Originally reviewed on May 4, 2012:
As summer approaches I have rekindled my borderline obsession with orange blossom scents. I followed some rabbit hole of reviews and came across Mambo. I was sold on the idea of this being a saltless rendition of LP’s Beachy. Even if it turned out to be nothing like Beachy I was still sold on the listed notes of mango, hibiscus, ginger and, mostly, orange blossom. The asking price was so ridiculously low for a 3.4oz bottle I could not resist snapping it up.
There is a strange, sharp soapiness, akin to Pure Grace or most anything in the Clean line. I have mentioned in other reviews my strange pleasure in soap-sniffing so this isn’t necessarily a bad thing but it is kind of unexpected given the listed notes. If this is a problem for some, it does pass quickly; if this soap element is what draws you in, prepare to be disappointed. It does not take long for this fragrance to show its true nature as a platform for freshly grated ginger. This is ginger and all else takes a backseat. Scratch that—everything else takes a ride in the trunk while ginger takes the wheel.
I quite like this ginger concoction as it does not give in to being too sweet or too cloying. I really like the ginger in EL’s Bali Dream but it falls prey to being too saccharine and pop fizzy as it gets cluttered by a clobbering orchid. Mambo does not fall into BD’s similar trap; it is wonderfully sweet and spicy enough without going overboard. I don’t get the mango or oranges; Mambo is far more floral than fruity. J.Lo and her celebrity sisters have cornered the market on over-the-top marmalades so I’m okay with this lack of fruits. It’s really refreshing to have an unapologetically persistent ginger in my collection.
Updated musings on September 26, 2023:
I sniffed this one recently. I remember really liking it but not being dazzled by it. Eventually, I gave my bottle to one of my nieces. It is the olfactory equivalent of a jeans/t-shirt/flip flops ensemble; it's comfortable and casual but it's not out to knock your socks off. I was intrigued by the zingy ginger in this back in 2012, and that zingy ginger is still good. I can't say anything negative about
Mambo Eau de Parfum but I can't give it an enthusiastic updated review because it's kind of dull to my nose.
Top Notes 
Heart Notes 
Base Notes 
