Black Moon

[eleventhousand]

The absence of light: motia attar, black orchid, mugwort, English pear, cucumber, blue lotus, jonquil, massoia, calamus and crystal musk.

Watery creamy gardenia when wet.
Much heavier a floral than I usually like, but I like it.
I don't smell the pear or the cucumber specifically, which is good.
Glamour, and not in the modern sense.

It reminds me of the memory of a dream.

[Phaedra]

Black Moon smells blue. A pale turquoise liquid blue and a deeper liquid blue, almost royal blue. Wet this is pear and cucumber along with something herbal. When first on this is a sweet lotus. Not too heavy or sharp like lotus usually is on me. There's also soft jasmine which actually smells good on me this time- yay! This is very misty and ethereal like moonlight. The pear sweetens up and it reminds me a bit of Chaste Moon. It has a similar comforting feel and fruity sweetness. This develops into a soft, sweet and well blended floral. This lasts a long time on me and reminds me of Moon Rose on the drydown. Now this is the palest misty pink. This is utterly feminine and is wonderful! I am so glad I got this and am excited to try the companion scent.

[puck_nc]

Origin: 5ml straight from the Lab

 

Impressions Going In: I love jonquils and daffodils and there just don't seem to be enough blends with that note around. The other notes described a crisp, crystalline floral but with that dreaded word "musk". I know I can wear a very few pale musks and wanted to continue trying to narrow down which musks take over everything like a spreading virus with my skin chemistry and which will behave with the rest of the notes.

 

In the Bottle: First impression, a florist shop! I get a huge burst of floral with some nice fruity undertones.

 

Wet: It's sharper on my skin, but not the acrid-sharp I get with violets. It settles down to a blend of the musk, orchid and pear for a few minutes and is quite nice in this stage.

 

Drydown: Problem 1, this fades quite quickly on me. Not as quickly as the magically disappearing Pele, but within an hour I get very little throw and have to press my wrist to my nose to get a whiff. Problem 2, the musk eventually takes over as most musk does on me. That very faded whiff is almost pure musk with only the barest traces of fruit and floral.

 

Verdict: Oh, well. It'll hopefully go to a loving home. *relegates crystal musk to the no-nos along with red, black and blue musk*

[dorei]

It's here it's here oh yay it's here!

 

Wet: I smell the jasmine, of course, and the cucumber. Jasmine and cucumber together -- who knew it could smell that good? I'm also getting a hint of the musk and occasionally a whiff of pear, but it's overwhelmingly jasmine ... and well, cucumber.

 

Dry: Soft floral, with occasional hints of the fruit/veg combo.

 

I'm loving this. *especially* when I layer it with it's brother, Schwarzer Mond.

[supremegoddessofall]

Mmm! Mostly I get the orchid. Little bit of pear which rounds out some of the orchid's sharpness. Hint of cucumber underneath, and a bit of musk. Nummy!

 

Score: 4 out of 5

[fairy]

Count me in as another one who loves to layer this with Schwarzer Mond. Alone, both blends are gorgeous. Together they are stunning.

 

Black Moon is the little sister of Schwarzer Mond. It's more subdued and demure. Extremely clean, crisp and fresh. I think the pear is the most forefront of the ingredients.

 

This one makes me think of a beautiful, spakling stream, lit under the light of the moon. You know streams sometimes glisten under moonlight? This scent glistens.

 

Gorgeous and possibly my favorite of the two, although it's close. Both scents are fantastic

[Shannihilation]

In the bottle this is a very strong fruity floral. It has an almost bitter edge to it.

 

On my skin it holds true to that initial impression. The cucumber seems to be the dominant note only letting the other notes peek through once in awhile. I've had this on for about an hour now and while it's faded quite a bit, it's still pretty strong. And it's still an overly sweet floral. Overly ripe fruit and crushed flowers. I don't like it. I can see this being a very soft feminine scent on other people, but it just doesn't work on me. Maybe I can swap it for another bottle of Schwarzer Mond.

[gingersnapp]

Out of the bottle and wet on the skin, this is a chill fruity floral. The pear and the cucumber are really only apparent during this stage.

 

As it dried, it became more floral. Something kept threatening to take over that smells a lot on my skin like jasmine, but reviewing the list of notes on here, I don't see any jasmine. I'm not sure what it is, then, because it crawls up the back of my neck and tightens its vice just like jasmine does.

