08/22/2022
PetitePinup
26 Reviews
PetitePinup
5
I want the big bottle!
ZARA x Jo Malone's Saffron Orange Flowers (SOF) was one of the big and pleasant surprises of my recent Zara perfumes haul.
I have stayed away from fresh citrusy scents most of my life, but with older favourites suddenly reacting differently on my skin I considered some experimenting. And I'm thanking myself daily for it.
Saffron & Orange Flowers opens with a clear 'spicy' note, going hand in hand with a bold but not unpleasant Bergamot. The citrusnote does disappear quite quickly, but in a way still seems to add to the overall mix after a while despite not being clearly identifiable. The so called "green notes" aren't exactly noticeable, but they are definitely what keeps Saffron and Orange Flowers fresh instead of a white floral sweetie.
After bergamot takes a huge step down Saffron and Orange Flowers - SOF hereafter - becomes a perfume of spicy orange blossom. It's a soft, clearly sweet orange blossom (perhaps strong due to the help of topnote Orange) without any of the bitter tendencies this scent note can display.
By this time I'm already in love with SOF, but it's more layered than this. After the dry down SOF gives ample room to the jasmine- one of my favourites in perfumes - without giving leave to the orange blossom. I personally can't get a clear Ylang-ylang on my skin, but it's a scent that could easily be masked by the jasmine or create a mix with it. Meanwhile the clean musk and slightly powdery woody notes come through, creating a wonderful basis for this bouquet of whites and a softened Saffron. SOF is a wonderfully, balanced mix of spice, soft wood and light sweet florals, always remaining on the fresh side but still giving sweet white flower lovers their "shot".
Saffron & Orange Flowers isn't a beast. My initial experience with usage on neck and wrists of my 10ml edp roll-on showed me a moderate projection, sillage and durability. But it did keep giving me whiffs of deliciousness those hours (+/- 3).
Adding extra on the heart region and in my inner elbow (a place where I tend to keep perfume the longest) + smearing two layers is definitely the way to go if you too bought the travel perfume. It'll never become a scent bomb, but then you'll for sure leave a tiny trail and durability is around 5hrs max (then it's truly gone). On my very dry, perfume off casting skin that's a huge performance. I've often been told roll-ons last longer on skin - apparently the % of perfume is higher. If that's true I don't know, but it does make me wonder how the big bottle, the edp spray, does on my body with such meagre sillage/longevity ratings on Parfumo.
Because the only reason I won't get one, is if they're constantly sold out in all of Europe & UK (please don't go the way of Golden Decade! )
SOF is the perfect perfume for warm weather, even the above 30°C we had here in Northwestern Europe of late (when the humidity is terrible and sweaty becomes your middle name). But I wouldn't be surprised if the saffron might act a tad different in cooler temperatures and the spice + jasmin could become a warm, comforting blanket when the rain is a constant in Dutch Autumn. SOF is for certain a great daily scent and could be worn to work/school. It's officially a unisex, but I find it hard to say if men would want to wear this. I personally think it might be a tad too sweet still for that, but I also know that's how it behaves on *my* skin. If a man gets a strong enough performance out of the base notes and keeps more of the saffron and even bergamot it'll surely be intoxicating to have your guy wear this. So, test, test test!
My wallet isn't huge so I've only tested 4 of the Jo Malone collabs with Zara. I have noticed they perform on average between the cheaper and the cylindrical bottle line (there are always exceptions of course, with Violet Blossom or the currently still not mentioned on here Clear Honeysuckle from the square bottle €10.95/90ml lines as a great example. 8hrs, several meters projection and gorgeous scent).
Saffron& OrangeFlowers (Ocean), Caviar & Bergamot (Ocean line), Fashionably London (everyone's favourite, City Olfactorive) and Elegantly Tokyo (also City) - the 4 I bought in roll-on - tell me one thing clearly: there aren't any obvious fails in these two Jo Malone collab lines (Emotions isn't available in singles here). Most are at least decent, if a tad linear or boring, but they won't put you off. And, then there are a few gems hidden in this collab, of which Saffron and Orange Flowers definitely gets diamond status.
This perfume might be among the most expensive Zara fragrances, but compared to regular designer/niche perfume it's still peanuts. And for that decent amount ((€25,95/75ml or €5,95/10ml) you have a well performing, delicious scent that's original - no dupe - and made by a niche nose.
