Bitter Moon

[Ah Xia]

BITTER MOON

Kokoro no oni ga mi wo semeru. The body is tortured only by the demon of the heart. Nepal poppy, lotus root, wild rose, and blue hibiscus with blackberry, tonka, sage, lavender, peony and vetiver.

 

This is quite different from what I expected, although given the list of notes I couldn't wait to see what it would be like. On me it smells like a musky grapefruit, which is fortunate, since I love grapefruit blends, although I don't see it as a listed note. The sage and lavender give it a crisp undertone, but not too medicinal or herbally smelling. I don't detect any vetiver, just maybe a hint of darkness and depth. On me, it is not overall floral, with sweet hints of fruity blackberry, the lovely white grapefruit smell (which is probably the poppy talking). It's wonderfully blended, and I wished I had gotten two bottles. Very unique lunar offering! It is somber, sophisticated and lovely.

[portalkat]

This is an interesting blend because even though there are a lot of flowers in this, there is an underlying bitterness that seems to stem from the blackberry. The blackberry seems a bit earthy as if you were to smell the rest of the plant and the berry itself seems bitter from being unripe. I'm thinking that the earthiness is also coming from the sage and the lavender because it has a bit of an herbal edge. I've been craving a berry scent lately that isn't so sweet and cloying and had hoped for just a hint of rose and I think that I've found it in Bitter Moon. This is beauty, but with a bitter edge.

 

Like, Ah Xia, I wish that I had gotten two bottles.

[sookster]

straight sniff from bottle is very lavendery and sagey and green...how interesting!!

OMG...applied this gets more of a bitter herb edge that i just l-o-v-e!!!

the peony adds the perfect touch...delicate; barely there and combined with the blackberry that is astonishingly mouth watering and ripe...nothing phony or off...what an accomplishment by the lovely miss elizabeth...i can only echo the sentiments that i *wish* i snagged an extra bottle of this one...it is that fabulous folks...

[shelldoo]

in the bottle: blackberry, almost singly blackberry, just starting to ripen and not yet sweetened by the sun

 

wet: wow still very much blackberry, something somewhat watery in feel possibly the lotus

 

this isn't as bitter as i expected from previous reviews, it is slightly sweet even, but it does make my mouth gleep. it is almost entirely blackberry, but i get definite flashes of peony, and the blue hibiscus. i get no vetiver nor sage, it does retain that slightly watery feel from the lotus. on me this is fresh, slightly floral w/ alot of fruit. but the fruit isn't a sticky fully ripened fruit. it is only beginning it's bid at maturity. and in that i get a fresh feel from this scent. it is something i am glad i got more then one bottle of as i can actually see me wearing this quite often even tho fruity florals do not tend to be my grab for again and again scents.

[Heretic]

In the bottle: Sweet and candylike.

On my wrist,wet: Sweet and fruity, like candy, but a deep, purple sweet. This is not cloying, overly sticky bubblegum, but a nice blackberry pastille. A surprise and not what I was expecting at all.

After 20 minutes: What a delicious, rich scent. The blackberry takes the stage, but it is supported by the sage and soft, indistinguishable (to my nose) florals.

After 40 minutes: Bitter Moon is a bit of a morpher, starting out as sweet blackberry and finishing up as an absolutely stunning soft floral, with the final drydown revealing the soft notes of wild roses, tonka, and the barest hint of vetiver to ground this very dignified and sophisticated blend. I am so glad I took a chance and ordered two bottles of this. Even though it is nothing like I expected, Bitter Moon is immediately a favorite and one I shall be stalking for more more bottles. My sincere condolences for those who did not order. This one is a real gem.

[AliBabble]

wow - this smells weird in the bottle - very bitter to my nose, and just a little "off", like citrus peel that's been sitting around. on my skin, it's much better, tho still quite odd. it's like a medicine made from grapefruit peel and herbs. - i quite like it! very unusual, dark, and evocative - it's rather woody, like an old wooden cabinet that's been polished with grapefruit oil. after a bit, the blackberry comes out, and i see that this is the note i've been trying to identify. a morpher, this one - now it's mostly blackberry within a cloud of soft poppy. like this a lot - after shying away from some too-sweet scents lately, i really appreciate bitter moon's bitterness!

[QueenFae]

Not as "bitter" as I expected, but very nice! The blackberry note seems to dominate, but it's oddly not an overall fruity scent. It's more of a fresh, earthen, hippy blackberry scent. I can detect the hibiscus and rose as the primary undertones. What a fantastic combination of scents! I can't really detect the sage or the vetiver at all, thank goodness for me. It doesn't have a ton of throw, but definitely has a "bite" to its bark. I like this very much, my only complaint is that is a greasier type oil, and stays pretty slick on my skin. Lovely just the same!

