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9 Best Smelling Jo Malone Perfumes

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The Jo Malone line of fragrances have been popular now for a few decades. What’s really cool about them, is how they can be combined with one another to create one’s own signature scent and enhance each separate cologne, which can be worn by itself. There are a ton of these fragrances in this line.

So, I thought that I’d narrow the field down to nine which could be considered the ‘best’ of the bunch. Some will be known best-sellers and others lesser known gems. As always, I have linked each out to its page on Amazon for more information and ease of purchase.

What are Best Jo Malone Scents?

Great Springtime Casual Fragrance

1. English Pear & Freesia Jo Malone 3.4 Oz Unisex Cologne Unbox– Juicy and crisp pear meets with freesia and rose notes to create a wonderful blend of floral and fruit. It’s sweet, light, and good for casual wear.

It has that crisp juiciness that is found in pear, but this scent is also blended with a melon note, which gives it a slightly chilled aroma.

Further along in the wear, the floral notes get more of an upper hand, and the freesia/rose duo bring a somewhat soapy smell to the whole thing.

It is interesting, because you don’t get the powdery rose. Instead, it is an super clean pear/melon with soft freesia. This Jo Malone is simple, but always one of the best sellers. English Pear & Freesia Review

english pear review

Top Perfume for Summer

2. Jo Malone Orange Blossom Cologne for Women 1 oz Cologne Spray– A soft citrus based scent with floral notes that is upbeat and sure to induce a smile. A very clean scent that shines in the summer.

The clementine and citron opening at the top, is sweet and much more of a fruity affair than what will follow. The dry down, is when you really get the floral notes, mostly the namesake orange blossom.

Add in some lilac and you get a definite springtime in bloom effect. Citrus fruit top with a naturalistic floral blossom base. I love orange blossom, as a note, and it is utterly fantastic here. Those petals paired with a citron aroma, makes this a personal favorite of mine from Jo Malone London.

Best Winter Scent

3. Jo Malone Blue Agave & Cacao Cologne for Women 1 oz Cologne Spray– This combination is very interesting to me. It’s spicy cinnamon melds with vanilla and chocolate sweetness. Plus, add an underlying citrus air, and you’ve got something quite delicious.

The opening gives you a blend of the chocolate-y note with warm cardamom spice and the cinnamon. The spice isn’t too intense, but does add to the gourmand flavoring of this perfume, it’s a sweet spicy mix.

Under that there is a bit of vetiver, with orchid, lily, and the blue agave. Awesome and unique. Blue Agave & Cacao hits so many different styles, in one fragrance. You’ve got: sweet gourmand, citrus, floral, fresh woodsy. This is one to get, if you want a layered experience, for the cooler months of the year.

Top Sweet Perfume

4. Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom & Honey Cologne 100ml/3.4 Fl oz.– A potent experience of being surrounded by nectarines and peaches.  Very simple and linear but has a definite sweetness to it. The plum note is light, but does add a bit of tartness to the overall sweet profile of this fragrance.

This is one, where you will have to really enjoy the scent of peaches and nectarines, but those who do well probably love the stuff. Expect a more naturalistic sweetness, rather than, a hyper sugary affair. It’s still light, has some tartness, and a somewhat syrup-like thickness at times.

Best Selling Fragrance and Aquatic

5. Jo Malone ‘Wood Sage & Sea Salt Colonge 30ml/1fl oz’– A coastal aroma that will transport the wearer to the shore. Sea salt is infused with wood sage and a bit of citrus to create a unique fragrance, that you can’t quite put your finger on, at times.

The opening is quite oceanic with the sea salt, but is given a typical aquatic partner, with the grapefruit. It is so fresh and aquatic, but dries down with a bit of sweetness, and light woody undertones. Let’s not forget the sage, which is a part of the opening, but comes into its own later.

