Ladon

[DarthArwen]

The hundred-headed dragon that guards the garden of the Hesperides: dragon’s blood resin, golden apple, apple blossom, white musk and hyacinth.

I like The Hesperides a lot but was hoping for a slightly less 'single' apple.

Wet: it starts with a whiff of watermelon, causing me to go "nooo!" but that fades fast.
Drydown: I like this, it's more sophisticated than The Hesperides, which was a loud Granny Smith apple. Here I can definitely pick out apple, apple blossom, and the hyacinth. More a blend than a single note.
Dry: Not 15 mins after application the apple is gone completely and I have something like dusky hyacinth left. Pleasant, but I got this for the apple note. Perhaps this works layered with The Hesperides - or in a locket. If it had stayed like when it was drying, I would have gotten a bottle for sure. Very lovely and sophisticated without being outright perfumy. Sadly it didn't stay that way. Edited March 11, 2008 by DarthArwen

[twilighteyes]

A frimp from the lab!

 

In the imp, I get spicy apples. A little bit of a cider tang. I think someone is eating what they are supposed to be guarding!! *peers at three headed dragon who looks away guiltily*

 

On my skin, it's still apple. Oh wait. That's hyacinth in the background providing a sweet floral. The dragon's blood must be providing the hint of spice. There is a teeny hint of musk in the bottom when I exhale.

 

Someone is not only eating the apples, she's rolling in the hyacinths. And hasn't had anything to guard the tree against for a while, as she's not hurt or bloody.

 

A light, fruity, refreshing scent. Not really me -- I'm into darker, smokier, dirtier scents. But it is beautiful. I might try it in an oil burner.

[enderfem]

Imp: Smells like freshly cut apples and an undertone of hyacinth. Pretty! Prettiest dragon ever!

 

Wet: the apple blossom and hyacinth dwarf everything else and make this more floral than I like.

 

Drydown: Mostly floral, with some apple sweetness still around. Still a pretty scent for a dragon, but will probably work better for someone else.

[savage_rose]

Gorgeous! There's an apple blossom-apple creaminess to this, and with the hyacinth it's a lovely combination. I can just get a hint of the Dragon's Blood, a suggestion of spice. Mmmm.

[thatpirategirl]

A floral, incensey apple. The dragon's blood makes it bitter at first, just like the skin of an apple. You can almost taste it! But then it turns very sweet and flowery. The hyacinth comes out, and it smells more like apple blossoms than like the fruit. It's more sophisticated than The Hesperides, but it has less of that flavorful sweetness. I think this is more of a scent for people who like apples in theory, but don't want to smell just like them.

 

Personally I prefer the Hesperides, and the two overlap to a point that I wouldn't want a big bottle of this.

[tereshkova2001]

Lilacs, which is what dragon's blood smells like on me, and a touch of apple. A nice warm floral, not too much but enough. I'm not sure spring is the right season to try this one in.

[SarahScent44]

In the imp, this is just soft, sweet apple.

 

On my skin, I still get the apple, with just a hint of spiciness behind it from the dragon's blood.

 

When it's dry, it's a mild scent, but pretty - a good balance of the apple's sweetness, the DBR's soft spiciness, and the musk's warmth.

[Aldercy]

Ladon is certainly a keeper. Fruity and temperate-- not too strong. It didn't surprise me much, and essentially follows its description exactly... if I were more daring, I realize I could have probably created a very, very similar effect by wearing Blood Amber and The Hesperides together (both of which I really like), but Ladon does have a little bit something extra. I'm not sure if it's the hyacinth. I love love love hyacinths and actually searched for oils with it... and Ladon was the only one. So I'm hoping that note will come through a little bit stronger with time, but even if it doesn't, this perfume is quite good. It's a happy, youthful smell.

 

(Also, I would like to add that this particular order of imps arrived at lightspeed. Really, I think I had the package a week after placing my order, which is significantly faster than usual. I'm accustomed to and don't mind the wait for BPAL scents, but I was pleasantly surprised this time! Thanks!)

Edited July 19, 2008 by Aldercy

[Heeroluva]

In the bottle it's almost all apple with just a hint of musk. Very pleasant and not overly sweet in anyway.

When it hits my skin wet the hyacinth makes a small appearance. Nothing overwhelming, just a nice mix.

As it dries the scent get's more and more faint. When it finally dries there is barely a hint of it left even when I put my nose right to the area and sniff.

If makes me very sad that the scent doesn't last on my since it's one of my favorites in the bottle.

[Iceblink]

The apple blossom is jumping out at me from Ladon. It's not nearly as dragon's-bloody-sweet as a lot of blends in this series are (and it's also lighter in color, so no red stains!). I'm also getting the hyacinth from this (so it's probably going to crumble into powder soon), and an appley background. Very little throw. But it's pretty.

[marared]

Frimp from the lab - I'm glad, because I've been interested in trying an appley scent and hadn't settled on a place to start.

 

This is pretty much all apple blossom and hyacinth, with an underpinning of ... well, I've never sniffed dragon blood resin, so I'm not sure if it's that or the musk, or if the two have blended so seamlessly I can't tell them apart. I actually like this very much, despite it being more floral than I would normally enjoy. Hell of a throw, too.

Edited August 12, 2008 by marared

[femmefatale]

At first this is a very sweet, soft apple. As it dries, something slightly spicy and creamy (dragons blood?) and just a teeny bit sharp comes out. As it dries further it is very pretty, though a bit too close to a hair product I used to use (that smelled wonderful btw), then my skin just eats it up.

Very pleasant, if not really me.

Edited August 12, 2008 by Femme_Fatale

[Delirium1009]

In bottle/imp: Sweet airy floral notes and a hint of apple.

