Raven Moon

[Greenwoodtree]

Mournful and Never-ending Remembrance: shining, moonlit ebony musk with benzoin, myrrh, smoky vanilla, patchouli, nutmeg, and dried red chili.

 

This is a WINNER!!!

I can now add Raven Moon to my exceedingly short list of oils that work with my skin chemistry.
The incense and patchouli are what hold it down for me, because I can see that the vanilla would like to fly off with the entire scent! Vanilla notes generally turn to sweet powder, and thats a yuck for me.
However, I smell something leathery, and it reminds me of the Marquis de Carabas in a gentler, sweeter way.

This is a bottle-worthy scent -I hope I can get one!

[zankoku_zen]

2012 version

 

Smooth, resinous patchouli with hints of vanilla and nutmeg. It's inky, spicy, and dark. I actually find it very wearable.

 

Dark, resinous, mysterious.

[milo]

I had the previous incarnation of Raven Moon, loved it until in started to turn odd on me after an hours wear or so. This one doesn't seem to be doing what the other one did (yet), I'm getting warm, black musk a sweetness to in and mild spice. I really like this, and may track down more, depending on the rest of the day. It is quite similar to Haunted and Black Temple Burlesque Troupe. Think BLBT without the cocoa, and you have this years incarnation of RM.

[SnappingTurtle]

Raven Moon 2012. Smells like black feathers, with a birdy/dirty edge like pigeons getting too close in a city square. Sort of reminds me of getting rushed by smelly birds in Trafalgar Square years ago. Maybe I should have been able to predict this one not being for me, but I guess I never really thought it would smell like BIRDS. Was thinking more of Edgar Allen Poe.

 

Nevermore on my wrist. Sorry, couldn't help myself. Off to the bird-watching sister with this one!

[tinyvulture]

So glad I took a chance on this one. Warm black musk and powdery myrrh form the base. The nutmeg is strong, but this isn't a foody scent. The nutmeg adds spiciness and more warmth. There's also a "cola" scent that I sometimes notice with resin-y blends. I wish I got more of the vanilla and red chili. I'm not noticing the patchouli or red chili. While I was excited to have a red chili blend, I'm OK with not being able to smell it, because what I DO smell is so fantastic.

Edited February 20, 2013 by tinyvulture

[JazzieCazzie]

This is a tough review to write but since I am determined to go through every single one of my scents and review them, I'm going to try. You'll understand the issue when I finish writing it. This was a scent I very very much wanted to try since I love pretty much every note in it. Purchased the imp as well as a few others, along with about a half-bottle of another DC'd LE, on the forum. The imp was only about half-full and it clearly came from an old decant circle (it is marked 2009 so it's from the original release, I assume). The label was very old and faded and stained and I couldn't make out if there was ID of which circle it came from.

 

Anyway, to proceed:

 

IN THE IMP: Primarily patchouli and musk, with a sweetness underlying it. Perhaps the vanilla? Or the myrrh? Very pleasant and not very strong so I looked forward to how this would play on my skin.

 

Dabbed reasonably generously on wrist and into crook of the arm, since they often tend to yield slightly different results and there is usually a lot more throw and longer legs in the crook.

 

WET: At first sniff, I kind of recoiled. It just smells like ... department store perfume. That slightly alcohol-based scent which I don't associate with ANY of the notes in this. NOR did I GET ANY of the notes in the listed blend when it went on wet, not even the ones I'd sniffed to lightly in the imp. No resin. No spice. No sweetness. Okay, I figured I'd wait for the drydown because that is often where these notes like to make their mark on me.

 

DRYDOWN: Well, it barely didn't even get there. Within about two minutes (no exaggeration), the whole thing was GONE. No trace of it on my wrist. No trace of it in the crook of my arm. I can't remember this ever happening with a BPAL scent. After about 15 minutes, I got a whiff of the myrrh drydown, the powdery kind, the one I recognize (especially in the crook of my arm). That is always one that amps hugely on me so of course it would be the only note that actually stayed on me LOL.

