Hetairae

[Nadirah]

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.

YUM. At first its all honey and fig, then out comes the clove. This is good stuff! I am so happy that I have a 5ml of this~ ! I don't really get too much of the Patchouli, its a musky scent in the backround, it warms up very nice. Ylang ylang and honey, oh gods yes! Another new scent to the top of my favorites list!!!
Not only does it smell wonderful but it lasts a good while. I can see how easy this would be too overdose on. It is a bit sweet, the earthyness of the patchouli brings some stability to it, so its not candy like. I can see how the fig in this *could* get overpowering if slathered on generously.
A dab to one wrist and spread out works great for me!

[Penance]

First sniff:

 

Sweet and slightly earthy. The honey and fig are the most apparent notes, but the patchouli and clove are definitely there even if they don't immediately pop out at me. I'm not sure I'm going to like this since I'm not a big fan of sweets, but I'll give it a shot.

 

Wet on skin:

 

Much less cloying than in the imp. The fig and ylang-ylang are fairly apparent, but the patchouli is lending it a nice earthiness and is slowly gaining ground over the softer notes and making it more intense, although not enough to really make me like this yet.

 

Dry down:

 

Something in this is reacting badly with my skin chemistry, apparently, because now Hetairae smells like some sort of cleaning fluid. It's probably the ylang-ylang although I'm not positive. I've had problems before with blends with ylang-ylang in them, so I'm going to put my money on that one being the culprit.

 

The bottom line:

 

Interesting, but Hetairae just doesn't work on me.

[lokelani]

This was very bitter on me at first. I wonder what's causing that? But it mellows pretty quickly, and the patchouli kicks in -- actually, that's *all* I smell right now, which is a shame, as I'm not crazy about patchouli -- thought I'd give this scent a try anyway, because I like all the other ingredients, but unfortunately I'm not smelling anything else.

 

After 10 minutes or so: Getting the honey now, which sweetens it a bit…it’s a little incense-y, but not in a smoky, overpowering way. It’s quite nice, but not really my thing.

 

Yikes, and now I think it’s giving me a bit of a headache – patchouli wreaking its fiery vengeance on me once more. I think I have to face the fact that patchouli and I will never get along, alas.

 

Swap time. Shame.

[Countrymouse]

Application: sweet honey and patchouli.

 

On dry down: the honey disapears and it's ALL patchouli, very earthy. I'm sitting at my desk at work hoping nobody gets too close to me. I like patchouli, but this is just too much. I smell like I just walked out of a Grateful Dead concert. Can you say Mary Jane? I swear that is what is smells like on me. None of the other notes are present at all.

 

6 hours: it has toned down a bit and the honey is making a slight come back, but I still don't care for the earthiness of this patchouli.

 

The next morning: Boy, does this stuff have staying power!! Right now it finally smells really nice, all the notes have come into play and blended together for a wonderful sweet, spicy scent. It's just too bad it took almost 24 hours for it to get there!! hehehe

 

I'm sure this scent is going to be fabulous on many people, just not me. My imp has already found a new home.

[sarahjay]

fantastic - spiced honey on me, it reminds me of a mix of lush shower gels that I used to make (skinny dip & Bnever mixed in a bottle). I really like this & feel the need for a 5ml.

 

it has great staying power too - I wore it to bed the other night & could still smell it in the morning, this is unusual for me.

 

love it.

[slave1]

In Bottle: Sweet honey and powder.

 

On Skin: Honey... YUM! The patchouli is light (thank god) but there's enough to give it a slight dirty earthy note. The clove gives it spice... interesting. I don't smell the fig... but the ylang ylang is peeking out...

Yuck... the patchouli is getting stronger. Hmmm... it started out very pretty but now it just has too much going on and the honey is drowned out. After a few hours it settles down nicely but it takes an awful long time to get there.

