Natural perfumer Jane Cate of A Wing & A Prayer Perfumes has captured summer and its regal green warmth in her new perfume release “Plush”, and has not forgotten man’s best friend either. I was very intrigued when I read the notes and saw galbanum was to be central to this scent along with an herbal-floral aura. I was even more intrigued and amazed that Ms. Cate has not only released a summer scent for us, but also a fragrance for our four-legged canine family members as well. All of this company’s products are hand-made from the purest natural ingredients and essences. Perfumes have denatured alcohol and/or oil of jojoba, depending on product.

Often times, when one sniffs perfume one can be wafted away to some place in one’s mind or reminded of something familiar, historical or emotional. Plush took me not so much to a place, as it did to a song. My all-time favorite band ever is Jethro Tull. My favorite album is 1977’s “Songs from the Wood” where each and every tune had something to do with the forest. Side 2, Song 1 (back when we actually listened to vinyl record albums) was called “(Walking on) Velvet Green” and told the story of walking through soft green valleys, fertile meadows and shadows of woods, as cattle lowed in the distance, with one you fancied. As the walk went on, both you and your sweet become more frisky and free. Before you know it, the dawn is breaking and you are both awakened by the morning summer sun, having walked all the night upon velvet green. You may walk home cold and alone on dew kissed green, but the memory of that late evening walk will live with you forever.

This scent opens brightly and happily with red mandarin and bergamot; yet it is not your typical citric overture, due to the rosewood’s added clean and dry woodiness. Sweet and fresh with a bitter twist, these opening notes set the stage for the walk along the forest’s edge as the sun begins to set and the sky becomes smeared with vermilion, orange, magenta and amber. The verdant scent of the forest creeps in as the shadows grow longer, and the air a bit cooler.

As the sun itself disappears behind the mountains, its warm final glow touches the evening flowers caressing from them their purest sweetest aromas. Soft and creamy neroli and jasmine frolic gaily with rich rose and tropical ylang ylang. Soft clove buds add an underlying hint of spice to smooth iris as the essences blend to make a heavenly balmy floral wind that lingers without being obnoxious or too flowery. The balance of spice, wood and warmth here is perfect for offsetting the usually feminine feel of the “power flower” notes. Despite the fact that most of the major floral notes in perfumery are used here, Plush is utterly and delightfully unisex. It finds a superb balance of scent that truly transcends gender, it just is. Here, our lovers lie down on velvet green…male and female entwined as one.

Throughout most of my initial wearing of this scent, I detected hints of green, hiding somewhere just beyond where I could sniff directly. As the floral notes of the heart began to dry, a mossy thick soft bed of base notes began to appear, earning this perfume its name. Grassy green vetiver fused with resinous sharp green galbanum and steely orris root create a verdant velveteen aura when underscored by gentle musk, cozy vanilla and sensual sandalwood.  Here also is the fusion of warmth and life and love against a backdrop of woods green and starry night sky. This amazingly blended fragrance is as comfortable and relaxed as it is refined and elegant. Sillage: above average. Longevity: good.

The month of August is one of those months. No “real” holidays, long hot sweltering days and you just know summer is getting ready to go. On the first of this month Ms. Cate has given us another weapon to lift the heaviness and doldrums of the “dog days” of August: Eau de PAWfume, her first fragrance for dogs. Well, it’s not JUST for dogs because we get to enjoy it too. To a base of steam distilled water and clear jojoba oil the perfumer has added pure essential oils of lavender, rose and geranium: flowers known not only to smell great, but also to possess antiseptic, softening and anti-parasitic qualities. As far as aromatherapy is concerned this would be a calming, loving and energizing blend.

Lavender, also called fleabane, has been used to repel fleas and biting insects for centuries. It also adds cleanness to the overall soft floral scent. Rose is love, we all know, but it is also a softener and mild cleanser as rose water has been used in beauty rituals for ages. Geraniums add a charming hint of spice and green to this making it fit for “Baby Doll” as it is for “Buster”. On initially spritzing this in your hands, it smells really floral. The preferred method to apply this is to spray 3-4 sprays in your palms and rub them together. Then, after the scent is warmed and blended, you rub it into your pooch’s belly and neck area.

I cannot attest to its anti-bug properties as my dogs get monthly flea and tick medication. I can however remark that I never got the dreaded “sneeze” I usually get when applying mostly synthetic fragrances; my dog’s version of “Really…you’re wearing THAT??!” I can also say that after applying Eau de PAWfume to my mother’s very high strung Jack Russell/Beagle mix, she was much calmer than normal and didn’t even rub all over the carpet, like she normally does when we have tried any other canine line of scent on her. Pure, natural and beneficial: worth every penny at $25 US for 120 ml, while smelling simply divine. Woof!  Sillage: below average. Longevity: quite good.

Disclosure: Reviews based on bottles sent to me by A Wing & A Prayer Perfumes.

Thanks to Jane Cate and A Wing & A Prayer Perfumes we have a reader’s choice for a full bottle of Eau de PAWfume or a 7.5mL edp of Plush. The draw is for US readers only. To be eligible leave a comment on how you make it through the Dog Days of August. The draw will end on August 16, 2013.

We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.

–John Reasinger, Senior Editor