 

OVERALL: I'm just perplexed. Although I capped the imp back very tightly, I guess when I opened it, some of it seeped out onto the outer part of the imp and I saw a small pool on my desk calendar. I dipped my finger in it and it didn't smell like ANYTHING. And I just sniffed the dried stain on the paper and, again, nothing.

 

I'm going to guess that either Raven's Moon just doesn't age well, or perhaps during the journey this imp has taken maybe it went through a decanting process that affected it?

 

I may need to look for, perhaps, one of the more recent versions of it to re-test. I'm hoping there will be other current reviews of the 2009 blend so I can see whether others have experienced the same results as I did.

 

ON a scale of 1-5, I have to give it an incomplete. I've never done that before.

[Magycmyste]

I have the 2012 version.

 

In the bottle: sweet, slightly incensey - ooh, that's pretty! I think it's the benzoin, vanilla, patchouli and myrrh I'm getting here.

 

Wet on skin: More myrrh and benzoin than anything. I think I get the slightest whiff of the red chili if I try really hard to isolate it, but it doesn't smell spicy - just the dry scent red chilis have

 

Dried down: Sniffing my wrists, I get patchouli and myrrh, but there's a dark sweetness hanging in the air around me - definitely fits a smoky vanilla. Theres also an almost soapy quality to it. There's a possibility I'm getting the ebony musk, but I'm not really good with pinpointing musks yet. I'm not really getting any other notes, unless they're toning down the sweetness of the vanilla. Honestly, this kind of reminds me of Heretic, but not as strong.

 

Throw: Dark and slightly sweet.

 

Verdict: **** This scent is very pretty. I was hoping the red chili would play more into it, but oh well. And maybe the nutmeg, though I don't really mind that I'm not getting that, for some reason. I don't think I'm going to need a second bottle, though. I am glad I have one, though.

Edited September 23, 2013 by Magycmyste

[BoneBone24]

Wet: A soft, resinous musk. Slightly sweet and mildly spicy.

 

Drydown: Smoky and comforting. So far I can’t detect the vanilla, which is probably a good thing, knowing my skin. There’s a bit of creaminess from the benzoin, but mostly I’m getting soft wisps of smoke and incense. Subdued and beautiful.

 

Dry: Spicy-smoky-creamy-dark-musky goodness. So well blended I can't even tell you what is what. It's just...very nice.

 

 

 

 

8 out of 10 bones

[Teaker]

This is exquisite. I'm completely blown away.

 

I smell black musk, fuzzy and warm and comforting. I find black musk sometimes has an almost lemony or citrus edge to it, but I don't get that here. All of the comfort and none of the bite! There's an underlying sweetness from the vanilla or maybe the benzoin, but its not overpowering or cloying. There's a touch of smokiness too, or maybe that's just the black musks' "fuzziness". It's just an expertly blended cloud of loveliness!

 

My favorite part of this scent is the red chili. It gives a heat and spice that is so totally different that what you get from cinnamon. It's so unique! I'll be hunting down other blends with that note because it's amazing here. I can't pick out the nutmeg from this, it might be mingling a bit with the chili and giving this its "almost foody but not really foody at all" vibe. It's a very gentle scent that stays close to the skin.

 

This dries to a smokey vanilla haze. The lab's actual smoke note smells like vinegar on me, but the combination of notes here results in something that smells smokey without having any actual smoke. This is exactly what I wanted Liz to smell like.

 

This is just so lovely! I'm instantly obsessed.

Edited November 14, 2014 by Teaker

[porcelina]

the black musk with that crazy little kick of red chili make raven moon one of the more unique bpals i have tried. it really takes the scent from generic dark musk and resins (which i love, don't get me wrong... probably 75% of my favorites fall into that category) to something quite special. i really like the addition of chili, even though it's quite subtle. it's like a special secret ingredient that no one would guess was there. aside from that, this is a dark, rich, glossy scent that has aged wonderfully.

