Hunger Moon

[Heretic]

When Hunger Moon hangs high in the sky, the fields are frozen, and game is piteously scarce. Sleet covers the ground, and biting winds chill to the bone. This is a quiet, cold perfume: desolate and despairing. It is a clear night sky that and bracing chill wind that bears the promise of snow, sharpened by the pain of hunger, and the sharp, rasping stab of thirst. Ozone, white sandalwood, crystallized white amber, verbena, oakmoss, clary sage, and a hint of white citrus rind.

In the bottle: Fruity, bright, dry.
On my wrist, wet: Definitely a dry, fruity blend, but not cloying or overly sweet. Hopefully it will stay that way.
After 20 minutes: A very interesting blend and one that scared me a little at first because verbena is a deal breaker for me. There is a definite trace of verbena there, giving this blend its fruitiness in the wet stage, but now, as the sandalwood and earthier notes are taking the stage, the verbena amounts to a bit of a tang, no more.
After 40 minutes: This is a soft blend, the throw is mild and I am so relieved that the verbena doesn't own it. It is a light, earthy, very slightly fruity scent and is like a chilly ray of winter sun. This will wear well into spring. Edited January 20, 2007 by Shollin

[Ah Xia]

If you liked HGM, but thought it was too sweet, then this is perfect for you! It's HGM's older, wiser brother. It almost has that "Asian-inspired" feel to it, probably because of the citrus rind, sandalwood. This is a nicely dry, desolate sort of blend, but fruity at the same time. I really like this one, the ozone doesn't give me a headachey feel like it can sometimes, and the sharp verbena and citrus match really well with the sandalwood. A perfect winter blend for those who aren't so into pine or snowy notes. A+!

[Cedar]

Wet: Pine. It smells much like Dublin does. But I love Dublin, so I stuck with it. Looking back at the ingredient list, what I'm probably smelling is the oakmoss; it tends to come through strong on me. The woodsy scent had a slight fruit undertone, which came through more as the oil dried.

 

Drying: It's sweeter now and the amber comes through, with a hint of sandalwood. I also get a little citrus in there.

 

Verdict: Glad I bought two bottles. It's a keeper, and something I think I could wear year-round. I was worried about the

[bardsong]

I love woodsy, earthy scents, and this one definitely qualifies. It's sweet and tangy, and I can definitely smell the sandalwood and the amber.

 

I think the scent does remind me of Dublin, except that Dublin smells a bit sweeter to me.

[bristlecone]

I get lots of citrus at first, with some sandalwood and a touch of amber below that.

 

As it dries, though, I get something that smells like... barbeque smoke? That can't be right, but it's what I'm smelling. (I guess "Hunger Moon" is an apt name?)

 

I'm not in love with it right now but I don't hate it either. I think I'll probably need to give it another chance.

 

*edit* After a few hours, the smokiness goes away and it's back to citrus. Thank goodness!

Edited January 26, 2007 by bristlecone

[dronzeka]

In the bottle, I get quite a lot of verbena, fresh and citrus-y (I love verbena, so this makes me happy). I think I can also smell a little citrus rind - that really tart citrus, not any sweet juicy fruit but citrus that makes your lips pucker and your mouth water. The ozone is also there, giving this an airiness.

 

On, the verbena backs down somewhat, and I start to smell more of the ozone, as well as the sandalwood. It's a fruity scent without being particularly sweet, made a bit dryer and paler by the sandalwood, I think. There's also a hint of oakmoss, which might be the smokiness that bristlecone was smelling? And I get a suggestion of the Lab's distinctive snow note (maybe that's part of the ozone?), which often goes to aftershave on me but appears relatively well-kept in check here.

 

It's really a lovely, light scent, with almost an emptiness underneath it that gets at the idea of hunger - it's almost like there isn't quite anything there to ground it and give it a solid foundation; like it needs something, the way a hungry person needs food. It makes me think of how animals put out to pasture in the winter have to scrape and scratch beneath the snow for food.

 

To be honest, I do wish the verbena stuck around longer/more strongly - it adds a kind of sweet freshness that I love. But then, I don't think sweet freshness necessarily works if you're going for something desolate and despairing! It definitely fits the description beautifully.

 

 

(And can I just say that for some reason it never occurred to me that the label artwork would be the same as the tee?? Durrrr! I'm very pleased to have something with that gorgeous logo on it, even though I didn't need the tee.)