[blueskiesinside]

In the bottle: Mmmm blackberry with sage as a soft undertone. Smells like a juicy ripe blackberry on the bush.

 

Wet: The blackberry still stands out, but I get rose and lotus notes under it, with a tiny hint of lavendar. It's very subtle, I have to hold my nose really close to the skin to smell it.

 

Drydown: This is gorgeous. The peony has come out to play and is mixing with the lavendar and lotus to be an almost aquatic scent. I still get the slightly sweet kick from the blackberry.

 

Very nice, but not much throw on me.

Edited December 1, 2006 by blueskiesinside

[Inanna9]

This is very unique. I think it will be like Sleepy Moon and grow on me the more I wear it.

 

I get a sharp but juicy blackberry note, with a hint of the poppy for depth and the lotus for a little sweetness (which might be some of the tonka too - I can't tell, but I definitely pick up the lotus). There's a little sage floating around there - wow, that makes for such an interesting mix - and I'm not really picking up peony, lavender or vetiver individually. But it's probably because all these notes blend together so nicely.

 

It's bitter in a grapefruit sort of way, but really lovely, and not like any other BPAL blend I've ever tried. I had a feeling Beth would do wonderful, surprising things with this one, and I was right. A keeper for sure.

[ashbloem]

Holy sweet juicy raspberry and tangy sage, this is gorgeous!

 

Wet: Blackberry vodka. That is to say, blackberry without the cloying sweetness of jam or soda.

 

Dry: All hibiscus tea and bitter sage on me.

 

My first lunacy purchase, and I only regret I didn't buy another bottle! It's really a perfect blend on my skin of sweetness and depth.

[noumenon]

First of all, Bitter Moon has the most gorgeous label I have ever seen - it completely stands out from the rest of my collection!

 

Bitter Moon had a nasty wet phase on my skin. The sage (or maybe it was the blue hibiscus, since that's the only other one I haven't smelled before) came out smelling exactly like the Vomit flavor in Berty Bots Every Flavor Beans.

 

But I didn't give up! Not only because the reviews on this thread are positively glowing, but also beacuse I BELIEVE in the Lab. They've never left me smelling like vomit flavored jelly beans for long.

 

Now it's turned into a stunning floral, with lovely blackberries as well. Other scents, like Baneberry or Bewitched, have stronger, sweeter berries than this one, but I'm so happy with how Bitter Moon turned out in the end.

[edenssixthday]

Bitter Moon - This is so pretty! It’s predominantly hibiscus and blackberry and peony on me. I’m surprised the vetiver doesn’t come through more strongly. This smells like it would make a really good flavor of herbal tea. Yum! Sadly, It disappears off my skin the moment the oil dries down. I’ll see if it works better in my scent locket, and if that fails, maybe it’ll make a nice room scent. But sadly, like so many of the lunar blends, my skin eats it up only minutes after I apply it.

[biernaise]

Bitter Moon is a wild crush of Blackberry, Sage and something that smells akin to the way the outer meat of a walnut (that bitter part) tastes.

 

This is a childlike fragrance in it's playfulness and the sillage on me is excellent for many hours. Very enjoyable and I know that this will age perfectly.

[Lycanthrope]

Wet, it smells a little sweet and herby. On me, it changes from that generic sweet herbiness to something... maybe a little fruity? I don't know why but I get pear and apricot, those dried ones that taste great if you eat a few and then get sorta bland and squooshy. Ya know, those flat ones. Underneath it all there are very subtle florals. Hm. On me, this is definitely NOT what I expected! Heh. Although... for me, it's quite apropos for me, since I am always bitter in the realm of love!

 

ETA: Oh... my sniffer must be so broke! Where'd I get that impression?!

[themerrybaker]

What a nice way to wrap up the Asian moons.

 

Bitter Moon so far is a mix of tart fruit and manly snuggle armpit. I think the latter note is the sage - making it a snuggle with a hot shaman man.

 

This is such a cozy scent for cold winter days.

Edited December 2, 2006 by themerrybaker

[sarada]

I haven't been getting the last few moons because they seem very floral, and while I can like florals there's not point in my wearing them because they vanish instantly on me. They are nice in the locket sometimes but I am trying not to hoard bottles I won't use!

 

This however is so nice in a locket that it might be worth a bottle, just for that purpose. On my skin, it is beautiful as well at first -- light and fruity, smoky sage around the edges, and then it becomes grapefruit, of all things. It reminds me a Cheshire Cat a little at that stage, but with a hint of sage. I don't know where the illusion of grapefruit is coming from.

 

In the locket however it stays true to the fresh, exhilarating scent that I smell in the imp. It is not terribly floral. There's more of a fresh, clean fruity scent, a smoky herb and a tang of bitterness that I can almost taste. The floral notes take a back seat, the vetiver is nowhere to be seen and I think the tonka ends an even sweetness to it.