I have stayed away from fresh citrusy scents most of my life, but with older favourites suddenly reacting differently on my skin I considered some experimenting. And I'm thanking myself daily for it.
Saffron & Orange Flowers opens with a clear 'spicy' note, going hand in hand with a bold but not unpleasant Bergamot. The citrusnote does disappear quite quickly, but in a way still seems to add to the overall mix after a while despite not being clearly identifiable. The so called "green notes" aren't exactly noticeable, but they are definitely what keeps Saffron and Orange Flowers fresh instead of a white floral sweetie.
After bergamot takes a huge step down Saffron and Orange Flowers - SOF hereafter - becomes a perfume of spicy orange blossom. It's a soft, clearly sweet orange blossom (perhaps strong due to the help of topnote Orange) without any of the bitter tendencies this scent note can display.
By this time I'm already in love with SOF, but it's more layered than this. After the dry down SOF gives ample room to the jasmine- one of my favourites in perfumes - without giving leave to the orange blossom. I personally can't get a clear Ylang-ylang on my skin, but it's a scent that could easily be masked by the jasmine or create a mix with it. Meanwhile the clean musk and slightly powdery woody notes come through, creating a wonderful basis for this bouquet of whites and a softened Saffron. SOF is a wonderfully, balanced mix of spice, soft wood and light sweet florals, always remaining on the fresh side but still giving sweet white flower lovers their "shot".
Saffron & Orange Flowers isn't a beast. My initial experience with usage on neck and wrists of my 10ml edp roll-on showed me a moderate projection, sillage and durability. But it did keep giving me whiffs of deliciousness those hours (+/- 3).
Adding extra on the heart region and in my inner elbow (a place where I tend to keep perfume the longest) + smearing two layers is definitely the way to go if you too bought the travel perfume. It'll never become a scent bomb, but then you'll for sure leave a tiny trail and durability is around 5hrs max (then it's truly gone). On my very dry, perfume off casting skin that's a huge performance. I've often been told roll-ons last longer on skin - apparently the % of perfume is higher. If that's true I don't know, but it does make me wonder how the big bottle, the edp spray, does on my body with such meagre sillage/longevity ratings on Parfumo.
Because the only reason I won't get one, is if they're constantly sold out in all of Europe & UK (please don't go the way of Golden Decade! )
SOF is the perfect perfume for warm weather, even the above 30°C we had here in Northwestern Europe of late (when the humidity is terrible and sweaty becomes your middle name). But I wouldn't be surprised if the saffron might act a tad different in cooler temperatures and the spice + jasmin could become a warm, comforting blanket when the rain is a constant in Dutch Autumn. SOF is for certain a great daily scent and could be worn to work/school. It's officially a unisex, but I find it hard to say if men would want to wear this. I personally think it might be a tad too sweet still for that, but I also know that's how it behaves on *my* skin. If a man gets a strong enough performance out of the base notes and keeps more of the saffron and even bergamot it'll surely be intoxicating to have your guy wear this. So, test, test test!
My wallet isn't huge so I've only tested 4 of the Jo Malone collabs with Zara. I have noticed they perform on average between the cheaper and the cylindrical bottle line (there are always exceptions of course, with Violet Blossom or the currently still not mentioned on here Clear Honeysuckle from the square bottle €10.95/90ml lines as a great example. 8hrs, several meters projection and gorgeous scent).
Saffron& OrangeFlowers (Ocean), Caviar & Bergamot (Ocean line), Fashionably London (everyone's favourite, City Olfactorive) and Elegantly Tokyo (also City) - the 4 I bought in roll-on - tell me one thing clearly: there aren't any obvious fails in these two Jo Malone collab lines (Emotions isn't available in singles here). Most are at least decent, if a tad linear or boring, but they won't put you off. And, then there are a few gems hidden in this collab, of which Saffron and Orange Flowers definitely gets diamond status.
This perfume might be among the most expensive Zara fragrances, but compared to regular designer/niche perfume it's still peanuts. And for that decent amount ((€25,95/75ml or €5,95/10ml) you have a well performing, delicious scent that's original - no dupe - and made by a niche nose.
Elysium
