Standing looking upwards at the vast array of colours blurring my vision, I know that this was where I was meant to be. It was the place that made me the happiest girl on earth and somewhere I knew I could always rely on... Until Woolworths closed down and left me broken hearted. I could've lived in that pick n mix aisle forever. It's safe to say I have an addiction to sweet things and that they remind me somewhat of a carefree childhood; there's a reason why I still love Dib Dabs. Although it's not necessarily something you'd expect from a premium brand known for their sophisticated and delicate scents, Jo Malone are launching their own range of 'Sugar & Spice and all things nice' this Spring. The limited edition collection consists of five dessert-inspired fragrances: Lemon Tart, Redcurrant & Cream, Elderflower & Gooseberry, Ginger Biscuit and Bitter Orange & Chocolate. French Master Perfumer Christine Nagel is the brains behind the revolutionary bottles, which were all inspired by traditional English puddings like lemon meringue pie and ginger biscuits. Christine spent a whole year sampling the best deserts and translating the flavours into fragrance, giving the scents an authentic feel that really does bring to life the sweetness of their cakey counterparts. Although inevitably not for everybody, the new additions from Jo Malone are certainly unique and certainly bring about a strong reaction from sniffers. My favourite by far is Lemon Tart, providing a fresh and uplifting scent that isn't too sweet - the citrus notes are just enough to make this wearable day or night, without feeling like you're bathing in Willy Wonka's bathroom. Redcurrant & Cream is much more sugary, providing a more youthful scent that will definitely appeal to those with sweet noses (and teeth.) I'm not normally a fan of sweet fragrances (they mostly just give me a headache,) but this is most wearable and lingers enough without being to sickly. The 'cream' element also makes the overall effect more subtle and milky - you can definitely pick up on the addition and it helps to tone-down the berry notes.
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The most controversial fragrance of the entire collection though is Bitter Orange & Chocolate; the first thing I thought of when I caught a whiff was 'Terry's Chocolate Orange' which didn't fill me with confidence. It's certainly unique and like nothing I've ever sprayed on me before, smelling very much like cocoa butter with a hint of orange rather than a full-blown chocolate experience, and I wasn't sure if I liked it to start with. After a couple of minutes the scent does settle into something more wearable, but applying too liberally does leave you feeling a bit like an Oompa Loompa at 5pm on a Friday. It's not something I'd choose to wear normally and not a scent I could fashion on a daily basis, but it makes the perfect comforting fragrance to spray on home furnishings! (Probably not the purpose it was intended for.) You're either going to love or hate this collection and it completely depends on whether you like your scents simple or complex. What I normally love about Jo Malone is their simplicity and uniqueness, allowing fragrances to be layered and built up together in order to create something unique - this collection simply doesn't allow it. (I tried, I nearly vommed from a sugar overdose.) I'm not convinced that these scents will appeal to the normal Jo Malone customer, but they're certainly going to cause a stir and bring some curious new shoppers into stores when they launch this March. They're very clever folk and I don't doubt that women across the country will be sniffing eachother to get a cupcake fix... I just don't know what will happen when we're all on the bikini diet come May!
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Available this March priced £38.00 for each fragrance. I also discovered that Harvey Nichols in Bristol is offering a Jo Malone inspired afternoon tea, which also comes with a free hand massage which you can enjoy while discovering the scents.
The most controversial fragrance of the entire collection though is Bitter Orange & Chocolate; the first thing I thought of when I caught a whiff was 'Terry's Chocolate Orange' which didn't fill me with confidence. It's certainly unique and like nothing I've ever sprayed on me before, smelling very much like cocoa butter with a hint of orange rather than a full-blown chocolate experience, and I wasn't sure if I liked it to start with. After a couple of minutes the scent does settle into something more wearable, but applying too liberally does leave you feeling a bit like an Oompa Loompa at 5pm on a Friday. It's not something I'd choose to wear normally and not a scent I could fashion on a daily basis, but it makes the perfect comforting fragrance to spray on home furnishings! (Probably not the purpose it was intended for.) You're either going to love or hate this collection and it completely depends on whether you like your scents simple or complex. What I normally love about Jo Malone is their simplicity and uniqueness, allowing fragrances to be layered and built up together in order to create something unique - this collection simply doesn't allow it. (I tried, I nearly vommed from a sugar overdose.) I'm not convinced that these scents will appeal to the normal Jo Malone customer, but they're certainly going to cause a stir and bring some curious new shoppers into stores when they launch this March. They're very clever folk and I don't doubt that women across the country will be sniffing eachother to get a cupcake fix... I just don't know what will happen when we're all on the bikini diet come May!
Available this March priced £38.00 for each fragrance. I also discovered that Harvey Nichols in Bristol is offering a Jo Malone inspired afternoon tea, which also comes with a free hand massage which you can enjoy while discovering the scents.