[shelldoo]

wow i hadn't read the description before swapping for this, i open the imp and bam honey, which is a good thing, o is my bedtime scent, it is sexy, relaxing, and perfect for a goodnight's sleep, but this is no o.

 

wet it is all patchouli and honey, mostly honey

 

as it dries the fig is very prominent, mmmmm honeyed figs, w/ a tough of patchouli to keep it from being sickly sweet.

 

all in all this is gorgeous, it is reminecent of o. and le petite morte, but it has it's own thing goin on, the patchouli makes this incredible!

[paperdoll]

Initial Sniff: Honey, myrrh, and fig... but there is something very dark and shadowy behind this one.

 

Wearing: This is rich, spicy, and dark. It is difficult to pick out any of the individual notes, but every so often a breath of honey drenched fig wafts up from my skin. This lasts all day long.

 

Final Impressions: Even though this has two notes that I'm not overly fond of (ylang ylang and honey), I LOVE this blend. I must have more before the fall!

[Northernminx]

This was a little dustier than I anticipated. Lots of honey and patchouli for a sort of sweet incensey smell. Subtle, feminine, and very intriguing I couldn't stop sniffing and wondering what that wonderful scent was. The fig came in at the end and added something a little earthy/fruity to the mix. Lovely and somewhat exotic while still being sweet.

[Shollin]

First sniff: It’s “that Greek honey note” again… it appeared in Athens and Delphi, and here it is in Hetairae. There’s something sweetly powdery dusted over the surface – powdery flower petals or something similar.

 

Wearing: I’m suddenly craving baklava. This is honeyrific, warm and sweet but not cloying. I think, though, that overall I prefer Athens, and Hetairae is very similar to my nose.

 

ETA: Ahem. To my nose, Hetairae is very similar to Athens. It isn't anything like my nose.

Edited May 9, 2005 by Shollin

[alizarin]

Clove is one of those notes that loves me just as much as I love it, and in Hetairae it plays very nicely with the honey and fig, with the patchouli hanging around in the background. None of them are prominent, they all sort of level out together.

 

It's only slightly sweet, and stays just this side of going powdery. It almost has a foody baking kind of smell, but not overwhelmingly so.

 

I have all but stopped wearing Blood Kiss (another clove-y favorite) for the summer, as it's a bit heavy and warm, so Hetairae is going to make a lovely lighter replacement in the rotation. It has similar qualities but it's a bit softer.

[OriginalWacky]

Bottle (Imp): Something sharp, and almost a hint of sweet. Maybe some kind of fruit?

 

Just On: Hm. Tart, sweet smell, a hint of sweat smell? I'm totally confused by this one, but that's not a bad thing. I keep smelling it over and over to see if I can pick anything out.

 

An hour or two later: Hmm. Some kind of sharp fruit that isn't as pleasing as most fruit is to me. A very slight whiff of musty sweat.

 

Around 6 hours: It's almost a bandaid smell, but not in a really bad way. There's a hint of fruityness left.

 

12 hours: It's fairly faded, with the bandaid underlying the fruity smell.

 

Overall: This one seems like it was almost going to be good, but it never quite made it. This is definitely one to try at another time, and see if there was just something today making it get oogy.

 

After reading other reviews: This seems like it's mixed reviews, some folks LOVE it, and others just can't wear it. Apparently I fall into the second category.

[em_h]

This is one that took some time, for me; both in that I had to have it on for a while before it got to a scent I wanted, and because I had to wear it more than once to have a proper take on it; but I'm getting to be very fond of it.

 

For maybe the first half hour or so it smells rather weird on me, a kind of green smell almost like rotting flower stems. But if I sit that phase out, it evolves into a strangely exact replica of the smell of a Lush store, overlaid with a very sweet honey note. This is a more pleasant phase, one I like well enough. But if I wait another hour or so, it turns into something I really really like, a thick sweet honey smell that is somehow also smoky and dark -- strange, complex and very appealing to me.

