Lime Basil & Mandarin

Very much a marmite fragrance. It is Jo Malone London's signature, yet it always stirs up different reactions from those who try it. It opens with a sharp lime citrus but lingers into something more herbal and green, that being the basil and the vetiver. The mandarin has no sweetness, this is strictly a citrus green cologne. From my experience with the brand I much prefer this fragrance as a hand wash, lotion and bath oil, or even for the home as a candle or diffuser, for an energising, uplifting scent. I cannot help but enjoy it.

wore this on skin. disgusting. opening is insanely bitter and sharp, reminds me of poppers. dry down is more manageable but can not pick up on complexities supposedly in the bottom notes. would not wear again, disappointing bc i am normally pleased by citrus.

Tart and bitter—lemon and bergamot—with absolutely no sweetness; deep down, there’s basil. To some, it smells like cleaning fluid; to others, a citrus grove; to some, a lovely day at the beach. If this is the kind of scent you like, just grab a bottle of Vibrato without overthinking it.

A very sharp and astringent citrus that is unpleasant when sprayed, but once you leave the house it mellows down a bit and becomes refreshing especially on a hot summer day. I grew to enjoy it as I finished my 9ml travel size, but will not be going back for more.

Its probably good, but not my vibe. Total No, unpalatable fresh cocktails with basil

I am a citrus lover but this smells like dusty lime peel to me, and it does also remind me of a cleaning product. Usually I would say all fragrances are unisex in essence, but this one feels like an old fashioned male scent. I would not wear this as a woman. The scent is not terrible, I do like the basil and vetiver but definitely test this before buying, It is very different to what I expected and I do not want to smell like this.

I've been wearing Lime Basil & Mandarin for about a week now and I really like it. It's fresh, unique, and doesn't smell like the usual citrus scents (sometimes citrus can be screeching) I've come across. What I enjoy most is how it smells after a while. It becomes woody, earthy, and slightly green, which I find really pleasant. It's not loud or overpowering, but people nearby can still catch it and sometimes get curious about what I'm wearing. It lasts around 2–3 hours on my skin. Sure, it could last longer, but I enjoy it enough that I don't mind spraying it again. Definitely one of my favorite daytime scents so far.

on my skin it smells like cooked lamb

I absolutely love this! Perfect for carrying over bright citrus in hot humid weather. I do manual labor outdoors frequently, so this is perfect for those type of days. Although it says Unisex, it overall tends to lean more towards the masculine side, so if you want to smell sweet and mellow like D&G's Light Blue for women (which I also absolutely love for certain occasions), then this one is not for you. The citrus opening is very strong at first, but after 30 minutes it does calm down a bit, then is beautifully carried over by the iris, patchouli and vetiver. The patchouli and vetiver remain all day (10-12 hours), but it really helps prolong the lime and bergamot very well. The citrus notes remained present for about 5-6 hours, which is unusual. Typically citrus notes for me die out within 20-90 minutes. I absolutely love that the Bergamot isn't entirely overshaded by the orange, and takes center along with the lime. Lime and Bergamot is absolutely one of my favorite combinations ever and I think this formulation is excellent. If you are looking for a sharper, brighter bergamot and lime with a vaguely 'woodsy' & peppery but prominent base, then this works out great. Projection is pretty strong at first, but becomes more moderate after about 1-2 hours. I'm almost tempted to buy another larger bottle. One of my all time favorites so far for those hot summer days. This is definitely not an "office" perfume, as it can overwhelm in the first 1-2 hours. Unless you have an office all to yourself with no one else around, I don't recommend wearing this to an office.

Very sharp lime/citrus. It layers well on top of other EDP or stronger concentrations. Too sharp to smell immediately or in air. Dry down more pleasant but I mainly use for layering

The citrus in this is the same as the citrus in Wood Sage and Seasalt. It is sour and gross on me. Not a blind buy safe fragrance. Both scrubbers. Which is wild because Orange Bitters is delightful and Basil and Neroli is literally a dream.

I hate this scent on me but I love it on my fiancée. On him it opens REALLY strong and feels somewhat tropical and fresh. It dries down nicely and smells super fresh. Reminds me of a luxury spa. Great for hot, sticky, city weather.

For me, Lime Basil & Mandarin by Jo Malone has poor longevity. It smells good, and the basil note definitely adds something unique. I tested it during an event where companies were doing pitches (a long day), and I found myself reapplying it every 1.5 to 2 hours. The projection is okay. I like that it’s not overpowering, but I would have preferred a bit more presence. The opening is quite strong and noticeable, but it quickly settles into a softer, less intrusive scent. While the dry-down smells pleasant, it also becomes harder to detect. To me, it feels very unisex, maybe leaning slightly feminine. I also think the price is a little bit on the high side (but not way too overpriced). Overall, I like the fragrance and it’s very versatile. It’s a good option if you don’t mind respraying a couple of times during the day (or applying it on clothes). It won’t offend anyone and works well, especially in summer, but considering the weak longevity, I would think twice before buying it.

