Jo Malone - Dark Amber & Ginger Lily
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Perfumer Andrea Lupo
Top Notes ginger, black cardamom, pink pepper
Middle Notes waterlily, orchid, jasmine, rose
Base Notes sandalwood, black amber, kyara incense, leather, patchouli
When it comes to recommending perfumes, I always tell people to get a dabbler. And, unless you’re the type to have just one or two signature scents, always go for the smallest bottle possible. The average human will barely ever get through more than a handful of full-sized perfumes in their lifetime.
Case in point: this one by Jo Malone was one of my first perfumes ever, full stop. And I bought it over a decade ago. I pull her out every time there’s a crisp bite in the air, and am not particularly sparing when I wear it. I bought this before JM started making smaller sizes for their cologne intense line, otherwise I think I would have opted for that instead.
I adore this. There’s a TikTok trend in the fragrance sphere where people recommend the scents that get them chased down and complimented by men - which, I’m sorry, seems like an absolute nightmare to me?? Why do people want that? Dark Amber is one where I think other women may appreciate it best. You’re greeted with some sweet patchouli, some amber - white florals and a warm-ish ginger note, but also a cool-ish sandalwood. It’s beautiful, but confusingly not super approachable. It make me think of a woman eating alone in the corner of a café with a book, her hair somehow both kept up away from her food but also on the verge of dipping into her tea. She’s got a dark ruby coloured lipstick on, but it’s a very muted and slightly smudged application. She’s got a large, expensive looking wool coat with her - but it looks like she may have stolen it from a male family member. Her tote has an adorable cartoon and a punny slogan on it - but she’s unironically reading Jean-Paul Sartre. Is she approachable? Who knows. She looks great and like she’s enjoying herself, and also somehow is not obtrusive or super attention-grabbing.
It’s not a particularly interesting scent per se - it does stay fairly linear throughout, which I think is a sentiment many noses have agreed on. Par for the course for the JM line. However, I think the original buzz around this house has faded quite a bit, so if you’re after a unique signature scent, this may be one to pick up on. Sillage, to me, is moderate (though I am quite sensitive in general).
Full bottle worthy? I think it’s a contender.
