Hamadryad

[TheDarkMother]

Nature spirits and protectors of the world's groves and forests that appear as breathtakingly beautiful women. Hamadryads are born into a tree that serves as both a home and an anchor for the creature's soul. They are sometimes tricksters, sometimes seducers, sometimes helpful and benign, but they are always fierce and furious protectors of the natural world. Seven dry woods with mossy lichen and a gentle breeze of forest flowers.

WooHoo! I'm the first one to review this scent! I hope I do it justice then!

IN the bottle, I actually smell nutmeg and a hint of cinnamon at first whiff. Odd. Smell again....no...that's definately nutmeg and cinnamon. Cool...

On me the actual scent comes out beautifully. Ahh...I can smell a lot of light florals, but I'm unable to figure out exactly which ones. It has a particular dark woods scent to it, like walking in a wood that hasn't seen daylight in hundreds of years.

After a little while, the nutmeg smell comes back. With the rest of the scents, this is just wonderful! That floral scent is in the background still, very lightly in fact, and the blend is just gorgeous! I may be misplacing the nutmeg smell, but that is what I smelling more than anything else. This is definately a keeper!

[VelvetSky]

Mmmm, freshly applied this is definitely cinnamon, nutmeg and (I think) a touch of clove blended with a woody floral base. The top notes are deliciously spicy, but it's a cool kind of spicy.

 

Hamadryad fades into a soft, slightly aquatic floral, but the spices are faintly noticeable all the way through.

 

This has nice lasting power too; I touched on just a little in the morning and still had a waft of fragrance late in the day.

 

I think this will be a beautiful floral to wear in the cold months of winter.

[Falathwen]

This was a free sample with my order, but turned out to be one of my most favorite scents. It is a deep scent both wet and dry. Wet, it is spicy and clear, like a mix of cinnamon and cypress. Strangely, I felt physically strong wearing it.

It dries to a scent that is woodsy, floral and almost musky...like a perfume my mother wore. It feels very warm to me and I agree that it would probably be an excellent cold weather scent. It lasts many hours.

 

**Unfortunately, on subsequent wearing it gave me red patches and burning! I solve this by applying it to my clothing rather than on skin, though this prevents the subtle changes that happen when applied directly.

Edited September 12, 2004 by Falathwen

[Ina Garten Davita]

This was a generous freebie from the Lab, it wasn't on my wish list and I'm so happy they sent it!

 

First Impression: Oh smooth, warm cinnamon. Not hot or spicy, but lovely like you were smelling it from a freshly broken stick.

 

Second Impression: The florals in this are WONDERFUL!!! The dry down of this reminds me a bit of a perfume I loved years and years ago, I think maybe Jontue it was called. But the cinnamon makes it so very special. It's feminine, light, dreamy with just a hint of warmth.

 

Final Analysis: I love this and will be ordering a big bottle for slathering.

[madame royale]

This was also a freebie in my first order and it happened to be the first BPAL oil I ever tried. My first reaction was that it was dry and unremarkable. I must have been anxious to try all of the other *flashier* imps since I set this aside without much thought. Now, the prodigal nose has returned to it and I don’t remember it smelling this good. Strike that, I don’t remember it smelling this great!

 

In the vial, it’s subdued spicy: woods, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg. Wet, very woody and dry, but a green woodiness. As it dries, wildflowers pop up along with a sweet cinnamon. The moss lends a brightness to this oil that otherwise would have been overshadowed by the woods. This is what you’d smell like if you spent a day wandering through a forest, rolling around on mossy earth, picking flowers to put in your hair. I, myself, don’t do this very often, but it sure doesn’t hurt to smell like I do. If you love subtle (but long-lasting) non-girly girl scents, this one’s for you. A big bottle for me please.

[feline.by.design]

I received this as a freebie in the order I received last week. I was going to order the scent as an imp anyway, so I was glad that it was included free. Thanks, BPAL!

 

So, how do I like it? Well, I've already placed an order for a larger bottle. Yeah, I'm pretty pleased with it. The cinnamon is just enough to give the rest of the scent a nice kick in the pants. Absolutely delicious. Hamadryad brings to mind a thick forest during the daytime, with its little secrets that aren't so scary, and the sunlight pokes through the canopy. It also brings to mind an autumn scenery, with yummy cinnamon and nutmeg baked goods in the oven.

