Rose Water & Vanilla Cologne (2023)

First thought: beautiful. Second thought: I need to get a back up bottle as it’s limited edition. Nooooo. It’s a subtle sweet feminine fragrance that smells more natural than just a gourmand sweet smell. The rose doesn’t stand out as a rose as such. Which I’m pleased about as although I love the smell of rose it’s such a distinctive smell and I already have my favourite rose perfume, Armani signature (now discontinued) but my bottle remains. This smell is what I was looking for. It’s very comforting and has a slightly edible quality that makes you want to eat yourself but it still manages to remain classy and elegant. This is quite a feat as most gourmands though tasty and appealing can become more juvenile. This does not. It doesn’t project really but It is extremely well blended and balanced. I also think it will suit all age groups. A very pretty beautiful and addictive scent. Warm, sensual and alluring. I love it!!! I’m finding the neroli note is becoming very noticeable to me after a few sprays throughout the day. I think it’s this note that is helping slice through the sweetness. it is very light so it does need to be over sprayed, can’t see a 50ml lasting very long. I sprayed it on my pillow as I smell fragrances better when they’re not on me and I was smelling neroli very dominantly. Today I’ve sprayed again and it’s a marshmallow airy warm scent. Very beautiful scent.

I am obsessed with all of the sweet orange blossom scents that are in the same family as Kilian LDBS💗 In saying so, Rose water and vanilla is a gorgeous fragrance but it actually smells nothing like roses! It smells like orange blossom. Like a sweet and fresh orange blossom. Think Kilian LDBS but a summery, lighter and fresher version of it. It is still sweet but no where as sweet and it has a nice airy feel to it. Think pink candies but in a light airy way if this makes any sense. It also has a slight greenness to it, which adds a nice touch and cuts down the sweetness🍬☀️🍃 If you love Kilian LDBS but you are searching for a fresher less sweet version then definitely check this one out. The performance and longevity is moderate on me personally, it becomes a skin scent in a couple hours so keep that in mind. I don’t mind re-spraying though lol If anyone has any gorgeous syrupy orange blossom scent suggestions, please send them through I need them all lol

I don't get the incense but it's highly reminiscent of LDBS, with a strong and mouth-watering rose note. I love this, it feels like a perfect all-year round gourmand orange-blossom, rose and vanilla mix. What surprises me is how it achieves to smell more light-weight, in comparison with Kilian LDBS, while also being full of personality, rich in contrasts and texture and so well-rounded. Of course, it has that delightful natural quality that is emblematic to Jo Malone, but it projects and last way more than their usual offerings. That being said, don't expect it to perform like an EDP from some other brand, it's still a Jo Malone haha. But it's beaaauuutiful. Addictive. It has a tinge of powderiness that reminds me of a marshmallow (or should I say, loukhoum) but it's more subtle, like a small hint. A must-have for orange-blossom fans, this is delectable! And stock up while you can :( So sad it's a limited edition...

I usually don't like rose-centrered fragrances, but this one is the perfect rose scent for the gourmand lovers ! The rose is not the main player here as the loukhoum and the vanilla are the most opulent notes to my nose. The perfume is very gourmand, enveloping and comforting, probably thanks to the cacoa powder note. The opening has a little bit of green touch with the petitgrain, but this impression only last for 10min. After that it transforms to a pretty sweet scent. The projection is moderate (definitely not a skin scent), and the longevity is pretty impressive for a Jo Malone scent. It's also not a light fragrance, it's kind of heavy and I really like that. For comparison, the dry down is not similar to the original Love don't be Shy by Kilian, but is very similar to Love don't be Shy Extreme (which is basically LDBS with rose water added).

It's often compared to Love, Don’t Be Shy, and I get it. They both have that neroli/orange blossom sweetness. But the rose water freshness here really pulls it back from being syrupy. That airy rose note keeps everything light instead of sticky. I always found LDBS a bit too thick and bold. Sintra by Memo is my favourite in this style for its greener facets. This Jo Malone sits somewhere in between. Sweet, yes, but with enough rose and neroli peeking through to stay bright and cheerful. I’d happily wear it in summer, though it feels especially perfect for spring. It’s joyful, easygoing, and since I don’t own any of the other two mentoned, this fits exactly what I was missing.