 

 

ETA: Okay, I have to confess that as much as I love this, it doesn't love me; it doesn't turn bad or anything, it just.... vanishes. I mean, I've had faint scents that aren't very strong, don't last very long, that kind of thing. But this just really turns into nothing. It's like I can still smell it, but it doesn't smell of anything. So sad!

Edited February 11, 2007 by Anna D.

[sookster]

it's amazing that this is meant to be a dark scent but i find it to be on

the completely opposite end of the spectrum for me...

 

straight sniff from the bottle this smells like my 3 year old grandaughter!!!

a slightly sweet orange juice and almost lemony pound cake...it is incredible...

a touch of something woodsy like when she is running around outside amongst the pine trees in the fresh air swinging in the back yard...oh yeah, that is the ozone for sure

 

this wears beautifully and just perfect for my chemistry...all the notes swirl

and dance about in such an elegant way....

 

hunger moon is among one of my favorite lunacies ever...it is just gorgeous

and i will be wearing it very often....

 

thank you so much beth

[ubersmurfy]

Yum... I love this. As someone else said, it is similar to Hungry Ghost, but less sweet. The longer I wear it, the more I like it. I may have to find a second bottle for my sister, she would love this.

Edited January 27, 2007 by ubersmurfy

[QueenFae]

This is very citrusey blend for me. It is light, effervescent, fruity and lovely. I can't smell the oakmoss or sage at all, pretty much just white sandalwood and a heavy lemony overtone.

 

Gosh I wish I had more to say, but this is a pretty straight forward blend. It's like sipping effervescent lemonade on a gorgeous spring day. A very innocent blend; not a lot of throw, it's more of a skin clinger.

 

Overall, very nice if you are a citrusey person. This is a very youthful blend

[filigree_shadow]

In the bottle: Herby, some citrus.

 

Wet: Cold. That same coldness that's in all the blends that are wintery/slushy. A little bit of citrus in there somewhere, but mostly what I'm getting is that nose-tingling cold scent.

 

Dry: Well, darn. I don't know why my skin has to bury all the other notes under whatever that cold note is, but it does this to me every time. I had the same problem with Wolf Moon. Sigh. I think I might have to just give up on the cold blends. Once the coldness finally gives up a little, all I can smell is lemon. I can tell from the way the oil smells in the bottle that it is supposed to smell different than this, but my skin is messing it up. Sorry, Hunger Moon. It's not your fault.

Edited January 27, 2007 by filigree_shadow

[themerrybaker]

I am amazed at how much Hunger Moon reminds me of Snow Moon, even though they apparently have no components in common. Hunger Moon is more sage and verbena on snow, while the sweeter floral components of Snow Moon are fainter and more delicate above the wood/animal base. They both seem a little coniferous/evergreen to me.

 

Chilly, chilly scents both and good to wear when the weather is being a pine in the ice.

[shelldoo]

in the bottle: a lighter sweeter version of snow moon. which was one of my favorite moons.

 

wet: much more similar to snow moon then the faint scent in the bottle.

 

this reminds me also of tko, like maybe snow moon w/ a drizzle of tko iced on top. a gorgeous, snowy scent sweetened a bit, possibly by the sandalwood, or maybe the amber, or maybe even both.

 

i love this scent

[Little Bird]

I’ve been having a bad time with the lunacy blends this past year. Hunger Moon isn’t really awful by any means, but it’s very much a ‘not me’ sort of fragrance. It’s light, clean, dappled with hints of sharp citrus, and powdery around the edges. A bit of an astringent, herbal greenery is here as well.

 

After 15 minutes or so, it goes to baby powder with a hint of lemony citrus squeezed over it and a chilly sort of something. I’m (sadly) not getting the foresty, earthy, Dublin comparison that some other reviewers have picked out. This reminds me more of the clean citrus of Embalming Fluid, but beaten down with baby powder and slush.

 

Luckily for me, this is light and clings close to my skin. The scent disappears completely after a half hour.

