Sleepy Moon

[Brienze]

A nearly-narcotic blend of opiate-touched bark and blossom reflective of the bleakness and solitude of winter, the quietest point of the year : black opium poppy, bamboo pulp, ylang ylang, lavender, chamomile and white sandalwood.

First, let me warn that I don't know whether lavender is a bad note for me. I usually don't even bother reviewing scents that I know are bad on my skin (the vanilla in Montresor does me in, for example) because what good does it do anybody to know that if it contains X and X is bad on your skin, it'll be bad on you? Duh. I'm not huge into florals though, and I don't think I've ever had a lavender-containing blend before.

On my skin, Sleepy Moon gave the most godawful lavender soap smell at first... I felt like Pigpen from the Peanuts cartoons, with this miasma of stench spreading out from me in all directions. The soapiness went away, but it was still nasty in some other variety less easy to quantify. I can most clearly review it by what it wasn't. It wasn't chamomile, or sandalwood, and most especially wasn't bamboo pulp, which I loved in Holiday Moon. The real kick in the ass is that a RL friend tried it on last night, and on her it was a lovely sandalwoody floral. Dammit.

I guess take this as a general warning that if you know one of Sleepy Moon's notes doesn't work on your skin, this might not be the blend that proves the exception to the rule. I'm glad that many people seem to really like it, though, so my imps can go on to find more appreciative homes.

[PurringPulsar]

Sleepy Moon

 

In the bottle: soap? Oh dear…I get a hint of soap in this scent, and also something a bit spicy, and something reminiscent of Holiday Moon (bamboo?). But it's a bit soapy, which is odd…

Wet on skin: once on, it smells less like soap, and more like opium incense-and that's the good opium incense that my skin likes, like the one in Red Lantern…I also smell the sandalwood.

Dry on skin: ooh, this is pretty! This smells like light, gentle, Asian incense made with pale sandalwood and opium perfumes, with hints of ylang ylang and white petals, a fresh green bamboo note, a bare hint of camomile and the faintest, faintest trace of lavender. It's dry, almost dusty and ghostly, but also very delicate in scent, yet with a hint of something heavy and narcotic. It also smells similar to Holiday Moon, which may be the bamboo, or a secret blend of lunar oils reserved for this year's run of Chinese moons. It's not soapy any more.

After a while: it's not long before the scent tones down and becomes much softer. The scent is now a soft, gentle layer of sandalwood and opium incense, with a little hint of ylang and camomile. This is also one of the few BPAL scents where I can really pinpoint the ylang-ylang, it smells similar to the e.o. I have of it. At this point, the scent is ever so soothing, and there's a definite Asian feel to this scent.

Then, after 2-3 hours, it's ever so faint...that's my only gripe with this scent, it fades too fast on my skin. But what does remain on my skin is a gentle, soft scent of ylang and sandalwood with a little hint of opium.

Verdict: Sleepy Moon, to me, is the night time equivalent of Holiday Moon. They smell very similar at times, but SM has a wonderful incense feel to it, like good quality joss sticks gently burning in an Asian temple, the scent of sandalwood and opium mingling with heady ylang-ylang flowers, moist green bamboo and a hint of camomile. At first, the bamboo scent is very strong and it smells very much like HM with added incense, but then the scent becomes more like wisps of dry sandalwood-opium incense lingering in the air before fading to sandalwood and ylang. This scent is very calm, soothing, and I can't wait to use it as a sleep aid. My only complaint is that it fades very fast on my skin…a shame really because this is another gorgeous moon scent, and the label art is wonderful.

[fallow deer]

Sleepy Moon is one of the most beautiful scents I have tried for a while, and that's saying a lot since I was stunned by most of the Lupercalia oils.

 

I have only worn it to bed so far, so I can't really say how it wears on me other than that it is gone by morning.

 

BUT I can say it is one of the most powerfully narcotic sleep inducing scents ever. It's like Dorothy is not just in the middle of a field of poppies during the day, but is surrounded by dark dark poppies, lavendar and sandalwood and it is pitch black. She doesn't even get to say 'Oh my! Poppies!' or whatever she says in the film because she's out cold.

 

The first word that came into my mind when I first smelled Sleepy Moon was 'entropy'. It is a dark dark scent, with just a brush of indigo round the edges. It's like the neck of the bottle is a little black hole, the edge of a coma.