[LizziesLuck]

2009

 

I love all of these notes, and am so intrigued by the chili pepper, so I felt the need to hunt this down. Fresh out of the mail!

(LOVE the label art)

 

Wet: Dark, murky musk and pepper! This reads more as black pepper to me, but it's for sure peppery, and I am really liking it. The Myrrh is coming out too, and the benzoin sweetens things up. Mmm. Love! This black musk/Myrrh combo was what I wanted Streets of Detroit to be (and it wasn't, on me). I am loving the hints of spice, too!

 

 

Dry: Fantastic. The spices come out nicely, the musk and Myrrh blend beautifully and the benzoin sweetens it all. Love it! So happy I tracked it down.

[bulletslc]

OMG! This is the perfect spicy musk for me! A seemless blend. I can die happy now.

[Aveya]

2012 Version

 

Wet in bottle: Wet musty.

Wet on Skin: ... Wet musty

Dry Initial on skin: This is a strangely calming scent. I don't like it - but every time I sniff it to try to understand the notes I feel so very very calm. So, that's something.

 

This is an almost nice scent for me, but I'm thinking this ebony musk is just too dank for me. It's just musty to my nose. Now, that said I do appreciate it. So I'm going to set aside my generic "It's wet basement" which I always say about both vetiver and myrrh it seems, and just accept that it's how those two scents smell. Or I grew up with a really bizarre basement.

 

So - Got past that. Underneath it, there's a soft sweetness. Almost a leathery smokey sweet. Spicy without being abrupt and in your face like say, Bengal can be. This is mellow and as others have said, seamless. It's a waste of time to pull apart the scents because that's not what it is.

 

This is feathered darkness. Incense-riddled insomnia. Warm sadness. What's the opposite of bittersweet? This feels like the answer. Calmingmadness, warm depression. Ok done now.

 

TLDR; Sweet and Spicy Black musk. low-moderate throw. I think this will cling to my skin for days too.

 

But man that mustyness is bordering baby-powder-amp on me. Edit: And there it goes, about an hour in POOF babypowder. : (

Edited April 7, 2018 by Aveya

[Miss_Unicorn]

Such good notes, all together. Such potential to be sexy and cuddly at the same time.

Alas, the patchouli had to go and ruin it for me, as always. This just smells bitter on me.

At least there's someone else out there who would appreciate it. Swaps it is. *sigh

[Lucchesa]

Given the note list, Raven Moon 2012 should have been a slam dunk on me.  And it's not that it's not working at all -- it's really very nice -- but it's not an instant favorite.  It is definitely in the darker scent category I wear a lot of in the winter.  Myrrh is the dominant note on me, with a subdued dark musk, not the lemony black musk variety.  The patch is really understated, and so are the spices -- they're definitely there, but there's nothing foody about this scent.  I don't get much throw (I almost never do), though it does last a long time -- with a late afternoon application, I can still make it out on my wrist the next morning.  I like Raven Moon, but I wanted to adore it. 

[Teamama]

2009 version, from a forum purchase. Overall, it's a spicy musk with benzoin.  Mama-Ji is the closest blend I can think of.  Like Lucchesa,  I'm impressed by the longevity. 

On my skin, the nutmeg & chili pepper notes don't really smell like themselves. Spices can be hit or miss with my skin chemistry.  Cinnamon & cassia are usually hits. Clove is a miss, because my skin amps it so much, it throws off the balance of any blend containing it. Cardamom & nutmeg sometimes work, so I always want to try them.  I wonder if the same thing that causes my skin to amp cloves is somehow distorting the nutmeg & chili pepper? 

Raven Moon 2009 smells better in the bottle than on my skin, & better on my skin than in a silver scent locket.  I'm glad I got to try it, but I hardly ever reach for it. 

 

Edited to add: The 2009 label art is super awesome.

Edited October 8, 2019 by Teamama

[Lilah Ladybug]

I am at home, self isolating during the global pandemic (as the rest of the world is also doing) and I thought I would bring some joy to my days by reviewing my oils daily.

