Future chart topper? [reviewing One edp, by Jennifer Lopez]

  "ONE is a feeling, an energy, a way of being that reflects harmony and brings peace. ONE is internal and eternal. It is not limited, but it is expansive, vulnerable, powerful. Today our world needs ONE-ness, realizing we are ONE world and ONE people. Living for ONE shared hope, ONE bigger meaning and purpose. ONE goal. ONE dream. Connected, not separate, we are ONE "

 

When I first saw One in a Superdrug store, there hadn't been any online whispering of a new fragrance release from the brand, yet there it was calling to me. The packaging & promo photo of Jennifer give One away as a flanker to Promise, which is a fragrance which I highly enjoyed and think is one of her stronger releases.

As I liked it on initial testing and it was on a introductory price offer & I have a store discount, plus would get a free Promise scented candle (the store I was in didn't have the backpacks that were on offer free with a purchase of One), I couldn't resist giving One a chance to impress me...

Like with Promise, the star of the show in One is the creamy sandalwood note; the sandalwood develops really quickly and I can't make up my mind if there is also some coconut milk in the opening to One as well, or if it's the mix of sandalwood and some other nutty note, maybe almond. Apart from the maybe coconut, and the gentle whispers of the peach blossom, I can't identify anything I could confidently say is close to being a fruit note.

To my nose, the quiet floral blend is the same as the floral heart of Promise; the jasmine and freesia are the only two floral notes that are immediately identifiable to me, but I'd strongly suggest that there is honeysuckle, orange blossom and possibly magnolia in the background too.

I hardly pick up the patchouli, just a delicate hint - surprising since Clearwood is a synthetic blend of a sweet & creamy amber and patchouli, so I would have expected it to strengthen the patchouli. The various woods sort of blend into one big note after a while, but with the mossy undertones, faint patchouli and salty musk of the suede accord, it all combines into a clean, unexpectedly masculine drydown - it gives  the soft & traditionally feminine heart a bit more punch in the final stages.

Official scent notes; pink pepper, freesia, peach blossom, jasmine, cedarwood, clearwood, suede, sandalwood, crystallized moss and patchouli.

One is similar to a older Jennifer Lopez fragrance: Love & Light. Ultimately I prefer One over Love & Light; I really like the balance between the creamy smoothness, soft fruit, quiet florals, the unisex undertones and nutty sweetness in here more. I'm not saying that I now think of Love & Light as having been what I think of as 'poor' or anything, I just find One more comfortable on me. One also has the slightly better longevity and aura on me - it dries down around the 8 hour mark, and other people have smelled this on me from a very short distance & complimented me on it.

I can't ultimately call One something that you need to rush out to try ASAP, since it is pretty much a re-imagining of a previous release from a unrelated line from the brand. However this is a nice ready-to-wear, ageless & seasonless offering, and is a fragrance that I think is worth remembering if you see it on offer.  

One is available in 30ml, 50ml and 100ml bottles. It is now easily found in the likes of Superdrug, Boots, The Perfume Shop, The Fragrance Store, and on Amazon.