 

There is something else trying to temper it and make it less sharp and astringent.

 

This is pretty, but I don't know if it's me. I'm hanging onto it until I test Schwarzer Mond on its own, and then try them together, which I have read yields very positive results.

[QueenFae]

Gorgeous! Just gorgeous. This is truly a magnificent creation by Beth. I can really smell the pear note, and the fruitiness of the blend is the first thing I noticed. It has a dual floral aspect, and the floral part is sooo dark it evens out the innocence of the fruity side. I can definitley pick out lotus and an evil smelling orchid. This is so perfect for the Black Moon! Dark, seductive, and glowing. It clings close to my skin just begging to be noticed. I love it!

[themerrybaker]

I bought Black Moon in the never-say-die hope that I could find a wearable orchid scent. And got lucky for a change!!

 

Although jasmine is also iffy on me, and I'm not so fond of fruity, this perfume is wonderful and "my type". The pear and lotus are detectable, but the whole is so much better than the individual ingredients. Black Moon is a cool, subtle, perfumey perfume that I will zealously hoard!

[visualworlds]

This moon reminds me of my night blooming jasmine plant that I would occationally get wafts of as I moved around the room. It's a lush, heady floral. I really don't get anything else besides the jasmine smell. Just a little dab created waves of scent that enveloped me and scented the air around me. It is quite lovely... but I'm not really sure when it would be an appropriate scent for me to wear. I feel like it should be worn by a priestess or pilgrim visiting a sacred shrine honoring a lunar goddess. But it is overkill in most circumstances for me to wear everyday.

[jenleigh]

This is beautiful.

 

Jasmine tempered a lot by the cucumber, and the musk comes in and makes it darker, just a bit. I'm also getting hints of pear and what I think must be the lotus - just a little sweetness in there.

 

My only regret is that I didn't order two bottles of this, because one is just not enough.

[LittleGreyKitten]

This is very floral on me, not necessarily a dark one though, at least not to my nose. I'd call it a moonlit-smelling floral, like Nuit. It's not a heady one either, I'll give it that. The jasmine somehow remains under control- no death by uber-jasmine evil, yet you can still smell it. The black orchid is also noticeable- I sniffed my wee implet of Black Orchid and it actually is so similar to the most prominent floral note, I'm gonna have to say the black orchid in Black Moon is the most noticeable note- it's also the one that throws the farthest.

 

This actually does remind me of Blue Moon- not the actual scent, but I can smell some of the background components in common, if you get what I mean. Mostly the cucumber, which is definitely there, but faint... This is also a scent that throws differently than it smells up close. The throw is almost all orchid and jasmine on me, but up close the more herbal and cucumber notes come out. Honestly I appreciate the up-close scent a lot more. This lasted an average length of time on me- about 4 hours. Anyway, 4 out of 5. That being said, this is exactly the type of dark/night-evocative/moonlight-y floral that I think I'll love and yet never use. (Nuit... Evening Star...)

Edited September 30, 2006 by LittleGreyKitten

[zenvodunista]

Black Moon reminds me of a very sophisticated, old world, vintage style perfume. Perhaps from somewhere like Guerlain.

 

It is seamlessly blended. In the bottle, I can pick out the pear, cooled and tempered by the cucumber and the juicy blue lotus. But on, it blends and becomes something else.

 

I don't know if I can wear it. But it makes me think of that beautiful photograph of Greta Garbo, the light on her face, her mysterious eyes, and her skin so flawless, that it fairly glows.

 

n.

[blackfelicula]

In the bottle: Black Moon smells like a dark, dewy floral. It is almost aquatic, but I think that’s the cucumber and pear.

 

Wet: Oooo. Something is warming the blend up just a touch. It is still mostly floral, but there are just enough other notes to capture my attention.

 

Drying down: This almost smells like a very fruity dark red wine or cordial to me, like an intense-but-shy gothic girl who is just drunk enough to come out of her shell.

 

Dry: This might be too floral for me to pull off, but its dancing-after-midnight quality has me entranced. To put a color on it, it is the garnet-but-almost-black of the aforementioned wine. The musk in it is gorgeous.

 

Later: Over time this sweetened, bringing out the pear. On me this is a fruity floral. My husband said it is not something I would usually wear, and I agree with him. Yet there’s something compelling about this blend. I will be trying it again.

