The Hesperides

[wyldeflower]

The Hesperides are the Nymphs of the Evening who dwell in a verdant garden located in the Arcadian Mountains, guarded by the terrible three-headed dragon, Ladon. Within their garden lives the tree that bears Hera’s sacred Golden Apples. Their perfume is that of sturdy oak bark, dew-kissed leaves, twilight mist and crisp apple.

The Hesperides is one of the first scents I tried and it still amazes me how a scent can bring back memories!

I applied the oil to my wrists and took a whiff. My eyes involuntarily close, and I instantly see my best friend and I, 20 to 25 years younger, playing outside at her house which sits on the edge of woods. There are several golden apple trees, and some have fallen to the ground. It is sunny and warm outside, accentuating the aroma of the apples and the dampness of the ground in the woods where the sun hasn't reached yet.

This scent is sweet, golden light that encapsulates the innocence of childhood. Edited July 22, 2006 by Shollin

[grrrlennyl]

at first: lots of apple and something watery.

on: super apple!!!

2.5 hours later: a soft, apply scent. this reminds me of one of the strawberry shortcake dolls i had when i was little.

4 hours later: light and apply.

overall: i'm not sure about this one. the apple is pretty fun and light, but i'm not sure if it's really me.

[themerrybaker]

Couldn’t wait to try this one: oak, leaves, & apples = yum. Before it’s dry, there is a rubbing alcohol odor. At first it is intense oaky sap. Imagine a cross between an oak tree and a fire hydrant – beaucoup gushing sap. This is not very nice at first.

 

 

But patience is a virtue!! After dry, the apples come out (hoping for those) and the scent gets a little sweeter. Ripe apples and wood deliver on the yum.

 

 

This is an unusual and wearable scent and definitely a candidate for a big bottle.

 

[medvssa]

This smells SO synthetic on me (and also on the imp...)

 

I tried to wait to see if it changed, first it smelled like rubber, then fake apple candy, ugh, and I wanted to like this one so much... I had to wash it off after half an hour, it made me sick. There was some smell lingering all the afternoon though, and I didn't like it at all

[WidgetAlley]

Frimp from the Lab-- so pleased I'm able to try the mercurial Hesperides.

 

In the Imp: Very crisp, tart apple. So crisp and tart, in fact, that it's almost a little astringent and unpleasant. Reminds me a bit of apple body products, and... is there birch in here? I'm getting a hint of that distinctive golden fizzy note. There's something green underneath, too, piercing but dry.... the bark, I'll assume. It's... okay, I guess. Not hideous but not great, either-- it feels almost as though there needs to be something to anchor it, like some dirt or moss. Maybe something a little heavier will pop out on my skin? *hopeful*

 

Wet: Ugh. Sour apple candy..... or potpourri...... no, that's not quite right. This is APPLE on my skin, but it's so apple-ish that it completely oversteps the bounds of realistic apple fragrance and becomes almost nauseating. It's like unripe apple and melted sour apple candy and apple perfume all swirled together, backed by a touch of sassafras-like birch. Almost..... rancid, or fermented. The throw is a little nicer; more sugary cooked apples than sickly-sweet fruit.

 

Dry: Still apple, birch, and a faint greenness. The overwhelming nature of this has died down a little, making it more bearable, but there's an unpleasant perfumey note I don't like, and the whole thing still has a faintly artificial vibe. I can see how it would be absolutely stunning on someone whose skin chem worked with this particular apple note (like a crisp day in early fall), but that person is definitely not me. I'll stick it in the Boy's pile, he might like it, or if he doesn't-- swaps.

[Neely]

In the bottle: apple with something smokey underneath.

 

Wet: apple and something smokey along with a wintergreen. Hmm, that is interesting.

 

Dry Down: wintergreen which registers as wintery or cold, still smokey. Not much apple coming through at this point, which is disappointing, bu not terrible.

 

30 minutes: apple wine, with a clean undertone, like a light floral. Like Samhain's Springtime sister. Samhain without the tobacco.

 

Conclusion: this is a lovely scent, very fresh. But after a couple of hours it turned into apple pastry with flowers. I wish it had stayed more apple, I would have loved it. Maybe I will just reapply so it doesn't get to the pastry stage. Must contemplate if I want to go to the trouble.

 

Rating 1-5 on my skin, this is a 3.5.

[storme]

In the imp: Wow, I can totally smell the bark, and the apple. Less dewy-apple-filled-orchard, more like the scent of apples starting to rot after falling to the ground, but still.

 

On me, wet: Hmm, now it's powdery apples and bark. Slightly sour, slightly sharp, making my eyes water. Grf.