 

Immediately on skin: This is a very floral, airy blend with a nice touch of apple blossom. The dragon’s blood adds a slight bitterness to this and the musk peeks in, but this is mostly just sweet, subtle flowers.

 

After a few minutes: This smells much the same as when I first put it on. It’s mostly apple blossom and I can smell a bit of the hyacinth now, and then a base of light dragon’s blood and some light musk. It’s subtly sweet and fruity, while also being quite floral.

 

Overall Impressions: This is a very nice feminine dragon’s blood blend. It’s subtle on the dragon’s blood for sure, but there’s definitely a hint of it. The apple blossom is a very nice light note, and goes very well with the dragon’s blood and musk.

[hlinspjalda]

In the vial: Apples and floral.

 

Wet: Musk first, then the floral and pretty much everything else except apple.

 

Half an hour: Headachy floral (the hyacinth, I think), with touches of apple and musk.

 

One hour: Floral musk with apple.

 

Two hours: Floral, with warm musk and a breath of apple. This is the first apple note that's really worked on me.

 

Three hours: Not much change.

 

Four hours: More musk than before, still some sweetness from floral. If it had smelled like this from the beginning, I'd have used it as an everyday, but the first three hours are too off-putting. Still, I won't put it in the trade pile just yet.

[Czarina]

Lab frimp.

 

In the imp: apples.

Wet: apple cider, apple blossom, berries/floral.

Drydown: sweet, sweet apples and berries or hyacinth.

 

This is a "warm" apple scent--think cider beside a bonfire--not a "cold" apple scent like Snow Glass Apples. Very welcoming, getting compliments as it wafts from my Clocket.

 

(I originally reviewed this as Mabon--this is what happens when I read labels quickly in a rush in the morning--and was relieved to notice later that this is a GC, not an LE).

Edited September 24, 2008 by Czarina

[LaurenO]

This is a very sweet apple scent. There's something quite honey-ish about it on my skin. It's not a stuffy or dusty floral, just light and fresh. Lovely.

[rayvn1]

This one is great! When I read the ingredients I thought "Well, this will never work on me..." It's beautiful, though. Very sweet with strong hyacinth and light wafting apple blossom and wet, juicy green apple in the background. Gorgeous and such a nice surprise!

[Veronica]

At first, it's almost all apple blossom and hyacinth, with just a hint of apple and white musk underneath. Very bright! As time goes on, the musk starts to come out more, until it becomes all musk and apply blossoms on me, with a hint of dragon's blood underneath. Nice, but not enough to warrant a full bottle.

 

EDIT: Really pretty musky apple in the drydown, but turns slightly powdery when fully dry. What a shame!

 

EDIT: After an hour, the powder smells full on like baby skin. Really pretty. Not sure if it's what I want, but I smell soft, clean, and innocent and not actively powdery.

Edited February 9, 2015 by delighted

[Sweetie666]

I got this as an extra in my the order I just got (my first order ever!). I generally shy away from fruity smells, so I guess we'll see.

 

In the Imp - Smells like apple blossoms with a touch of hyacinth.

 

Wet - Smells like golden apples, I don't really smell the hyacinth anymore.

 

Dry - Golden apples with a touch of white musk.

 

Overall - Not at all unpleasant, I might not wear it very often but I want to keep it.

[milica]

oooooh, this one is sooo nice.

 

I didn't expect to like this one, and I do, a lot!!!

never thought that I would like an apple scent on me, but this is the perfect blend of dragon's blood, apple and florals, and after one hour I can smell a bit of musk.

I love dragon's blood on me, and now I also like the apple, this one is a keeper.

[djsiberia]

wet: fresh cut apples. something sharp is trying to over power the fresh apple slice smell.

musk is definitely in the picture and the dragon's blood is making things a bit powdery while the hyacinth is giving it a floral scent.

 

this is certainly different but i can't decide if i like it or not. wait, the dragon's blood is taking over and apples are gone.

[gnl]

Bottle: Straight up apple cider.

 

Wet: Hm. There's a bit of red apple in there, but mostly what I'm getting is something sweet and powdery floral. I haven't tried Dragon's Blood on it's own, so I'm not sure if that's what I'm getting or if it's the hyacinth.

 

Dry: Now it's all sweet powdery floral. Why's the rum apple gone?

 

Verdict: Man this is so not the scent I was expecting. I thought I'd love this since I love apples, but the Dragon's Blood and hyacinth totally kill the apples on my skin. Stupid chemistry.

 

2/5

[zankoku_zen]

At the beginning, I got a strong apple note from this. But the apple blossom turned soapy as the dragon's blood resin started to take over on the drydown.

 

Boo.

 

Pass.

[Usagi]

In the Imp: very green; apple and dragon's blood

Wet: the green becomes sharp, and the dragon's blood is relegated to the background. It has a very smokey feeling without actually smelling smokey, brings to mind dark green and black scales in a shadowed garden.

Dry: Stays very sharp and green; if this is the hyacinth, it must be water hyacinth, because the scent is bordering strongly on aquatic.

 

Conclusion: This is an interesting, complex blend, but perhaps a bit too sharp for me. The apples went away the minute it went on my skin. Too bad. Perhaps I shall retry later.

[tinyvulture]

I’d been wanting to try Ladon for some time because it sounded like a nice autumn scent, with the apple and dragon’s blood. Now that I’m wearing it, I smell mostly sweet, ripe apples, but also a strong whiff of fresh florals. Must be the hyacinth. The dragon’s blood is another strong note, but it’s on the powdery side. So, this is not what I was hoping for -- powder and florals are usually not my scene. But it’s not bad really. It would make a nice soap. It’s just a bit too floral for me to enjoy as a perfume.