Leaf Moon 2021

[Seajewel]

Just a leaf – one single red leaf dancing, twirling in a red musk breeze, touched by patchouli and woodsmoke.

[patina]

First sniff: It's leaf. I don't know what I expected.

 

Specifically it's the dead leaf note from Dead Leaves, Red Musk, and Neroli. This is softer than that scent though.

 

A skin test brings out a soft red musk and the woodsmoke. Not perfumy (at least yet) This might be considered masculine by some because of the smoke and the patchouli darkness.

[filigree_shadow]

With red musk, patchouli, and woodsmoke, this should have been a winner for me. For some reason the combination didn't work well on my skin. The leaf note smells very green to me, and what I thought would be musky and smoky is almost aquatic on me -- it's that green. I usually amp red musk like crazy, and it's quite muted in this blend.

 

I can't shake the feeling that it's not supposed to smell like this, and it's my skin chemistry that's messing it up.

[Casablanca]

Last night, when first testing this, Leaf Moon brought me so much perfect woodsmoke, and I was in love.

 

This morning, though, it is mostly bringing me the Dead Leaves note. In the warm-up, red musk wafts out behind the dead leaves. The woodsmoke is a lighter presence, coloring the other notes, but doing far less to soften and obscure them.

 

There's now too much red musk in the balance for me, but it's a relief to remove something from my overloaded cart.

[tinyvulture]

Falling leaves and…licorice? Must be the patchouli and the way it interacts with the leaf note that brings to mind licorice. The woodsmoke is present after the first few seconds, intoxicating and heavy.  The red musk is surprisingly muted. I keep looking for it but I am really just getting the leaves and stuffy woodsmoke. This one’s a keeper for now, although the heavy smokiness might bring me to sell it in the future.

[LavenderCoffee]

Leaf Moon leads with the dead leaves scent plus woodsmoke, and the woodsmoke takes over for the first hour or so of wear.

After that, I get an almost perfume-like effect from the patchouli and leaves, with a touch of smoke lingering, and I have to get in close to find any trace of sweetness from the musk. 

I'm intrigued because dead leaves blends do not usually work for me, and I like this dark, autumnal patchouli more than I expected.

[zankoku_zen]

*squint* Dead Leaves, is this you? This smells as if Dead Leaves and Graveyard Dirt had a baby. Dirt + leaves. Medium throw and wear length.

[Lucchesa]

Leaf Moon starts out harsh on me, mostly woodsmoke and the dead leaves note and a green leaf note as well. After about an hour it softens considerably, and the dry down is beautiful, sweet patchouli and gentle smoke, with the leaves having transmuted into something perfume-like. I’m really not getting any distinct red musk. On initial application I thought this was headed straight for swaps, but I will keep it around because I love the dry down and think it might age brilliantly. 

[wolf_truffles]

Dead leaves, patchouli and woodsmoke should have been the alternate name. Easily fits into the dead leaves collection! Red musk in this is light and really just amps the other notes into a more "perfume" territory 

[Viiinylflowers]

On first application it smells almost like fresh wet red tea or something, which realizes itself quickly into a soft fresh red leaf note, a little bit of sweet burning woodsmoke, and soft earthy-sweet red musk.  
 

The scent when it first goes on is so addicting 🤤 one of my favorite renditions of a “leaf” scent ever ~ it’s just so *fresh* and red, and gets more brownish/dry the longer it’s on my skin.  That opening is divine. 
 

It quickly settles into a soft fresh/dry red leaf-tinged, see through-ey red musk, with a waft of burning woodsmoke.  It wears like a skin scent, and is very cozy and evocative of fall.  Like walking into a forest clearing that is just entirely covered in vivid red leaves sort of blanketing the ground, both dry and wet, and there’s a log burning in the background.  I can smell a tiny bit of the char of the wood, but it’s very elegant and subtle/ethereal. 
 

dead leaf note wise - 

It’s different to me than other dead leaf notes.  Maybe a tiny drop of the bell pepper thing (which I don’t mind most of the time and see the purpose of), but it’s also not performing like the others I’ve tried.  The opening is more red tea-like with a tiny drop of bell pepper, vs a bell pepper burst that lifts and then reveals the notes.  
 

Throughout the wear time it does kinda smell like “red tea” the whole time, but it is also undeniably a leafy fall thing at the same time.  
 

I absolutely love this scent (not to mention the bottle artwork).  I just wish the opening lasted longer because it’s sooo good.  It’s a very very quiet scent for most of the wear time.  Like a softly sweet red leafy gentle woodsmoke tinged red musk.  
 

I have to remember the patchouli is in there, because it so seamlessly becomes a part of the atmospheric image to me that I don’t register it unless I think about it.  When I think about it, it’s definitely noticeable- but if I don’t make myself isolate that note, then I just perceive it as something that adds a little depth/grounding to the overall image being evoked, like adding contrast or shadowing lol.  

Edited May 5, 2022 by Viiinylflowers