[slave1]

HUNGER MOON

 

In Bottle: Lemon pine

 

On Skin: I LOVE the bottle!!! Damn, I should have gotten a shirt. I get a piney scent right away. I don’t see pine listed as a note so it must be how notes are reacting to each other. The woodiness is sandalwood and the oakmoss adds to that great earthy feel. The scent is cold for sure, I get chilled and feel like a window is open. It also clears my sinuses. I think that comes from the beautiful herbal sage mixing with fresly cut verbena. The verbena does seem more woody planty lemon than extreme citrus like it sometimes becomes on me. The amber is soft but adds depth and acts as a great base. All in all it seems like one of the Aisian themed lunacies… maybe in the lines of Snow Moon. It is a very pretty scent but not really one I’d wear. It’s a bit too sharp for me. It has a strong throw and long wearlength.

[LittleGreyKitten]

Well, glad to see I haven't lost it totally- before reading the other reviews I was certain my nose was busted, because I too get a strong Snow Moon/Dublin scent out of this. (Those two plus Snow Bunny I've always found virtually identical, with Skadi and Snow Maiden as sisters). Sweet snowy pine, in other words. Why pine? I see no pine in the notes. Nor snow or slush, though I guess it could be inferred from the description. But yeah, very very Snow Moon but even sweeter to me. Weirdly the first time I smelled it in the bottle I found it offputting, really sharp and nothing like it smells on skin. So it took me a bit to put it on. But now I am enjoying it, though I prefer Snow Moon, Snow Bunny, and Dublin.

 

4 out of 5. (Wish I'd bought the T shirt.)

[ajcj213499]

If you liked HGM, but thought it was too sweet, then this is perfect for you! It's HGM's older, wiser brother. It almost has that "Asian-inspired" feel to it, probably because of the citrus rind, sandalwood. This is a nicely dry, desolate sort of blend, but fruity at the same time. I really like this one, the ozone doesn't give me a headachey feel like it can sometimes, and the sharp verbena and citrus match really well with the sandalwood. A perfect winter blend for those who aren't so into pine or snowy notes. A+!

 

 

I agree completely with Ah Xia's review! When I first put it on I smelled a bit of a snowy note, which disappointed me a little since I have so many wonderful snowy blends and was hoping for something different. Well, the snowyness goes away and is left with a light gingery, fresh, slightly sweet (but not at all sweet like HGM), slightly woody blend. It really does seem like Hungry Ghost Moon's older, wiser brother! This is really an amazing, versitile blend.

[jade_starlight]

Hunger Moon starts out very chilly and woodsy, with a hint of citrus behind the pine. But the citrus fairly quickly comes to the forefront and melds with the pine. Then the pine seems to disappear all together, leaving a rather nice citrusy/herby scent. It's clean and cold, with a fairly light throw. I like it well enough, but I'm not sure whether I like it enough to keep it or not.

[roxyhead]

Orange citrus, not as lemon or sweet as Lolita, but definitely similar to the lemon fizziness in that one. I think this is the orange I was looking for in Bakeneko but couldn't find. I was afraid it'd go soapy on me, but it doesn't, it sticks around and after about an hour, the other scents, mostly the sandalwood I think, come out and it gets warmer and spicier...yum!

[savage_rose]

This smells like minty/green herbal on me, with a little fiery gingerness and something resinous balancing it out. And aside from the sage and the amber/musk...yeah, those notes aren't listed. But that's what it smells like. A more neutral scent...not dark or light, a little sweet but not too sweet. Very nice.

[euterpe414]

On me, this is a very dry, herbal citrus. There is a hint of a foresty scent in this one, but it is nowhere near the forefront. I really am enjoying this one a lot, it is very different from the scents that I usually prefer, but it's so cool and refreshing and I find myself drawn to it. I also agree that it is similar to HGM, but less sweet.

 

I can definitely see myself wearing this one in the spring and summer months, especially.

[PurringPulsar]

Hunger Moon

 

In the imp: hey, it's Beth's famous snow note! I remember you from Wolf Moon! Only this time it's more lemony thanks to the citrus and verbena.

Wet on skin: the greenness of the sage comes out, as well as the lemon-herbal tang of verbena and a touch of citrus, mingling with the wintry ozone.

Dry on skin: iced citrus! This is the scent of lemons in the snow, frozen pines with a touch of green sage. This has the famous 'BPAL snow' note to it, which is already citrus-y, but with an added lemon kick to it. It's bright and sharp and clear as a winter's moonlit night. The sage adds a down to earth herbal touch, and the sandalwood adds a nice dry background. I think I detect a hint of sweet amber. But it's mainly lemon snow. (Not yellow snow, which thankfully this doesn't smell of…lol). And I do agree with the statement that it is the winter equivalent of Hungry Ghost Moon-I also think it is the winter equivalent of the Scales of Deprivation (herbal-lemon resins).

