Hetairae

[Gold Dust Kitten]

The sublimely beautiful, fiercely independent, impeccably cultured, fascinatingly worldly and witty courtesans of ancient Greece. A seductive and dazzling blend of golden honey, fiery patchouli, sweet fig and clove, and a blushing touch of ylang ylang.

I've had this in the imp box for a year and never reviewed it. I love honey but this one isn't my favorite. It's honey-lightly dusted with pollen, patchouli and clove. I really dislike the Lab's fig note and I can detect it here, giving an earthy-dirty smell.

I've had this in the imp box for a year and never reviewed it. I love honey but this one isn't my favorite. It's honey-lightly dusted with pollen, patchouli and clove. I really dislike the Lab's fig note and I can detect it here, giving an earthy-dirty smell.

[Flightless]

Wet: Very sweet... hints of a powdery, almost cocoa note in the very background...

 

Wet on skin: The powdery cocoa comes out a bit more, it kind of reminds me of 13 from May 2011.

 

Dry-down: It smells almost like baby powder on me... or slightly mineral, like the talcum powder from my grandmothers vanity. Not bad, but not at all what I expected from this scent.

 

I applied more a few minutes after the first application and I can still smell the sweetness but the powder takes a backseat... it's almost flowery now, which I know is odd because there isn't any flowers in this blend. I've never had a honey scent before, so maybe that's what I'm picking up? I think ylang ylang and fig likes me... I can't find any clove in this one, which is a pity because I like clove.

 

All in all it's a very nice, light-weight scent. I'd call this a spring/early summer scent, but could be a nice cooling oil for the hot summer days.

[Cheeks1206]

Hetairae is an interesting scent. Unfortunatly, it isn't one that I'll be keeping. When I bought it, I was drawn to it because the "ingredients" sounded so interesting and lovely. And, it IS lovely. Wet, the figs and ylang ylang are most prominent and give the sweet scent that is very prettily complimented by the cloves. The drydown, while it isn't powdery smelling, reminds me very strongly of a scented powder my grandma used to wear. It's still lovely, I just dont want to smell like my Maw Maw. Off to swaps this one goes.

[Alethia]

Thoughts before testing: I had ordered in my obsessive quest for clove scents before I realized that I amp patchouli to high heaven. So when I finally received this imp, I was extremely wary.

 

Wet: Oh dear lord. Nothing but patchouli.

 

Dry down: The patchouli is screaming from my arm, but I can smell just the tiniest hint of clove through the din.

 

Dry: Still just patchouli.

 

Verdict: Off to the sales!

[subtlesiren]

In the imp: Sweet, earthy floral. The clove is in hiding thankfully.

 

Wet on my wrist: The dusty honey mingles with the ylang ylang, while the fig and patchouli ground the scent and keep it from becoming a sickly sweet floral blend.

 

Dry on my wrist: This scent clings to the skin and only puts forth a gentle, inviting throw. The honey and ylang ylang continue to be the stars of the show.

 

Hetaire is the earth child of O and La Petit Mort. It's quite lovely. I will enjoy my imp, but don't know if I need a bottle since it's so similar to other scents I own.

Edited January 18, 2012 by subtlesiren

[detritius]

Mmm. This is very nice. At first, all I get is a warm honey -- one of my favorite notes -- with a soft floral edge that must be the ylang ylang. Then, as the scent opens up, I get a touch of sweetness from the fig (although not enough to be overwhelming, like the fig note in Intrigue) and a hint of something sharp and green in the background. This is a sophisticated but comforting scent with a lot of depth to it.

 

Edit: Sorry about the duplicate posting.

 

Edit 2: And after about an hour, that overpowering fig note comes out and turns sickly on me. So disappointing.

Edited March 11, 2012 by detritius

[detritius]

This is very nice. At first, I get a warm honey -- one of my favorite notes -- with a soft floral that must be the ylang ylang. Then, as the scent opens up, I get a touch of sweetness from the fig (although not enough to be overpowering, like the fig note in Intrigue) and something sharp and green in the background. This is a sophisticated but comforting scent with a lot of complexity.

[whitsunweddings]

In the imp: Kinda figgy honey.

Wet: The same, but with patchouli.

Dry: The lab's honey note mixed with fig and a hint of patchouli. I don't particularly care for those (I was hoping for more clove and ylang ylang), but would probably be good if you dig those notes.

