SHINE, SHIMMER & SPARKLE

Hello!

Jo Malone has recently added another new fragrance to her repertoire - the softly shimmering WILD BLUEBELL.

Wild Bluebell is not just a new fragrance - it also heralds in a new direction for Jo Malone - the decadence and elegance traditionally associated with Jo Malone is still key but it's been peppered with dashes of whimsy and quirky for a more contemporary feel. James Gager (Jo Malone's new Senior Vice-President and Creative Director) wanted Wild Bluebell to reflect a fragrance fantasy - one of eccentricity, whimsy and delight.

Very English, very nice and just a little bit naughty. It tells the fairytale-esque story of Miss Bluebell herself - her personal thoughts, her journey and her aspirations ...

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The English Bluebell which once grew in lush abundance is now under threat and Jo Malone pays homage to these beautiful sapphire blooms by crystallising them in her new fragrance in addition to making a donation to the Woodland Trust.

Close-up for the bluebell in bloom

Lush carpet of bluebells in a forest in the UK

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Wild Bluebell is a delicate floral - watery, dewy, iridescent even. Rather than mellow and powdery (which is what some other bluebell fragrances are like), Wild Bluebell is fresh and light - like the glistening morning dew in a field of flowers or a girl in a white cotton dress by a shimmering lake ...

Here is the scent breakdown:

Top Notes: Fresh Bluebell, Clove

Heart Notes: Lily of the Valley, Eglantine (a rose variant), Jasmine

Base Notes: White Amber and Musk

There is no natural extract available of the bluebell - the bluebell note in Wild Bluebell is Christine Nagel (the perfumer's) interpretation of what bluebell should smell of - crisp green leaves, spicy clove buds, a touch of sweetness and a slight marine accent.

Jo Malone also added another note, Persimmon - the milky, peachy and slighty citrusy note blends with the Eglantine which is said to make the fragrance brighter.

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On me, the floral notes in Wild Bluebell dominate - it reminds me very much of a gentle, unobtrusive gardenia and jasmine medley but then watery accords that remind me of fresh cucumbers or melons, float to the foreground. The fragrance borders on crisp .. well, more cool than crisp - I think this is the "marine accent" that Nagel envisioned.

What I like is that the fragrance doesn't change much as it settles on me - although the base note is musk, it remains decidedly feminine and gentle and the musk note mellows it just one notch.

The sheer veil that is Wild Bluebell makes it a perfect companion to other fragrances. I personally loved it layered over Jo Malone's Vintage Gardenia which heightened the white floral component which is really my favourite kind of fragrance!

Another pairing which I loved was Wild Bluebell layered underneath White Jasmine and Mint - the White Jasmine again complemented the white floral notes of Wild Bluebell but the Mint? It made it a cooler, slightly more crisp fragrance which I actually found rather refreshing - yes, refreshing almost like as if I was hit by a cool breeze.

Both pairings settled well on my skin but I'm gravitating more towards Vintage Gardenia (as I love it on its own too!)

The only thing about Wild Bluebell is this - the longevity on me is about 3.5-4 hours, unlike the more bodacious Eau de Parfum's I'm used to. Nonetheless, I enjoy the delicacy of it all. Moreover, the delicate characteristic sets this cologne apart from some other EDTs and Colognes, where the sharp, acrid alchohol content can make you gag and suffocate.

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Jo Malone's Wild Bluebell is available as a Cologne (SGD$95/30ml; SGD$190/100ml). To complete your olfactory experience, Jo Malone recommends layering your cologne with the Wild Bluebell Body and Hand Wash (SGD$95) and the Wild Bluebell Body Cream (SGD$140/175ml)

I particularly like the Body and Hand Wash - it foamed up perfectly and rinsed off cleanly, leaving my skin fresh and very delicately perfumed

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The blue bell is the sweetest flower

That waves in summer air;

Its blossoms have the mightiest power

To soothe my spirit's care

- Emily Jane Bronte