Cheshire Moon 2013

[amanderinorange]

A lunatic's blend of lunar herbs and blossoms, with lemongrass, lemon balm, guava, pink grapefruit, papaya pulp, banyan fruit, hibiscus, and cherry blossom.

This is a rather difficult scent for me to describe, but here it goes.

In the bottle: whoa, lemon! My sister said this smelled like fresh ginger and I can see that. It's different than an actual ginger note, which tends to smell fizzy to my nose. This is not fizzy.

On my skin: Definitely still get lemon and continue to get lemon for the first five minutes or so. Slowly, I get some of the cherry blossom floral-ness that I was hoping for, but I really have to take a slow and deep breath to really catch it. Eventually the lemon fades a bit and it becomes a lemon and soft pink floral combo. I was hoping for more of the guava or papaya, but I can very much see myself wearing this in the spring, which is something as I am not a lemon person.

[phantasmmysteria]

Well, it's been a minute since I've done a review, but there are so few I thought I'd put in my 2 cents.

 

In the bottle: I actually get mostly the lunar herbs in the bottle, which is not my preference (these are usually what make Lunacies not my favorite).

 

Wet: Hmm, I get a blast of something in the mint family right off. There's a jumble of scents all fighting for dominance, and at first it's really hard to pick anything other than the minty note out. The mint burns off eventually, and as it does the lemongrass, cherry blossom, and fruits begin to peek out. Close to the skin, the scent is all slightly sour fruits, but the throw is a lovely soft floral.

 

Dry: As this dries down, there's something almost... incensy?... about it! Actually, there's something about the combination of one of the base notes and the florals (could be the lemongrass/lemon balm) that strongly reminds me of Morgause.

 

Verdict: I was worried I was going to swap this one off immediately like I did the last Cheshire Moon, but the Morgause-like drydown makes me think twice about it. I'm going to hold onto it for a bit and hope the lunar component settles with a bit of age, because otherwise it is lovely.

[PurringPulsar]

Cheshire Moon 2013

 

In the imp: grapefruit, lemon…and SNOW? Yes, this appears to have the snow note-the one from Blue/Yellow Snowballs. It also reminds me a bit of fizzy lime.

Wet on skin: much tangier and less sweet than the original. It still smells snowy.

Dry on skin: this is very heavy on the citrus, with the zesty, juicy grapefruit taking the lead. It smells like fresh grapefruit juice, not too bitter but it is tart. Lemongrass is also more obvious but isn’t shrieking its head off like it can do-this is more like the gentle lemongrass from Skytyping with Chemtrails. The lemon balm also adds to the citrus feel. It feels very effervescent, a bit like lemonade or 7up. I can’t smell much cherry blossom or guava and I was hoping to smell papaya but I can’t detect that either. The most surprising thing about this scent is that it has a snow/ice/winter air note, a bit like Whirling Wind Moon, but with fruit instead of flowers. Something about that snowy backdrop seems to turn to ozone on me and it’s also a bit soapy. Maybe that’s the lunar herbs?

After a while: the snow/ozone/floral backdrop gets really soapy and perfume-y. The lemongrass is also sharper than before, and the grapefruit now has a bitter peel scent to it. I’m not so keen on this by this point. I much preferred the sweet pinkness of the original. I was hoping to get papaya and guava here but there’s nothing that reminds me of that in here.

Verdict: if the original CM is a scent reminiscent of spring, this is most definitely a winter scent-which I suppose would fit as this scent was released in January. Very different to the original, which was all about the cherry blossom and guava, a fluffy, fun pink scent with very slight accents of citrus. This is the other way round-it has a yellowish-white-silver feel, cold and airy with frosted citrus and only subtle hints of sweeter fruit and cherry blossoms. I was a bit surprised as to how ‘snowy’ this scent is, reminiscent of some of the Yule scents, and it’s the ozone-scented snow note that I’m not so keen on. The citrus notes are also a bit too overwhelming, turning to cologne at times. I loved the original so I’m a bit let down by this version-maybe if I got more of the papaya and guava I would have preferred it.

Is it a keeper? no, I’ll stick with the first release.