[littlesparrow]

In the imp: Sweet honey, the warm, spicy scent of clove and fig and a very faint, light floral

 

Wet: Warm and inviting spices and a luscious trickling of golden honey. I don't pick up much patchouli or ylang ylang

 

Drydown: The spices calm down a little and its mostly just a warm, sweet, sensual honey note that makes me want to lick my wrist.

 

The Verdict: I really like this one, especially on hot days because it makes me feel like a strong, beautiful woman strolling the streets of Athens, so evocative is it of its name. (This is coming from someone who has never been to Greece, but my imagination has, and this scent certainly brings me there!) Its sensual and seductive, especially the sweet honey note.

 

The weird thing about it is other peoples' reactions to it. I slathered it on one hot day at university when I was quite active so I suppose I burned through it very quickly, but my friend sat beside me and asked me why I smelled like baby powder. Nice baby powder, but still. Then my mother (she of the good nose who loves Snake Oil) said I smelled like old lady pee. My boyfriend, who is getting used to having my wrist shoved under his nose, said it was nice but he was possibly under duress because he knew I liked it and had my fist in his face

 

You know when you wear something you think looks really good on you but the people around you don't see you the same way? That's what it's like when I wear this - I think I smell amazing, other people may not...Not sure that will stop me buying a bottle though!

[Scorianelle]

This scent had the oddest effect on me. As usual I tested it blind but I found it much more difficult for me to pick out the individual notes (though I did try). What I got from this was a lot of different images rather than smells.

 

First Sniff: Scented bathwater? And... a martini? Someone in the bath drinking a martini. Why is this in my head? I've never even had a martini in my life!

 

Second Sniff: Okay, this is better. Honey, sunny flowers and a fruit. It's nice.

 

Wet: Purple. Violets and blueberries are in my head. If I had to describe the actual smell (which I do) I'd say a woody floral.

 

Dry (30 mins): I get an image of someone sipping a sweet red wine. I don't know why - it doesn't smell like red wine, but something in it must be reminiscent of it...

 

Dry (1.5 hours): This isn't a loud scent on me, however it is strong and the best description I can come up with is 'womanly'. This is definitely a woman's perfume. It's not too sweet, not too floral, not too soft, not too cloying. It's just really nice and warm.

 

Dry (3 hours): It's faded a lot by now as most perfumes do on me (my skin just eats them up). It's become a soft, powdery honey smell. It's still warm and very nice.

 

Throw: mild to none.

 

Colour association: Gold? Purple? I'm not actually sure with this one.

 

Anyway, now that I'm writing the review and checking the notes, I can't say that I'm surprised. The honey was present the entire time, but not overpowering. I think the warmth was the clove, the fig made it juicy and the patchouli grounded it all. The Ylang Ylang gave it that feminine touch. Until this I was about to give up on anything with a floral aspect because it seemed florals just do not work on me, but I guess I can give them another chance or two.

 

Now I finally have my night time, going out scent!

Edited July 20, 2012 by Scorianelle

[AmandaOnTheRun]

Hetairae in the imp:

Fruit, clove, honey, powder, citrus, bitter olives, vodka, dish soap, fig, lemon Joy

 

On (1min):

Strong dandelions, honey, spices, amber, heat, intoxication, hibiscus tea

 

On (5 min):

Honey, lemon Joy, soap suds, sexy syrupy liqueur of the citrus variety, clove, powder

 

Afterwards, all smelled the same but there arose an earthy scent like dirt and mosses. Maybe that is patchouli? It is balancing quite well. Sweet and earthy on me, and I love it.

[vanillabean]

In the imp: Initially all I could smell was mud puddle, but letting the wand sit out for a second or two, I get some of the spiciness of the clove coming through. So... spicy mud puddle?

 

Wet: Sharp, earthy clove.

 

Dry: The clove is definitely front and centre. I get a little of the floral note, and some sweetness from the honey and the fig. But then the patchouli comes smashing through it all and splashes muddy puddle water all over it.

 

Verdict: If it weren't for the patchouli, I think I would like this scent a lot more. Maybe a layering note, but definitely not one I would wear alone.

[madscientistdh]

Purchased from chromeoxide!

 

In Bottle: reminds me of Akuma's fruitiness, with a sweetly medicinal background.

 

On Skin: mature floral honey, but not quite as sweet- almost salty?

 

Drydown: Reminding me of hand soap. Oh wait- hours later this is a musky honey.

