Red Moon 2004

[asa805]

August is a month of reflection. It is the month of rest before the harvest, and it holds for us a time between toils, a brief period of relaxation before we take up the burden of our work again. It is the Time of the Phoenix, a season of celebrating health, vitality, warmth and joy, but it is also the time at which the Corn God dies for the sake of the land, his blood soaking the earth to ensure a bountiful harvest in the fall.

The Full Red Moon of August was named thus by some Native American tribes because as the moon rises, it dons a reddish veil, visible through the hot, sweltering summer evening haze. Our blend for this Moon mixes traditional lunar oils with the warmth of amber and heliotrope, the russet haze of dragon's blood resin and crushed orange peel, and a swirl of summertime herbs: chamomile, rue, elder flower and marigold.

First sniff: Gorgeous. Like nothing I have ever smelled before. This is very feminine and unique. It is definitely a floral and that might be the marigold im smelling. Its really beautiful. Im very happy I purchased this and got a 5 ml and I almost wish I got the 10!


20 minutes later: nice beautiful spiciness is coming through and the floral is receding. This is very red and very sexy.

2 Hours later: A nice soft powderyness has come through. Im not sure if this is a musk or amber but its taken the original smell from a bright sunny red to a deep burgandy hue. THis is a sultry sophisticated scent and very modern. This is not your mommy's floral. Rich and lovely! Bravo Elizabeth!"

Overall: This lasts fairly long and dries down to a nice mellow version of the first. The second time i applied i accidentally poured it all over my arms. I guess i didnt wash enough off because i gave my friend a migraine in the car and i felt bad. Admitadly she told me was very sensitive to perfumes but woops ! So i guess to some this can be overpowering, but since i like strong scents this is perfect for me. Im very happy with this and will definately keep my bottle (the only ill trade it for is a full bottle of hellcat .

[Shollin]

First sniff: I don’t know how a scent can be simultaneously red and calming, but Red Moon definitely is. It’s a very happy sort of calming… it makes me breathe slower and smile. The citrus gives it the barest hint of an edge, but for the most part it’s round and soft and beautiful.

 

Wearing: I love this. It’s warm without being overly slinky, somehow calming and exciting at the same time. I can’t pick out specific notes, but it’s smooth and warm and red and just delightful.

[violetblue]

This is a lovely red scent, not as strong as I expected, but soft and sweet, yet warm as Shollin stated. It is blended so well I can barely recognize the single notes in it.

One of my all-time favorite BPAL scents right now - wish it wasn't a limited edition.

[Red_Hot_Mama]

Ooooh, oooohhh, me too, me too!

 

This is really remarkable. Usually anything with cinnamon oil "burns" my skin. Red Moon smells just like it has an ever so faint touch of yummy cinnamon but no cinnamon oil is listed in the description. So...I can wear it!

 

*break away as she does the happy dance*

 

The fragrance is soft but "warm", very "smooth". It reminds me of fine cognac, poured out into a cut crystal glass, red flashes sparkling in the firelight.

 

And.....what asa805, Shollin & violetblue said!

 

RHM

 

*edited for spelling

 

ADDED June 29, 2007:

 

I reviewed Red Moon when it was first released, oh so many moons ago. I wanted to add that Red Moon became one of my all time favorite BPAL blends. It was THE blend I wore every single month during my moontime. Somehow, someway Red Moon eased the pms, the cramps, the mood swings....it made everything, during "that time of the month", so much easier to endure.

 

The actual liquid was much thinner than other BPALs I own, so when I put in the reducer cap, I needed to be very careful or else I was drenched in Red Moon. Not a bad thing, mind you, but it meant I used up the scent a lot faster than I wanted to.

 

Red Moon gets 4 thumbs up from Red Hot Mama

Edited July 16, 2007 by Shollin

[SpinalDesign]

my initial impression : From the first whiff it reminded me of a can of bubble gum I used to buy . When you would pop open the lid you can smell strawberry, cherry, grape and green apple mixed together when it’s first applied to the skin . It gave off a bubble gum sweet smell . As it dries you can smell like cinnamon or nutmeg. You can smell the spices like a hot cup of orange spice tea without a over powering orange. The herbs are what makes it stand out a little strong like a touch of sandalwood . But it comes off very settle as it dries. The smell is warming for sure. It leaves you smiling as you smell it . It smells like a incense that is constantly burning off your skin so you have this smoky feel drifting off of you.

