Omnia Green Jade is the third flanker to 2005's Omnia by Bvlgari (it follows Omnia Crystalline and Omnia Amethyste), and it was reportedly "inspired by the idea of an early spring morning"*. I'm a fan of the Omnia franchise — Omnia Amethyste left me cold, but I love the original Omnia and "really like" Omnia Crystalline — so I was looking forward to smelling the latest entry in the series. That it was geared young ("...the fragrance is aimed at a younger, more contemporary target consumer"**) was a little worrisome, since we all know that "young" in perfume-speak can sometimes translate as "candied" or "not for the discerning".
Turns out Omnia Green Jade is something else entirely: it's the lightest and freshest of them all, although since some people have trouble smelling Omnia and/or Omnia Crystalline at all, your mileage may vary. It's a wearable, safe-for-the-office, casual (and not at all feminine: anyone could wear it) fragrance, but it's not what I'd call distinctive, in fact, it's rather hard to describe other than "fresh", "green", "clean". It's crisp and citrus-y in the opening, but it softens rapidly. There is a bit of nutty warmth in the pale, woody-musky dry down (the notes: green mandarin, spring water, white peony, nasturtium, pear blossom, jasmine, pistachio, white woods and musk).
March at Perfume Posse correctly notes that it has a tea vibe, as do many of the Bvlgari fragrances — this could be a muted variation on their own (already muted) Thé Vert or Thé Blanc. While Omnia Green Jade is just fine if you're looking for something light and inoffensive, I'd recommend either of the tea scents first, and for that matter, if you want something light and clean but with an extra dash of pizazz, you might try Thierry Mugler Cologne, which as it happens was made by the same perfumer who developed all the Omnia scents, Alberto Morillas.
Bvlgari Omnia Green Jade can be found in 25, 40 and 65 ml Eau de Toilette.
*via Women's Wear Daily, 12/5/2008.
Oooh, I'm first! Thanks for the link. And thanks to you I *finally* tried the Mugler cologne, which I know you love and somehow I keep failing to run across. It's delicious, it will be perfect this summer.
And yes, I'd take one of those teas before Jade. Crystalline is, weirdly, my favorite.
HA — and I was literally just now commenting at Perfume Posse!
The TM is always hiding at the men's counter, because as we know that's where they stick almost all the unisex stuff. A very kind person sent me a kind of travel spray that lays on it's side (no base) and so now it's in my purse at all times & can spray it on others at will, LOL…
By some miracle, I managed to squeeze a sample of this from a Harrods SA. By another miracle, I can actually smell it! I get green/fresh/tea/unisex…and a drydown that reminds me strangely of Prada Infusion d'Iris. This would be a very nice summer scent.
And just to add…I SOOOOO want the model's earrings!
Oh geez, those earrings a gorgeous!
I smelled this on a young lady a couple of Saturdays ago. There was a light breeze, it was a warm day, and the sillage wafting from her was simply delightful. I did not let the moment pass, as I usually do, and I asked her what she was wearing. Good start!
The next day I visited my favorite SA at Nordstrom. I sprayed myself prodigiously with the OJ, and she made me a sample. It smelled really fresh and lovely. Good beginning!
Then it turned…and it literally turned into just another boring, generic department store flanker.
The end!
I was thinking the other day how good the Bvlgari line is overall – must be one of my favourite designer houses. There's Femme, and Black and Crystalline and Jasmin Noir as out and out top picks for me, but Omnia is okay, as is Voile de Jasmine – even Rose Essentielle isn't horrible, though by no means the best rose on the block. And then there is the tea range of course. AND Eau Parfumee Eau Extreme – in fact, Bvlgari might even be shaping up to be my favourite designer house, and I have yet to try Omnia Green Jade! I avoided Amethyste, on the basis that anything purple must be suspect by analogy with Vera Wang Princess and SJP Covet Pure Bloom.
I love many of Bvlgari's scents and wear Omnia, Vert and Blanc.
I think they do “discreet” (the musk and tea scents) very well. and you're right, if you're looking for something light and inoffensive, that's the way to go. I tried Omnia Jade and liked it but not enough to buy, which good in my case…..
VanillaGirl, a sample, congrats! No easy task in Harrods, I understand.
I want those earrings too! And the ones in the Amethyste ad.
A money-saving story, R…not always a bad thing!
I think she has an in at Bvlgari 😉
Agree — in general, they do a great job. And even this one is well done, just a bit dull perhaps.
I didn't much care for Amethyste, but I'd take it in a heartbeat over VWP or SJPCFB !!
Yes, they do do a great job with “discreet” — and do think Vert & Blanc are great scents all around.
I kind of think all the Bulgaris are overrated. I tried just about all of them and they reminded me of Drugstore scents. The Vert Extreme was a little interesting, in that it smelled pretty bad on me intitally, too green or citrusy and then turned into something else that still was not that pleasant but the process of completely changing into a different scent was very cuious.(As Alice would say)
But… on another note, I treated myself to a bottle of Chanel No.5 for the holidays, taking a chance, because the few times I sprayed some on myself, I either left the counter sneezing or not impressed (maybe it's an old bottle problem?). Anyway, I'm absolutely in love with it and it's the Big Kahuna on my bureau at the moment. Now I get it when everyone says “Classic scent”.
OK, now how about reviewing the OTHER Jade… that Olivier Durbano thing? Nothing like a slew of confusing launches.
This Bvlgari definitely sounds boring (I really don't enjoy the few of their recent scents I've tried, though Thé Vert is great), but I'm seriously curious about the OD. From all the comment buzz lately, sounds like I'm going to have to try Bvlgari Black at some point also.
