The Perfect Summer Pour: Finding My Signature Balance in Jo Malone’s Brit Veggies Collection
Finding a fragrance that strikes the right balance of sweetness can be a challenge. I generally prefer scents that dry down with a faint, subtle sweetness rather than an overpowering sugary finish.
I recently had the wonderful opportunity to attend an exclusive, invite-only event at the Jo Malone London Boutique at Easton Town Center. I attended as a guest of a long-time Jo Malone lover, and it was actually the very first event of its kind that I had ever been to! The experience was incredible. The store design itself is absolutely beautiful—elegant, bright, and perfectly curated—and the entire team was exceptionally nice, welcoming, and helpful as they guided us through their newest arrivals. During the event, I immersed myself in Jo Malone’s limited-edition Brit Veggies collection. The packaging for this release is a total standout: each 30ml cologne comes housed in a gorgeous, opaque bottle color-coded to match its garden-grown inspiration. After testing all three on my skin, here is how they compare, contrast, and why one ultimate winner made it into my shopping bag.
Carrot Blossom Cologne 
Presented in a vibrant orange bottle, this fragrance sits on the entirely opposite side of the sweetness spectrum. If you are expecting a sweet, earthy carrot cake vibe, you will not find it here.
Instead, Carrot Blossom delivers a very dominant “green,” “grassy,” and deeply earthy scent profile. It smells exactly like freshly pulled roots and damp garden soil. While it is highly unique, artistic, and boasts a clean, white musk finish, it lacked the soft warmth I look for in a fragrance, making it a bit too sharp and literal for my personal taste.
Housed in a lovely, buttery-yellow bottle on the other end of the spectrum is Velvety Butternut. This cologne is the richest and most indulgent of the three.
True to its name, it offers a smooth, gourmand profile with a distinct, heavy sweetness driven by roasted squash and warm tonka bean. While it is incredibly cozy and beautifully blended, the sweetness is quite pronounced. For anyone who prefers a barely-there, faint trail of sugar, this one leans a bit too close to overpowering, making it better suited for crisp autumn nights than everyday summer wear.
Scarlet Beetroot Cologne (The Winner!) 
After comparing all three, Scarlet Beetroot—encased in a deep, striking beet-red bottle—was the absolute standout and the one I chose to take home.
It manages to capture the earthy, crisp nature of a garden while settling into a beautiful, summery dry down. What makes it a winner is its restraint. Combined with a juicy pop of blackcurrant, it delivers that perfect, faint sweetness that enhances the skin without becoming cloying or heavy. Thanks to the helpful Easton staff letting me test it thoroughly, I found it feels bright, unique, and perfectly balanced for warm weather.
- The Most Earthy: Carrot Blossom (Sharp, green, and grassy)
- The Sweetest: Velvety Butternut (Rich, gourmand, and potent)
- The Best Balance: Scarlet Beetroot (Crisp, subtly sweet, and summery)
One of the highlights of my visit to the Easton boutique was learning about Jo Malone London’s signature philosophy of Scent Pairing—the art of layering fragrances to create something uniquely your own. Because Scarlet Beetroot features a crisp, garden-fresh heart grounded by a patchouli base, it is an incredibly versatile layering piece.
If you also prefer a faint, non-overpowering dry down, here are a few spectacular combinations you can try using Jo Malone’s permanent collection:
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- For an Airy, Crisp Vibe: Layer it with Wood Sage & Sea Salt. The mineral, marine freshness and driftwood notes cut right through the earthy richness of the beetroot, transforming it into a breezy, ozonic scent that feels completely effortless in the heat.
- For Tailored, Woody Elegance: Pair it with English Oak & Hazelnut. This sophisticated blend relies on dry roasted oakwood and crunchy hazelnut. It beautifully anchors the patchouli base, taming the juicy fruitiness and leaving a subtle, grounded warmth on the skin.
- For a Softly Romantic Finish: Try it with Peony & Blush Suede. The blackcurrant note in Scarlet Beetroot mingles gorgeously with the apple and opulent peonies of this classic, while the supple suede base smooths out the earthy garden facets into a velvety skin-scent.
To get the most out of your pairing, spray the heavier fragrance first, let it settle for a few seconds, and then mist the lighter scent on top!
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