 

What do I think : I love IT ! I want more of it !! It’s great it fits me prefect !! I didn’t think I would like it because it has orange in it and I hate orange perfumes but thanks to my swap fairy I got to try this . I love it and everyone around me can smell it and they all enjoy the smell. I love it when it's wet and I love it when it dries. It gives off good vibes !

[hypothermya]

Initial Impressions

 

It smells a bit odd from the bottle. Definitely something floral. And the orange peel and the marigold are recognizable. And something...herbal...medicinal maybe? It smells like it could be good, but I'm immediately worried about how my skin will like it.

 

Wearing It

 

What a nice dry down. When first wet, it smells a bit like the first part, but then it calms into a beautifully smooth warmth. My skin brings out the orange peel a lot (and it reminds me a great deal of Seraglio), and I can also smell the marigold, the other florals/herbs, and just the lightest touch of that dragon's blood sweetness and the amber behind that. I'm amazed how light it is.

 

Unfortunately, every now and then I get a whiff of something burnt from it. ...methinks my skin chemistry needs some talkin' to. I'm going to have to give this a shot in another week and see if my skin isn't just being finicky. I hope it does work, because it seems to be a floral that I can wear without feeling too femme; it makes me feel mellow yet flushed with exotic and warm energy. Sort of floating above it all. Blue Moon still beats this one out, but this is a little more full bodied and approachable than Blue Moon.

[Northernminx]

This is red in the bottle, a vaguely spiced but calming scent with a hint of floral.

 

On me, it mellows into a wispy floral scent. Sadly all the spice has gone away and there's just a touch of marigold and rue left. It's a little wierd and while not displeasing, not making me leap for joy either. Pretty, and while i"ll test it again to see if I like it or my skins being wierd, right now I may offer this one up to the needy masses so someone else can worship it.

[xoe]

Red Moon.... I am so ambivalent about Red Moon.

 

On first smell, it's medicinal, effervescent and nostalgic, and really strong. Then in a short time it becomes very nice and sweetly floral, but a little bit of that nostalgic medicinal smell comes through. (well, I guess the scent isn't nostalgic, but it makes me nostalgic.. for what I do not know.) Soon it smooths out and is lovely and soft.

 

And then I want to put it on again. It's really addictive.

 

And it gives me a terrible headache. I had to try it 3 times to be sure. But, yup. It gives me a headache. So I am going to have to swap it. It makes me so sad.

 

* Off to look at the swaps page to see who is looking for a red moon and what they've got to offer.

[Ina Garten Davita]

First Impression: Juicy, tart and tangy. My beloved amber and dragon's blood seem to be hiding somewhere deep in this little blue bottle!

 

Second Impression: It's a little sharp; the chamomile, rue, marigold and elderflower really rule this blend. It reminds me bit of a strong floral tea. It might actually smell better in the bottle then on my skin. And the reducer cap is rather messy.

 

Final Analysis: It takes a long, long time for the amber and dragon's blood to peek out, and they only just peek. (Where oh where is Blood Amber when you need it!) I'm another one ambivalent about this scent. I can't decide it if I love it, like it or hate it. It smells better on me today than it did yesterday. I'm holding on to it so I can wear in on the Red Moon, perhaps it will knock my socks off and really win me over on that day!

[VelvetSky]

I want to write a review of Red Moon, but words fail me this time, because it's soooo beautiful.

 

I'm so glad I ordered this.

 

ADDED Dec. 11:

 

Red Moon is an incredibly wet, fullbodied, deep, sharp, RED perfume that makes my mouth water every time I wear it. Amber and myrrh usually take over a fragrance on my skin, but those notes are both a lovely backdrop to the florals and citrus. This is a very complex scent, full of twists and turns. One moment orangey. One moment dragon's blood. Then sweet and flowery.

 

I find Red Moon to be an invigorating and lively blend, that makes me feel wonderful when I wear it. Like hot sun on a cloudless summer day.

Edited December 11, 2004 by Shollin

[Nadirah]

Its so beautiful its incredibly hard to describe. This is definatly a *me* scent. I've been wearing this since I got it. I even like this more than Blue moon which is an amazing thing to say since Blue moon is wonderful. Could it be possible that the lunacy blends just keep getting better? MMM I don't know but for sake of simplicity this out of the bottle smells of fruityness, as I wear it it becomes an aroma of sweetness but not too sweet, you can't really pick out any single note, they all melt together to form something new, and beautiful. This also gave me vivid memorable dreams, I'll let you know if they come true

[Mandarin]

I don't recommend trying new oils when you have a hurricane on the way. It does something strange to perception, and probably body chemistry. However, I received my order of Red Moon and I thought 'what the hey' I'll give it a go. I mean Charley wasn't supposed to go anywhere near Orlando, and frankly it's been ages since a hurricane came over Orlando. So I put a bit on. And the first thought I had was 'cherry cough syrup!'.