Wood Sage & Sea Salt has been the most popular option for people, coming to the Jo Malone lineup. It’s so simple, but surprisingly good, and one that can be layered with other scents for a greater effect. Though, even on its own, this is a great aquatic experience.

Best Floral Pick

6. Jo Malone Peony & Blush Suede Cologne Spray Perfume– There is a great opening with the apple note which then takes the back seat for the flowery aroma to take center stage. Very soft and feminine with a nice touch of suede.

The dry down becomes quite a powdery floral affair, especially once the apple fades. The peony and rose team up to create that powdered effect, which is smoothed out by an enhanced suede note. It is a rather powerful peony note, so, if that’s not a flower you enjoy go with another option.

Awesome Jasmine Perfume

7. JO MALONE LONDON Jasmine Sambac & Marigold Cologne Intense 100 ml.– This is a warm blend of the two obvious notes, jasmine and marigold, along with an additional ylang-ylang to complete the bouquet. Although, that note isn’t nearly as strong as the other two.

The marigold is strongest in the beginning of the wear and the jasmine will emerge to take over the composition. It is a very powerful use of that note, with a deep and rich aroma. Beyond that, the ylang-ylang and honey note gives Jasmine Sambac & Marigold, a creaminess while not being too heavy.

Probably not quite a summer scent, but it could get use through at least late springtime.

Balsamic Tonka

Myrrh & Tonka by Jo Malone– A spicy and balsamic myrrh starts things off with a lovely fresh lavender note. Obviously, the tonka bean will come into play as well, but that myrrh has the upper hand early on.

Next, this one will get creamier, somewhat sweet but not overly so, as that tonka gets paired with vanilla. It does have an herbal quality, at times which gives it a cooler feeling to keep this from becoming overly heavy and too warm. Sort of powdery too.

This has become a very popular entry in the Jo Malone catalog. Slightly masculine with how the perfume comes across, yet still very much in the unisex camp.

Red Queen

Scarlet Poppy by Jo Malone– Fig, poppy, heliotrope, barley, and musk mallow together create a familiar smelling yet unique combination.

Creamy, musky clean, with a nice sweetness almost almond like aroma. Fig and tonka bean together, seem to be the main culprits for that aspect. Scarlet Poppy is a newer entry on this list compared to others, but has quickly become a favorite.

This one really gets creamy and luxurious feeling in the back half of the wear. The heliotrope isn’t massive, but that note really stuck out to my nose in the dry down. Simple, a bit of powder with the buttery orris root.

Sweet and warm while not being overwhelming. Light and venturing into the gourmand category. I like this one a lot.

Si Passione by Giorgio Armani

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Si has become one of the flagship names in ladies perfumes for Armani. Si Passione is one of the flankers by the brand, which was released back in 2017. I had a sample of it lying around from a past order, so, I thought that it might be time to finally do a full review. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does Si Passione Smell Like?

Notes include: heliotrope, rose, grapefruit, black currant, pineapple, pear, cedar, vanilla, patchouli

Click here to try: Armani Si Passione Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4-oz. 

My Full Review

The opening act of Si Passione is quite fruity and attractive. Pear and pineapple are the dominant notes, with black currant and grapefruit playing secondary roles. I really enjoy the fruity opening and the way the pineapple note comes through on a warm day.

It is sweet and juicy, with some light tartness coming through.

As it moves a bit further along, the rose note comes out, along with heliotrope. It shifts from being majority fruity, to more of a standard fruity floral fragrance. It’s sweet, somewhat creamy/powdery from the vanilla and heliotrope.

A lot of the blackcurrant and the bit of grapefruit have essentially dissipated.

The rose isn’t overly intense and blends well with the rest of the composition. It really doesn’t strike me as a deep red rose smell at all. The further along I get, the more that the rose and pear take center stage as the main notes. Still, it’s never completely one-sided.

