English Pear & Freesia Jo Malone 2010 Cologne

First off, while it is on my mind, I want to rebut the idea that Jo Malone perfumes "don't last." I believed this too when I tried it but I was actually given advice (by surprise guests we will talk about later) that less is more and spray less and you will find the perfume lasts longer because you are using the perfume as intended. I won't deny having a heavy hand with perfume but olfactory fatigue is a real thing and if you just give it one spray on the appropriate points (which can differ based on how you move in the world on a day to day basis) then the fragrance can really be given a chance to shine. I actually tried to layer this perfume with another perfume and took the strategy of a control subject where I left a spot with just the English Pear & Freesia to see how the blend changed things. That control spot on my hand lasted. The difference is that it lingers more so as a whisper, something you get a whiff of every now and then and you go oh you're still here! rather than something you actively hold your nose up to and sniff. So I would recommend anyone trying this brand to really hold back and have a light hand when it comes to spraying and then don't search for it throughout the day, let it find you.
As for the scent, I am obsessed and I have been since I originally smelled it. A previous reviewer said an English woman at a garden party; I concur. I feel positively classy.
Now, on to the real reason I wanted to talk about this perfume. I have been considering sort of the practical implications of my perfume collection. I recently went out and bought two cheap perfumes that smell beautiful don't get me wrong but are full sized. In that moment I felt great getting so much bang for my buck but now I am feeling a little boxed in. And I find myself feeling very exploratory right now. I recently bought the Dossier dupe for Black Opium at 50ml (the only size they come in!) so that I could spray freely without regard and really live in the scent over the cold months and while luckily I do really like the scent (Dossier review coming soon) that is going to be my winter scent this year and maybe even next year without further discussion.
I think I am coming to a different perspective on bottle sizes. I think 1ml samples need to be more prioritized by me. I think even a 5ml bottle really tells you whether you are going to like a scent or not.
But boooooyyyy does it feel bad to buy a sample. Cause sometimes you're looking at the prices and you're like $20 for 2ml?? There needs to be an easier way............... online. You see, it is ultimately social anxiety that keeps us from going out to some department store or perfume specialty store and sniffin the damn things ourselves. Now don't get me wrong, these stores are hostile environments. You need a strong will not to walk away purchasing something because it is literally these people's jobs to sell the perfume. Maybe try leaving your wallet in your car or something.
"Value for the price" is something so frequently discussed it literally has a rating on this website. And while I agree, any perfume over $150 is basically a scam in my eyes, maybe we should chill out a little. Maybe we don't need so many perfumes. Maybe overconsumption is real. I think we need to look at this through a different lens and now I will bring in my friends from the Fragrantica Talk Podcast. They have an episode about Inexpensive Niche Fragrance Brands and they said something that really stuck with me- "I would rather have a 5ml spray of a perfume I really loved and only brought out from time to time than a 100ml bottle of something I only liked," and I think they're on to something here. (Also please give that podcast a listen they are some of the sweetest, sensitive, knowledgeable people who are just a joy to listen to and Fragrantica is run by right wing weirdoes but these three are nothing even close to that).
This is my take on a proper collection-
Your signature scent: 100ml/50ml bottle
Any seasonal scents you already love: 15ml/10ml bottle
Something exciting you want to get to know: 5ml/3ml bottle
Anything you are trying for the first time: 1ml/2ml bottle
Eh, eh? It is so hard because there really are so many perfumes out there and you really do want to try them all and there's all this hype and exciting new things and it can just be so much.
Let's just have fun.

Pear...well its lovely note for me in general but here pear is very realistic. Not the sweetest, floralic one. I got pear with strong minty earth note=patchouli and amber. So that scent is not for every one. Not so strong but not so weak too. I find it...mature. For everday? No, for some days. I didnt see anyone ''love'' it. Very greenish feeling. Fruity side coming from pear note. Sillage= first ok than your own skin scent. Maybe Im not used to that greenish, realistic side. +Its not so girlish, boys can use too.

I've been testing English Pear & Freesia repeatedly for years and still not 100% sure what to make of it.

The good part: It feels very refreshing and dewy, in an almost thirst-quenching way. The freesia is watery and transparent, and I also get a hint of rose with it. The pear is from a time before a pear note was added to every other floral and feels unique from the typical modern pear notes. It's crisp and juicy, neither the syrupy sweet, nor the cooling kind of pear. And I get lots of polished, musky patchouli here, so this is more than just another light fruity floral. It all draws me in. I contemplated putting this on my wishlist for a moment.

But then, there is this sharp scratchiness that I just can't shake off. Sometimes I notice it more, sometimes it's barely there at all. But I know that if I had this in my collection, I would never wear it for the fear of suddenly feeling it in my throat. It's a problem I also experienced with other fresh, floral scents that contain a lot of patchouli, for example Coco Mademoiselle. The difference is that most of them don't have so many other aspects I love. With EP&F, I wish I could love all of it. It's like a pink-toned, dewy, softly fruity version of Coco Mad with a hint of Narciso Rodriguez For Her in the background.

I try to rate all perfumes I review and found it difficult with this one. Usually a 7.5 rating for me simply means "good, but not remarkably so". In this case it means "too fascinating for a 7, not wearable enough for an 8, I can't decide if it's awesome or bad and it can change each day".

So, recently I've learned that people use a 120$ perfume to make their sheets smell good!
Don't get me wrong. I'm not the policeman on people's money, but I find it provocative and offensive to rank this perfume among the bed-sheets fresheners.

For me this is such an elegant fruity perfume! At first, I get the pear and a slight scent of melon. Then it becomes more vanilla and soap (the good one)! I can tell the woman who wears this is a minimal dressed romantic soul, in short heels or flat shoes. Unpretentiously beautiful!
Totally wearable from men too.

What I really like, is that this perfume is not overworn. I somehow feel unique.

Lasts at least 4 hours and its wearable at any time, any season!

Fruity, floral chic!

A fruity and floral scent for people who don't want to smell too fruity or too floral. Slightly sweet but not at all cloying. It is sophisticated and fresh like being in a very nice urban park, or the kind of party you see on the sweeping back lawn of someone's estate overlooking the water. Or at a corporate lunch in a spacious posh restaurant with lots of glass and light.

I smelled the pear, a light white floral, and a quality that is more airy/ozonic than watery, but a bit of both. At one point the garden party vibe was apparent in something green, like tomato leaf, although the fragrance notes I googled said rhubarb. At one point the "amber" note hinted at baby powder, although in the dry down I can detect a hint of that white musk and patchouli. It never gets heavy.

I think I liked English pear and sweet pea a little better when I tested them at a Sephora, but Costco online had a sale on a very limited number of Jo Malone fragrances. I'm glad I got this even though the package looked like a return. I sat with my cheek resting on my hand while watching TV so I could smell this fragrance with every breath. Did not get tired of it.