I’d been having lots of fun playing with my Jo Malone sampler set when I learned not too long ago that in September, there will be a new fragrance launched – Peony & Blush Suede.
Fascinating. Does suede have a smell other than it just being leather? I was quite intrigued by it and took a healthy sniff of it at the preview launch a little while ago. Not available yet folks! Look for it in stores in September.
The thing that hit me was how floral it was.
I don’t know what peonies smell like and I won’t pretend to. I don’t know what suede smells like either because the last suede item I own has fallen apart. Suede doesn’t hold up as well as regular treated leather, for me. But to me, suede will smell of leather. So the idea here is for the scent to open up with a sweet floral and dry down to that of a musky leather.
Sadly, it didn’t smell like that on me when I spritz it on my skin. That’s the thing about fragrances you know. The description can sell it to you, but then you spritz it on your skin and you go “Whaa…??? What was THAT?!”
During the product launch, I tested the scent on my skin and I will say that I don’t smell any leather at all, not even after it has had the opportunity to dry down on my skin hours later. The overwhelming scent I received was flowers. Lots and lots of flowers. On my other wrist, I sprayed my favourite Pomegranate Noir. That one left me feeling all warm and cozy and in the words of a friend who was there – sexy and mysterious.
Peony & Blush Suede left me feeling…. normal. It basically evoked no feelings in me save that it smelled nice, if it wasn’t on me.
The description tells you to expect a burst of red apples at the top followed by roses and peonies and then drying down to warm leather.
I get a sweet fruity opening and a floral note but that’s where it stops for me. I don’t get the warm feeling I associate with leather. I see myself in a flower garden surrounded by flowers and my car smelled of flowers as I drove but the dry down was almost boring on me. My personality is such that I don’t pay well with strong, sweet, floral, feminine scents and it is for this reason that I knew that the Jo Malone Peony & Blush Suede fragrance will not be one for me.
Now, we know that Jo Malone scents are made so you can layer them, and suggested pairings are English Pear & Freesia and Orange Blossom. I can’t test them seeing as I don’t have a sample of the Peony & Blush Suede on hand, but you can always go to the boutique in September and get a whiff of it and see if it’s you.
What I did like however, was the scent itself in the air and for that, I may consider investing in one of the candles.
I love scented candles for the home and one of my favourite candles scents now accompanies me to sleep every night. It relaxes me and the flickering light from the candle is comforting as I read. The smell of the Peony & Blush Suede candle does freshen up a room or your house infusing it with a very lovely fresh floral scent.
Candles are a perfect way to clear your house of musty scents or just to freshen up the room as you unwind after a long day. I have an unhealthy obsession with them hehe… 😉
I had to get this out quickly because chances are that by September, I’d have forgotten what Peony & Blush Suede smells like and whether I liked it, without being able to refresh my memory. As of now, I’d say this isn’t a scent for me. I can’t tell if it’ll grow on me for now. I like trying to persevere through a week of wearing just 1 scent to know if I’d like it on me so maybe I’ll try for a sample when it launches, or maybe not.
I generally prefer warmer, spicier, woody scents with a hint of light florals. You could say, a more masculine scent suits me better than a soft feminine floral. Full on floral gives me a headache and sweet scents make me nauseous. Maybe it’s just my personality. I’m not very sweet nor feminine LOL! 😉
Does the Jo Malone Peony & Blush Suede fragrance sound like something you might like?
I honestly do think many women will like this one. Everyone was cooing over how lovely and feminine it is as a scent and if you are the sort who loves floaty pink dresses, twirling flowers in your long hair and wearing soft pink lipstick, or just like soft feminine floral scents in general, I think you’d like Peony & Blush Suede 😉 Sitting here in my jeans, running my fingers through my short hair and having red lipstick on, it just isn’t quite me 😛
Paris B
Jo Malone Peony & Blush Suede Cologne Price: RM225/30ml, RM450/100ml | Scented Candle Price: RM270 | Body Cream Price: RM300/175ml | Body Wash Price: RM200/250ml | Availability: Jo Malone store Pavilion KL from September 2013
Firn says
July 27, 2013 at 10:34 amI love fresh floral fragrances! I hate fruity notes but surprisingly, Pear and Freesia smells nice on me. Is this one very berry-like/fruity? I love peony and rose scents. 🙂
Is this limited edition or part of the permanent lineup?