 

Now as time went on, and things got tenser and tenser, I'd smell the cherries and what I thought might have been a bit of eucalyptus, and wonder why this mixture was so oddly appealing. It wasn't bad and it wasn't good but it made me keep sniffing my arm.

 

Okay. No power. The acid test for your body chemistry. Fear and ninty plus degree heat. The Red Moon lasted like a champion, the dry down was as pleasant as it was wet, although I am not sure how much I'll savor smelling like cherries as time goes on. I liked the hint of cinnamon/dragon's blood I got from the dry down, and the eucalyptus went away after it dried down, leaving a pleasant, fruity/cinnamony scent. I like Red Moon. Not enough to wear it every day but enough that I was pleased I bought it.

[lorajc]

I was trying to wait unti the Full Moon to wear this, but I couldn't do it and decided to wear it today. I'm glad I did. This is absolutely gorgeous. I thought Blue Moon was nice, but this is even better. I knew I'd like this one cuz of the amber, heliotrope and dragon's blood. This oil even smells red like it's color and the moon that it's named after. It is a very warm scent and is somewhat comforting. When I first apply, I can mainly smell the orange peel and marigold. I don't know what rue smells like. It is slightly tangy and slightly bitter when first applied. As it dries down, the heliotrope gives it warmth and sweetness and the amber grounds it, while the orange peel and marigold fall into the background.

 

I've only had this on for a couple hours, so I'll have to update later. This is really beautiiful. I'm glad I bought a 10 ml. I'd be disappointed if I wouldn't have.

[Sara]

One word: Delightful.

 

I can't pick out individual notes (I sorta suck a little at that), but I can say "holy hell this is a damn fine perfume!!" Such a pity it's only an LE, it should be used in everything: soaps, salts, lotions, shampoos!!

 

At first - very 'cherry cough syrupy', but not in an unpleasant way. I can't really describe much beyond that but it settles down into this wonderful blend of fruity type smells and flowers. I can't find a single "stinky" note in the whole damn thing.

 

I have to confess, I don't know how long it lasts...I slathered even more on (kind of by accident) a few hours after my initial application. My guess is that it's a great endurer.

 

Sorry my reviews aren't more helpful or descriptive, I'm trying really hard to train my nose.

[sagitare]

Well, pretty much what everyone else has said!

 

In the bottle and on me this smells pretty much like it's described: a bit fruity, a bit flowery, with a hint of amber/resiny goodness at the bottom of it all. This is a very pretty sweet scent with the amber keeping it from being overly sugary sweet. It's a lovely warm blend, as well - I find anything with amber in it makes me feel very cozy and warm, kind of like wearing your favorite fuzzy, oversized sweater while curled up in a big, comfy chair.

 

It's a perfect scent for the weather we've been having lately: rainy, a bit windy, and cool. A good fall scent, which I didn't expect, given the orange and herb ingredients.

 

Glad I ordered this one!

[Belladonnastrap]

Red Moon...I love you. Simple as that.

 

First sniff

Oh the Dragon's Blood just pops out at me going "You will love me! Yes you will!" and I hope it's truthful. It's a bit floraly and a bit spicy...and a tinge sweet. I really and truly love it so far. It's very girly.

 

When wet

This smells like a mixture of O and Unseelie on me. Fruity and decadent and floral and with just a bite of spice. Absolutely wonderful and I can't stop sniffing myself.

 

Drydown

Hello amber and orange, it's nice to meet you. More juicy then what I orginially thought Red Moon turns into this subtle warm fragrance that has MAMMOTH staying power. It's lovely...very very girly and red.

 

 

Aftermath

Oh the staying power of this combined with the lovely scent make it a 100% keeper!

[Astarte]

This is so wonderful and vivid, the first note I could detect was one of the florals, amd the dragons resin, for me it's a cross between fruity and floral, I can pick out the marigolds straight away. I dont detect the orange peel but it must be somewhere in there hiding away

 

Normally scents with Amber are either a hit or miss, but this was definitely a hit!

 

There are so many elements in this one which I love, the dragons blood, heliotrope and the flowers, I am very glad I have a bottle.

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

Minilux graciously decanted me an imp's worth of Red Moon, and I've saved it for this weekend.

 

Right out of the bottle I thought I was getting cherries, but then it turned into heliotrope and dragon's blood--a fascinating combination. I can see what everyone means: it's red in a cozy, warm way, not a loud, hot way. It faded faster on me than on others, but that's ok since I have enough to keep re-applying.

