Jo Malone Rain Series – Wisteria and Violet

And then he flew as far as eye could see,
And then on tremulous wing came back to me.
I thought of questions that have no reply,
And would have turned to toss the grass to dry;
But he turned first, and led my eye to look
At a tall tuft of flowers beside a brook
– The Tuft of Flowers, Robert Frost

Jo Malone Rain Series
Wisteria and Violet

Wet: violet, magnolia
Dry: wisteria, violet, mahogany, cucumber

This is a warm rain smell. The first hit was intensely violets and really no wisteria at all, and in fact the patchouli was more present coloring the violets and making it all remind me more of violets and magnolias warmed under the sun than violets and wisteria in the rain. As it dried though, and I started to sniff up and down the place I applied, the wisteria came through softly, and the punch of violet faded into a more harmonic place along with the patchouli. And it became more aquatic, and more like rain and seems to end like Rain and Angelica.

I can see this on a taller woman whose favorite color might be dark orchid, and who aces those interviews like no one else at a law firm or something similarly high-powered career. It’s certainly feminine, but less girly than Rain and Angelica. It’s mature.

Bee and PuppyCat premieres November 6th!

beeandpuppycat.cartoonhangover.com

Bee and PuppyCat premieres on November 6th! I’m so excited. The Kickstarter obviously went through and the team has been working on it for months. I love Natasha Allegri’s writing style and her brain children are some of the most interesting and entertaining of this comic style.

BG3

Plus, the art is just so lovely and fantastical.

BG5

The whole Cartoon Hangover team and all of their guests are ridiculously talented and hilarious, and they’ve gotten me excited and laughing at cartoons in a way I haven’t for years now, in a package I can actually consume (go Youtube, no television for me.)

Jo Malone Rain Series – Rain and Angelica

As promised!

When the painted birds laugh in the shade,
Where our table with cherries and nuts is spread:
Come live, and be merry, and join with me,
To sing the sweet chorus of “Ha, ha, he!”

– Laughing Song, William Blake

Jo Malone Rain Series
Rain and Angelica

Wet: citrus, floral, vetiver, a little pepper
Dry: vetiver, pepper, citrus, floral, water

This is definitely a more feminine leaning fragrance. A big punch of floral, tempered little by the warm, almost powdery vetiver and bright lime in it. In fact, the last two really just serve to highlight the angelica on me. Very floral heavy. And actually less aquatic on my skin than Black Cedarwood and Juniper. Definitely more dewy than rainy in my head, but it’s perfectly pleasant.

It’s not quite for me because it’s a little too sweet. The lime fades away too fast for me to really enjoy the juxtaposition. It’s still a lovely scent, and I can see this on someone whose favorite season is spring and also stirs honey into their tea.

Jo Malone Rain Series – Black Cedarwood and Juniper

Review time!

I love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.
– Sonnet XVII, Pablo Neruda

Jo Malone Rain Series
Black Cedarwood and Juniper

Wet: juniper, spice, tree bark, cedar
Dry: juniper, spice, tree bark, water

I love how woody this scent starts out, and am a little disappointed it falls to the background after a few minutes. Although the distinct cedar dies out on the dry-down for me, it leaves a warmth that I feel like is necessary to round out the sweet, watery juniper. Apparently there’s chili in this as well, which likely supports that point. I can’t stop sniffing it. It smells like how I want my sheets to smell after a night in, and a scent I could get used to on my pillow at night. Quite seductive, at least to me.

I like it on myself, but I would absolutely love this scent on a guy. It’s warm and sweet without being the masculine go-to sandalwood which I feel gets overplayed, and it’s just dark enough that there’s depth and passion implied, but light enough for day wear.