[Inanna9]

The more I wear this, the more I love it. This is the most gorgeous soapy-ish scent I have ever smelled. I'm not usually nuts about blends that turn to soap on me, and it's really not fair to label this as such, even though it's a definite component. But this time, I'm using soap as a compliment.

 

Because Sleepy Moon is just so beautiful.

 

I'm having a hard time describing it because of the complexity, and how it morphs through a couple of different stages. The lavender and chamomile never dominate, but hang around a bit in the wet and middle stage, almost tricking me into thinking this will be green and light, until this dries into something else entirely. The ylang ylang and poppy and sandalwood emerge to make a lush and soporific potion; heady and heavy, an almost-perfumey fragrance that's such a "beautiful lady" blend that I wouldn't associate it with bedtime at all if not for that intriguing hint of soap. Like a beautiful lady who has just emerged from a hot, luxurious bath and is ready for the oblivion of sleep.

 

Come to think of it, it's very reminiscent of my gorgeous Sleepy Moon tee. I'm always amazed at the talent behind this company. This makes makes Top Five lunar blends. Maybe even Top Three.

[ariansdreams]

My very first LE! For a BPAL newb, this was exciting, lemmetellya.

 

First Sniff (in the imp): It reminds me of this sandalwood soap that I got at Whole Foods. Yummy! Very fresh and clean.

 

Wet: I think I smell the bamboo pulp. In any case, it's something I've never smelled before. I'm fairly familiar with lavender, chamomile, and ylang ylang essential oil smells, so this is either the bamboo pulp or the opium poppy. Whatever it is, wet on my skin, it's strong, but not unpleasant. It is still a very fresh, clean scent.

 

Dry: Dry, I can really smell the sandalwood. My skin really tends to amp up sandalwood smells (this I know from non-BPAL perfume oils). I really don't mind . Sandalwood is awesome!

 

Overall:I really like this. I wore it to bed the other night, and it really helped me to get to sleep (I have insomnia). I also think I might wear if if I'm feeling slightly grungy, as it does have a *nice* soapy scent to it. Very fresh and clean! It also has amazing staying power, I put it on before bed, and can still smell it the next morning. A little goes a long way! Definitely keeping my bottle.

[LiberAmoris]

Sleepy Moon has its own place on my nightstand, next to my Somnium blends. I love the bamboo/ chamomile/ lavender intersection in it, as well as how well-blended the ylang ylang is, as I normally cannot bear even a little bit of the double ylang, in any amount.

 

It feels very contemplative to me, like restful, restorative sleep filled with working dreams. I think this would also make a great blend for meditation or just general relaxation.

[Shollin]

First sniff: Beautiful, beautiful. Flowing herbal-floral, soft and pretty and unassuming.

 

Wearing: Soft, pale, delicate. And sleepifying. But then, I was reviewing it at four in the morning.

[candygirl]

I bought this for Mr. CG who has had a hard time sleeping well for years. I blame it on his upbringing. As a child, he had a room that faced the backyard and a hill so there was no light or noise entering his room. He became accustomed to falling asleep in absolute quiet and silence. Ever since he left home for college, he has had a problem sleeping because he hasn't lived in a bedroom as dark and quiet as his childhood bedroom. I convinced him to try valerian a few years ago, but it didn't work (mostly because he only took it for a few days and then quit because of the awful stench).

 

I dabbed a good amount of Sleepy Moon on a cotton pad and slid it inside his pillow case, but didn't tell him (no subject bias in this experiment!). The next morning I asked how he slept. His answer: "Meh. The same." I left the cotton pad inside his pillow for another week but to no avail.

 

I find the scent to be very calming and relaxing, with green (the bamboo pulp?) and lavender. I don't know if I'd wear it during the day but I would definitely consider putting some inside MY pillowcase!

 

ETA: The other night, I woke up at 4am and could NOT go back to sleep. I tried putting some Lush Dream Cream on my wrists in the hopes that the lavender would help me fall back asleep, but an hour later I was still wide awake. Then I remembered I had Sleepy Moon! I dabbed some on my wrists and put a cotton pad with Sleepy Moon inside my pillowcase. I fell right asleep. My pillow still smells like Sleepy Moon! The next morning, I caught a whiff of it in my hair too. Lovely!

Edited April 2, 2006 by candygirl

[ajcj213499]

Sleepy Moon is very different from what I expected it to be. I didn't order it on the moon because I'm not crazy about sandalwood and lavender (both, especially sandalwod overpower most blends for me). Well, later I decided I had to try it, and I'm glad I did.

