I have a wardrobe of fragrances depending on the season and mood I’m in, but one of my favorite fragrances these days is Jo Malone’s Wild Fig & Cassis. What’s so special and neat about the Jo Malone product line is that it was designed so you can combine her scents and layer them so you create your own personal and unique scent. Simply spray one cologne, let it dry; then spray a different fragrance on top, forming a “wardrobe” of a fragrance (think of it as similar to layering clothes).
However, I love the Wild Fig & Cassis so much that I wear it alone, although it is suggested to layer it with Orange Blossom or Red Roses. Now, this scent is definitely not for everyone. It is quite earthy. But, I love fig, and this is fig in its truest form – the top note smells like fig leaves and has a woodsy smell. The cassis is almost an afterthought, just enough to give a fruity smell, but then it is tempered with the pine and hyacinth. The scent was inspired by a breakfast in Tuscany, and it takes you to a warm summer day in the Mediterranean. It is seriously the most unique scent I’ve ever smelled and I absolutely love it.
Now, if you don’t care for wild fig and cassis, there are over 20 scents to choose from. And that’s what also makes Jo Malone’s fragrances so special.
Just to give you her background, Malone, like her mother, was first a facialist. Her facial treatments emphasized massage and various aromatic topical ointments. As her business grew, she gave her clients a small token of appreciation, and began mixing batches of bath oil on her stove. Her first was a nutmeg and ginger concoction, and her clients loved it. “Then a customer bought 100 bottles to put by each place setting at a party,” she recalled in a Financial Times interview. “Eighty–six people came back to me for more.” And the rest is history!
Thank goodness because I love her store, the packaging, and of course the fragrances. Happy Valentine’s Day!
No Ugly Duckling 