 

It's wonderful in the bottle and on the skin for me, and it seems like it would make a fantastic room scent as well, but I think I'll be too greedy to use this on anything else other than my skin.

 

-doreen

[Northernminx]

I ended up having to try this twice before I got the full effect. In the bottle, nutmeg with a touch of cinnamon, dry and woodsy.

 

On me, the dryness is still present, a mossy woodsy goodness in the middle of a sun drenched, dry connifer forest, like stumbling on a hidden glen. The cinnamon and nutmeg smells sweeten and spice this just enough to make it a really special, dry earthy scent. Gorgeous, I'll be adding this to the big bottle list.

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

Oh, yes! OH! YES! Sorry, Hamadryad made me entirely too happy. This is the first time I've gotten the famous "second-skin" effect, wherein one thinks, "I smell good," rather than "This oil smells good." I sniffed the vial, then immediately started dabbing it all over, and my brain was thinking, "You make me feel like a natural Woodfairy" (off-key as usual, of course). It is woodsy but in a very delicate way--no Pine-sol! no Christmas trees! A softly feminine magick-glade scent.

 

Out of the bottle, there was a quick flash of green floral akin to my dear Belle Dame sans Merci. However, almost at once the cinnamon came out to play, making this a definite autumn scent (Belle Dame is a frosty early-spring to me).

 

To sum up: This is the perfect spicy-floral I've wanted for fall: spicy without being foody, floral without being warm-weather. I want a big bottle!!!

[clover]

Wow.

 

On first application: It's very sweet, but not at all in a foody way. I think I'm going to like this one a lot.

 

After a few minutes: This is not what I was expecting! I think I was thinking more dryad than hamadryad...concentrating more on the moss in the description than the woods. But this is pure, sweet, freshly cut wood. And it fills up my nose, just like getting up really, really close to freshly cut lumber and inhaling. And I keep thinking it's the tiniest bit spicy, but I don't think it really is...but there's definitely the undercurrant of the softest, sweestest florals imaginable.

 

Conclusion: I think this has just catapulted into my all-time top five. It's absolutely lovely.

[Mandarin]

Ordinarily I love woodsy scents. But there was something in Hamadryad that I just couldn't cuddle up to. A hint of something that smelled a bit like oakmoss, I think. Not my favorite scent. I will probably swap my imp as soon as I find someone who wants it.

[diabolique]

i could've sworn i reviewed this one. i hope i didn't put it in the wrong thread.

 

upon wearing this, i thought, "this would be a perfect blend for autumn AND winter." the top notes lend a spiciness to this, but overall, the scent seems to retain some sort of coolness. very reminiscent of autumn air to me. i wore this today because of the weather, and numerous people told me i reminded them of christmas. go figure. i stuck my friend's (who happens to be very gay) head in my cleavage and told him, "SMELL MY BOOBS, I SMELL LIKE CHRISTMAS!"

 

ETA: i want a big bottle.

Edited August 31, 2004 by diabolique

[VorpalBunny]

From the description, I figured I’d like this one. I love woody scents, I used to wear sandalwood all the time, and I use rosewood to scent my car. When it first goes on, it smells very woody, and then as it is drying down it smells more flowery. The name is definitely appropriate, it is definitely the smell of a tree spirit. This one is very feminine on me as well, I’d be interested to hear how it works on a man. I really am liking the flowery, woodiness of it. It’s very light and unobtrusive, a good contrast to the intense scents that I like. After wearing it for a while, I really love it, but I am having a horrible skin reaction to something in it. Maybe I'll try mixing it with lotion or using it to scent my car.

[glampyre]

Hamadryad fucking kicks ass.

 

It's perfect for me.

 

My skin normally doesn't let any of the wooden notes be smelled.

 

But THIS is there.

 

Awesome Awesome Awesome.

 

Absolutely a Strong Lady smell.

 

(If you've read my other reviews, you know you have to look to someone else to describe the exact sniffs.)

 

I get cinnamon, leather, and hot.