 

It's very nice for sleeping, I've been wearing it as I go to bed and it's really nice.

 

There is a note I recognize from Holiday Moon which must be the bamboo. It is a very clean scent, it reminds me of how you would smell after a bath, clean and with the lingering smell of a bit of soap- lavender soap to be precise. I think this is an oil that can grow on you. The first time I tried it I thought, "meh", but as the days pass I find I like it more and more. It's a different scent that any other BPAL I've tried, and it's notes blend really well together, so it might even work for you if some of Sleepy Moon's notes are usually ones that you she away from (like I was).

[jewelbug]

 

Wet: Really spicy lavender. Not spicy as in cinnamon or clove, but lavender with BITE, if you know what I mean. Fresh and peppery and pungent.

 

Drying: Goes greener, very herbaceous. I think that's the bamboo pulp, actually. It's very fresh and green, along with the peppery lavender.

 

Dry: Smooth, kinda creamy, and green lavendar. Pretty, but subtle. This smells like an herb garden in bloom. After about 20 mins, this unfortunately goes a little soapy on me, though not as badly as most. It has really good throw, but I'm not sure about its staying power, since I fell asleep! Perfect, huh?

 

Overall: This is like time spent in my herb garden--I wish it didn't do the soap thing. The first time I tried this out, I was ill, and it gave me a nauseous feeling. Now that I've tried it while well, I like the scent much better. But sometimes those associations just stick in our brains, and this is one of em. I won't be keeping this, but luckily I've found it a loving home!

[harmonyfb]

Started off as single-note jasmine (yes, I know, it's not listed, but that's what it smelled like), and then quickly turned to soap. Bleah.

[Barb25]

I knew from the notes that I would love Sleepy Moon, and holy cow, I was right. I am kicking myself for not ordering a second bottle.

 

For me, it's consistant in the bottle and on my skin - the lavender, chamomile, bamboo, and white sandalwood are very obvious, especially the lavender and chamomile. The ylang-ylang is there subtly, and I don't get the black opium poppy at all.

 

It really is the perfect bedtime scent. I'm not getting much daytime use as I prefer my strong lavenders before bed, but I apply it before bed very frequently.

 

5 out of 5 for me. Love it.

[feline.by.design]

Sleepy Moon is an oil I've tried twice so far, and last night was one of them so that I might refresh my memory.

 

Scent-wise, I love Sleepy Moon, although I was startled by its spicy edge, which my skin amped up quite a bit. The lavender was underneath the spice, smelling clean as usual. Bamboo has become quite a favourite note for me, so its presence was appreciated. I should add my boyfriend liked this scent as well.

 

I use BPAL oil frequently to help me sleep, with my favourite being Arcana thus far. Sleepy Moon doesn't put me to sleep as instantly as Arcana; it actually took a while for me to quiet my mind, so to speak, so that I could sleep (about 30 minutes). I had some interesting dreams, however, which was unusual, since I normally cannot remember my dreams. But, I woke this morning very tired, a little disoriented, and a little crabby because I had to wake up early.

 

I wouldn't mind using Sleepy Moon as a sleep aid, but I think I'd better use it on the weekends, when I don't need to wake up for work.

 

-doreen

[k00kaburra]

In bottle: Lavender. Chamomile. The stuff of which dreams are made of - or at least, the ingredients that lull you to sleep so that the dreams can run about in your head. Sandalwood. Bamboo pulp - or at least, something that makes the fragrance a little bit fresh and green amidst the sleepy purple and moon-yellow.

On me: Very light on my skin, and very mellow, Sleepy Moon is chamomile and white sandalwood with poppy providing the slightest spiciness. It definitely makes me think of silver tree bark in a moonlit forest.

[moon_lemming]

The sandalwood in Sleepy Moon worried me enough that I settled for hunting down a decant instead of getting a full bottle (and got a full bottle of Mars instead), but I really shouldn't have worried. The lavender and chamomile that arrive in the imp become a soapy herbal lavender on my skin. The bamboo pulp brightens it up so that it's not a bad soapiness, and there's enough spice -- the poppy, maybe -- that it's not boring, either.

 

Lovely and calming without being blah. I can definitely see how wearing this one to bed would help you drift off faster.

Edited April 17, 2006 by karen

[girlmadasbirds]

whoa....that's potent! i can't really tell what note(s) are killing it for me, but it's making my nose twitch. off to the swaps!

