unexpected twist to the scent of limes on a Caribbean breeze. A modern classic."

If this was the first Jo Malone scent I experienced, I probably would not have tried more. I enjoy lime, basil, and mandarin, but this scent smells dated and over-powering on me. I tried it on four different occasions and disliked it every time.

Earl Grey & Cucumber: "A British Tradition... afternoon tea. A fragrance with a burst of bergamont, distinct to Earl Grey, and the cool succelence of crunchy cucumber. Counterpoised with a sweet base of beeswax, vanilla, and musk. Reviving and refined."

Something odd happened with this one... I had sprayed it on my chest and instantly did not like it. Soon after, I smelled it on a friend and loved it- not knowing it was the scent I hated on myself. When it was time to write this post, I sprayed it again, but this time on my wrist. I actually enjoyed it on my wrist and proceeded to sniff it the rest of the afternoon! Even though it is under the classification of citris, it smells quite linen-y fresh. Maybe it's the bergamont in the Earl Grey I enjoy? While I loved this scent on my wrist, I do enjoy wearing fragrances on my throat and chest as well.

Orange Blossom: "A shimmering garden oasis. Clementine flower sparkles over a heart of orange blossoms and water lily, with warm undertones or orris and balsamic vetiver. Pure delight."

The first thing that comes to mind when I smell this scent is Honeysuckle. A huge field, a warm day, and a ton of honeysuckle. I have never smelled an actual orange blossom, so who knows? Maybe they actually smell like honeysuckle? This scent so reminds me of summer! Because of the strong summer presence, I'm not sure I could wear it year round.

Red Roses: "A voluptuous blend of the world's most exquisite roses. With crushed violet leaves and a hint of lemon, it unfolds like a bouquet of freshly cut flowers."

So, I have a little confession. I had used this sample vial before beginning my official search and have kinda already fallen in love with it. It was the warmness that I crave and the Rose scent I adore. I really love how it seemed to become one with my skin and smell so very nice on me. One of my sisters (who would be the last person you would think to like a rose scent), actually complimented this scent on two separate occasions and was shocked when I said, "Red Roses."

You may wonder why I found it necessary to still go through the whole "Signature Scent" process when I had already fallen in love with this particular scent. My answer would be that even though I already knew I loved roses, even before trying the sample vials, I didn't know what some of the other scents were like. Always wanting to learn and grow, I knew I needed to give each of the scents an equal try.

This week I would love to know, have you decided to go on the Signature Scent journey? Have you already? I would love to hear about it in the comments below!

Signature Scent Series, Part 2

Have you ever had this conversation: "Oh my goodness, you smell so good! What are you wearing?" Upon receiving the name of the delicious fragrance, you immediately go to the store, purchase a bottle, then wonder why in the world it does not smell the same on your skin. The first time this happened, I was in my teens and was so jealous that a certain scent smelled so good on my friend, but smelled old lady-ish on myself.


Most of us probably already know that something happens to make perfume smell different on different people. I decided to do a little research on why, and found a lot of information at TheLondonPerfumeCompany.com. Basically, everyone has a unique body chemistry, and (just like our fingerprint or DNA), no two are the same. When the perfume molecules react with warm pulse points through our heart beat, it causes a reaction with our skin and hormones, which causes the perfume to give off a particular scent. Our skin is made up of a unique combination of salts, proteins, acids, hairs, fibers, fats, and water. Factors that can influence your skin type include diet, stress level, hormone level, humidity, and Herbs & Spices.

So what's our best bet to ensure that we love our friend's scent on us as much as we do on them? Ask them for a squirt. Get a sample from a department store or online. Allow it to settle into your skin for 30 minutes and see if it's still the scent you love.

This week, I've tried our four of the Jo Malone scents. They were Nectarine Blossom and Honey, Pomegranate Noir, English Pear & Freesia, and Blackberry and Bay. All of these colognes fell into the "Fruity" category on the Jo Malone website, and all four of them could not be more different from one another. Below is the website's description of each, along with a few words on my experience with each.

Nectarine Blossom & Honey: "London's Covent Garden early morning market. Succulent nectarine, peach, and cassis and delicate spring flowers melt into each note of acacia honey. Sweet and delightfully playful."

The first word that came to mind for this scent was, "Wholesome." It had such a light and sweet scent and reminded me of summer trips to Stone Mountain when I was little. Those don't even go together, but that's the memory that came flooding in when inhaling it! I felt this scent smelled exactly on my skin as it did in the bottle. Which is not bad, but I enjoy my body's chemistry interacting with scents a bit more. It seemed as though this one just "sat" on my skin.

Pomegranate Noir: "The sensuality of a daring red dress. Ruby-rich juices of pomegranate, raspberry, and plum are spiked with pink pepper and laced with Casablanca lily and spicy woods. Dark and enigmatic."