[Blueelm]

In all this time I'd never gotten my stuff together enough to buy a lunacy blend. I'm so angry with myself

 

I ordered the set of these and I'm amazed at the quality. Black Moon is a strong floral with what I took to be jasmine overtones. Jasmine, orchid, musky skin and exotic fruits. Strangely it reminded me a little bit of what I wanted Estee Lauder's Paradise to smell like. Like some tropical night on a swolen river, purple orchids and black fruits shining in the moonlinght. The scent reminds me a little of Rousseau's paintings of jungles. Strange and evocative, I just love how completely wearable this is.

 

It is strong though, and jasmine takes front and center for a long while. I happen to like jasmine quite a lot, but those who don't may be blown away by it. After some time though this becomes musky and shimmering.

 

What's crazy is that I might never have bought this except I was committed to buying the next one issued. I wanted Schwartzer Moon and decided it was worth it to buy both. Now I have a scent that is not what I would normally wear, but that I LOVE! Even better, it far surpasses even a lot of the lab blends in quality IMHO. I'm very very happy to have taken a risk on these two scents and am seriously intending to make a better effort to keep up with the lunacy blends.

 

Okay... time to stop raving.

[jessamynit]

Mmm, this is amazing!! I ordered it because I liked many of the ingredients/ notes, but there have been oils in the past where that kind of bit me in the ass - like, great separately, but not so great together, or one note will overwhelm me, etc. This is gorgeous!

With the dark dark black description, I expected a little more of an overwhelming incensey scent - but this is sublte, light, and fairly pretty. However, I get the dark sense just in that it's kind of a desolate, cold scent - great for winter and fall. Even though it's floral, the florals aren't jumping out as individual flower notes, they're very gracefully complementing each other. I do get a tiny peek of pear and cucumber, and also a bit of the musk on the dry down. I was very worried about the lotus, which always turns to candy on me - but it's great here.

Overall, thisi s a lovely and unique scent that blends together nicely. No one note screams at me, and it is sort of a "serious" scent without being at all overwhelming or powering. I do get reminders of both Stardust and Ice Queen, but it is much more subtle than that.

A great scent for wniter 2006/7! So nicely done!

[juniperus]

Bottle: translucent floral, dewy. the orchid is very evident.

Wet: helloooo jasmine and lotus! they are bullying the other notes. naughty.

Dry: still amping. like nutz. I can smell nothing but jasmine with a hint of increasingly sweet/sour lotus.

Later: the amping has stopped and held steady and I can catch hints of the orchid, again. odd. I'll try this again - might this be a jasmine I can wear? we'll see next week when my hormones will be different..but I'm still doubtful..

[azhure]

In the bottle: A light airy floral.

 

Wet: Somehow the notes combine on me to form something akin to jasmine.

 

Drydown: Still that jasmine-type scent.

[faifai]

This went crazy on my skin. I was hoping for something rich and lush and over the top sensual, and instead I ended up with the scent equivalent of a pina colada--this seriously goes to coconut on me.

 

In fact, it smells exactly like Black Pearl does on me. And that is one scent I can't stand! The combination of iris and coconut and hazelnut in that scent produces an odd tropical floral scent that makes me feel unsettled.

 

And Black Moon smells JUST like that on me. No cucumber, no crystal musk, no black orchid, no motia attar. Booo to my skin making a potentially wonderful scent go nuts on me. I am selling this pronto.

 

ETA: this totally changed in the several months I forgot about it on my dresser. Now it smells like a lush, watery jasmine scent with just the tiniest hint of pear. Not at all fruity, but the pear adds some sweetness. It never goes rank and foul like every other BPAL jasmine I've ever tried, and it smells so classy and elegant! Would be perfect with a black dress and glittering jewelry or pearls. The scent seems to not fit any color, but rather is sparkling and bright like a clear gemstone when it catches light.

Edited February 11, 2007 by faifai

[fictiontragedy]

In the bottle it's very strongly floral and almost overwhelming which made me nervious but I bit the bullet and put it on.

 

Gorgeous, Gorgeous, Gorgeous. I'm seriously in love with this. I know I smell Jasmine but this is the lightest jasmine sent I've ever worn. Usually jasmine is a dominating note although on my chemistry it doesnt overwhelm most of the time just makes itself known. I think the lotus is what really seems to like my skin here though and while on some people it goes all bubblegummy or candish I don't get that reaction at all, it's a sweet almost creamish smelling floral which I really enjoy. the cucumber and the pear seem to be sitting nicely in the background just adding sweetness. I don't get any orchid or musk which is a little weird but it's so pretty I'm not complaining.