 

this was the first one and it sure was a beauty to kick things off:

 

Raven moon 2012

 

Definitely starts off spicy and hot on the skin. Huffing makes my nose tingle from the chilli.

 

As it starts to warm up, the patchouli opens with her earthy embrace. The nutmeg and the chilli lifting it away from becoming too ‘dirty’. It has height and movement. Just like the wings of a Raven. It’s dark and embracing... if someone were to catch a whiff of this on you, you would not go unnoticed... 

 

I adore chilli in blends - one of my favourites is Mexican Long tongued bat. Which brings chilli with sweetness. This is chilli with earthy darkness. 

 

The myrrh plays beautifully with the patch here, keeping her from dominating. It slowly starts to settle and sweeten, and the musk and smoky vanilla start to peek out.... after around 30 minutes it seems as though the raven has taken flight. The earthiness has given way to allow the shiny aspect to come through.

 

It’s as though it starts off, being embraced by a large raven. His giant wings are wrapped around you, you can feel the heat from his feathers and from the earth. Then you both take flight. It’s spicy, exhilarating and exciting. Eventually settling into a wind current, and being held by stormy clouds. There is a charge in the air that doesn’t fade, lightning may strike at any time, but you feel safe. The sweetness keeps anything harsh at bay. 

 

This is a beautiful blend that really took me on a journey - which is exactly what I needed right now 🙌🏼 

This has definitely become one of my favourites for when I want to escape the world or capture someone’s attention. 

 

Edited to add:

 

Hours later, I’m left with a gentle and spicy musk that’s slightly smoky and sweet. At this point I could imagine snuggling up with someone after a spicy and passionate day together. 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 30, 2020 by Lilah Ladybug

[lipstickonmyteeth92]

Mournful and Never-ending Remembrance: shining, moonlit ebony musk with benzoin, myrrh, smoky vanilla, patchouli, nutmeg, and dried red chili.

 

Straight out of the mailbox because I couldn't resist finally having the last five bottles of my collection with me at last! 

In bottle: Dark and spicy, can't pick out any individual notes 

Wet on skin: Ohh this is gorgeous! The red chili is quite prominent and then I get the patch/smoky vanilla/ and nutmeg underneath. It's really lovely, quite spicy and soft at the same time 

Dry after about an hour: Red chili is super prominent still (which is exactly what I was hoping for) and it's rounded out with this sweet smoky musk scent that doesn't enable me to pick out many individual notes but it's amazing! I love this so much more than I thought I would, it kind of reminds me of the smokiness of  Dalliance with an Amorous Bat Demon but far less sweet and sharp. 

[RoseThornAndOak]

2012 version with Poe on the label. 

 

A tad musty with intriguing dark things at first. Madness and sadness. I would say dark spices, it is nutmeg, but comes across darker like clove, a smooth dark patchouli but not rank or dank (just that slightly musty vibe), and I would have guessed murky vetiver. 

 

A clean streak comes out with some wear. It's not soapy really, more musk with a touch aquatic fougere, as well as a touch of the must from the patchouli and spice. A good musty though, it is kind of coming together like a comforting vintage waistcoat vibe. Well, comforting, but also disconcerting? Like you just want to hug the poor fellow. If you visit the Poe Museum in Richmond, they have one of his white silk waistcoats, with a bit of stains from wear, but in remarkable condition, and this blend makes me think of it. Refined, yet disturbed is the aura this blend gives off.

 

A hot, genteel musk (black maybe? This is cleaner, though) with some spice and smooth vanilla/benzoin wins in the end. The patchouli isn't stomping on anything at all and has mostly receded. I'm glad I took a chance on this. It feels like Poe is taking me through a story, of dark thoughts and murky gloom, a dark night of the soul he endured. The morning after this particularly dark night was also grim, despondent, but one must wash off the gloom, and face the day. There is warmth and hope in the end. The sun shines. The night was survived.

 

Great blend. 

Edited September 25 by RoseThornAndOak