Andy discovers how refreshing and uplifting Elizabeth Arden’s Green Tea can be.
Potent is the last word I’d associate with Elizabeth Arden’s Green Tea, yet when I first tried it, it felt like a jolt of something refreshing and uplifting. It was very early in my fragrance journey, when I wanted to build a small fragrance wardrobe without spending too much. I can remember picking up a bottle of Green Tea for $10 during a sweltering May heat wave, ravenously ripping the packaging open in my overheated car, and spraying myself liberally. To this day, I still reach for Green Tea whenever I need some immediate relief from the heat, or for no reason at all, because it is both refreshingly simple and pleasantly sparkling.
Elizabeth Arden launched Green Tea in 1999, following dozens of other fragrances (like Tommy Girl and Ck One) inthe trendsetting footsteps of Bulgari’s Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert. But in comparison to Thé Vert’s nuanced, misty interpretation of green tea, Elizabeth Arden’s Green Tea, composed by Francis Kurkdjian, smells somewhat one-dimensional. As a result, Green Tea can be considered neither revolutionary nor particularly outstanding in composition, but instead it seems to me a study in technical expertise, of making the most out of a formula that is composed of relatively few ingredients while still smelling complete.
The main impression of Green Tea balances tart citrus and rhubarb with a touch of floral sweetness. Essentially an Eau de Cologne, Green Tea does not undergo an enormous transformation on skin. Upon first spray, a mix of effervescent citruses and lightly crisp green notes provides sparkling refreshment, quickly joined by a touch of mint and some light sweetness that I associate with jasmine. The fragrance remains a balance of tart green fruitiness, zingy citrus, and sheer, minty jasmine for as long as it noticeably persists, usually no more than a few hours or less for me. Ultimately, without knowing the name, I would be less likely to associate Green Tea with its namesake beverage than with a pleasing summer cocktail accented by a sprig of fresh mint, citrus wedges, and plenty of fizzy bubbles—though I’m not complaining!
With its fairly low price point, I don’t mind the fact that Green Tea has little lasting power. Green Tea is devoid of much nuance and mystery, but it makes up for that with its open simplicity and easy charm. For especially hot days, I’ve taken a note from Victoria and keep a bottle in the refrigerator, and then apply it generously like a body spray for instant chilled refreshment. So far, it’s the only improvement I can find on the pick-me-up effect that Green Tea already has.
Elizabeth Arden Green Tea includes notes of rhubarb, mint, orange peel, bergamot, lemon, carnation, musk, jasmine, oakmoss, white amber, fennel, caraway, amber, musk, green tea, jasmine, cloves, oakmoss, and celery seeds. Available at Elizabeth Arden department store counters.