If you like this, try: Cheshire Moon (original), Aizen Myoo, Schrodinger’s Cat, Skytyping with Chemtrails, Yellow Snowballs, Whirling Wind Moon, Night Gaunt

Edited February 19, 2013 by yeahbutnobut

[livingdead71]

I almost didn't order this because I wasn't a big fan of the first one, but this is a very different scent. I get mostly lunar herbs and fruit in the bottle. Immediately on the skin, I get the snow note mentioned by yeahbutnobut, which is a big surprise! It's oddly reminiscent of Before the Snowy Window at this point, with the whole snow covered cherry blossoms vibe. The dominating snow note lasts for a long time on me, then it dries down to a pretty, fruity scent. I also get the comparison to Aizen Myoo on dry down especially. I actually like this scent quite a bit, and think I will enjoy wearing it in the Spring. I'm glad I took a chance on a bottle!

[Caper]

This one is driving me crazy because it reminds me so much of a GC blend I tried in the very beginning of my bpal career, but I can't remember which one!

 

It is lightly fruity and floral, but not too sweet for me. The papaya and guava come out for me after the initial wet stage wears off. It isn't like a fake tropical fruit scent, but more like a real wet guava scent.

 

Very nice for spring, and I'm glad I got a bottle.

[brilliantcat]

Bottle: Herbs and soap.

 

Wet: Citrusy and... incensey! I like the incensey. Surprisingly complex and less fruity than I had imagined. From farther away I get the cherry blossom but up close it's amazing incense and aquatic. I'm reminded of the ephemeral nature of the cat and I get a blue-green vibe that is reminiscent of the cat in the most recent movie (vs the tradional pink and purple).

 

Dry: It's gone soapy, though not in a bad way. Not sure if this will be going to swaps.

 

Edit: Upon allowing it to age for several months, this has deepened into a really beautiful scent! I wouldn't even really identify it as soapy anymore. Instead upon drydown I get some of the tropical fruits but this is certainly not foody by any means. It has a glow like the cat's eyes until they wink out before you. Throw smells slightly aquatic but the guava and papaya and cherry blossom are more evident at the skin. Little of the citrus at any point now. A very cool-feeling scent. I think this will continue to develop as it ages.

Edited September 11, 2013 by brilliantcat

[Little Bird]

My bottle of this doesn't really smell anything like it's supposed to and it doesn't smell anything like the original Cheshire Moon, even though they share an almost identical note list. The original Cheshire Moon has a nice sweetness to it that's almost like vanilla cake and I could pick out the sweet citrus and cherry blossom. This new version smells like bpal's snow note + soap. Clean, cool and soapy... a huge letdown

[zankoku_zen]

So this is LEMON, hints of cherry blossom, on a base of the same sweet slushy snow note that Ice Queen has.

 

AUTOMATIC LOVE (for me).

 

I mean, light citrus and fruit notes warm up this chilly blend, and make it a very crisp, snowy Spring blend for me.

 

So, I differ greatly from all the other reviewers meaning: ALL YOUR CHESHIRE MOON 2013 IS BELONG TO US. (and by us, I mean me).

[mothglitter]

My bottle of this doesn't really smell anything like it's supposed to and it doesn't smell anything like the original Cheshire Moon, even though they share an almost identical note list. The original Cheshire Moon has a nice sweetness to it that's almost like vanilla cake and I could pick out the sweet citrus and cherry blossom. This new version smells like bpal's snow note + soap. Clean, cool and soapy... a huge letdown

 

YES! Right on the money. I loved the original Cheshire Moon, and hoarded it like Precious. The past incarnation was like...well, it reminded me of eating vanilla cake laced with pink and citrus fruits while sitting on a tropical beach. No way to explain that really But it was a delectable blend of both creaminess, pink florals and tart fruit. It was just wonderful. Not only that, but it never once morphed on my skin.

 

This version, though, has gone to straight-up, overpowering "soap" on me :/ Even in the bottle it has a pungent quality. I was so disappointed.

[milo]

Back when I was a bpal newb, I bought this as my one of my very first bottles. Unfortuneately, it was much too strong of a floral on me. This is quite different from the previous version from what I remember. I'm getting mint for some reason, maybe it's the herbs translating to mint, a light floral, a bit of citrus and something creamy that fades in and out. This is VERY similar to Victorian Virgins and Cherubs, a bath oil from a couple of years back, though this is a bit more creamy, though it's almost a dead ringer. I like VV, so this is good, and I'm sure I'll use the decant up this summer.

[mymymai]

ITB: It's light, buoyant, and fruity - guava, cherry blossoms, and lemon balm.

