New scents from Jo Malone London: Yellow Hibiscus and Red Hibiscus
Product photography by Perkin Gotohio
Hibiscus or gumamela blooms year-round in the Philippines. Here it grows with barely any prodding, so you can easily find it in many homes or even just by the country roads, tended to by only sunlight and the rain that falls on the earth. As a child I loved playing with these brilliant blossoms. I would put one in my hair as I ran across the streets, drenched by the sun and carrying the simple knowledge that everything was right in the world.
These memories return to me as I write about the new Jo Malone Blossoms Collection for Spring 2021. It features six products but I have two brand new scents that I’m reviewing today - the Yellow Hibiscus Cologne and the Red Hibiscus Cologne Intense.
The Jo Malone Yellow Hibiscus Cologne (P4,400/30ml and P8,650/100ml at Rustans.com) comes in a limited edition flacon with a globular acrylic stopper. I love the tactile feel of opening the bottle and how it sits in my dresser. There’s also that little tube connected to the atomizer that’s color-coordinated with the cap; it makes me think if the hibiscus pistil.
The new scent itself is as beautiful as the packaging, of course. It features crisp yellow hibiscus as its top note, with elegant rose sitting at its sublime center. Warm white musk envelopes the space as the base note emerges. I think it’s a fantastic everyday scent that’s feminine but not cloying - it has some green to it that makes me think of fresh cut grass.
The Jo Malone Red Hibiscus Cologne Intense (P5,750/30ml and P11,500/100ml at Rustans.com) is sweeter, more mesmerizing. Juicy mandarin orange greets the nose as it opens the scent, followed by heady notes of ylang ylang, sambac jasmine, and hibiscus at its heart. The base in vanilla rounds this scent off with a deep, exotic finish.
But wait, what is the difference between Jo Malone Cologne and Cologne Intense? You may notice that the prices are not the same. Cologne Intense is as the name suggests more intense; the perfume oil content is higher, and it stays on longer than the Cologne. A very small amount goes a long way! I have the Dark Amber & Ginger Lily Cologne Intense, and I notice that these are more suited as evening scents.
I love both scents so I’ll be keeping these new Jo Malone Blossoms scents in my collection. Get them now at Jo Malone stores near you and in Rustans.com.
Jo Malone Greenbelt
Ground Level, Greenbelt 5, Legazpi St., Ayala Center Makati City
729-9491
Jo Malone Powerplant Mall
Ground Level, Powerplant Mall Makati City
Jo Malone SM Aura
Upper Ground Floor, SM Aura Premier 26th Street Corner McKinley Parkway Taguig City