Paris B says
July 27, 2013 at 11:51 amI believe this one is permanent, Firn and from your description, I think you’ll like it. No hint of berries at all and I can’t say if it smells of peonies (because I had a dead nose that can’t distinguish flower scents) but it is decidedly floral 🙂
lisa says
July 27, 2013 at 12:01 pmI’m not a fragrance person as most fragrances induces headache on me. I find that however i have less issue with niche fragrance. The scent i love best is their earl grey scent. The recent scents they have come up with don’t do much for me. Their fresh, citrus classics such as the lime basil and grapefruit are one of the better citrus scents out there that i personally like. The floral scents that most ladies love don’t do much for me either. I don’t usually do floral well. My only floral is Chanel’s 19 poudre which is softer than most floral scents and acceptable for me. I’m saving up for one of the Chanel’s exclusif fragrance. The price factor is ‘the bomb’ though. But it has to be my favourite scent i’ve explored so far. It really grows on me and just so me. I really must have it. Just waiting for the special occasion to just go get it. 😉
Paris B says
July 28, 2013 at 7:00 pmI’m pretty much like you Lisa. Ever since I discovered niche fragrance brands, it has been so hard to go back to “normal” commercial fragrances because they suddenly smell so overdone and so fake 😛 I find myself gravitating more to the scents in Diptyque and Penhaligons than Jo Malone for some reason. Maybe I haven’t tried enough of Jo Malone yet 🙂
Renee | Beauty Fool says
July 27, 2013 at 12:35 pmGah I still need to try out some Jo Malone fragrances! I think I have but I can’t remember and they are so loved so they have to be good. Kinda on topic but I remember you like a scent from Dipytque that is really woody and spicy. I gotta say I’m more of a floral / fresh kinda girl so I might like this… although i have no idea what Blush Suede is ^^
x Renee
Paris B says
July 28, 2013 at 7:01 pmHaha well, you know what they say. One woman’s fragrance is another’s stinkbomb! 😉 I love woody spicy scents. They really appeal to me while floral scents are a little more forgettable. That said, go take a sniff Renee. I think many Jo Malone scents will appeal to you 😉 (I have no idea what Blush Suede is either!)
Sheila says
July 27, 2013 at 4:19 pmDefinitely need to smell this in person, but I won’t get my hopes up! Just like when everyone was raving about the Osmanthus Blossom, I thought it was quite meh. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Paris B says
July 28, 2013 at 7:07 pmYep, definitely take a good healthy sniff in person and have it sprayed on you too because you just never know how it’ll react on your skin 🙂 I happen to really like Pomegranate Noir which so few people actually like and there’s a woody spicy one too – 154 I believe that appeals to me. I’m a strange one I am 😉
Tracy@Beauty Reflections says
July 28, 2013 at 2:38 amHmmm I’ll have to smell this in person too. I love Jo Malones, but I’m not a huge fan of flowery scents either. I was hoping this would have some leather in there because that’s what I REALLY love! Thanks for the heads up Paris!
Paris B says
July 28, 2013 at 7:18 pmYup! Definitely try it out in person because this is the thing about fragrances isn’t it? We just don’t know how it will work for everyone! I didn’t smell any leather to be honest, but some others mention smelling leather. Personally I just didn’t get it 😛
Tammy says
July 28, 2013 at 4:47 amOh my God…that candle….I have to add that to my collection soon!
Paris B says
July 28, 2013 at 7:19 pmHaha definitely look out for it in September! I think it’s launching worldwide about then 😀 I’m eyeing the candle too.
LeGeeque says
July 28, 2013 at 1:27 pmYou know, it’s extremely interesting that you’re not gravitated towards this and yet you’re comfortable in J’adore. This is what I find so absolutely fascinating about perfume.
Speaking of J’adore, I have something that you should check out. Jour d’Hermes. It only comes in EDP but the top notes were sweet and it has a slight musky dry down. I picked up some honey and ylang ylang notes but it definitely reminded me of J’adore (which turned sour on me). I could almost pull this off but it reminded me of you so you’ll HAVE to check it out.
Paris B says
July 28, 2013 at 7:37 pmYup! J’Adore surprises me too because it is so clearly a floral scent and so clearly a jasmine scent! 2 things I run far far away from in perfumes and yet they both appear in one of my favourite scents. Mind boggling! I’ll be sure to sniff Jour d’Hermes when I have the chance. What an excellent excuse to hop into the boutique eh? 😉
Sassy says
July 28, 2013 at 10:16 pmI almost look forward to Fall….Jo Malone is one of my favorite brands, but the smell of leather…Not so sure if that;s for me. But Peony: Yes, yes, yes!
Beauty Box says
July 31, 2013 at 9:38 pmOh dear, it sounds quite ordinary. I was quite excited for the their Bluebell launch a couple of years ago and was so thoroughly disappointed in that as well. There was some fanfare over Blackberry & Bay but it smells like an ordinary men’s cologne to me. I wonder if it has anything to do with Jo Malone herself leaving the brand. She set up Jo Loves and came up with some interesting scents but I never got the chance to try them since they are only available in the UK. I do agree that Pomegranate Nior is “sexy and mysterious” – it’s still on my perfume wish list!
Paris B says
August 2, 2013 at 6:24 pmSadly yes, it was to me. But don’t just take my word for it of course, I think it’s worth taking a sniff once it’s out to see if you will like it 🙂 I have read so many raves for the Jo Loves brand but I haven’t gotten round to requesting a sample. Apparently you can write in and request a sample and they’ll ship it to you. Not sure because I’ve not tried, but I suppose it’s worth a shot! 😀