[themerrybaker]

Sleepy Moon starts out with poppy and a rush of chamomile (a tart smell here, with apple tones on the plant but not here). The poppy is bitter and smoky.

 

 

 

It dries down to poppy, bamboo, and sandalwood with a little freshness from the chamomile. I didn't get any lavender, but no complaints.

 

 

 

This is a fine herbal springtime scent and a welcome addition to the herd.

[Voleuse]

At first, this is a faintly sweet and herbal scent, like walking into a fancy soap shop. I smell lavender and chamomile right away, and though I can't discern the other notes, there is definitely something more complex in the background.

 

As it dries, the blend gets a little soapier on me, though there's a woodsy note that gets stronger over time. Overall, this is a nice, calming blend, but nothing that screams MUST HAVE to me.

[juniperus]

Bottle: holy sweet mother of...sweet. not food-sweet, not floral-sweet, just...sweet. fortunately, also not sinus-assaulting sweet.

Wet: poppy and pulp, I assume, as i don't detect the other notes..still very sweet.

Dry: a hint of the ylang ylang and sandalwood also appears in the fray.

Later: it's fade quite a bit, little staying power on me. I can catch hints of the chamomile, the sweet has calmed down some, but the lavender never did step up to be counter (a shame, that's the note I like the best from the list). It's ok, but not more than ok on me.

[Em-]

Sleepy Moon is sharp to me. But in a good way. It is the first opium poppy blend that I've really been able to wear, perhaps because the other soporific notes drown it out, but it is really quite beautiful, in a languid, herbal, sort of way.

 

This is a potion, most definitely.

[looneyluna]

I've been really sick with a stomach bug for a few days, and sleepy moon was so relaxing to have in my oil warmer while I was feeling atrocious. Something about the scent is so comforting that I cannot help but be happy everytime I smell it.

 

For me Sleepy Moon has been even better than promised. It's relaxing during regular life, but also quite soothing while ill.

[storme]

In the imp: man, that lavender is pretty prominent (and a little offputting with the chamomile too, sort of soapy. hmm).

 

On me, wet: this is so much greener than I was expecting it to be. A lot of bamboo smell and something sort of ozoney - much more of an alert smell than a sleepy one.

 

On me, dry: still a sort of soapy herbal fresh lavender scent. This doesn't make me feel sleepy at all, although possibly I should try it in the evening rather than the afternoon for that. As it is, this scent makes me feel like I've just gotten out of the shower in the morning after using some soap I won't be buying again.

 

Verdict: Ah well, not one I'll be keeping I think. Alas.

[abberlaine]

"Bleakness" and "solitude" really are good descriptors for Sleepy Moon. I imagine riding on a horse in the dead of the winter; the sound his hooves breaking through the frozen snow; a crisp, light brown ginko leaf ready to crumble in your hands; smelling straw-thin, long-dead vegetation through a stuffed nose.

 

The opium poppy brushes a lazy, hazy dryness over the entire scent. The lavender got a bit of a bitter edge to it; to me, it suggests a dull discomfort and unpleasantness that's borne. I can pick out the chamomile, too; it's not chamomile tea or fresh chamomile, but rather, it brings to mind the weak, delicate petals of a dried chamomile flower. Only the ylang ylang seems to have any juice to it -- although tired, cold and uncomfortable, our warrior passively accepts the circumstances of his journey and continues on.

 

The very first time I tried this, it brought to mind a Chinese apothecary, and several times I've thought to wear to bed on a rainy morning.

Edited May 16, 2006 by Abberlaine Arrol

[HennaFairy]

bottle:

lavender & incense

 

wet:

ylangylang and lavender, and a touch of incense.

 

dry:

sandalwood, stronger incense, with the herbs in the background. Spicier than I imagined but still nice, and relaxing! Later, much more incensy than I prefer for a bedtime scent - still nice though!

 

overall:

nice, but very incensy towards the end. Not what I want for bedtime.

 

rating: 8/10

[gwyllgi]

Initially, my nose insists that this is... mandarin? As it dries a bit, it separates enough to be able to determine with reasonable certainty that this is the combination of the poppy and bamboo pulp (mmm, bamboo...). I can't pick out any of the other notes individually, but, then, I'm not trying too hard, as the whole is such a lovely, quiescent blend.

 

This is a scent for remembering the pleasure in being alone, not needing anyone or anything for company or entertainment. It doesn't strike me as a blend to use for sleeping, but it might be a perfect meditation blend.