JLove by Jennifer Lopez-Fragrance Review

After Christmas, I purchased a bargain set of Jennifer Lopez fragrances for a few dollars at K Mart. I didn't expect much, but I've learned to keep an open mind. I'm glad I waited until the warm weather arrived to try out JLove, as I know it wouldn't have done much for me in December. With temperatures in the upper 90's, it seemed like an opportune time to try out this fruity, floral fragrance. First impression? 

Remember when, "Push-Up" didn't refer to a style of bra? 

So yeah, JLove's top notes remind me of fake orange ice cream on a stick. That's not a bad thing, as I have fond memories of reaching into the freezer case at the neighbourhood Rexall drugstore, grabbing one from the very bottom of the box (where they'd be coldest), handing over my .35 cents and racing over to the park to eat it on the bench next to the rocket ship jungle gym. They cost more than a Hershey Bar (.25 cents) but less than an ice cream Klondike Bar which was .45 cents. So overall, a good value...sort of like JLove. 

There's coconut and pineapple listed in the notes, but I don't detect either. That's strange as they're both notes with a tendency to overwhelm, It is almost a relief as I struggle to enjoy coconut in fragrances, and pineapple often turns unpleasant on my skin. But no such issues here-orange, vanilla, and a little muskiness later on to keep it from being too sweet. The only thing missing, keeping this from being the perfect childhood summer evoking fragrance is the smell of a heavily chlorinated pool, and cigarette smoke because everyone smoked everywhere when I was young, and the smell lingered all the more in the hot, humid climate of Chicago.

There's nothing sophisticated about JLove. It isn't remarkable in any way, it isn't innovative, and the bottle is cheap looking. That said, there isn't anything wrong with the fragrance either. It is light, sweet without being too sweet, perfectly appropriate for an office or public transport, and generally cheerful. I can't really ask much more from a three dollar bottle of perfume. The longevity isn't bad, considering the price, and you don't need to apply a giant cloud of it to get a good effect. The silage is moderate, but in a polite way. I wouldn't want to wear JLove regularly, but on a very hot day when almost everything seems like too much, it is a nice, refreshing scent that will make you crave orange sherbet. Not much to fault in that.

Notes according to Fragrantica:
Raspberry, pink grapefruit, pineapple, tangerine, orchid, water lily, coconut, vanilla, white wood, musk, tiare flower, and sorbet.

I like to think I have a rather skilled nose, but I don't get the raspberry either and the tangerine smells more orange to me. There is a sharpness to JLove, but it isn't the sort of simulated tartness you'd expect from tangerine, grapefruit or pineapple. I'm not certain where it is coming from, but it definitely leans more industrial chemical, than zesty fruit. Again, that's not as bad as it sounds.

Overall, I enjoyed JLove for the bright, summery fragrance that stops short of being fruit cocktail doused in condensed milk (as so many fruity, sweet fragrances are). Do I sound less than enthusiastic about JLove? I suppose that's a fair assessment but only because I have so many things I would rather wear instead. Absent the assortment of perfumes, I might reach for JLove more often for a nice burst of  fresh sweetness on a summer day, though probably not in the evening. This is a pre-sundown sort of scent.

Just a quick mention in passing-Jennifer Lopez Glow isn't a terrible fragrance for the money either, though the rose and tuberose fight it out with the amber for dominance. Not my kind of thing, but if you like sweet florals it is worth a try. Longevity is about half an hour, though what do you want for that price? They should have stuck the coconut and pineapple in Glo instead of JLove-that would have been a nice fragrance!