[TygherRayn]

In the bottle: After my unfortunate disappointment with the Hesperides I was eager to see if this one would be more to my liking. I so want at least one of the fae scents to like me. Hamadryad is green, kinda woody. Like twigs you strip the bark off of when you’re going to roast franks or marshmallows over a campfire. That smell of a still living tree. Perhaps a little minty too. Sweetened by something probably floral, as it doesn’t have the tang the fruity scents seem to have.

 

Wet: This maintains the green-ness it had in the bottle, but blossoms as it settles into my skin. It’s definitely very earthy, but not a dark scent at all, Very fae. Very soothing and healing.

 

Wearing: This is a bright green, not lime but something close to it. I think that’s what gives it the fae image .. The brightness. But I love it for its earthiness. This is definitely the smell of a tree’s spirit .. Comforting and cool and alive. After the disappointment of the Hesperides which just wouldn’t settle down, I am deeply pleased at how this one is warming to my chemistry, and know that this one will most definitely be a keeper.

[hypothermya]

Initially I wasn't too interested in trying out Hamadryad, but after reading that it had cinnamon in it, I was convinced that I at least needed to try it.

 

Initial Impression

 

Smells like cinnamon, yes, and something woodsy. Moss, maybe, or bark. About what I expected.

 

Wearing It

 

My goodness does this stuff go on strong! At first, all I could smell was cinnamon. And it didn't smell like a bit of ground cinnamon -- no, this stuff smelled like the whole thing, like a cinnamon stick that I could toss into a cup of tea or hot buttered rum. Mmmm... A bit overpowering though. Then it settled down into this really white floral/heavy cinnamon scent. I don't know why, but it reminded me of a drink called Horchata (which is a mexican drink made of rice milk and cinnamon...smells delicious, tastes delicious, etc.). Very yummy smelling. However, after about a half an hour, it settled down to a mainly white floral with hints of bark and moss, and a strong remenant of cinnamon.

 

Lasting Power

 

It lasts a good long while. I was still able to smell this without trying when I was finished with my evening class at 7pm...I'd only applied it at 1pm... The part of the scent that stayed strongest throughout wearing it was the floral.

 

Overall, it's nice. If it stayed longer at the Horchata smelling stage, I'd be dying for more of this. Sadly, florals aren't really my thing, so I think this'll be one that's up for swaps. On the other hand, I do love the first two stages of this.

[ChupaChup]

This was on my wishlist to try, but luckily the lab generously threw it in as a freebie in my last order. Wow, Hamadryad does the most amazing morph on my skin. I was afraid it was going to be very dry, what with the seven woods, but wet is smelled strongly of cinnamon and I could swear I got a whiff of honey every once in a while. It took almost an hour for any woods to appear and it was only for a brief moment until they were suddenly overtaken by florals. What a surprise, I had no idea for the first hour that they were hiding in there! The flowers continued to bloom on my skin, this is one strong floral oil, it lasted for many hours, even through a shower.

[omly]

This was a warm dry earthy scent. Something about this is incredibly comforting. It makes me think of the camping trips we take in the late summer and fall in NewEngland. The florals are not very strong, and just highlight the earthiness rather than making this floral. And it lasts a while too. I find that I get a full working day of wear out of one application.

 

On a more personal note, I think part of the apeal of Hamadryad for me is the grounding. I love earthy scents (though I am not crazy about resinous or incensy smells in general) which my SO (yes an earth sign) attributes to my being a water/air sign.

[isyche]

Hamadryad is mainly a light dry cinnamon on me, possibly grounded by the mossy lichen.

 

It's pretty and does make me think of an autumn forest on a sunny day, but I'm not much of a cinnamon girl - I like it in food, but not to wear. Therefore, I shall swap it to someone who will love it more.

[UltraViolet]

This is sooo nice smelling. It's right up there with Swank for me as a top ten BPAL fragrance. One thing that comes across to me is that all the ingredients in this one blend so well. Cinnamon and clove mixed with woodsy and green . They mix really well so when you first try it you don't notice the clove, you just notice a spicy woodsy scent. It isn't until you sniff it a few more times when the notes seperate.