 

I love this but I almost think it's too pretty for everyday wear. It's something you would wear to dress up. It will make you feel all exotic and beautiful. This is by far my favorite floral.

 

 

 

 

 

 

edited: because I can't spell

Edited October 1, 2006 by fiction tragedy

[PurringPulsar]

Black Moon

 

In the bottle: a beautiful, sweetish nocturnal floral with a watery feel. I smell orchid and blue lotus.

Wet on skin: once on, a gorgeous jasmine note comes out, along with greenish notes.

Dry on skin: this is beautiful. An ethereal, misty yet heady floral, with a hint of dry greenery and darkness. The black orchid is prominent here, it's rich, creamy floral tones mixing gorgeously with a very well behaved jasmine note. There's a hint of blue lotus (which doesn't smell bubblegummy, but rather a pale, fresh, tangy and watery floral) and some greenish notes which I think may be calamus and mugwort, as well as a dry, papery note which may be massoia. The pear just adds a hint of tart, watery fruitiness but doesn't take over. The crystalline musk adds to the scent's glistening feel. I don't get much cucumber, surprisingly. But everything else is just amazing.

After a while: eventually this scent becomes more rounded, fresher, lighter and even more wonderful. The orchid is still the central note but it's now equal with the lotus. Comparing it with one of my lotus perfumes from Egypt, I do get a similarity here, only Black Moon is darker and orchid-y. The musk is wonderfully light, slightly tangy and fresh, almost perfumey but not quite, it adds a 'night air' feel to the scent similar to the light/white musks in other night scents do. The scent glitters but there's always that darkness there, that impenetrable mystery cloaking the scent like a veil. There's a coolness to the scent, like the cool of the night, shivering and breezy but not too cold.

The end scent is light, crisp blue lotus with musk, lingering softly on the skin.

Verdict: wow. This is a stunningly beautiful floral scent with nothing harsh, headachy or sharp about it. This fits in with all the other nocturnal floral scents, and is probably the darkest and most mysterious of the lot. Feminine yet distant, she is magnificent and glittering, yet veiled, and possibly divine…this scent is otherworldly. I really agree with Goth Hobbit's comparison with the High Priestess tarot card, this really does seem to match the card's symbolism. The scent is of a well balanced mixture of ethereal, dewy flowers-heady and smooth black orchid, jasmine attar, fresh blue lotus, and also a little bit of tangy pear, and sparkling musk. This scent is complex, it brings to mind dark blues, purple and black, lapis lazuli crossed with onyx and a touch of amethyst. A moonless night full of stars. There is nothing else quite like this in BPAL and this, along with Schwarzer Mond, is a true masterpiece in the form of perfume-a scent that shouldn't be just worn, it should be appreciated, experienced, and meditated on. And yes, this would make an amazing ritual oil.

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? Oh yes. Multiple bottles (well, two in reality)

If you like this, try: Nuit, Bat Woman, Urania, Night's Pavilion, Shadow Witch Orchid

Edited October 2, 2006 by yeahbutnobut

[salamandrina]

i don't wear jasmine. it hates me, and it sticks in my nose to the exclusion of all other scents.

 

except here. This is a gorgeous, lush, feminine scent. it's completely unlike anything i usually wear, but i really love it.

 

it's blended perfectly, and it smells like that perfect blue hour between sunset and darkness, or right before dawn.

[Bluebody]

...

...that about says it all....it is Jasmine! But a nice note that stays all day..with me at least...and does not try to ditch me in the dirt underneath her roots...

[dawna]

In the vial: A very soft floral but not a turn off at all. I normally do not like florals but this is different, it intrigues me.

 

Wet on the skin: It is really hard for me to describe what this smells like. It is so complex and there are so many layers to this even wet. I am smelling the same soft florals. I am getting something fruity which I am taking is the pear and I definitely smell some cucumber in the background.

 

On drydown: I think that is the lotus I am smelling strongly, and I like that. I for some reason am smelling dragons blood but I know its not in this blend. The musk is definitely present now. This is truly a complex blend and I do like it. It isn't an everyday scent for me but I am keeping this because it is so pretty.