 

Verdict: I'm starting to think that my chemistry amps honey, not that I dislike honey, just... to have my variety of imps all becoming honey? Seems a bit boring. I'll have to try this out again to get a good read.

[bergamot_bliss]

In imp: A little soapy, very sweet with some tartness. I hope it doesn’t go soapier on me.

Wet on skin: I think I’m getting the clove now. It’s much less soapy, and I smell a touch of fruit and the sweetness of the honey.

Drydown: Um, skin? Did you just eat this scent? It’s suddenly very faint, and the soapiness is coming back. Now it’s just a very light honey, possibly with some of the fig.

Dry: Now there’s something leafy in there among the sweetness. I’m not getting any patchouli, which is odd, because my skin ordinarily loves patchouli. Oh, and it fades after about 5 minutes. Skin, you usually only eat aquatics, but apparently this was an exception. Boo.

[ccelaya]

The sublimely beautiful, fiercely independent, impeccably cultured, fascinatingly worldly and witty courtesans of ancient Greece. A seductive and dazzling blend of golden honey, fiery patchouli, sweet fig and clove, and a blushing touch of ylang ylang.

 

Wet - golden honey with hints of sweet fig. It smells very sweet and clean. A little soap which is a good thing.

 

On Skin - The patchouli is really good i ntheis scent. Smells very earthy. Its balanced out by the ylang ylang.

 

Dry - sweeter with the sweet fig overpowering.

 

This is a good scent just a little too sweet for me. Smells great though.

[Sidhechaos]

A seductive and dazzling blend of golden honey, fiery patchouli, sweet fig and clove, and a blushing touch of ylang ylang.

 

 

 

Initially in the bottle I get a spicy earthy scent but oddly enough the earthy is not what I normally associate with patchouli. (patchouli almost always reminds me of being in head shops and has an overly ranked animal musk smell to it, very faintly skunky. I don't know how Brth does it but somehow she makes patchouli pleasant and not overwhelming)

 

On application there is still a warm earthy scent was a lovely bite of spice to it. There is also a sweetness that I'm picking up that is not honey I am guessing it is the sweet fig as I'm not completely familiar with what that smells like as a single note. It is very pleasant.

 

After several minutes I begin to get the undertones of honey and the ylang ylang merge in. This is an exceptionally well balanced perfume as none of them notes seemed to overpower the other's (and there are a couple such as patchouli and ylang ylang that can to go crazy on my skin) but everything is getting along well sharing nose time equally.

 

I sort of took a gamble on this bottle when I bought it because when I sampled the perfume it was from a very old imp that had somehow wound up behind my computer desk so I did not know if a fresh bottle would be as enjoyable or or perhaps better than the little bit that I got to try. It does smell somewhat different than the imp did I don't think the imp was quite as sweet and was a bit more earthy. I really like this and would like to add it to my list of " would always like to have a bottle". I think this would make a fantastic fall scent.

[milo]

Dark, sweet and sexy this one is! Thought it was an incensey berry, but must be the fig. I love honey, and it loves me, so this one is quite nice on me. There's a bit of tang here as well. Not really getting any clove or floral.

[Erinofhere]

A seductive and dazzling blend of golden honey, fiery patchouli, sweet fig and clove, and a blushing touch of ylang ylang.

Frimp from the lab

I love all things honey and beeswax and pollen smelling. This one hits the mark with me. It's initially strong smelling but calms down very quickly. It calms down enough that it is a candidate for layering. I layered it with "O" a few times and with lights of men’s lives. Lights of men’s lives and Hetaire are made for each other.

In the imp: No honey yet. I do get the fig and the clove. I am getting a sharp floral but not so much ylang ylang. The patchouli is there as well but not in your face as usual for patchouli.

Wet: Oh there's the honey! This smells very spring time, very pollen like. Hetaire reminds me of sunny days in warm fields with the bees buzzing around me and the clover blooming.

Dry: The scent calms down but does not disappear. It stays pretty much the same, meaning that all the notes stick around, only they don’t over power.

I do like this one. It seems that women I am around like Hetaire. Most men don't seem to. My husband is not a fan unless I layer "O" with this.
I don't care I am still buying a big bottle

[Jangzonrice]

Got this as a frimp. Wet: honey, figs...violets??? Smells like honey and violet candy.... Dry: honey and violets..not a favorite. Will probably keep it to add to conditioner or layer with something resiney. Throw is good, could smell it without huffing the wrist and have had it on for 4 hours now and still going strong..