 

On me, dry: Sweetening up a bit, it smells like sugary apple confectionary - like I've been scofffing sour-apple-flavoured candy on the sly. It's quite tasty, but sorta distracting - my teeth keep tensing for the onrush of sugar, if nothing else.

 

Verdict: I don't really think I need to smell like this. It makes me hungry for sugary things, and I think I'm fully capable of inducing that hunger without the help of perfume.

[cameroncrazed]

In the imp: freshly sliced slightly-tart apples - I'm thinking maybe Granny Smith?

On the skin:

0-5 min: Smells just like an apple pie being assembled - fresh, juicy apple slices + slight sprinkling of cinnamon and nutmeg + drizzle of honey -- ohhh, this is glorious

5-30 min: Mmm, caramel apples. Gooey, sticky candy-coated apples just dripping caramel everywhere.

30 min+: Much, much lighter now. Picking up on that dewy orchard scent - can still get the apple and an occasional whiff of caramel, but it's mostly orchard now.

 

Overall: Absolutely wonderful. Very "light" on me, not at all strong or overpowering. Will probably be getting a big bottle of this soon. Only complaint is that I'm craving a caramel apple now.

[erin.kogan]

I was lucky enough to get double-imp'd on this one from some ebay purchases.

It wasn't on my top 10 list to order next, but wowee!

It's gorgeous.

On my skin it's all crisp apple, like a granny smith that's been kept in the fridge, with some smoky flavor underneath, and a hint of that springtime smell right as it starts to rain.

Big bottle incoming!

[abejita]

I brew mead, and this scent is like nothing more than a well-brewed cyser (apple mead), aged on oak. It's crisp with a hint of sweetness, but saved from being candy-like by the oak. I noticed that it lasted about four hours on my skin, but I wore it in my scent locket too.

 

As a side note, my students (ages 3-6) gave this one an enthusiastic, "¡Maestra, me gusta mucho!"

[Clare-Dragonfly]

In the bottle: Mmm. Yummy. Not sure what I’m smelling, but I think there’s apple, and maybe chocolate? It’s nice.

 

On me: Darker. Funky. That is the only word I can think of to describe this, and I don’t mean the funky smell of feet, I just mean funky. I definitely smell apple peel here. Not the apple itself, just the peel, and also the stem.

 

Later: This seems to have faded and softened just a tiny bit, and it continues to be delicious. I think I’m getting a headache from it, though. I hope it’s not this dear scent’s fault! I could have a headache for no real reason… Mmm, apples and honey. Oh, it smells like Rosh Hashanah!

 

This lasts a good several hours and smells delicious the entire time. It really does smell like golden apples—I’m impressed. A definite keeper!

[harmonyfb]

In the imp, it was a light, apple-y scent.

 

The moment it touched my skin? Cleaning fluid. It was vile. Off to swap.

Edited April 9, 2006 by harmonyfb

[Medici]

In the imp: Green, crunchy apples and oak. Miam miam! There's a little bit of smokiness to it too - leaves? I am appreciating this muchly already.

 

Wet: Mmmm apple and that smokey leaf scent. The apples are juicy and crisp, and the smell makes me want to salivate. Damn this is incredible. That little hint of smokiness makes it just a little bit more refined.

 

Drydown: Oak barrel and apples. What an awesome combination for summer.

 

Verdict: I would not say no to a big bottle of this.

 

4/5 on Medici's Scale o' Lurrrve

Edited April 27, 2006 by Medici

[joiedecombat]

In the bottle, the scent is juicy apple with a bit of candy-sweetness. Freshly applied, however, the woody note jumps in and adds a bitterness to the fragrance; the candy sweetness vanishes and the scent is sharply that of apple peel.

 

The bitterness recedes as it dries down, and the apple scent takes prominence again, but the scent still puts me more in mind of apple peel than anything else, in a very interesting way. It's refreshing, once the bitterness has died down a little.

[bodegaselkie]

I had forgotten about the oak note in Hesperides, so when I put it on this morning I was wondering what the buttery-earthy note in the scent was. On me, this is very much apple-oak; the apple was neither too sweet nor too tart, and the earthy oak fades off. Unfortunately, Hesperides doesn't last long -- it faded within a few hours. But it's lovely.

[eviltemptressdq]

mmm... i sniffed this bottle, and had to have it!

 

in the bottle? apple

on me? apple!

 

dry? Still apple! It smells like a green apple to me, and it lasted quite a while for me as well...

 

LOVE IT!

[HennaFairy]

bottle:

apple floral

 

wet:

smokey/musky apples

 

dry:

this bothers my throat, I can't wear it.

 

overall:

I didn't like it on the skin nearly as much, and I guess I'm allergic.