I'm with january… the line just doesn't really do anything for me, especially the men's scents. As I mention in my own comment, Thé Vert is nice, and I want to get another sniff of Jasmin Noir, but otherwise, I always get a very synthetic/cheap vibe from them. Not sure why.
January13, interesting — we have the opposite reaction, I would have called them underrated (by perfumistas, anyway). To each his own, and congrats on your Chanel no. 5!
I'm with you in thinking that some of the Bvlgari are underrated, especially Black which I find so unique and very wearable (once you get past the initial shock of the rubber note) A real unique stroke of genius in my book.
Thank you for reviewing this. I love both Omnia and Omnia Crystalline, so every time I go into Sephora I sniff Amytheste and Green Jade hoping that they'll magically transform into something I love, but it never happens. That said, I do think this fits nicely into the “family”; the woods/musk combo reminds me of Crystalline but just lighter and less interesting. They DO keep getting lighter and lighter, don't they? I want Omnia Onyx next! Or Omnia Homme… maybe that would have more bite.
Oooh – this reminds me. I received a sample of Omnia Crystalline with a perfume order a couple of years ago and loved it – but forgot about it! This has brought it back to memory and I plan to revisit it [and will test the original and the other flankers while I'm at it just for the fun of it].
I was excited to see this review! I took the time the other day to really smell all four Omnias. I decided Crystalline didn't seem to do anything for me, on the card at least, and Amethyst didn't seem interesting enough. So I tried Omnia and Jade on my skin. I didn't mind Omnia, but it seemed to fall flat on my skin. Jade, on the other hand, was amazing! I love the scent. And in fact, I think I'm going to buy a bottle as soon as I'm able.
Black is kick-ass – it is the only scent I bought last year while I was still at the store only a little while after spritzing. I usually go home and think about it a while – didn't need to think about Black!
I have Bvlgari Blv – is it even still around? My Dad picked it for me and I find it very pleasant and easy to wear, which I guess I a lot of these are. I need to check out more of the line.
How in the world can you all see those earrings??! Is there a larger pic somewhere? hmmm maybe the manufacturer site? I'll have to go look….seems a 18mm jade drop…..maybe my eyesight is going……
well, now I see there is a much better pic at the Bvlgari site. Yup, they're purty alright….but how would they look with blue jeans?
I try to like Black, I really do – I even admire it, but I just can't wear it. I tried it again today and I never get past the rubber note – even in the far, far dry down, it still smells like a bicycle tire to me. I can almost catch a hint of something else beneath it, but it mostly smells like rubber. I don't know if I'm super-sensitive to whatever it is that's making the rubber smell or what, but it never turns into anything I can enjoy having on.
I'd wear them with jeans!
Platinum, Black is a sort of little miracle — about the last thing you'd expect from a jewelry house.
Oh well — as you say, $$ saved!
Joe, OD Jade is in my purgatory box! I didn't love it, didn't hate it. I'll pull it out again one of these days.
Hey, Onyx is a great idea!
Wonder how it will smell…I've discarded several samples that didn't seem to hold up well over time.
Glad you love it ! Won't be at the discounters for awhile yet, I guess, in fact, not sure I've seen Amethyste marked down yet (although haven't actively looked).
Thanks for sharing the drydown story. If you say so, then I dont have to try it. 🙂 Better stay safe with our niche perfumes. 🙂
I agree mostly with you on the Omnias, but I must take exception with Bulgari Black !!!
Smelt and love this too. Will soon add it to mum's existing collection of Omnia Amethyst and Crystalline.
If you ever come across the BLV Extreme give it a go. I think it is better than the original.
The 3 bottles together will look nice!
Right on! I wear everything with jeans —and I MAKE jewelry so you know I have an enormous selection of things to wear with my jeans —-my friends joke me about it but they know how I am.
If I'm goin “fancy” I wear black jeans….with black sneakers of course…. : )
It is the same for me Cynthia. Nothing but a HOT bicycle tire and ashphalt….and it stays the same….at least for the 40 minutes I was able to stand it before I started scrubbing. Saved me money too….for about 10 minutes which is how long it takes for me to read about something else I'd like to try (and most likely want to buy!) But I've still got that Bvlgari Black sample in the fridge so I'm sure I'll drag it back out and try it again, maybe in a couple months…if only to remind myself.
I used that sample up soon after I received it – I will have revisit the scent again, and check out the others, next time I'm @ Nordstom's or Sephora. Something to look forward to. 😉
Ok, this dries down to Light Blue. To my nose it's not similar, it's the exact copy…
I don't get all that apple from it, but yeah, it's certainly the same style!
My mother bought Omnia Green Jade for me. I had never tried any of the Omnia line, previously. I am a sucker for packaging and bottles, and I don’t think I like the bottle or packaging for this line, and always passed them by. I think the Green Jade is very pretty, light and clean. I like it quite a lot, and get a lot of compliments from other women when I wear it.
So glad you like it! Do try the other Omnias, they’re worth checking out.
I was keen to test this as a very good value coffret is now available online. Alas, I thought this was the strongest of the Omnia flankers – the jasmine (possibly combined with the nasturtium) just cut right through the fragrance and it was just all very high-pitched and “buzzy” on my skin. Sadly, jasmine is not a note I want to smell in my perfumes.
Oh, too bad! I wish I’d found more jasmine.
I really like Omnia Crystalline, and I haven’t had the opportunity to try the original. Green Jade starts out really light and clean, with some citrus, but it’s so light as to be almost imperceptible for me (not sure if there’s something there that I can’t smell or that it’s just that light). However, it seems to intensify a bit later and musky notes come out, but the citrus is still there. (note that this is on a paper strip.. haven’t actually tried this one on my skin).
I did try on Amethyste, and that one didn’t do much on my skin at all. I just didn’t smell much of anything.