Chushu-no-Meigetsu

[zankoku_zen]

Lemon blossom, maple leaves, honey musk, and beeswax.

[starbrow]

These are not shy-sounding notes! But wow, somehow they blend into an almost delicately pretty scent. I don't know that I've ever specifically smelled lemon blossom, but there's definitely a sunny, citrusy floral weaving into leaves. If they are maple, I can't really tell; I can tell that they are not Dead Leaves, and that for me is a great thing.

 

I'm really loving the combination of the beeswax and honey musk, which together form a very warm-and-fuzzy version of honey. I really would love to see them as the star of a blend, without the brightness of the lemon blossom washing them out. This would be beautiful with a bunch of different notes. I might even try using the drydown of Chushu to layer with. Decant-worthy, even if it's not yet earned a bottle for me.

[VetchVesper]

Lemon drops!  That's what first springs to mind.  Sweet, bright lemon.  There's more complexity though as the fragrance blossoms.  The honey musk is becoming more obvious on my skin.  It's a sweet, light golden sort of honey and hot tea drinks come to mind, though there's no actual tea note.  The muskiness is light and just keeps this from smelling like strait up lemon candy.  The beeswax is extremely faint on me, and the maple leaves seem to be creating a subtle cologne vibe in the background. 

 

As it dries down, the lemon blossom is receding, and beeswax is starting to stand out.  The cologne vibe is also fading.  It's more of a soft, glowing candle vibe now, albeit a lemon candle.   

 

This is not my type of blend, but it's nice.  A pretty, bright scent for those who like something lighter.  Also, a nice variant of beeswax that I haven't smelled.  Nice for summer.  

[Casablanca]

Unique.

 

My first-blink impression of Chushu is lemon-honey maple syrup. I get images of warm red maple leaves, maples being tapped, jars of honey, and bright, sunny lemon groves. 

 

As the blend develops, I definitely also get the vibe that someone upped their hot lemon-honey drink game with a teaspoon of maple syrup. It's kind of the ultimate cold-season comfort. The maple and honey shift this away from lemon candy -- because it is quite sweet, and could be a candy -- or, at least, it's an interesting Trader Joe's version of lemon candy.

 

Happily, the musk is light. The beeswax appears only after drydown, and I love the smoothness it adds.

 

I can't stop huffing this, and it's lifting my mood, so I might need more than the decant. I also like the way the notes complement the colors in the art.

[puellacaerulea]

This is maybe the most unique of the 2020 Shungas that I've tried so far. In the decant, honey stands out to me the most, but the other notes are there, adding this wonderful complexity to the honey. After applying, the lemon blossom and maple leaves amp up a lot more -- it's not as strong as the dead leaves blends, so don't let that scare you off if you're not a fan of that note, but it does give the scent a more cologne-y quality for a time. This fades as it dries down, and the end result is more of a soft honey and beeswax with a slight citrusy brightness. Definitely give this one a try if you like honey scents. I'm glad I have a decant, and haven't ruled out a bottle purchase yet.

[Lin Swanson]

The lemon in this is delightfully sweet-tart, but sadly doesn't last very long on me. What it leaves behind, though, is a lovely herbal honey that stays close to the skin. It's light and comforting.

[zankoku_zen]

Beeswax, honey, and a whiff of lemon. So yes, honeyed beeswax and lemon. Lemon Scented Sticky Bat flew into a beeswax puddle. Good throw and wear length.

[astarinel]

This is softer and less sweet than I expected.

 

Primarily beeswax and honey musk, tinged with green, almost adding a grassy/herbal quality to the honey. I can't wear the "dead leaves" blends at all, and this is a much lighter, more green, and less sharp version of a leaf note. The "lemon blossom" is definitely lemony, but in a light, floral way -- this is a soft, airy lemon rather than a juicy lemon.

 

Springlike, bright, and surprisingly refreshing given the honey musk and beeswax!

[lady_pandora]

This is a sister to Courtesan with Secret Lover from a couple years ago; I love Courtesan, so this is not a complaint! At first I was a little bummed that I'd accidentally bought an oil that was so close to something I already had, but then realized--backup! The lemon/honey/musk combo is what makes them similar, and then in the later stages, Chushu's maple leaves and the beeswax (or maybe the honey? hard to pick them apart) create what comes off as kind of a maple syrup note on me, making this a more autumnal sibling. 

[Soupy Twist]

Beeswax and… dammit, lemon floor cleaner in the bottle. Yep, goes on as lemon floor cleaner with beeswax notes, like this is a “natural” floor cleaner. Eventually dries to a slightly perfumy beeswax, but I have other bottles with that note without the Lemon Pledge. No maple, no green, no leaves. 😥

[theseagrows]

in the beginning i get lemon blossom and beeswax. it smells sort of fuzzy and effervescent. i believe i get a bit of the honey musk but no maple leaves (thankfully!) that was the one note that concerned me. i love honey/beeswax scents but not foody maple-y ones. thus far this is much more on the beeswax side, though the lemon blossom brightens it a lot. i do like this but i can't say i love it. i like lemon blossom but it's a bit too bright and effervescent for me. 

[Lucchesa]

Lemon honey.  Bright, cheerful -- a very light musk, a little beeswax, some sticky leaves.  On my wrist, Chushu-no-Meigetstu flirts with Lemon Pledge throughout its wear length, though it never became all-out cleanser that needed be be scrubbed off.  Still, my decant can probably find a better home with a lemon lover whose skin chemistry is kinder to it.  

[doomsday_disco]

In the decant: Lemony honey musk.

 

On me: Oof. The lemon blossom is combining with the sharp leaves to make me smell like lemon cleaner mixed with some honey musk. It's sharp, and I actually feel pain behind my eyes when I smell it.  Then it becomes even sharper and veers into bug spray territory. Leaf notes are problematic on me, sometimes becoming so sharp that they induce headaches, and that's what's happening here. It doesn't smell like a distinct leaf note on me. It's just high-pitched and adding that bug spray factor. The honey musk and beeswax soften it a bit after a while, but they are not able to salvage this.

 

Verdict: