Best Jo Malone perfume 2023: From classic fragrances to new launches
Whether you’re sticking with an old favourite, or want to try something new, these are the best Jo Malone perfumes available now
With its gorgeous glass bottles, chic cream-and-black packaging and boundary-pushing ingredients, there are few fragrance houses as recognisable as Jo Malone London. Whether it’s a luxury candle delicately wrapped in layers of tissue paper, or one of the perfumier’s perfectly weighted colognes encased in a ribbon-tied box, there’s something so very special about receiving a gift from this iconic British brand. Simply put, it’s elegant simplicity of the highest standard.
And when it comes to fragrance, Jo Malone perfumes are up there with some of the best of all time. Did you know, for example, each one has been designed so you can layer it with others from the collection to create your very own scent? With limitless possibilities, you can become your own master perfumier!
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Best Jo Malone Fragrance: At a glance
- Best Jo Malone day-to-night perfume: Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Cologne
- Best Jo Malone fragrance for cold days: Jo Malone Myrrh & Tonka Cologne
- Best new Jo Malone fragrance: Jo Malone Moonlit Camomile Cologne
How to choose the best Jo Malone fragrance for you
With so many scents to choose from, where should you start? “The best way to use scent is to treat it like a wardrobe, which you would change according to your mood, the season and the time of day, while keeping true to your personal style,” says Jo Malone’s fragrance and lifestyle expert, Emma South. “For example, you’d change your accessories from day to night – perhaps adding sparkle for the evening – and the same is true for your scent.
“The fragrance you choose contributes to any first impression in just the same way as your clothes,” she adds. “For me, it’s a personal statement – a way of expressing my character and mood in that particular moment. Often, I find that if I’m wearing something soft and delicate in the summer, I’ll choose something pretty like Wild Bluebell, while in the evenings I’ll pick something richer and more sensual such as Pomegranate Noir.”
From bestselling classics, shared with us by the team, to new favourites, these are the Jo Malone perfumes that have forever earned a space on our dressing table.
How we test Jo Malone perfumes
As well as speaking to the Jo Malone team about how to successfully layer these unique fragrances, we personally road-test as many scents that we can, looking at how each one develops on the skin and how it changes over the course of the day, to how long it lasts and how it makes us feel while wearing it. We note its sillage (its ability to diffuse and leave a scent trail as the wearer moves) and any comments (both positive and negative!) from friends and passers-by.
The best Jo Malone perfumes you can buy in 2023
1. Jo Malone Lime Basil & Mandarin Cologne: The best Jo Malone classic fragrance
Price: £54 (30ml) | Buy now from Jo Malone London
A fan favourite, including with celebrities such as Rosie Huntington-Whitely, who often recalls memories of her mother and grandmother wearing this scent, Jo Malone’s aromatic Lime Basil & Mandarin was a game-changer in 1999 – and it’s been a best-seller ever since. Transport yourself to the Caribbean with mouth-watering notes of fruity lime and mandarin, alongside herbaceous basil. As the fragrance dries, you’ll catch the unexpected woody notes of white thyme and Amberwood lingering throughout the day, too.
2. Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Cologne: The best Jo Malone day-to-night perfume
Price: £54 (30ml) | Buy now from Jo Malone London
Daring and sensual, expect nothing less than the ruby-rich juiciness of pomegranate combined with spicy pink pepper and Casablanca lily in this universally flattering scent. It’s versatile enough for day and night, and both summer and winter, with its exotic sweetness offset with smoky guaiac wood and patchouli – there are just so many layers to this fragrance, and it’s just beautiful to wear.
3. Jo Malone English Pear & Freesia Cologne: The best uplifting Jo Malone spring scent
Price: £54 (30ml) | Buy now from Jo Malone London
Spring is the perfect opportunity to Marie-Kondo your fragrance wardrobe, and with its crisp notes of King William pear, freesia and patchouli, this long-standing favourite will make a dreamy addition to your collection if you haven’t tried it already. It’s fruity, fresh, and uplifting without being cloying – everything a spring/summer fragrance should be.
4. Jo Malone Myrrh & Tonka Cologne Intense: The best Jo Malone fragrance for colder days
Price: £90 (50ml) | Buy now from Jo Malone London
One of Jo Malone’s richer offerings, the unisex Myrrh & Tonka Cologne combines the intoxicating hand-harvested sap of the Namibian myrrh tree with notes of warm almond and vanilla, offering the perfect balance of sweetness and warmth. In line with the more precious ingredients, the price is steeper; but in the same vein, each ingredient is more intense and therefore lingers for longer on the skin. The result is velvety, warming and somewhat addictive – just add your favourite cosy knit for the full effect.
5. Jo Malone Peony & Blush Suede Cologne: The best Jo Malone floral fragrance
Price: £54 (30ml) | Buy now from Jo Malone London
This instantly recognisable scent is another best-seller and perfect for anyone who loves the charming soft floral fragrance of peonies, jasmine, rose and gillyflower. The addition of juicy red apple and grounding suede adds an unexpected powdery and luxurious touch. Over the years, this has been a firm favourite with brides – but you certainly don’t need to walk down the aisle to wear it. It’s complex, modern and gorgeous to spritz, no matter the occasion.
6. Jo Malone Moonlit Camomile Cologne: The best new Jo Malone fragrance
Price: £108 (100ml) | Buy now from Jo Malone London
One of the newest additions to the Jo Malone family, Moonlit Camomile is part of the Night Collection that launched this spring. Combining the freshness of English camomile leaves with blue moonflowers and powdery white musk, it certainly evokes that heady “after dark” vibe and lingers on the skin all day. We love the bottle design, too – it perfectly reflects the brand’s modern aesthetic.
7. Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne: The best evocative Jo Malone scent
Price: £54 (30ml) | Buy now from Jo Malone London
For a scent quite literally as fresh as an ocean breeze, Jo Malone’s Wood Sage & Sea Salt is a beach-lover’s dream. It has that nostalgic mineral scent of salt spray in your hair, mixed with the woody earthiness of sage for a light and spirited fragrance that’s totally uplifting and a joy to wear. It’s also the total opposite of fruity and floral, making it a great option for guys, too. If you can’t get to the beach for IRL surf and sand, this is the next best thing.