 

 

ETA: For some reason I kind of misplaced this one for several months, and only tried it again recently, and really I like it better all the time (though it still does have that weird green beginning) -- spicy smoky honey, very sweet but not cloying, very compelling. Also, I've probably had more compliments on this scent, in the couple of days I've been wearing it, than on all the other blends I've worn put together.

 

It's been a slow relationship to develop, but right now it's seeming like Hetairae may be my ideal personal scent. (Now it'll probably get discontinued cause no one else likes it ...)

Edited November 19, 2005 by em_h

[JazzieCazzie]

it evolves into a strangely exact replica of the smell of a Lush store

 

Exactly how I summed it up on the Lush board ... and ironically, I don't think there is one Lush product that creates that "Lush store" smell which I love ... happily, I was able to immediately swap for a 5 ML of this from another Lushie! (ETA: In fact ... is it possible that was you???? )

 

When I ordered it I ALMOST bought a 5 ML unsniffed because of the notes listed but held off ... it is really awesome.

 

REVISITED AND RE-REVIEWED MARCH 2013:

 

Working my way through my imps and bottles, I am at H and so glad that I am!!!

 

IN THE IMP: Heavenly, heavenly, heavenly. Honey and fig and ylang-ylang. Three very different notes, but all favorites of mine and they co-exist so beautifully together.

 

Dabbed on both wrists, crooks of arms and cleavage.

 

WET: It definitely has the "Lush store" smell and I can attest to that even more now that I've worked the holiday season at one! When wet, I get NONE of the clove or patchouli, just glorious sweet honey, luscious fig and glorious ylang ylang.

 

DRYDOWN: Once it's dried, both the clove and patchouli emerge to give this a wonderful CLEAN smell, temper the very vivid other notes, and combine to a truly fantabulous scent.

 

OVERALL: This is just as wonderful as I remember, maybe even better. A bath oil would be awesome.

 

On a scale of 1-5, a definite 5.

Edited March 13, 2013 by JazzieCazzie

[Aurelius]

In the vial: Wine? Is that wine? There's a smack-me-in-the-face sweetness that oftens happens with blends that contain wine. Cherry maybe? (I like smelling them before looking at the notes to see if I'm smelling what I'm smelling)

 

Wet: Weirdo skin chemistry! That's my beloved fig! And honey!

 

Drying: The figs are super-sweet. Candied, almost. And then...dirt. Wha? Like Nephilim. Figs n' dirt.

 

Dry: Okay, Hetairae is one weird scnet. Sniff: nothing. Sniff: SWEET! Sniff: nothing. Sniff: SWEET. Huh. And then...patchouli. Just a hint of it.

 

Okay, this one doesn't play well with the body chemistry, which makes me want to throw things about the room, as I love fig. But other fig scents DO play nicely, so I should just learn to share. Off to swap!

[ebonykawai]

I adore this!!!

 

The honey is the obvious note when wet, but it quickly gains spiciness with the clove and fig combination. I didn't get much patchouli at all. It throws pretty well too, and is long lasting just like O is on me. Not too drippy-honey-sweet, it's very well balanced. This is wonderful!

[Little Bird]

Whenever I first put this on, it reminds me of Intrigue - with the fig dominating everything. Then a bit of patchouli comes out and offers a nice earthy background for the fig. And then it is all gone in a matter of minutes and all I can smell is the honey. There is a spiciness lingering around the honey, and a metallic, bitter edge from the ylang, but mostly it is just a funky honey smell. It has a bitterness to it rather than a natural sweetness. Reminds me of poisoned honey or honey gone bad...

Edited April 3, 2013 by Little Bird

[tesao]

in the imp: earthy. spicy honey, with a hint of sweetness that isn't the honey.

 

on my wrist, wet: warm, sweet honey. but not the honey of o. the spice is clove.

 

on my wrist, dry: the honey and the clove are still there, but other notes are now distinguishable. the fig that i so love. and a sort of dusty muskiness, which might be patchouli, but the patchouli is more toned down than it usually is on my skin.

