Reviewing & Ranking All FIVE of the Zara Jo Malone Emotions Elixir Perfumes

Here are my thoughts on the Zara Jo Malone Emotions Elixir perfume collection. Let’s see if these elixir perfumes are better than their originals.

Zara Ebony Wood Elixir is a deeply woody, spicy perfume that opens with a burst of grapefruit that settles into pepper and cloves. Zara Ebony Wood Elixir is different from the original. It has way more grapefruit in the opening and is more feminine and sweet. Both are still very unisex though. The original Zara Ebony doesn’t have as much of the grapefruit and is definitely more woody and resinous. I also detect a little bit of oud in the original Zara Ebony Wood that the Elixir doesn’t have. In my opinion, the original Zara Ebony Wood is better blended – it also contains a beautiful patchouli that rounds out the warm spiciness that makes it more unique and complex. The original lasts about seven hours on me; the Elixir lasts about ten hours. Both are absolutely not blind buy safe. Zara Ebony Wood Elixir is about 80% similar to the original Zara Ebony Wood. I like both, but I prefer the original. Zara Ebony Wood Elixir gets a 7/10

Zara Waterlily Tea Dress Elixir is a very green floral that’s perfect for the spring. At the first spray, I get a sharp, strong, super green lily. But more interestingly, I get more of that flower stem opposed to the flower. Waterlily Tea Dress Elixir is also slightly aldehydic, which means fizzy, vintage, and sparkling. There is some citrus that brightens it and while this is a sharp perfume, it’s not too heavy or old fashioned to me. The green and plant like quality remains, but as the first spray dries down, I get mint that freshens this up. As it dries down, you also get more of the musk that adds warmth and the floral leans more white with that orange blossom. Zara Waterlily Tea Dress Elixir is a springtime floral perfume for sure. It lasted about ten hours on me – strong projection for the first two hours and then medium projection for hours 3-7 before fading into a light projection that I could still smell the next morning. The original Zara Waterlily Tea Dress is more floral, not as strong, and also lacks the spiciness and power. I prefer the elixir and rate Zara Waterlily Tea Dress a 9/10.

Zara Vetiver Pamplemousse Elixir is a unisex leaning, fresh spicy citrus. At the first spray, I get a bright burst of grapefruit and mandarin oranges. As it settles, I get the sourness from the amber. There is some slight woodiness in the drydown, but to me, it doesn’t change this fragrance much and it still leans very citrus. I don’t really have much to say about this fragrance – it’s very simple, easy reach, and not at all complex. It doesn’t change through the wear. The original Zara Vetiver Pamplemousse is almost identical to me. Because this is a grapefruit citrus, this doesn’t last long – I’d say about three hours with medium projection. I would wear this in the summer with a purse that’s large enough to carry it for touch-ups. I prefer the elixir because it lasts longer. Zara Vetiver Pamplemousse Elixir gets a 6/10.

At the first spray of Zara Energetically New York Elixir, I get a spicy pepper, which gets sweeter as it settles. I’m assuming that’s the cardamon. Zara Energetically New York Elixir is woody and earthy, very unisex, and has a beautiful warm spiciness. The sandalwood becomes more present at the drydown and adds powderyness and smoothes this down. The original Zara Energetically New York is about 90% similar – maybe my bottle has aged, but I absolutely get more of the pickles, thought this is not sour or bad on my skin. I think the original is more mossy and perhaps has a bit of fishiness. It does NOT stink like fish, it just has that sea quality that I think combined with the cardamon and sandalwood can be interpreted as pickle juice. Luckily, the heavier spices and white florals in Zara Energetically New York Elixir cuts down on that, resulting in something smoother and less sour. They’re about 85% similar. I prefer the elixir version, which at six hours with medium projection, lasts longer than the original. I give Zara Energetically New York Elixir a 7/10.

Zara Fashionably London Elixir is a musky, sweet, and oh so very rose perfume. A fresh burst of citrus gives way to a sweet, jammy rose and soft peony before deepening and getting sweeter. It’s sweeter, but it stays rose, leaning very lychee to me, but as it develops it gets dark and musky. The original Fashionably London perfume is more green, fresher, and the rose leans more soapy. They’re about 90% similar though, both are musky and both remind me of Delina. Compared to the original, Zara Fashionably London Elixir is more dark and spicy, with a more woody, almost animalistic quality that makes this more unisex. The original lasts about 8 hours plus on me, the elixir lasts 10 hours plus, which is why I would go for the elixir. I rate Zara Fashionably London Elixir a 9/10.

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