After a while: the verbena and citrus in here are surprisingly long lasting! The snow/pine note is still the strongest note, with the bright lemony notes on top, maybe a little amber as well. the scent is cold and yet bright, like winter sunlight, bright upon the snow, but offering little warmth. The moss note adds a smooth powdery finish.

The pine/snow scent of course is the longest lasting note on me, with hints of juniper peeking out, and with that soft mossy powdery base thanks to the oak moss. Now the promise of amber I got first isn't there any more. This scent fades into a fragrance of pine needles falling upon frozen moss.

Verdict: it seems this winter, the moons seem to smell very snowy. I'm glad I took a chance with this and it's ozone note, because this is one of the ozone notes that works very well on me-it's the well known 'snow' accord, that distinctive slushy pine-citrus fragrance. This smells like the sequel to Wolf Moon-it is gender neutral and very wintry, but HM is a little less wild, a little more empty, and less dark, but with a definite similarity to the moon that came before. The verbena (which doesn't turn soapy in here, yay!) and citrus add a lemony spark to the first stages of the scent, the sage adds a little greenness, the moss adds it's gentle powdery fragrance, especially at drydown. I was hoping for more of that white amber-I get glimpses of it at the beginning, but then it fades, and I'm hungry (geddit?) for more! the scent does have a feel of emptiness and stillness to it, the scent of a cold winter night or winter day, but there is a promise of spring to it, given by the scent's greener notes. I do like this scent a lot more than I expected considering it has verbena and ozone-I do like Beth's snow scents…it's just that I have so many and a lot of them smell very similar at drydown, this one included. I like it but I might sell it because I do have a lot of winter fragrances I might wear more.

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? I'm not sure-I like it, but I have so many of these pine-citrus-snow scents!

If you like this, try: Snow Maiden, Snow Moon, Snow Bunny, Darkling Thrush, Death of the Gravedigger, Dublin, Mag Mell, Hungry Ghost Moon, Embalming Fluid

[Em-]

I was trying to figure out what that familiar note was, and reading the reviews, I realize - the ozone/snow/chilly note - which my skin is amping massively.

 

I like this well enough, and I definitely like the citrus/sandalwood dancing around the edges, but I wish they were stronger on me...

[kraken]

In the Bottle: Lemon pine. Like one of those lemon-scented pine cleansers.

 

Initial Wet: PINE. I amp pine a lot. Therefore ozone=pine. The throw is all pine. Have I mentioned that I smell like pine?

 

Initial Dry: Still very pine, but other notes are sort of under there. There's a sweetness to it, which must be the amber, and a lovely, gentle citrus note that reminds me of candied lemons. The sage adds a freshness to the blend.

 

Drier Dry: The throw is still all pine (have I mentioned the pine?). But closer to the skin it's a sweet citrus and verbena with a hint of sandalwood and an underlaying note of amber.

 

It reminds me a lot of Skadi and Snow Moon, but then again, they both smell like pine with some variants on me. I think I like this one better than those though. I don't wind up smelling like I hugged a Yule tree. I enjoy the sweetness that comes out of this blend.

[grifyn_whiffs]

I'm glad to see that some others have pointed out a "smells like" similarity between Snow Moon and Hunger Moon. I put the notes side by side to compare and was stunned that it had NO notes in common. How can that be? My nose thinks so!

 

At any rate, this one IMMEDIATELY reminded me of Snow Moon. Only this one went WILD with the verbena for the first few minutes. Down, verbena! Down! I think the sandalwood and amber were combining to make me think of the "fir" note in Snow Moon. BRRR - this one's frosty cool.

 

Once it started to dry, this one settled into an unbelievably beautiful blend -- a completely unexpected cold, dark and crisply sweet smell. Watch as I swoon! Watch as I wish I'd ordered more than one bottle!

Edited March 3, 2007 by Grifyn

[maijasu]

Hunger Moon starts out as a very fresh, snowy blend with citrus. As it's drying, it gets very piney, even though pine isn't listed as a note. The scent as a whole is an interesting balance between coldness and sweetness. I love BPAL snow blends, and this is no exception.