 

While it's gone from my skin in 15 minutes, this lasts in the locket and I will seriously consider tracking down a bottle just for the purpose. It feels more like a spring/summer blend to me anyway, so it's OK if I have to wait a little before I get more!

[hbrogan]

Mmm...this is such a nice and clean scent. Like Ah Xia, I get grapefruit, and I was surprised when I checked the notes and didn't see it listed. Definitely a fruity bitterness underneath the herbal notes. It's very light, with barely any throw. I can smell it on my wrist from about three inches away.

[maijasu]

This was a surprise winner for me. Leave it to Beth to creat a stunning blend from notes I *know* I won't like!

 

I get a very smooth fruity herbal scent from this. It's not a big morpher, and the florals and vetiver behave themselves remarkably. It smells complex and actually a little bit sweet, although it might be said to have a bitter edge to it. It's beautiful, and I'm so glad that I got myself a bottle of this in addition to the one I got for my decant circle.

[wichapi]

As quite a few other people have said, Bitter Moon goes through about three or four incarnations per application. It has a definite sharp quality to it, much like the edge (not scent) one experiences with paper whites or honeysuckle. Later, it seems to be brushed with a soft texture (imagine that in a scent!) that can only be compared to silk. I also find it interesting that, at a distance, the sharp quality is more prominent. But up close and intimate, it’s very sultry… almost a delicate but deep musk. At least that’s what happening on my wrists. Smooth, subtle, but very active!

[Em-]

Sour and tart, if not quite bitter...Bitter Moon is a much lighter scent than I would have expected on my skin - the poppy behaves (it often takes over with my chemistry, which was my biggest fear in this blend).

 

I get a sort of bitter fruity musk, with a floral edge, something very lush, but also sort of chilled - it is almost like Fruit Moon with a shot of vodka, although it doesn't smell at all alcoholic - but it has that sort of cutting aspect that liquor can give a mixer. I am making sense to myself...if not to anyone else!

[slave1]

BITTER MOON

 

In Bottle: Sour and herbal

 

On Skin: I smell rose right away, very sour... I also get a slight citrus note even though it isn't listed. Then the herbs come out and combined with the lavendar they are very sharp. The vetiver is quite tame and only adds a light earthy feel far in the background. I was pretty sure this blend wouldn’t work on me because I only like 2 of the notes in it… lotus root and tonka. While I like blackberry it seems to almost always have a bit of a “cat-pee” tone on me. Here it does as well… I recognize it right away from MonsterBait Closet. So sadly, this scent is pretty much sour, sharp and cat pee on me with a very bitter undertone. It has a light to medium throw and average to long wearlength. Actually, after a few hours the lotus and tonka come out and sweeten the scent and I don’t mind it at all. Not sure if I can wait that long though every time I wear the scent.

Edited December 4, 2006 by slave1

[arabella]

First Impression: It's definitely bitter. I know this scent but can't quite place it - Angostura Bitters, maybe?

 

Dries down to: Some of the florals start to emerge but the heart stays bitter.

 

Additional Comments: This one is quite intriguing. I think it's the combination of blackberry, vetiver and sage that's giving it the bitter heart. Rose, generally, amps way up on me but I can't even detect it here and I can usually pick out lavender and peony but not in this. I'm not quite as familiar with the other notes so I'm not sure how they fit into the whole. All in all, it certainly lives up to its name. I'm quite impressed by the blend but it's just not something I'd wear.

 

Lasted: A few hours.

 

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

[azhure]

In the bottle: Herbs - must be the sage I think.

 

Wet: The herbal scent comes out first, and remains for about ten minutes. After that the blackberry comes out - it fits the name of the blend well, for it isn't an overly sweet blackberry. The other scents all combine to give the blackberry a herbal background.

 

Drydown: The blackberry of the scent fades in about an hours, leaving a lovely dusty herbal scent behind.

[euterpe414]

This is definitely a unique lunacy scent! It smells on my skin of tart blackberries with a hint of smokiness (opium, I presume) and sage. I love opium blends, so this one makes me quite happy. This one doesn't morph too much on my skin, it pretty much stays this tart, smoky berry scent. It lasts for a reasonably long time, which is odd for berry-ish scents, but hey, I'm not complaining!

 

Glad I got two bottles, this is gorgeous!

[storme]

In the bottle: lavender and blackberry, bittersweet and soothing and lovely.

 

On me, wet: mm, that's very juicy and almost edible - like a lavender and blackberry jam. The sage and the tonka are just about detectable too.

 

On me, dry: this keeps dancing around on the edge of becoming soapy - but the blackberry keeps it from tipping over completely. Sweet, soft and faintly smoky.

 

Verdict: I like this, but I suspect I will be unlikely to wear it often - it's a little too foody. I'll keep the bottle around and see.