 

dry down: i do so love fig. this is honeyed, spiced figs. golden and sunny. the honey is lightly floral. a late spring/early summer scent. lying in a hammock listening to the bees buzz in the flowers.

 

another keeper.

[moukin]

This is a lovely scent, really. It's spicy and sweet. But in the end, it smells too much like an incense shop on me and stays that way a little too long. The honey calms that down after several hours on me, but that's a long time to wait. A pleasant smell, but not one I'm likely to buy a big bottle of.

[tempete]

I bought an imp of Hetairae because I love patchouli, fig and ylang ylang, even though I have had less than stellar experiences with honey and clove. Well, that was not such a good decision. The honey dominates initially, and then the clove takes over during the drydown. I can briefly catch a whiff of ylang ylang as Hetairae is drying down, and there are hints of fig and patchouli in the final drydown. I will try this scent one more time, but I have a feeling that this imp is headed to the swap pile.

[gangstaknitta]

In Bottle: This smells like a darker version of Skuld for me...probably due to the ylang ylang/honey combo (which I love a whole whole lot).

 

Wet: Wow, this is powerful. It is spicy and kind of naughty. The patchouli darkens it nicely--and I don't normally like patchouli at all. It might be a little too strong for me if it doesn't fade a bit.

 

Dry: Okay, this was odd. On the initial dry-down, it smelled a lot like Skuld + patchouli...not different enough to make me stray from my original favorite. This scent lasted a full 24 hours and smelled completely different the morning after! I've tried this a few times and get the same affect every time. The fig emerges as a very strong note. This perfume smells like naughtiness. I kinda like it...but too strong to wear very often. I think I'll stick with Skuld for now.

[pensive]

imp: sweetness - must be the honey

on skin - more cloveish

dry - lil more patchouli

verdict - I don't mind this but I don't love, love, love it either.. Swappable.

[antimony]

I love fig and clove, so I wanted to love this...

 

But the honey was super-super sweet, and it clashed with the patchouli. Ylang-Ylang is preretty on other people, but it makes me think of Prell. This is definately a super-yummy scent for anyone whose skin doesn't over-amp honey (unless you like that kind of thing, of course)

[Eris]

Hmm. This one's gone through a rollercoaster of changes on me. The thing I pick out the most is the honey, and thus far it's had three distinct phases. Wet on the skin, it was pure honey--like what I expected sniffing a jar. Then, it turned medicinal--think honey cough drops. Now, it's settled down into a more sugary, sweet honey.

 

So where do the other notes come in? Honestly, I can't pick them out. There's something backing the honey definitely, but it's elusive. I detect a very subtle spiciness, which is probably the clove. Maybe the patchouli? Unclear. No, I think it's the clove. I detect no Ylang Ylang, but I'm always bad at identifying it. Further reflection makes me think the sweetness amplifying the honey may be the fig.

 

So, it's hard to make a final analysis on this. It's kind of a spicy honey with...something else. I neither love it nor hate it; I just kind of sniff and go 'hmm.' That indecision probably means it'll go off to swapland, alas. For someone looking for a unique perfume that smells like nothing else, however, this may be the one.

[fragrantgrasse]

When I read the description I thought "oh ho yeah, this is me" heh heh..

 

Impeccably cultured, check. Fascinatingly worldly, you bet - AND witty...uh huh

 

Oh, not to mention sublimely beautiful and fiercely independent

 

So, I had to smell Hetairae of course. The notes - all except ylang ylang - are my favorites. I love O and Le Petit Mort and so honey works, I adore patchouli , fig and clove sound lovely with everything else in the blend....but there is something about Hetairae doesn't hang together on me. I suspect ylang

 

It is now about an hour and I am getting a distinctive vinegar note. Must be me. I am going to wait a few days and smell this again because the notes are all to wonderful to not work, unless Ylang takes over. In THAT case - my courtesan days are over.