Amka by Jo Wood Organics review

One of my favourite scents in the world is the smell of orange blossom. I have always loved it. I've grown up drinking cool water that has had fresh orange blossoms floating in it, giving it a beautiful smell and, as smell somehow alters taste, a beautiful flavour. It also reminds me of walking through my grandparents' garden in Libya in the late evening when the blossoms in the garden fill the air with a beautiful aroma. So for me, this smell is personal and nostalgic.

It comes to no surprise then that when buying a natural perfume I chose Amka by Jo Woods Organics. Amka, which translates to 'To wake' from Swahili, is described as:

"With a romantic heart of Iranian rose otto, Egyptian jasmine and bright fresh top notes of neroli and bergamot, Amka is a fragrance of energy and spontaneity. Green mandarin and sweet orange add a fresh, vibrant layer, and the whole combination is founded in a soft, spicy base of cedarwood."

The ingredients are:

Alcohol*, Orange Water*, Guarana*, Ginseng*, Ginkgo*, Grape Extract*, Orange Oil, Bergamot, Virginian Cedarwood, Mandarin Orange, Petitgrain, Orange Bitter, Neroli, Ylang Ylang, Rose Otto, Jasmine* Limonene, Linalool, Geraniol, Citral, Citronellol, Benzyl Benzoate, Farnesol, Benzyl Salicylate

* ingredient from organic farming

I expected a very pretty floral fragrance, especially with the rose and jasmine but I felt that the smell was too strong. Not something someone my age would wear. It was a nice smell but it didn't smell like perfume as I didn't sense the different notes in the fragrance. All I could really smell was the orange blossom, which I normally adore but it was a very strong and concentrated smell unlike the pretty and light smell of fresh orange blossom. Very close to the hot cloth wipes you sometimes get on the plane (which I love but, like I said, not something I'd want from a perfume). I would probably love it as a bath product, such as the body oil though.

So I hope my review is helpful for anyone planning on buying this as I understand how difficult it is to buy a natural perfume online without being able to smell it first. If you like the smell I described then you might love it. Perfume is quite personal and depends on our own preferences, mood, personality and what the smells mean to us, so what doesn't smell right to me might smell beautiful to you.

If you are interested in buying this or any JWO products, call the number on their website as they have a little stock left before relaunching in Spring 2012.

xx