If you read Roxana’s blog post regarding her inspiration for GreenWitch, you will find it was named after the book “GreenWitch” by Susan Cooper. It so moved Roxana, that she shifted her creation of a green perfume with an oakmoss base, a chypre (Sheep-ra) in other words, to one a little more oceanic. I appreciate chypres and their fascinating history in perfumery, but they are not my first choice in terms of perfume categories. But GreenWitch is not your typical chypre in a way that will pique the interest of chypre enthusiasts and garner the curiosity of chypre-skeptics. And isn’t today, the first day of Spring, the perfect day to savor a lush-green perfume?
GreenWitch introduces herself decidedly as a chypre with oakmoss, galbanum and a handful of crushed violet leaves and rose petals. The fragrance opening is full, but not sharp. This allows for ease when you sit in her presence, even though you’re not quite sure where you might be lead.
Watery teal was Roxana’s color choice for the art and beautiful hand-crocheted pouch that houses GreenWitch. Apropos since the oakmoss takes on a seaside tone with a vaguely nutty, salty air that vetiver and tonka can both lend. It also develops other floral nuances like boronia and honeysuckle. There are many, many essences in GreenWitch. Far too many to list here. Boronia is on that list, but not honeysuckle. Yet that is what I sense. Could it be that mimosa, ylang ylang and beeswax, which are in the notes, meld together in this fragrance to create a honeysuckle accord? I’m not sure, but I do know that the sweet green nectar of honeysuckle finds its way into my nose everytime I wear GreenWitch. Ultimately, the summery honeysuckle sugar gives way to boronia’s balsamic violet hue which is bright, sumptuous, and augments the green woods of oakmoss.
Wearing GreenWitch after several hours is like a day at the beach coming to a close. It’s the scent of warm skin, salt in your hair, and suntan lotion that barely lingers on your body. Probably not what you’d think from a perfume that started off straight-up chypre. There is a nod to that beginning though, after about six hours of wear when a delicious soapy green freshness develops.It has incredible sillage and staying power which lengthens the fragrance’s evolution, and GreenWitch might well be Roxana’s most multi-layered perfume yet.
GreenWitch is available at Esty. $150 for a 7gm flacon and $25 for a 1gm vial. Each flacon sold will give a percentage to Green Peace.
Please visit these other blogs for their impressions of GreenWitch.
Roxana and Davis at the Illuminated Perfume Journal
Posted by ~Trish
Photos and images ©Roxana Villa and ©Greg Spalenka.
thefloraesthetic.com 
I am so very tempted by this. I love the story behind the fragrance too.
GL,
I wish I had read the book, and will need to do so at some point to get the full GreenWitch experience. Nevertheless, it’s a compelling fragrance that is worth trying.
~T
Wow, this sounds so amazing. I can’t wait to be able to sample some of these gorgeous-sounding and looking fragrances. Everything about the descriptions and stories behind the perfumes as well as their beautiful presentation appeal to me very much indeed!
Laura,
Be sure to read what everyone else wrote, as my experience of GreenWitch is definitely my own you know? I’m off to read the others’ to see what they thought!
~Trish
Mmmmm. Smelling like a day on the beach? Oh yes. 🙂
I definitely need to get a sample of this.
A day at the beach for me! That’s what I felt after several wearings 🙂
Thanks for reading!
~T
I have long appreciated how Roxana takes the time to draw the story of her perfume creations…”penning” both word and visual image behind an olfactory experience. Greenwitch is one I have been anticipating for quite a while…hints have been coming for what, a year? now; clearly the alchemist has been doggedly pursuing her work….
While I am a big fan of the traditional chypre, I also very much enjoy permutations and mutations of it. Am looking forward to experiencing Greenwitch’s morph. (Which prompts a special note of appreciation for the 1ml vial option.)
Thanks for the review.
I am with you, I enjoy the chypre-spins as well. It’s clear Roxana worked long and hard on this fragrance as its unique to her collection, complex and gorgeous!
~T
Trish,
Reading each of these blog posts is like opening Christmas presents, what fun! Thank you for sharing your impressions of GreenWitch, I love that the notes in the perfume created alchemy with your chemistry to produce a beachy floral aspect. WOW!
~R~
R,
I just commented on Beth’s blog that when GW’s heart emerged, I was taken back to those summer days in Laguna Beach. I was always so sad when our time was over there. What a gorgeous memory, thank you!
~T
Trish, I find your impressions to be fascinating – you picked out more of the florals than I did. It’s all lovely though! I was just “swimming” in all that wonderful green stuff. The “beachy” part is like a REAL beach, I just love it!
Flora,
It does change somewhat each time I wear GW, but I always get a beachy, salty, floral vibe. Almost like a chypre take on Tiempe Passat.
Thanks so much for reading 🙂
~T
Beachy !
You lucky dog…
I smelled beach at first, but then I became the Fern Queen..;-0
This one has so much deth, and so many facets.
Be well, dear lady .
I’m sure you’re just gorgeous as a Fern Queen!! 😉
Indeed GW is complex and I’m sure it will morph a little bit each time I wear it.
Hugs,
T
I’m thinking I might need this..
Indeed, it’s full bottle worthy.
Trish,
This review is so lovely! I too found the beach so evident in this scent, I couldn’t get over it! Those days spent in her company are among my favorites. I can barely stand to ever leave California and I always have to say goodbye to Tethys before I leave and thank her for taking such good care of my son….What fun it is to share in creating these experiences with you all!
Beth,
Thank you so much. GW just exudes California doesn’t it? I am so glad I am going to Kauai on Monday because my longing for the sea is intensifying by the moment 🙂
~Trish