Celebrating green: Jade and Verde from A Wing and a Prayer Perfumes - And a Prize Draw!

By Donna

Summer may be winding down, but as a fan of green notes in perfume, I enjoy wearing such fragrances all year round and not just when it's hot. I don't usually wear lighter cologne style greens when it's cool, but there are others with all-season versatility. Two new natural scents by A Wing and a Prayer Perfumes are exactly that, and on top of that they are both excellent.

Jade is literally a breath of fresh air with a most delightfully breezy beginning; it's like someone opened a window on a spring morning after a rain and let all the smells of a meadow come rushing in. It has a good dose of lavender in it yet it is not a predominantly lavender fragrance. It is difficult to make this distinctive material play well with others without taking all their toys and lunch money away and hogging the spotlight, but perfumer Jane Cate manages this feat deftly. Rose geranium, which can be too sharp sometimes, is tempered by a soft notes of jasmine, lilac and linden and its own natural affinity to the lavender. Bright citrus notes keep everything vividly alive throughout the life of the perfume. Jade's inspiration was the cool translucent green of celadon jade, a universally pleasing color, and the perfume is just as easy to love.

When I first tested these fragrances, I thought I like Jade better than Verde, but now that I have lived in both of them for a while I find them equally inviting. Verde is drier, more sedate, and although it is more restrained than the exuberant Jade, it has an appealing, puckery juiciness from Meyer lemon and yuzu that persists through the entirety of its development. This is certainly a unisex scent (both of them are, really) and ideal for men who want something clean and citrus-based without resorting to the boredom of mainstream sporty masculines. It is also minty, a leafy, intensely green effect, like the tiny-leaved Corsican mint that grows in damp shady gardens. Fear not the dreaded toothpaste note, for you will not find it here - this is the mint of crushed leaves and iced tea on a hot summer night and is very easy to live with. The galbanum in this perfume is also understated; it is one of my favorite materials, and while it contributes its unique crispness to the composition, it maintains a delicate balance with the rest. If you love a good green scent, you need to try Verde. Its longevity is not as good as Jade's, but that is the nature of this style of perfume, and it is wonderful while it lasts. After all, you can always splash on some more!

I have to mention another upcoming product from this house too – the new White Tea soy candle is on of the nicest scented candles I know of, with a refreshing yet calming lightly green aroma. It will scent a room even if it's not burning, and since it's all-natural it will not be overpowering. This candle will be a holiday limited edition beginning in November, so watch out for it; all products from this house can be purchased at the A Wing and a Prayer Etsy shop.

And now for the best part: A Wing and a Prayer Perfumes is generously offering a ¼ ounce bottle of your choice of either Jade or Verde all natural perfume. (This offer is only open to residents of the continental U.S due to mailing restrictions, so please do not enter if you live elsewhere.) Leave a comment below stating that you would like to be in the draw, and please tell us what other green perfumes you enjoy if you so desire. This draw will be open for one week from the date of this post. Good luck!

Image credit: Leaf design from terawallpaper.com

Disclosure: The perfume samples and candle were sent to me for testing by A Wing and a Prayer Perfumes.