 

Wet: Yum. Lemon balm, lemongrass, guava, hibiscus, and grapefruit. I love how tropical this smells.

 

Dry: Once dry, it's somewhat faint. The scent is primarily lemon balm, lemongrass, and pink grapefruit. I really enjoy the fruitiness of this one.

[sunlitgarden]

In the bottle: It's really a mishmash of various fruits at this stage. It's lemony and vaguely tropical but not too sweet. The lunar herbs give it a bit of a greenish, fresh edge, almost minty though not quite as "sharp" as mint can be.

On my skin, the grapefruit is noticable right away, but it fades pretty quickly. The citrus and cherry blossom in here remind me of Aizen-Myoo, which is one of the "fresh" smelling fruity-florals that I enjoy. I'm having trouble picking out any individual notes once the grapefruit fades. The overall feeling of Cheshire Moon at this point is light and fresh; it almost reminds me of a "spring rain" scent from a shop like Bath and Body Works. Despite all the tropical fruits, there's something kind of chilly and almost mentholic about this scent, like the minty cold air note that's in some Yules. Maybe it's the lunar herbs.

Dry, it's mostly minty with some lemongrass. There's also something a tiny bit spicy in the background.

Going by seasons, I would consider this a "late winter/early spring" blend, but it's also something refreshing to wear during the summer. I like it a lot and am glad I have a bottle.

[LizziesLuck]

Wet: Soapy citrus. Or citrusy soap...

 

 

Dry: It almost smells like there's some mint in this to me. Minty and citrusy. A bit bitter. I am not a citrus lover, so this isn't doing much for me. It's nice, but not my thing. Even dry it's still quite soapy.

[doomsday_disco]

In the decant: Guava, pink grapefruit, lemongrass, and a smattering of lunar blossoms and herbs.

 

Wet: The guava note is the strongest, followed by the pink grapefruit. The grapefruit note ends up becoming stronger than the guava note, and the lunar blossoms and herbs have emerged.

 

Dry: The herbs are a lot more prominent during this stage of the scent. It's a fruity, herbal, floral scent, although the citrus notes have calmed down a lot from when they were initially applied. I'm getting more guava than grapefruit again.

 

Verdict: I didn't know how this long list of notes would play on me, but as a fan of the Lab's pink grapefruit note, I was hoping that would be a main player. And it is, at least, for some of the time! I think I'll keep my decant on hand and reach for it in the summer months, but I don't think I need to hunt down a bottle.

 

[ka hulu]

In the bottle: Lunar herbs, but with something lemony and tropically juicy enough to maybe compel me to try it on. After several sniffs over the course of last night, I realize I have no idea what “lunar herbs” actually even are. I might try this one on anyway.

 

Wet: JOY. A mélange of tropical fruits and citrus, something vivacious and juicy and fresh but chilled! It reminds me instantly of  two things I love. The way a citrus fruit feels in hand, when picked from the tree first thing after sunrise. And also the taste of a delicate Hawaiian lilikoi or guava cake, fresh from the bakery and kept cool in the refrigerator. I want to sneak bites of it. This makes me smile; it’s very sweet, but not cloying. Whatever the notes are doing, they gel beautifully. Other reviewers mention other fragrances with snow notes. I don’t have any of those to reference or compare, but wet, I definitely get that this scent is “chilled”. That’s amazing to me, that a perfumer can evoke such a sense. This fragrance is just JOY.

 

Dry: This one dries down to a light tropical flowery scent on me, and still with that barest delicate whisper of “cake”. Tropical flowers now, moreso than fruits. Something vanilla-ish, and cake. 

 

My daughter comes into my room some hours later and after a minute, says pensively, “Is it just me, or does it smell like summertime today?”

 

It’s mid-February, and it’s a beautiful day, 70° F and sunny, and the windows are open. But it’s also Cheshire Moon 2013.

 

I couldn’t be more pleased, unless simultaneously presented with a fork, the actual cake, and a second bottle of this scent! Will look for the earlier original version, but I’m loving the 2013!

[bambi]

In the decant, I get tart citrus, guava, and a soft floral. On my skin, I get a lot more herbs. The citrus is still present at first, as are a few more sharp fruit smells. The flowers stay soft at first, but then they start to smell soapy and get stronger. I'm not sure what lunar blossoms are, but whatever they are, they and the cherry blossoms take this scent over, and the fruit is barely discernible. It's disappointing that even with all these fruit notes, I get flowers instead.