Wild Bluebell

(i apologize if this review is dramatic, i have a history with this perfume lmao) my sophomore year of high school, i had a huge greek mythology phase (which i’m still in) and was determined to smell like the greek god apollo, for some reason (??). knowing he made the hyacinth, i set off in search of a perfume worthy of hyacinthus himself. and when my fourteen-year-old nose found this, i was in love. immediately. i used up my sample so fast it was comical. and then promptly forgot about it flash forward a few years later, i’m walking through the mall display of perfumes with some friends when i literally stopped dead in my tracks. over at the jo malone counter was a bottle of this perfume, and suddenly i was filled with a yearning so intense for this perfume that i immediately walked over and bought it on sight. to me, this smells exactly like hyacinths. like cold, fresh-picked hyacinths that you just grabbed from the window display at the flower shop, with the dew still on them. it’s a chilly spring morning, and the dewdrops run down your fingertips as you clutch the bouquet. i don’t detect any watermelon in this (though i see how you could), but i really think it’s because i was so determined that this perfume should smell like hyacinths that i placebo-effected myself into thinking that it did via sheer willpower. on my skin, it starts out very sharp and green, almost bitter, more like the stem of a flower when you first pick it than an actual flower. after a couple of minutes though, it becomes a very realistic powdery floral scent, but it’s still got that chilled, slightly wet smell to it. the persimmon adds a really great solidity to a fragrance that would otherwise be very very light, the persimmon ties this down wonderfully. this perfume is great for the spring and summer because it’s so fresh and clean smelling! it actually smells cold, you know, like it smells like something that would be cold to the touch. really really refreshing to sniff honestly. i wouldn’t recommend it in the winter at all though if the temperature drops lower than 70 degrees where you live— once it gets chilly outside, the cleanliness of this perfume gives it an almost antiseptic quality. maybe if you’re like, an ethereal snow queen or something you could pull this off in the winter, because this is definitely a cold smelling fragrance. the projection on this is nonexistent. don’t expect to get compliments on it unless someone hugs you tight or if you hold out your wrist for them to sniff. but i find that i can smell it on myself, and it does actually last a good amount of time! i’ve sprayed it on at 6 am and smelled it later at 10 pm when i get into bed. it’s a very very quiet fragrance, but she does hang on for a while. my guess about the people who say it doesn’t is that the light, powdery floral it dries into just mixes too well with their skin. now, to be honest, would i have bought it at the price it is if i didn’t have an extreme emotional attachment to the scent? no. it’s definitely overpriced for the projection you get. but if you can get a sample or a decant, or if you can find it on sale, i’d definitely recommend this! a 4.5/5 for me, a favorite for spring and summer, will forever smell like apollo.

Wild Bluebells is an absolute delight! Different from many, I disagree it’s a linear fragrance, and I’ll try to express why: even though it’s not listed here (it is at JML website though), persimmons play a huge role in this juice, and, if you are not familiar with their smell or taste, I suggest you go to your closest Asian food store and get some. Bluebells don’t have a smell, for saying, so it’s more of a crisp floral accord that first hits you in a beautiful, translucid way. There’s a sweetness there, which becomes more prominent as it dries down. Then the persimmon kicks in! Its full sweetness, fleshy and juicy fruitness invading even your palate. It will stay close to you for some hours until a delicate smokey-fruity veil sooths the composition. It’s quite smooth, delicate and perfect for those who just like a hint of perfume in the morning after shower. In Brazil, since we have the second biggest Japanese community outside the archipelago, “kaki” (the Japanese word for persimmon, which’s also used here) is quite common, specially during autumn, and I’m so grateful for them because this is absolutely my favorite fruit. I associate this cologne with autumn now... :) Wild Bluebells should be named ‘Wild Bluebells and Persimmon’ or something similar, would be much more accurate. It’s simple and subtle, but not linear. It’s not a projection bomb, but will stay lightly on your clothes and hair for a good 6 hours (be moisturized, otherwise your skin will absorve the compounds of the perfume and then you will feel like there’s no longevity). ★★★★☆

This is my current absolute fave — Jo Malone's Wild Bluebell. I've always been a clean girl when it comes to perfume, and this scent just hits all the right notes for me. It has this beautiful cold, watery sensation when sprayed on the skin — perfect for hot or humid weather. It feels refreshing, subtle, and soothing. Almost like a breeze of calm wrapped in petals. The scent immediately reminded me of a limited edition fragrance from China called To Summer – Watery (which I was heartbroken to finish), so imagine how excited I was to find something with a similar vibe in my local Jo Malone store! I'm very picky with perfumes, and although I usually gravitate toward aldehydic fragrances, this one has a delicate "watery" clarity that totally makes up for the lack of aldehydes. People say it smells like what a fairy would wear — and honestly? I agree. It's soft, elegant, and quietly magical. It doesn’t project loudly, nor does it last as long as other Jo Malone colognes, so you might find yourself reapplying it throughout the day. But I kind of enjoy that moment of reapplication — like giving yourself a small happiness boost. If you’re into light, ethereal, clean scents, this one’s for you. 💙

This is the freshest and most fairy-like scent I have ever smelled. Like a new kind of delicate flower that was born yesterday. I have to admit I have never went up and smelled a real bluebell flower before, but I would hope it smells this way. It is exactly that of honeysuckle. I feel like it is the sweetest morning of my life when I wear it. I can taste the garden dew and the crisp air. But be warned. If you go hard on this perfume, you will smell too syrupy and it will start to bother you. Because it is really, really sweet. The top notes are sweet, the base notes are sweet, and the middle notes are overwhelmingly floral. That is why I would recommend using only a little bit and layering with another floral scent to create a personalized garden smell. I have mixed it with other Jo Malone scents like Peony & Blush Suede or Nectarine and Honey Blossom and it smelled incredible. Wild Bluebell is a scent for the girly-girlies and the young at heart. It doesn't smell "childish" but certainly not a "mature" scent. It is the olfactory equivalent of Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies in Walt Disney's Fantasia. If you love florals I would recommend trying a sample of this.

Love this fragrance It's been my signature scent for about 10 years now! The perfect clean girl scent. Soft floral violet notes and fresh clean powdery scent. Only down side to Jo Malone Colognes is they don't last very long at all. I still repurchase this one whenever I'm running low. I also own the hair mist, body lotion the candle in the same scent just cant get enough of it. If you're on the hunt for the exact dupe that smells so similar but don't want to spend as much money go for the new limited edition scent called "Bluebell" from The Body Shop. It's a body mist but similar longevity to Jo Malone as the colognes don't last very long anyway. I've been comparing them both side by side for the last couple days and I literally can't tell the difference they smell identical! If you are crazy like me I bought the whole entire "Bluebell" range from The Body Shop as it's limited edition so get in quick. :)