Smell is ok, not that bad, but the big problem it does only last for few minutes, this should be a hand soap instead of fragrance

This is just my all time favourite perfume. It settles so well on my skin and smells fresh and citrus all day with wonderful warmth. I find it's great for layering. Just expensive!

Photorealistic mandarin and lime with some herbs. It’s a nice citrus mix, good for daily wear in any season. The longevity is moderate. But it’s a bit too straightforward for my liking - I’d rather have it as a candle.

A misting of freshly squeezed mandarin hits me upon first spray. This makes me think of a glass of water with a couple drops of orange juice, a slice of lime, and a basil garnish. It has all the elements of a cocktail, but no booze. In that way, it’s refreshing, but it also feels underwhelming because it as if it’s missing something. Unisex, but slightly masculine, and somewhat of a skin scent. Very inoffensive, but almost too mild mannered. Someone mentioned sprite and basil, but I think the label of sprite is too generous. It verges on generic body spray or cleaning product sadly. This has zero longevity on me.

This smells like a men's aftershave. Not for me and not something I would like on my husband.

My dream scent. I tried it in a perfume store & sadly can't afford it at the moment, but I find myself thinking of it all of the time. It is beyond perfect, a fresh, zesty citrus without the chemical harshness/cleaning product effect. More subtle than artificial lemon, more like smelling the skin of an actual lime or lemon. The basil herbal scent comes into the middle of the composition and sets it apart from your typical citrus perfume, giving it kind of an extravagant feel. I think it smells like summer lunch with a glass of homemade lemonade and a basil salad laid out in front of you. I could not make out the other notes very well, but I am sure they are amplifying this factor. I don't know about the drydown, sillage, lasting power or skin feel, since I only had the chance to smell it on a testing strip. Unlike any perfume I've ever smelled before, just wonderful, nostalgic, beautiful. Like most Jo Malone perfumes, it smells like nature itself.

This is a Sprite ™ + Basil summer cocktail

Apperantly citrus notes disappear the second they touch my skin so I needed to spray this one directly on my clothes to be able to smell it and make it last longer. I love citrus smells, basil and tangerine are probably my favorite smells in nature, so I was really looking foward to trying it. This fragrance smells like a generic body mist, coming out of the bottle smells like the opening citrus notes of any male cologne, I can't difference the notes on their own, it becomes a sharp, artificial blend, that's reminiscent of house cleaners, then it's gonne.

Smells great, doesn't last for anything. Probably the worst longevity out of any cologne I've smelt or owned. Nautica Voyage last longer than this. If you want to smell like fresh, citrus, and herb you would like this but be warned you have to carry a decant and respray like 10 times during the day.

I actually love this scent, it's refreshing after a shower on a hot day when you're staying at home for the afternoon or going to bed. I've also worn it to church when I don't want to project, and I wear it to the gym often. Sometimes you don't need or want beast mode, you just want to smell nice if someone is in close proximity or you are only going somewhere for a couple of hours. Visiting a friend in hospital would be a good example. 100% unisex 20 sprays minimum 😅

Smells like the free body lotion they'd give you at a fancy tropical hotel. I like it but it's a little too sour/herbal for me to love

lasts 5 seconds long :/

One of my all-time favorites. Very sophisticated and great for summer. Lime stands out the most. Doesn't last as long as some other Jo Malone fragrances. I'm not sure how to put this, but it's definitely sour, but in a good way. If you're someone that enjoys the sour and bitterness of lime zest this is for you. There's some herbal notes and it blends well with the lime. I would say it 70% lime and 30% everything else. When you first spray it's most strong but it evens out. Got some compliments for it, though not really something for youth to wear.

I got a 2 ml sample of this because I was interested in the lime and basil. I wanted something fresh and it’s certainly fresh. Very on the nose up top and settles to patchouli after a few hours. Not something I need more of but it was nice to try.

I don't like this fragrance,for me it's smells like spices,the mix of citrus,basil and flowers are strange.

Reviewing a sample from 2025. Lime Basil & Mandarin was launched in 1999. Lime Basil & Mandarin is a fresh fragrance that disappears in a few minutes. This opens with an artificial citrus/mandarin quickly followed by herbal floral notes. This lasts only about 10 minutes. The vetiver-patchouli base is clean, synthetic and weak and lasts about 1 hour. Quality- average/generic Unisex Performance- poor 2/5 even for an Eau de cologne Nice fragrance ingredient combination which in 2025 is now manufactured in the cheapest possible way. I don't have any older samples to know if this used to be better quality. Do not be fooled by the nice smelling opening at a store - you will have to re-apply this constantly. Ridiculously overpriced for this drugstore cologne quality. 4/10

had all the right notes for me to fall in love. initial spray brought me way back to my art teacher's studio as a child. smells exactly like the canvas, sun lit old wooden room inside an old church. there is a sharpness from the incense, chemical acrylic paint, and oil paint cleaner. unfortunately the dry down is horrid and smells like straight patchouli, all the complexity dissipates in about 20 minutes. heartbreaking 3