Finally, Si Passione keeps this same sort of dynamic, but it does start to get a bit of a soapy or musky clean finish. Definitely picking up some patchouli, but nothing is heavy handed or out of place.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Si Passione is a lighter to moderate fragrance. At first, it is pretty good at projecting itself, but won’t take over a room. Then, it is fairly intimate. Not a weak scent on my skin, just definitely not a powerhouse. I notice it throughout the wear without much effort.

I’m kind of surprised that it didn’t project massively in the early stages of the wear, with all those fruit notes. Nope, just a pretty above average perfume in this regard.

The longevity is 7-8.5 hours for me. Again, not an absolute monster performer, but I didn’t have the same lack of performance that some others have been complaining about with Passione.

It sticks around just fine, Passione just isn’t a heavy or a fragrance that really jumps off the skin.

Seasonally, it could absolutely work year round. Probably best in moderate to warmer weather though. Si Passione is a daily wear, work, casual sort of fragrance. I think that it is pretty, fresh, and clean rather than being a sexy nightlife wear.

Still, this one could fit in a wider variety of situations without issue. It’s got a great deal of versatility and can find a place pretty easily in one’s rotation.

Overall Impression of Si Passione

Overall, do I like this perfume? I do. Apparently, people weren’t to impressed with this scent upon release. While I don’t think it’s the most incredible fragrance, I enjoyed it quite a lot.

Between this and the original Si, I’d go with that one. Even if, I think this one is better than its reputation.

This Armani isn’t super complex and you’ve probably smelled something like it before. Though, I think that it has enough of its own character to stand apart and isn’t an exact clone of all the other popular ladies fragrances out there. Familiar, while being distinct.

Very fresh and fruity rose/heliotrope blend, with a somewhat musky/soapy clean finish in the dry down. Fairly straightforward and not groundbreaking. It’s just attractive and the performance for me was above average, just not with a heavy sillage.

I really don’t have anything too negative to say about it. Maybe, just buy it on a discount, instead of full Armani prices.

4 Best Smelling Chanel Chance Perfumes

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The Chance line of ladies’ perfumes by Chanel, have been a very big success for the brand, and all of the variants are among the top smelling fragrances now available from them. However, it is easy to question, which of the Chance perfumes actually smells the best out of all of them? Is it the original or one of the later released flanker bottles?

Ranking the Top 4 Chance Perfumes

Best Overall Chance

Chanel Chance Tendre Eau de Toilette Spray For Women 1.7 OZ./ 50 ml.– The EDT gets the nod, as the best. I used to kind of prefer EDP, but the last testing I did of each, saw EDT secure the title. It is a floral and citrus fragrance, with a grapefruit opening, and notes such as jasmine, iris, and hyacinth.

It is a light scent, with an airy disposition, but it also has great longevity. Eau Tendre is very popular and is a really good choice for those looking for an everyday wear perfume.

The citrus is crisp, the bouquet of flowers is beautiful, and there is a slight powdery and musky undertone to it all. I don’t think any of these Chance scents, are way above and beyond better, than the others. However, Chance Eau Tendre has the top spot.

The Other Tendre, Just a Notch Below

Chance Eau Tendre Eau de Parfum– The EDP version is also great. But, it gets the second spot here. Very youthful, fresh, fruity, and the added rose note really helps to set it apart. I’m not even a huge rose fan, but I dig this one completely.

The dry down is musky with the rose and jasmine notes providing the floral accord. An interesting change from the EDT’s iris and hyacinth mix with jasmine. The opening act with grapefruit and quince is fairly sharp, but not overly so, and it is great.

Chance Eau Tendre EDP is very simple to wear and is appropriate for a wide variety of situations and even seasons. Can easily be a signature scent for someone. A rosy fruity/floral.

Original EDP

Chance By Chanel 3.4 oz Eau De Parfum Spray For Women– Next on the list, is the original Chance, in the eau de parfum version. This is another floral based fragrance but has vanilla sweetness and some warm spice thrown in, for good measure.

