Basil & Neroli

From Jo Malone London's citrus portfolio we have the brand's signature scent Lime Basil and Mandarin, a citrus fragrance with a zesty, herbaceous scent that screams a summer vacation on the Caribbean. We have the uplifting and sunny Grapefruit laced with spices of rosemary, peppermint and pimento on a green mossy bed. Lastly, Earl Grey & Cucumber came into the mix with an added quirk of full-on Bergamot and the aquatic freshness of Cucumber resonant of that afternoon refinements of Earl Grey. Now last year, an addition to the citrus family was launched and it couldn't have come at the most perfect time. Basil & Neroli is that crisp and lively offering from the brand’s growing array of astonishing and unexpected perfection. A citrus scent, this time with a twist of white florals with a white musk base. When this was launched last year, I rushed directly to my nearest boutique and got a hold of this scent that I've grown to love. The scent opens with a green, herbaceous Basil Grand Vert unruffled with Basil Verbena and Cedar Needle reinforcing that green natural leafy accent. At the heart is Neroli, a green floral note, delightfully clean and fresh together with a Jo Malone London exclusive headspace note of Basil & Neroli that combines basil leaves and orange flowers together giving that vibrant freshness with a zest bite of Bitter Orange. At the base is that powdery and clean softness of White Musk. Vetiver and Mastic is thrown in the mix to give it a soft and deep base. While I'm not a fan of florals, this scent was not love at first sniff but its subtlety and combination possibilities was perfect for my mood swings when I definitely need that energy boost. Surprising when summer hits, this was what I grabbed during that much needed vacation and oh boy was I utterly wrong. Its stunning simplicity probably was the stand-out, it's perfect for that laid-back white shirt and morning walks. Summer in the Amalfi was perfect and now I associate Basil & Neroli with the perfection of that coast. The sent is reminiscent of an adventurous walk, discoveries and summer getaway and has a surprising longevity on me. The Basil & Neroli Body & Hand Wash is the favorite at home (I've heard it won an award) and the Body Creme was a stunner making the scent last longer on you. I gave this as a gift to a friend and this layered so perfectly with English Pear & Freesia adding that mellow touch of white flowers and cool pear. Basil & Neroli is my constant combining staple for an added green contrast to Blackberry & Bay for a tart and mouthwatering goodness with a peppery coolness to it. This pretty much work so well with Mimosa & Cardamom for an added spicy warmth, so good that it's been my constant summery combination. So even if you're not a fan of citrus with something floral in it, do yourself a favor and try them out at your nearest store and spray it on your skin and some on your clothes you might just be blown away. -Bertrand II

This is such a beautiful perfume, although I wish the basil note would hang around just a little while longer. I'm someone who typically prefers linear scents, but this is an exception for me. It opens up fresh and herbal with a distinct basil note. The basil quickly fades into a more subtle background note, leaving behind a fresh (but less herbal) green scent that I find very clean and very unisex. (If anything I'd say it leans SLIGHTLY masculine at this point, but even as a woman who usually avoids anything for men, I don't feel out of place wearing it). It doesn't smell like a bar of soap exactly, but it has a clean and slightly soapy quality to it, especially later on in the dry down. More of a luxury soap scent than a standard store-bought soapy scent. It's very pleasant and uplifting, and something about it feels deeply nostalgic for me. Somehow it feels equal parts outdoorsy and refined. It reminds me of nature, mountain hikes, gardening, and clean air. But it also reminds me of staying at a nice hotel, and showering with luxury bath products. I honestly wish this was available in more stores and was a more well-known scent. I definitely prefer this to some of Jo Malones more popular unisex scents like Silver Birch & Lavender (smells too much like men's deodorant to me) or Wood Sage & Sea Salt (beautiful at first, but gets too powdery and off-putting in the dry down for my tastes). It's soft enough that it can stay muted and unintuitive with just 1 or 2 sprays, but adding additional sprays can give it more silage and intensity if that's more your style. Personally, I like that I can keep it office-appropriate by spraying lightly.

I bought this because it reminded me of the old Coppertone from the 80s. My aunt was like, “Why don’t you just wear Coppertone for $8/bottle?” Lol, good point, and it would probably last longer! But I LOVE this scent! I layer all my other JMs but not Basil Neroli. It's more of a summer fragrance, but it makes me smile in the winter to wear and think of summer. I think the longevity is better in winter, but it's not great overall. I have to spray 6 times to get any projection, and even then it's doesn't last long. Full price is not worth it, IMO. I am very careful to avoid the Russian fakes and snag discounts from my trusted ebay and Mercari sellers... that way I can afford the 6 sprays per application x2-3 applications per day of use. This is a great day or night scent, perfect for the beach or tropical climate, Mediterranean, etc. Not a sex fiend scent like some of the TF or PdMs I've reviewed, but a hottie for sure. I prefer this to my other neroli scents because it's pretty clean and straightforward, and that is just my preference. I don't like what I smell as patchouli in the TF version (even though patchouli isn't in the pyramid), and while I like the Creed Neroli Sauvage, it is more masculine to me. The old Chloe Eau de Fleurs Neroli is also really pretty, and I smell some floral there, but not too much, but it is even weaker than the JM. So all things considered, I prefer my JM as the best option for my tastes and needs.

Yeah, this is where its at. I'm a huge neroli and orange flower fan, and this satisfies that addiction. Its warm, green, cheerful, natural and fresh. It doesn't turn out-dated, it doesn't slip into soap, powder, or detergent territory. It keeps its integrity through out, shifting gently, but feeling just a touch mysterious - "ooooh what IS that? What is he wearing?? Its so nice!" A real compliment generator, and melts with my body chemistry effortlessly. I dont specifically get basil per se... but its herbal for certain. Could be tarragon, could be lavender, could be bay leaves... it is a bit pricey, but I'm actually ok with that. This blows TF neroli portofino out of the water. Office appropriate! First spray: an olfactory assault of green herbal citrus and unopened flower buds crushed in your hand. 1 hour in: smooth, clean, natural. Its unassuming but fleeting and difficult to pinpoint. It's really summery, and almost linear - it will maintain this character for a few hours. The herbal quality has changed to just a touch of green depth. 3 hours: orange blossom all the way. Delicate, warm, a little heady.... but my favorite part: it took on a "hot skin in the sun all day" vibe. Immediately sexy. Perfectly unisex, boys, don't be afraid of this one. This will be in my regular circulation, even in winter, I don't care. Its just that good.

Just gorgeous. A simple and clean scent that at first reminded me of sunscreen or unscented lotion, then bloomed into a garden of white florals and herbs. The jasmine is very present, and yet it lacks the sweetness that many associate with it. The herbaceous, mostly basil smell is a perfect compliment, while the hints of citrus and vetiver round it out into something classy and timeless. For my chemistry, it leaned a bit too far into that citrusy sharp scent, however I know that perfumes like this present quite differently on others so I don't fault it for that. It lingered a while on me, but not overwhelmingly so. Like when a beautiful woman kisses you on the cheek, you're left with but a hint of her scent that follows you all day, but never makes itself as present as it was when her lips were on your skin. Let it be known that I prefer darker scents, it isn't often that I find a bright and floral perfume like this suited to my taste. But this one is so elegant, so exceptional, that I can't help but love it.