It's also a little sweet smelling. I think it is along the same lines as Lush's Flowertub bubble bar. It doesn't smell exactly like it but you can tell that Elizabeth had the same thought with Hamadryad as Lush had with Flowertub or Gavarnie.

[lumay]

On me, I don't smell any of the cinnamon, but I do get the woody/mossy scent very strongly. I love it. There's an aquatic note there as well. It smells (on me) exactly of Demeter's Wet Garen, which I love. This lasts so much longer than Demeter's scent, which is a bonus. I will purchase this in a 5ml.

[summer]

This is a light, tangy, perfumy fragrance with very aquatic undertones, to my nose. It smells like a "sophisticated woman" perfume -- in fact, every time I smelled it on myself, I thought I was smelling the remnants of my mother-in-law's perfume from when she hugged me. It smells like something she would wear. A light, sharp floral with watery, watery greeness flowing through it.

 

Overall it's very "appropriate" and wearable, but too aquatic for me in the end.

 

However, one tiny drop lasted all day, so if it's staying power you're looking for, this is a good one.

[bluegirlb]

this is the very first bpal scent i've ever tried, and obviously, also my first review.i hope to do it justice.

 

as a first, this made quite an impression. at first it smelled like rich, dark antique wood, with soft airy flowery notes. now, i'm not a fan of flowery scents, but this could definitely grow on me. as it dried it became lighter and definitely more green, like green growing mossy woods, and sweet, but not at all in a sugar-candy kind of way, more spicy. nutmeg? absolutely delicious. i couldn't smell cinnamon, though others have said they smelled it. i have a horrible burning reaction to cinnamon oil on my skin, and although i felt a warm sensation, it was slight and almost pleasant. after a couple hours it toned down and almost had a very subtle slight smoky wood smell. it has faded, but then again i've been sniffing my wrist almost compusively for the past couple hours and i applied oh so very little. a lovely scent, and a beautiful start. can't wait to test the others.

 

EDIT: Merged with existing thread --Shollin

Edited September 22, 2004 by Shollin

[Effluvia]

in the vial: Holy shit, dude. I love this. It's all mossy and foresty and cinnamony and dark. YEAH, MAN!! This is what I'm fuckin' talkin' about.

 

on my skin: Wooooow. I can't find the right words to properly describe this. This is such a perfect "me" oil. It's earthy, mossy, hot, spicy and sexy. Oh man, I am so in love with this. I am so buying a big bottle.

 

Hamadryad fucking ROCKS BALLS!!

[malanna]

I bought this one in a fit of ordering frenzy, and because the description was so amazing. However, after I ordered, I thought, "Eek. Woods. I don't like woods. Ulalume was woods with flowers and that did not end happily." Initially, this is woods. It's nothing specific, like bark or whatnot, but this is when you're in a forest and you can smell the brown part of the trees and the damp ground of the forest. There's a bit of spice that comes in to play, but it's not something I think about when I sniff myself. I only notice it when I really think about it. I don't think it's that heavy on the cinnamon, so it's probably the nutmeg that's coming through. I find that nutmeg seems to enhance the woodsy earthen quality of scents. After a little less than an hour, there's a white floral breeze that melds so wonderfully with this. It's apparent that it's still woodsy, but it definitely is not a masculine scent. I'm on the like it, but not enough to keep it. I'm just too biased towards woods.

[Belladonnastrap]

First sniff
Mmm smells like woods and flowers. I imagine Daphene smelled like this after her flight with Apollo changed her into a tree. It's very earthy and calming.

When wet
Mmm very woody and flowery. Like I've laid down in a hidden grove with a blanket full of flowers covering me and a moss pillow. Very relaxing and rich and it grounds me a bit as well.

Drydown
This is more subtle now, I get a whiff of baby powder as well. It smells a bit like Shroud in that respect. The woody scent is still there thought.

Aftermath
I really like this. I'm not entirely sure if it's a 5ml (there's something here that I'm just not completely and utterly feeling) but I do like it. Ultimately Hamadryad is a very "light" wood scent and I tend to like my woods dark and mysterious. It's lovely for what it is though. Going to try it a bit more before I make the final decision.