At first scent, this cologne made me think of the spicy incense one would smell at a Renaissance Festival without the added headache of it being over-powering. It is a very sensual scent and I loved the warmth of it on my skin. It did interact with my chemistry, but lacked the floral notes I tend to enjoy.

English Pear & Freesia: "The essence of Autumn, the sensuous freshness of just-ripe pears is wrapped in a bouquet of white freesias and mellowed by amber, patchouli, and woods. Luscious and Golden."

I was a bit surprised when I read the description of "The essence of Autumn," as Autumn was something that never came to mind while wearing this scent. Fiona actually tried this scent the evening before I wore it, and it smelled absolutely delightful on her. I was excited to wear it the next day and was disappointed when, again, it seemed to just sit rather than mingle with my skin. It was a beautiful scent, and reminded me of strolling through an English Garden... or, at least, what I would imagine an English Garden to smell like.

Blackberry & Bay: "Childhood memories of blackberry picking... A burst of deep, tart, blackberry juice, blending with the freshness of just-gathered bay and brambly woods. Vibrant and verdant."

I have to admit, this was the one Jo Malone scent I was most excited to try. I mentioned Jennifer L. Scott's search for a Signature Scent in my previous post, and this was the scent she had chosen! When I first applied it, the first thought that rushed to my mind was, "This smells like my Daddy!!" While it may seem quite odd that a connoisseur such as Jennifer and my father would choose the same scent, it actually made sense to me. I was the one who had purchased my father's cologne for him, and I absolutely adore the way it smells on him. Of course, I had to discover what the similar notes were to make them smell so much alike. His cologne, L'eau D'Issey Pour Homme by Issey Miyake has a very complex scent list, including Cypress, Coriander, Mandarin, Fresh Verbena, Nutmeg, Saffron, Cinnamon, Tobacco Amber, Musk, and Hatian Vetiver, just to name a few. The only one I could possibly consider carrying a like-smelling scent was the cypress. Am I the only one who finds this incredibly interesting??? Be sure to read my next post, where I dive a little deeper into why scents evoke memories.

The search continues! I would love to know- Have you had a similar experience with a perfume not mixing well with your body chemistry? Please share your stories in the comments below!

In Pursuit of a Signature Scent

The first time the concept of a "Signature Scent" was brought to my attention was when I was about 10 years old.  An older, more mature, friend of mine was talking about her "cool" friends and how they each wore one perfume (or body splash, probably), so religiously that they could smell one another coming before they actually saw one another.  I determined quickly that my Signature Scent would be "Exclamation," as I already had a bottle, and I then proceeded to ask for bottles of it for birthdays and Christmas for the next several years.  

As a young adult, I continued to wear perfume, but branched out of the drugstore aisle and played with department store brands- from Victoria's Secret's "Angel" to Banana Republic's "W for Women" to  to the flirty "Velocity" by Mary Kay, I simply purchased whatever I thought smelled classic and sexy and would faithfully apply it every morning.  Looking back on my journey through fragrances, I've realized that certain scents can easily be correlated with specific relationship and life-events.

My mid-twenties brought on the search for a truly Signature Scent.  I fell in love with Coco Mademoiselle and would constantly find magazine and department store samples.  I wanted to make sure that the scent was one that would embody the essence of me.  After a year of debating, I made the purchase with some birthday money I received as a gift.  The scent was truly the most delicate balance between classic and allure and helped me feel confident and beautiful every day I wore it.  I purchased several bottles over the next few years and reveled in the moment I would apply it each day.  

Through the years of wearing Coco Mademoiselle, I have found it worthwhile to re-evaluate my love of the scent before investing in the next bottle.  High-quality perfume is quite an investment, so it seems like the natural course of action to visit a few counters and try some samples before committing the next 15 months to my beloved Mademoiselle.

I recently read an article on The Daily Connoisseur about the evolution of her Signature Scent.  She spoke about Jo Malone London and her journey to discovering their Blackberry & Bay scent.  Her descriptions of the fine fragrances lead me to further investigation and I decided to purchase a set of 10 sample vials online.  I also received a vial from a dear friend and have decided to begin my study with these:

Lime Basil & Mandarin

Earl Grey & Cucumber

Orange Blossom

Pomegranate Noir

English Pear & Freesia

Nectarine Blossom & Honey

Blackberry & Bay

Red Roses

Wood Sage & Sea Salt

Dark Amber & Ginger Lilly

Oud & Bergamont

Please join me on this journey and do let me know in the comments below: Do you have a signature scent?  How long have you worn it?  What are some of your favorite scents?

Many thanks to Sheila Sim, a photographer from Edinburgh (who also did a Jo Malone photoshoot), for graciously allowing me to use the above photo for this blog!  View her beautiful pictures on her website by clicking here.

Photo © Sheila Sim Photography