Pink pepper, patchouli, and musk sit at the base of the perfume, giving of that warmth and spice. Meanwhile, jasmine, iris, and the vanilla are the most dominant notes.

The opening of EDP has less of the patchouli note, though. The jasmine is the strongest of the floral notes, for me early on. There’s a light fruitiness initially, but that will fade as this transitions into its vanilla and iris stage.

That vanilla and iris stage, might be my favorite. Very clean and with a powdery aroma that I enjoy.

Then, you get even further development with the musk, patchouli, and jasmine all getting their turns shining in the dry down.

Chance EDP has a heavier sillage, than does Eau Tendre, but it still isn’t an insanely heavy perfume by any means. The EDT is also, quite good, but probably a notch below this EDP version. Chance EDP Review

Great Fresh Perfume

Chance Chanel Eau Fraiche Eau De Toilette Spray, for Woman EDT 3.4 fl oz, 100 ml– Finally, number four on the list, is Chance Eau Fraiche. It’s tough to put this one, in the fourth spot, as it really is a great fragrance. All of these have their strengths and absolutely none are mediocre.

This is obviously a fresh take on the Chance moniker. Eau Fraiche is citrusy and a bit aquatic with woody base notes. Cedar, joins the pink pepper, and musk notes for a really clean and almost unisex fragrance.

A bright, clean, and lemon citrus floral with the usual Chance notes within its DNA. This is a great option for the summer months, as it sits very well in the heat, with a tremendous freshness.

Towards the end of the wear, Eau Fraiche can have more of an herbal/woody quality to it, versus the opening stages. Again, not the best, but still a great option from Chanel. My Full Review

So, there you have it. These are the top four choices from the Chanel Chance perfume collection, in my opinion. Again, these are all pretty close in terms of quality, so it’ll probably come down to which style you want. I think Eau Tendre has the slight edge over the others, but I cannot talk down about any of them.

Eau Vive was another option from the Chance lineup. It was still a good perfume, but a notch below the rest. I am looking forward to trying Eau Fraiche EDP, that came out in 2023, and I’ll update the list if it overtakes any of these four.

Angel Nova by Mugler

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Angel Nova was released in 2020 as yet another flanker fragrance in the popular Angel series. Yet, it really doesn’t have much of anything in common with the original. Which, made me fairly interested in giving Nova a try. How does it smell? How does Nova perform? Is it at all worth a try?

What does Angel Nova Smell Like?

Notes include: litchi, raspberry, benzoin, Damask rose, akigala wood

Click here to try: Angel Nova

My Full Review

Before I get into my review, let’s see what Mugler has to say about Nova: A new star. A new heroine. A new fragrance. Make your dreams a reality and reality a dream.

Raspberry. Wow. That’s a ton of raspberry in the opening and it’s quite juicy and paired with litchi. It feels quite bold and there’s also something tropical here. Possibly mango? It’s short lived, but it’s there and a part of that sweet/sour mix up top.

A few minutes after I sprayed this, I could already tell that this won’t be for everyone. But, I’m curiously drawn to Angel Nova.

It’s not just the intense raspberry here. The background notes in the opening are intriguing and they will become more pronounced as Nova develops. Firstly, a dry and slightly spicy akigalawood, think patchouli-like smell.

Secondly, the benzoin note. A bit sweet, though, it is difficult to pick out behind the fruity explosion. A nice, somewhat medicinal resinous aroma, that’s just lurking in the background.

As we get further along, it becomes less of a fruity fragrance, a more fruity floral. Damask rose comes in and the tropical element seems to fade entirely. The scent becomes earthier and dirtier, with out the super sweet/sour mix that punched through the opening act.

The raspberry is the star in the beginning, but that changes to the rose, and it never gives up the spot thereafter. The final dry down is rose, some fresh spice, earthiness, benzoin and the remaining raspberry note.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

To me, there are two phases. The opening sillage is a near bomb, but it settles into something that is pretty moderate, in the second act. It’s more of a function of the notes. Those fruits are just amped up in the beginning, which is fine, but it can come across as being a monster…it’s not really.

