Meet the Founder: Jo Malone, CBE
Responsible for creating some of the world’s best-loved fragrances, Jo Malone CBE’s latest perfumery venture provides an olfactory glimpse into memorable moments and magical milestones. A sensorial journey of things that {Jo Loves} – from sun-ripened figs to ice cold winter strolls through the streets of New York – this range of Parfums, Fragrance Paintbrushes and Body Sprays whisks you from summers in Sicily straight to the heart of a rambling rose garden.
One of the most recognisable names in the realm of perfumery, we spoke to Jo Malone about her influences, favourite blends, and how to please your favourite frangrance-phile...
{Jo Malone} {Jo Loves} fragrances are interpretations of my life and my way of telling stories through memories or things that inspire me.
Memories of a walk along a white sandy beach in Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos inspired me to create my first ever fragrance for Jo Loves, {Pomelo}.
{Green Orange & Coriander} is a lazy Sunday in New York City in the middle of a snowstorm, wrapped up in a cashmere sweater, while {White Rose & Lemon Leaves} is my interpretation of the Union Jack, full of creativity and potential.
{JM} A really interesting note is guaiac wood, which you will discover in the {Grapefruit Graffiti Fragrance Body Spray} and the {Log Fires Candle}. It comes from a small tree and is one of the hardest and most resilient woods in the world. It is an exotic smoky note and when blended, it gives fragrances a beautiful richness, amplifying the top and heart fragrance notes.
{JM} {Pomelo} is my signature fragrance and I surround myself with the scent wherever I go. When I travel with work, I spray it on my bedsheets because it always reminds me of home. It’s a sharp grapefruit-infused citrus which is fresh and instantly energising.
{JM} I created the {Fragrance Paintbrush} and the {Graffiti Fragrance Body Spray} to be used together and to create art. The {Pomelo Fragrance Paintbrush} layered with the {Grapefruit Fragrance Body Spray} is a divine combination - an absolute winner!
{JM} When selecting scents for other people, I would first find out about all the things they love most and I’ll then put a profile together in my head. Citrus is always a good ingredient to go with though, if you’re not sure, as it’s very popular and suits most people.
{JM} Sustainability is really important to us and our paper, glass and plastic is all recyclable. We are always seeking to find new ingredients with a sense of responsibility towards the environment, the consumer and also to build a successful business.
{JM} I think trends come and go and there are always shifts within the perfume industry but {Jo Loves} doesn’t tend to follow them. Instead, we concentrate on setting trends and finding new innovative products and experiences to bring to the market - things like the {Fragrance Paintbrush}. Change is inevitable and constant, so we have to get used to it because it’s here to stay!
{JM} The {Fragrance Paintbrush} is so versatile and can be used to apply, top-up or layer your fragrance wherever you are. It brings creativity alive and completely transforms the way you think about fragrance. It’s no longer just a cosmetic, but an art whereby you are the artist.
{JM} Scent is closely connected to your brain and it’s the fastest way to evoke a memory. It has the rare ability to instantly bring alive a person, a place or a moment. You can smell something and be completely transported somewhere.
{JM} One of my tips is to create a different scent in each room as a theatre for your guests’ noses – so a different one in the hallway, dining room and front room. {Log Fires} is a favourite of mine to burn when opening presents around the tree with my family as it gives you that warm and cosy feeling.
{CB} And finally, what’s next for {Jo Loves}?
{JM} We have some amazing projects lined up for next year and I have worked on a beautiful fragrance that I know you are all absolutely going to fall in love with. I have been wearing it every day for the last few months and I have never had so many compliments so just wait - 2019 will be a big year!
Cult Beauty’s Content Editor and a Cult Beauty OG, Verity loves nothing more than the marriage of language and lip balm. A quintessential Libran, she’s a self-professed magpie for luxury ‘must-haves' and always pursuing the new and the niche — from the boujee-est skin care to cutting-edge tech. Balancing an urge to stop the clock with her desire to embrace the ageing process (and set a positive example for her daughter), Verity's a retinol obsessive and will gladly share her thoughts about the time-defying gadgets, masks and treatments worth the splurge...
