Liz Moores, perfumer behind Papillon Perfumes, lives in a house deep inside the New Forest, surrounded by a menagerie of children, horses, and animals that she has rescued and nurtured. Given that the forest forms a protective ring around Liz and her animals, it makes sense that Dryad feels like her most personal perfume yet, inspired as it is by the nymphs said to dwell in oak trees according to Greek mythology.

Dryad is a sylvan fantasy of friendly trees linking their branches together to form a sunlit, green canopy over your head. Although far sexier and more ruggedly outdoorsy than anything from Guerlain or Dior, fans of vintage Vol de Nuit and Miss Dior will still feel a thrill of recognition at Dyrad’s damp, mossy heart of galbanum, narcissus and an overdose of genuine oakmoss.

Smoky, tough galbanum and clary sage add a resinous, rubbery dry warmth to the moistness of the green heart, and there is a touch of sun-burnt hay by way of deer tongue, a plant rich in coumarin and vanilla, and often used to flavor tobacco. Costus and apricot add a sly hint of naughty inner thigh – but just a hint. Dryad is a shamanic, witchy, but also relaxed scent that coaxes open the rigidly classical lines of the classic green chypre, ushering in sunlight, herbs, and a bunch of bright aromatics. The result is a Green Goddess of a fragrance, and the first green chypre that belongs more in the forest than in the boardroom.

Dryad Fragrance Notes

cedrat, bigaradier orange, bergamot, narcissus, oakmoss, jonquil, clary sage, orange blossom, lavender, orris, vetiver, thyme, galbanum, costus, tarragon, apricot, benzoin, peru balsam, styrax

Dryad Sizes Available:

50ml

$200

0.7ml sample

If you like Dryad Eau de Parfum, we recommend you try:

Tobacco Rose by Papillon Artisan Perfumes

Salome by Papillon Artisan Perfumes

Anubis by Papillon Artisan Perfumes

Bengale Rouge by Papillon Artisan Perfumes

MEM by Bogue Profumo

Angelique by Papillon Artisan Perfumes

Here's what other people are saying about Dryad...

Clear the deck, clear your head, and clear the calendar – this is an absolutely enormous, unbelievably sensual moss-oakwood chypre with beautiful notes of vanilla, hay, apricot, salt, tarragon, thyme and a whole lot of sage that makes everything both smudge-stick thick and incredibly airy. It’s the forest retreat, the barnyard, and the Stevie Nicks twirling dress you need to truly immerse yourself in that tableau. Complex and gorgeous.

By Angela - editor from Seattle on 3/10/2024

For those wanting to smell like a forest nymph and are not afraid of classic scent profiles, this is for you. A galbanum-forward, moss-lover's dream.

By Jasmine - Decorator from Oakland on 12/22/2023

Brings to mind Celtic ladies dancing by firelight within a stone circle deep in a dense forest. The feminine human olfactory signature of such a communal effort wafts through and among the scents of the damp wood and I smell my mother's skin, my uncle's cologne, my grandmother's hair, and my great-aunt's basement. I detect sweat and dry tobacco, papery flowers, decaying leaf litter and fading fruit. When I wear Dryad, I am Artemis, Hestia, Athena...the huntress, the all-mother, the Crone. It is distinctive and evocative and while chypres aren't typically my jam, this one knocks my socks off with it's contrast of untamed wilderness and sly sophistication.

By Richelle - School Aide from Temecula on 3/1/2023

An exquisite green floral leather, highly complex and in the oldschool traditions of fine French perfumery. Reminds me of vintage 1947 MISS DIOR and a bit of KNIZE TEN. Stunningly natural-smelling throughout its development. Crisp, insistent and uber-stylish. Perfume-making doesn't get better than this, if craftsmanship and style are your watch-words. Unisex, flawlessly balanced, imperious in the vintage French style and high-glam to the max.

By david lincoln brooks - artist from boerne, tx usa on 2/14/2023

From the first sniff I immediately thought about my mom, I think she was wearing something like this when I was a kid. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think it's very close to classic chypre scents from old times. Also reminds me Climat from Lancome. I'd totally buy it for my mom.

By Ev_genia - Photographer from Jersey City on 10/28/2021

Lovely scent. Color would be dark olive green. It opens a little woody to me, but behind it is a green smell. The more it dried the better it smelled. It was dusty, yet, fresh. Story: your an alchemists assistant in the middle ages. You have your leather bag of dried herbs from the forest tucked under your arm as you walk in to the dusty, dim alchemists tower. The scent of dried candles and herbs wafts about you as you climb the cobblestone stair case.

By Alisha - Accountant from Clinton on 9/27/2019

Reminded me a lot of Knize Ten: entering the Gentleman’s Room at a Playboy Club In 1974 where they’ve just replaced the urinal cakes. And also like Knize Ten, a scrubber for me.

By Jim - Fragrance Noob from El Segundo on 7/5/2019

Dryad conjures the ghost of Coty Chypre and maybe even out-does it. If I can help it, I will never be without a bottle of this beautiful scent.

By Kelly - tech industry from Seattle on 5/24/2019

I'm only on the first hour....but seriously, where is the forest?!? I get moss and what I'm guessing is the galbanum, but it's very musty, this smells like a middle class woman's powder room circa 1935 when she hasn't opened the windows in a few days rather than anything outdoors. I'm learning to appreciate what would be considered "retro" scents and notes these days but this scent was just such a shock considering that on me it doesn't smell anything like the description.

By Keila - Chef from Vancouver on 5/1/2019

Dryad is quite possibly the most glorious compendium I have sampled so far from LS. You sense the perfumer's deep understanding of each component--everything about this speaks to her integrity and skill. A juicy citrus opening segues smoothly into what I can only describe as a gorgeous, seamless, sun-warmed portrait of a deciduous forest floor replete with moss, humus, dried grass, herbs and flowers. It is rich and grand and complex, but gracious and intimate as well, with an especially intoxicating, deep, leathery oakmoss-galbanum-costus-tobacco sort of smell that characterizes the drydown for me. Long-lasting, with golden, floury-soft sillage.

By Liz - Publishing from Chapel Hill, NC on 12/16/2018

Oh! I like it! Green and wild yet elegant—I assume galbanum because it reminds me of why I first fell in love with Chanel No 19. But these days No 19 is a little too sterile on me somehow, whereas this is alive and warm, while at the same time cool and fresh. Summer in the shade of the forest. Completely lovely. Becomes subtle on my skin after a couple of hours, but lasts longer on my clothes.

By Molly - writer from Seattle on 3/1/2018

Stunning scent. LS's description is right on. Oakmoss plus so many subtle notes - i can pick up the orange blossom, lavendar, bergamot, light tobacco (that must be the deer tongue plant) and apricot, all finely blended into a mysterious, bucolic symphony. Even though my FB collection is now 100+, I can't think of any other scent that resembles Dryad or even comes close. As the description says, it is outdoorsy and sexy at the same time. Sample before you buy, but if you are looking for a complex green scent, this could be it. It is described as unisex, and I think it could work very well for a man or a woman. However, in response to the comment below, I don't see any resemblance to Lauder's Azuree, however.

By Joyce E - Attorney from New York City on 1/15/2018

Reminds me a bit of Estee Lauder's Azuree from the 70s, but more natural smelling. Starts off beautifully green and foresty. Drydown is surprisingly musky.

By Seline - Teacher from Chi on 8/9/2017

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Papillon Artisan Perfumes

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Dryad

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