 

For me this is a ritual scent--I'll probably use almost all of my imp during the Red Moon (it's also moving weekend for us, so I'm using it for positive moving mojo), and just save a drop to remember it by. Heliotrope is generally too sweet for me, but I like how this captures a hazy August evening.

[Lorencita]

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my RED MOON! This is such a great scent, Im so glad I got it! It's cheery, cherry with all that makes things sweet for me. A perfect sweet, not too much so. I love Beths dragons blood, I have ordered everything with it. I think this is great, even though I have had it on for a short while. I dont do any rituals or anything, but I could definatley see myself doing all types of things with this on!

[ismene]

I was a bit nervous when I saw others describing this as a floral because, as I've perviously mentioned, florals and I don't get on. My fears were taken away when I first sniffed the oil.

 

It's ever so slightly floral at first but dries so that the dragon's blood and orange are the predominant notes. Hints of the herbs peek through, especially the marigold, but I think I can catch chammomile at times too. I never sniff the amber straight on, but I'm sure that's what makes this blend so sweet. It's bright red and gold to me, with a very distinct character.

 

This is obviously a blend for magical use but it's also one that can be worn frequently, too. Blue Moon felt less wearable, more exclusively ritualistic to me. As a bonus, Red Moon has one of the longest staying powers of any of the oils I've tried.

[Aurelius]

Wow, it's so interesting how Red Moon is so different on all of us!

 

Red Moon smells somewhat like Blue Moon on my skin. There's a berry-ness I smell, though I'm not sure why. The berry scent fades and a warmer one emerges, along with a floral scent. It's very light on me, even if I put on a lot. I LOVE it! Like Blue Moon, it took "us" a while to get acquainted, but now we're very close. It's a gorgeous mix of scents, less chaotic than Blue Moon, but just as gorgeous and winning!

[VorpalBunny]

Oooh! Love it love it love it!! This has outstripped Fae and become my #1 favourite BPAL oil. Too bad it’s a limited edition.

It is similar to Fae in its complexity and lightness yet intensity. I can’t really pin down any notes, although I get a faint hint of cherry. I am torn whether to wear it every day because I love it so much or to savour it. Fortunately, I have lots of imps to try, so I can make it last a bit longer.

It didn’t seem to have a lot of staying power, but it was very hot today and I didn’t put a lot on. I’d like to try again and see if it lasts better on a normal day.

 

Now that I've worn it on three different occasions, I'd like to add that this scent is like the moon in that it is so changeable. Every time I wear it, it smells very different on me. Today, it smells spicy, almost like cinnamon and cloves, and I don't get cherry at all. Still beautiful though. (If it weren't a LE, I think I would have to make it my signature scent, since my personality is so mercurial, it fits me perfectly.)

Edited September 12, 2004 by VorpalBunny

[rdeadline]

I was PMSing hard yesterday when I opened my BPAL box. I took a shower to wash off Vixen and put on Red Moon not really expecting much because I'm fat and have zits and I hate this shirt . In the bottle it smells like cherries with the same sort of base as Blue Moon. A few minutes after I put it on me I felt the yoink, Yoink, YOINK I felt the first time I wore Blue Moon and I was practially singing and dancing my way down the Walmart isle (I needed a notebook and I'm poor) So in conclusion, I'm awful at picking out notes but this smells amazing and feels like DM's Enjoy The Silence wrapped around me in scent form.

Edited September 2, 2004 by rdeadline

[TheDarkMother]

I would have never thought that it was possible, but I have actually found a Moon scent that I liked more than Blue Moon! If this is a prelude of things to come, then I am really looking forward to the next installments.

 

Red moon smells like cherries at first, then settles into a grapefruit, before turning into a sweet honeysuckle scent. YUM!

 

I am so glad that I picked this up when I did and that it got to me when it did. Another day of waiting, and I wouldn’t have been there to get it and it might have blown away in the hurricane.

 

I was very lucky with this one, as it didn't overpower me when I was riding in the car for so long, and actually helped calm me down quite a bit as I was driving. I am in awe of you guys!

[omly]

In the bottle and when wet this was fruity but not too sweet. Once it was dry it had lost most of the cherry and fruitiness. Instead it was a slightly sweet floral that made me feel stuffed up (allergies?). Interestingly it was "red" throughout. I can picture a red fruity smell, but I had never thought about a red floral before. I think the marigold is not my friend though, so I will be passing this on to someone who can enjoy it more.