This Korean review was translated by AI and may contain inaccuracies.
1 Reviews
- 향수좋아함Oct 28, 2018 (UTC)Combination SkinSensitive Skin
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This review was written by The Hwahae Testers who received the product for free and evaluated it with a sense of representing Hwahae. The review is completely unbiased and honest, with no guidelines or restrictions. Reviews by The Hwahae Testers undergo the same strict verification process as regular reviews, and if they don't meet our standards, revisions will be requested.ProsThis fragrance is suitable for both men and women with its gender-neutral accord. If you enjoy smoky lavender scents, this will likely be a hit with you. While it may evoke memories of Serge Lutens' Gris Clair, the two have quite different profiles. Gris Clair is more smoky (almost burnt) and melancholic in character. Serge Lutens Gris Clair is an excellent choice for cold weather wear. Jo Malone Amber & Lavender opens with an aromatic, cologne-like burst of fresh mint, which I felt worked better with semi-formal or suit attire than my usual casual wear. The middle notes wrap the crisp mint in a gentle spiciness, creating a pleasantly sweet and spicy blend. I detected more of a patchouli sweetness than true amber. If you're curious about patchouli, you can get a sense of it by trying Narciso Rodriguez For Her (the pink bottle) or Thierry Mugler Angel. Those have quite strong patchouli notes. However, the patchouli here is not as pronounced as in those fragrances. The mint, patchouli, amber, and lavender create a well-balanced warm spicy-aromatic accord. In the dry down, the spiciness fades and the lavender note emerges, while a subtle smokiness lingers from the middle stage.
ConsFragrance can perform differently on each person's skin and be perceived differently by individual noses, so it may come across more masculine at times. I recommend doing a blind test (no sniffing beforehand) and trying it on your skin before purchasing. While I enjoy gender-neutral accords and masculine fragrances, I didn't find any Jo Malones that really grabbed me. Black Vetyver & Cafe (discontinued) was probably the best of the bunch for me. I tried the 9ml miniature first before considering a full-size purchase, but even then the 30ml bottle felt a bit too large a commitment for a scent that didn't fully captivate me. This isn't a fragrance that leans heavily into seasonal appropriateness. In terms of longevity, it lasted around 3 hours on my skin, which is decent for a Jo Malone cologne.