 

rating: 2/10

[AliBabble]

an always-appreciated frimp from the lab.

out of imp and wet on skin: very sharp, tart, astringent apple.

as it dries: softens and sweetens into a mellower apple sauce.

dry: apple with something mellow or musky mixed in: apples in custard.

as time wears on: less apple, more of a vague indistinct sweetness.

outcome: this isn't one i would have gravitated to, but i do like it! it is juicy, fresh and pretty. doesn't last long, and the smell it turns into is a bit nondescript, when the apples wear off. still, i'll probably wear it now and again, when i'm in an apple mood.

[Elrianra]

In the bottle, this is wood and spilt apple juice - both sweet and disconcerting. On me wet, it's apples gone bad and a faint overtone of dried oak and moldy leaves. *sneezes* As it dries, the mildew tones fade and the apples become sickly sweet, not so much a "crisp" scent as an "over ripe" note. Once this has warmed, the apples tone to a crisper scent and the green and brown tones of leaves and bark finally begin to come out - a nice spiced apple tea or cider. Although this is nice once it has time to settle, the original application has tremendous throw and isn't at all pleasant on me. Which is really too bad because I was excited about this one.

[melrose]

In imp: Cotton candy.

 

On, wet: Whoa, this is a dead ringer for Thin Mints Girl Scout Cookies. OMG, I want some, my stash is gone, and it's the wrong time of year!

 

Near drydown: First, candied apples - a little too sweet for me. Then, fleetingly, sun-warmed apples fresh off the tree and a hint of mint - lovely.

 

Far drydown: I was sitting at my desk and whirled around to see if anyone had just walked by, because I caught a whiff of something really gross, then realized it was me. I smelled like candy apples in a garbage can that's been sitting in the sun at least a day.

 

Sheesh, Hera, what did I ever do to you?

[edenssixthday]

The Hesperides - When first applied, the apple note is so strong and über-sweet that I’m concerned I’m going to end up nauseated. However, as the oil dries, the apple scent fades into a really pretty and very genuine scent of fresh, crisp apple. I do not like this scent at all when it’s wet, but as it dries, it really mellows out and becomes very soft and subtle, and definitely has some forest-like aspects to it. It’s slightly woody, a touch green, and that bit of crisp apple really round out the scent in the end. It’s so subtle that it’s not something I’d wear as a fragrance, but I imagine that people who like light, fresh scents would really like this one. On my skin, the staying power is poor, as it has completely disappeared by the 90 minute mark.

[catrinella]

Imp: Synthetic apples, and very strong - enough to make me wonder whether to try or not, but I have the house to myself and there's a bottle of rubbing alcohol downstairs, so...

 

Wet: Yellow Delicious apples, which have a high sugar-sweet note to my nose.

 

Drydown: Still Yellow Delicious almost completely, but there's something green peeking around the edges to smooth out the OMGapple. No bark/earthiness - whoever said birch above? Yeah.

 

1 hour: Very bouncy scent, going from honey/apple to birch/apple to not-quite caramel apples. Unfortunately, there's also a periodic whiff of something decidedly fake, though whether it's deodorant sticks or Dawn apple-blossom dishsoap I can't tell. It's quieted down a lot.

 

3 hours: Very faint honey/apple. Would probably require reapplication somewhere around 90 minutes for anything beyond nose-on-skin.

 

Verdict: I'll save this for the Boston autumn as a skin scent, and possibly as a home scent. Plus, it's worth a re-try to see if I'm wonky this week. If the oak/earth came out more, I'd love it; as is, the notes are a bit high for me. I need a more grounded scent for regular wear.

Edited June 25, 2006 by Catrinella

[sookster]

straight sniff from imp is a crisp and triple shot sour apple martini yum!

 

once applied i immediately get a plastic or synthetic sensation ...

 

after 30 to 40 minutes this warms up and that plastic note is completely gone

(amen!) ... the apple note

stays true but this is just far too sweet and sugary for my liking...exactly like

that apple bubble gum i used to chew as a kid...

[cranberry]

This is a hard scent to describe in the imp. Once on, the apple comes out and dominates the scent. There’s a touch of wood in the background grounding the scent. It also smells like there could be a touch of mint or pennyroyal. This is a cheery scent that reminds me of fall-time and the leaves turning golden and red on the birch trees. I really like this scent and think it would also make a great lotion, body wash or room scent.

[mountainwitch]

First whiff is apples--not air-freshner or candy apples, but lovely speckled apples right off the tree. Combine that with the woody scent, and you have a fragrance I just love. Eventually the apples lose their crispness, but this is still a sweet, warm, familiar fragrance. This isn't a scent that's going to make random gorgeous men swoon on me; it doesn't command that kind of attention. It's the kind of fragrance I'd wear for me to enjoy . . . And considering I've gone through half an imp already, I'd say I'm doing pretty well at that!