That opening projection is the type that can reach across a room, while the rest of the wear is going to be still noticeable but not taking over much beyond your personal space.

The longevity is great. Over 9 hours both times, I wore it. Probably 11, at the max. So, another Mugler with awesome performance, which is one of the best things about this designer. Great consistency.

Seasonally, I’d stick to warmer weather. I can’t imagine how sharp this would feel in colder air, but it’s nice in the warmth of spring. Honestly, I could see this being a summertime wear, also. Nights out, mostly. Though, I don’t think the humidity would mess Nova up at all.

Angel Nova probably skews younger in its target audience. Though, I wouldn’t say that it’s strictly for teenagers. It’s kind of got that youthful and fruity opening, with a more mature dry down scent. Maybe that extends the age range for this one?

If you go light, you could probably wear it to work. It’s more of a casual wear around town versus anything formal, however.

Overall Impressions of Angel Nova

Overall, do I like Angel Nova? Yes, I do. Will everyone else? Probably not.

It’s not quite a niche fragrance, because it does have some mass appeal. It just won’t be everyone’s favorite daily wear.

To me, the raspberry and litchi combination is great. The rose heart comes across well and the base of akigala and benzoin really ties it all together. It fakes like it’s just going to give you a fruity bomb, but then really develops some depth and nuance.

Lots of sweetness with Nova, with tart and sour aspects popping up, especially in the early stages. I’m not completely sold on the earthier rose dry down, but it’s fine.

Performance wise, you get the goods. Yes, it’s a rose based fragrance, but it separates itself from many others on the market. At the very least, you get something somewhat different than other best sellers being pushed nowadays.

Update: There’s been more releases that are sort of like this one with the same litchi and/or raspberry notes. Yet, I still personally like Nova quite a bit. Not incredible, but still very worth a try at a good price.

9 Fragrances Similar to Coco Mademoiselle

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Coco Mademoiselle has been a top seller for two decades now, even at Chanel prices. However, as time goes on there are of course going to be those trying to mimic its success or just create a somewhat similar fragrance. In this post, I want to highlight 9 fragrance options that offer a cheaper comparable smell to Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel.

Perfumes Close to Coco Mademoiselle

 

The First Inspiration

Woody Oakmoss by Dossier– If you want a cheaper alternative, that’s inspired by the scent of Coco Mademoiselle, this and the next are what you want to go with.

This is one of the Dossier’s that I haven’t tried out, but others from the brand do inspire the confidence that the match will be very near…or you can try the Fragrenza below, if not.

In either case, my biggest concern would be matching the right tone with the citrus notes. That’s a big factor and easy to screw up, by just throwing a screeching citrus in the blend. But, by the reviews on their site, it doesn’t seem to be the case with the Dossier. For the current, $29, it’s worth giving a shot.

Live the Fantasy

Pompeii Fantasy by Fragrenza– Here’s another ‘inspired by’ option, this time from Fragrenza. I haven’t tried this one in particular from the brand, but I did buy a number of samples of other perfumes from them and they really did come close to the scents that gave them inspiration.

Here, you get the bold mandarin and bergamot citrus blend to kick things off. Mimosa, orange blossom, jasmine, and patchouli follow. So, about what you’re looking for. Usually with these sorts of blends, the weightings of the notes might be slightly off, but come extremely close to matching.

Fragrenza at least comes up with a thematic storyline with their blend, “Imagine yourself at an opulent and enchanting masquerade ball in the heart of ancient Pompeii.”  The good news, is their scents are very affordable, and you can even pick up an even cheaper 3 mL sample size.

The Third

Serene by Alexandria– Here’s a third inspired scent that presents a take on the Coco Mademoiselle structure, “Serene is a soft floral fragrance that captivates your senses and transports you to a world of utter bliss.”