[quickdrawkiddo]

Very pretty! I love the lab's honey note so it's no surprise this is a hit, but it's quite different from the other honey-centric blends I've tried (No. 93 Engine and Hemlock Honey). It took me awhile to pick any notes out at all; once it started to dry down I was getting honey, something fruity like plum (turns out it was fig), and something else that was giving it a "sexytimes" undercurrent. Now that I've read the description I think it's the ylang ylang, which is always instant sexytimes on me. I'm really enjoying this one! It's sweet without being foody and floral without being girly, which I appreciate. In fact I bet it would be great on a man. The two words that keep coming to mind with this one are "playful" and "sophisticated," which might seem like a contradiction but it totally works.

[mymymai]

ITI: I'm nervous about the honey note here, but I'm hoping the fig does miracles on it. Yeah, there's a slightly Honeybucket honey note to this, but there's also a creaminess I wasn't expecting as well under the fig and brightly sweet ylang ylang.

 

Wet: Honeybucket honey, although not oppressively so, followed by ylang ylang and a touch of fig. It smells better in the bottle, honestly.

 

Dry: After about 8 hours, it's not bad. It's sweet, musky honey with fig, light ylang ylang, and a touch of earthiness from the floral. Not bad.

[sprout]

Hetairae

 

source (lab fresh imp)

 

in the vial: fruity honey (this is fig and honey, but it just smells fruity to me)

 

wet on wrists: patchouli, with a high pitched floral (ylang ylang) which is sweet and cloying

 

drying: spicy clove with ylang ylang and powdery, resinous honey--very well blended

 

late dry down: very resinous, powdery, I would swear it is myrrh but I guess this is the patchouli plus the clove? very sweet with great throw and lasted > 10 hours on me

 

verdict: very lovely, wondering if aging will bring out more of the fig and patchouli. I am contemplating a bottle, but the hoard is growing and I have many honey scents. if this was figgier, there really would be no question, but I will probably end up with a bottle eventually

[Sarah Morehouse]

Bottle: Ooh. Green. A bit sharp. I like it, but will it like me?

 

Wet: Wow, that's sharp. What's that green bit? It's like my favorite extra virgin olive oil with that peppery edge to it. There's a brief moment when the honey kicks in, and Hetairae is one round scent with no notes that can be pulled out of it. Hmm.

 

Drydown: Uh oh. YLANG YLANG YLANG YLANG *sirens, flashing lights, extension ladders*

 

An hour later: Honey and dirty patch. REALLY dirty patch. Beth doesn't really do dirty patch, so I think it's just me.

 

Two hours later: There's the fig and some skin (?) musk, and they're playing nice with the honey and the now softer but still very earthy patchouli. It makes me think that I LIKE smelling like hippie sex. I'm just not sure I should go out like this. It's not a "me" scent - it would be like showing up in a costume.

 

I will save this imp for odd moods when I want to smell like the cozy back of a VW Microbus, but I will not need a bottle.

Edited February 19, 2015 by manycolored

[DiesMali]

In the imp: Oh dear, it's *that* honey.

 

Wet on my skin: Honey that starts out sharp, with hints of a powdery floral and I think fig.

 

Dry: Sharp honey, ylang ylang, and a bit of powdery fig. I'm not getting much, if any, clove or patchouli. The Lab's honey notes only work on me about half the time, so I'm not expecting this one to work either. I was hoping the other notes might temper the honey's sharpness. After it's been on for a little while, maybe half an hour, something happens and I swear it smells like dandelion flowers now. If I can get through the first 20-30 minutes of sharp honey, this is actually quite wearable. A spring/summery sort of scent.

[Casablanca]

Bottle: Honey and ylang ylang. (Before I read the notes, my thought was honey and jasmine...)

Wet: Immediately: honey, fig and patchouli. Then I also get ylang ylang, but the clove starts out subtle. An overtly earthy and sexy scent, with a little spice.

Dry: The clove comes out more, seeming to heat up the patchouli. It's a nice partner for the honey-fig as well. I also get a little saffron at this point, though none is listed. After a couple hours, this is just spicy powder.

I should be excited by this, liking all notes except the patchouli, which I sometimes like and sometimes don't. It should be fine here for some, but I think for me, in this blend, it's just dragging a little too much earth and the '60s and '70s over the ancient Greece.

 

Plus, it turns to powder later. Pass.