I live in horse country. Probably not like racing in Kentucky but a sufficient number of people own horses and ride them through the villages that I think I can safely say that. I rode when I was (much) younger and have a deep affection for these creatures. And I’m used to, as many people are here, stopping and waiting on the lanes for a group of horses and riders to pass. I don’t mind the smell of horse manure – and I positively love the smell of horse, tack, and hay.
Alas, the majority of the English independent brand Papillon’s output doesn’t work on me (in the same way some people say the Taurade base in Tauer Perfumes doesn’t work for them). I did a roundup of the majority of Papillon fragrances here.
Still, when alityke twice mentioned Papillon’s new release in comments on posts here I thought I should have a go.
Papillon perfumes are very well done and not stupid money in our current perfume price environment (a 50ml bottle of Epona is £147).
Epona (which refers to a Celtic goddess where name alludes to horse) is, unsurprisingly, a leather-centred perfume.
Notes provided on the site include leather, oppoponax, violet, saddle soap accord and hay absolute. Fragrantica adds vetiver, honey, oakmoss and petitgrain.
My first go with this was not hugely successful. It offered a very fizzy, aldehydic opening. However, go number 3, for whatever reason, offered a much muted fizz underlaid with a suede feeling. Maybe a whisper of scratchy violet and a bit of smoky-sweet oppoponax.
That calms into something that smells of my memories of summers at working farm camps with horses, cows, hay, sunshine and sweat.
As it warms, there’s a gentle hit of root beer (don’t ask – it disappears fast) and things open into a fairly sweet (maybe the honey?) leather with hay, and the hay is both fresh and sweet, but not sickly – more like lying in a meadow of wildflowers.
This is long-lived and at the end of my first go, I got an almost sickly sweet leather. As noted above with the opening, the drydown morphed on go number 3 to a gentle, high-quality leather with an unexpected undercurrent of mint.
Did I say long-lived? My third sampling saw this still being discernible the next morning. Alas, however, after a nice drydown, this then returned to being sweet leather, pongy sweet leather, which didn’t sit well on my chemistry.
I’m glad I gave the sample more than a couple of goes. This is a Papillon that is very worth the time – even if it’s not for me.
Papillon fragrances are fairly widely available – eg, Lucky Scent, among others, in the US, a number of places in Europe, plus Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan.
Does Epona sound intriguing?
Pics: Pexels
Hi Cinnamon,
Thought I’d commented but…
Papillon’s fragrances are so good. I’ve loved every one of them on other people and on cardboard. A few have been very near buys; Tobacco Rose, Spell 125 and Salome.
Hoping Epona will be the one I finally own. It sounds like an absolutely riveting wear. Shapeshifters can be so interesting.
Loved your review,
Portia xx
I think it’s very worth a visit. And am very curious to hear your impressions. I do always wonder if my chemistry sweetens things where on other people a fragrance wouldn’t veer that direction.
I love hay-y leathers! so… yes
It’s definitely worth a look. The Fougeuese you so kindly gifted sits much better on my chemistry but Epona is interesting and parts of its development really caught my attention.
I think the sweet honey note would throw me off the horse and the hay. For just hay, SL Chergui is a good old faithful scent. I remember when I started my scent hobby, and everyone online was raving over Chergui. Thanks for a really thorough review Cinnamon.
I too recall when Chergui had a huge moment. I do think Epona is worth trying if you find yourself in a position to. Regarding horse/hay fragrances, I prefer Cartier Fougueuse which is not at all sweet on me and significantly ‘dryer’ than Epona.
Fougueuse is altogether gorgeous – on fabric. On me, it skews ‘weird’
These sound interesting and worth trying — I haven’t sniffed any of them! Horses are not at all my thing, although I’ll admire them from a distance. I like my animals small enough to tuck in a handbag, apparently. I do like that barn/hay smell, though.
I do think they are well done — and I wonder if Lucky Scent has reasonably priced samples (ie, I don’t imagine they are findable near you). I do plan to try Anubis again.
Epona seems.. interesting. I may go over to ScentBar and check it out.
I do like horses but they were really my Sisters thing. I prefer my horses grouped in multiples of 100 and driving the rear wheels of something with a roof that goes down. But they are lovely animals and much smarter than they’re given credit for.
Ah, yet again you made me laugh. Have you seen any Lotus cars in wondrous LA? I think they are lovely.
We had a joke here during the election: all the animals would vote Green except the sheep … because they are sheep.
I do think Epona is worth a go.
Oh, I love the sheep part!
You don’t see a lot of Lotus cars here. The occasional Exige. People tend to default to a Cayman when they’re looking at something like that. You saw more of them in the 70’s and 80’s when they had the Bond ones. You never see Elan’s from the 70’s here and those are lovely, if tiny for American roads stuffed with mammoth SUVs..
My Epona sample is dry. I need a bottle.
I find how perfume performs on different people & how it is perceived fascinating.
I chose it as my SotD for my eldest son’s wedding
It is fascinating how different things smell. What do you get with Epona?
And congrats on wedding. Hope it was a great day.
It was a fabulous day! Pix are currently embargoed from social media. Funny, tearful, fab food, copious drink. Best of all the couple are so clearly loved by each other.
Epona for me has two distinct leatherish smells, meadows & pony. I’m reviewing it fully this week. I find it ravishing.
I appreciate all of Liz Moore’s creations, not all are for me despite my having a sample or two of them all for reference. I own Dryad & Hera. Epona will be added when I’ve financially recovered from recent events.
I like Papillon perfumes. I love Tobacco Rose and Salome and like a couple of others, so yes, Epona definitely interests me. I already have it and Hera on a sample order that I’m putting together. Fingers crossed here! Now for more money…… 🙂
I did really like Anubis on sampling but forgot about it. Will now have to revisit.
I think Anubis was her first fragrance, the one she made for herself. I do remember that it got a lot of love. I was meh about it but I have been thinking for a while about revisiting it.