I like the Alexandria fragrances that I’ve tried out and this one is also priced (as of writing) at $39.99 for the smallest size. But, they have three options, if you happen to want to size up. Also, their sample pack allows you to try 7 of their perfumes, for about the same price.

Mimosa, jasmine, rose, orange, and all of the other notes are here. Another scent that I’ve found since my initial posting, that I figured I’d update the list with.

Super Cheap Glamour

Suddenly Madam Glamour Eau De Parfum for Women 50ml New Sealed– If you want a cheap comparable scent, Suddenly Madam Glamour is going to be the closest experience to our target.

Now, the performance and sillage aren’t going to be to the same level, but when you’re paying around $15 or so…who cares? 

The patchouli seems a bit stronger in this one (which is closer to Mademoiselle Intense) and probably a stronger vanilla aroma. Though, all in all it gets the weightings in the formulations pretty darn close. 

A Take On Intense

Club de Nuit by Armaf– This women’s version of Club de Nuit leans more towards Coco Mademoiselle Intense in terms of how it smells, but sort of splits the difference between the two.

Like Intense, this one goes heavier on the patchouli note, than the original Coco Mademoiselle. However, Club de Nuit, is also not exactly like either of them. The rose note is pretty heavy in this one, more so than the Chanel.

Feels like less of a vanilla influence to soften up the notes as well. It’s high enough quality and Armaf supplies good performance with their perfumes. It won’t be a complete one to one match, just one that brings a lot of the same sort of style. 

Another Cheap Tutu

Milton-Lloyd Cosmetics | Miss Tutu | Parfum De Toilette | Spray for Women | Chypre Fruity Scent | 1.7 oz– Milton Lloyd usually has pretty good inspirations of popular designer scents and Miss Tutu is the one for our target scent.  

This one gets the floral notes better than Madame Glamour. A bit more sheer than the Chanel, but it has solid performance. Really, between this the one listed above, you’ve got two dirt cheap options for under $30 or so combined.

The Dior Alternative

Christian Dior Miss Dior, 50ml/1.7 oz.– I personally like Coco Mademoiselle better than its similar Miss Dior option, but it is a solid alternative at a somewhat more reasonable price.

Miss Dior or the Cherie variation (or whatever Dior is calling it now) features a blood orange (and lemon?) top note with a stronger use of patchouli and a greater rose note. The jasmine is also an ingredient here, just not to the same extent.

Miss Dior isn’t as strong, but has some nice depth provided by a warm pink pepper note. Again, a lighter sillage, but I still get 8 hours from Miss Dior. Miss Dior (Cherie) Review

 

 

Bit of This, Bit of That

Perry Ellis Love Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce– Love by Perry Ellis has similarities to both Chanel Chance and Coco Mademoiselle. It leans to the Chance side of things, but has enough going for it to be on this list, and is affordable.

This is a bit heavier on the spices, while still retaining a great citrus aroma. The rose is the similar floral with base notes overlapping (musk, vanilla, and patchouli). Plus, that opening orange note, just not to the same level. 

Love has a somewhat light projection once it settles. However, the performance overall is good and it’ll last for most (if not all) of a workday.

An Expensive Similarity

Darcy by Parfums de Marly– First off, I don’t think this is nearly the same as Coco Mademoiselle, as some might make it out to be. Quite similar in style with some overlap in the notes (mainly citrus and patchouli).

That being the case, I also don’t think this PdM fragrance is as good as the Chanel either. That might not be a problem if it were cheaper, but this can be even more expensive.

The pros? The citrus here is smooth and the patchouli is rather good too, if you don’t want something that feels too earthy/dirty. 

It’s not too intense and becomes muskier and soapier in the dry down. Darcy is a pretty good perfume at a lofty price point. But, I’ll add it to the list, as some might want to check it out.