Nest Citrine and Verde | Fragrance Review

I will take a moment of awestruck silence to appreciate the impeccable, the exquisite perfection of the Nest fragrance packaging. This is the marriage of the dark, pensive, and utterly enchanting floral/botanical paper mosaics of 18th century British artist Mary Delany and the sophisticated, sleek design  and aesthetic inclinations of Nest. Look at this beauty. Revel in it. Dream of it.

As that raving may suggest, I was very taken with the packaging, and so convinced that the potions within would convey the dark beauty of the imagery without. I was very afraid that I would love the fragrance and the bottle so much as to buy a full size. Instead, I got free samples, and I will review them below.

Citrine - eau de parfum

"The dewy softness of lotus flower and freesia are set against sparkling citrus notes and hints of precious woods.

Notes: Lemon Blossom, Lotus Flower, Freesia, Dew Drop Accord, Precious Woods. 

Style: Bright. Refreshing. Sparkling." - Nest

What is that plant (suspiciously similar to French broom, and certainly not a note) doing on this packaging, other than to look pretty? This scent is lovely, sunny, and effervescent. It's fresh and it's lively, but certainly not a complex fragrance. Perhaps my skin gobbles up light florals with citrus notes, but Citrine is, unfortunately, a simple little scent, something that would be wonderful as a candle or a diffuser in a sun-drenched room. Sillage and longevity are minimal.

Verde - eau de parfum

"Exceptionally fresh and green, this woody scent is a true departure from a floral fragrance. Capture the crisp essences of wild fern and Himalayan cedar combined with verbena leaves and vetiver.

Notes: Wild fern, Himalayan Cedar, Verbena Leaves and Vetiver

Style: Fresh" - Nest

The solemn ferns suggest a fougere, and I was hoping for deep, dreamy woods. I like green scents, but found unfortunately that Verde was not to my taste. A traditional fougere ("fern-like") has top notes of lavender and fern, and is grounded by oakmoss and tonka bean, and is supposedly a unisex or masculine fragrance. Without these notes, Verde was all simple greenery, and reminded me much more of men's deodorant than a mysterious forest. However, unlike screaming green ultra sweat control deodorant, Verde was gone in a snap, with neither sillage nor longevity. The verbena yielded to the ferns on the dry-down, and fortunately, I could detect no vetiver. I wanted to love Citrine and Verde, but it was not meant to be!