Holiday Moon

[Jessica]

Bamboo pulp and oude with green and white tea.

In the bottle this smells just like a pine tree. Fresh and ... piney. I love it, and am thrilled I finally found my "Christmas Tree" smell after so much trial and error.

On the skin it starts out fresh and clean and actually stays that way for quite a long time. At the end of it's morph it settled into a slightly spicey, woody kinda resin smell. Not over powering, but lingering and nice.

I'm so happy with this one, I wish I would of bought a second bottle! Edited November 28, 2007 by Shollin

[iriedanym]

This is such a fresh, clean, green scent!

 

In the bottle: Green tea, white tea, and a lemony smell. Not like yucky Pledge smell or over the top lemongrass. I think this might be the oude.

 

Wet on the skin: What a beautiful melody! Still very clean, and the bamboo comes out and blends with the tea notes.

 

Drydown: this has some staying power. The lemony smell subsides, and what I have left is the note of a warm cup of green tea while basking in a bamboo grove.

 

This has become my favorite scent of the month.

[bellis]

Oh yes. Tea and a papery bamboo smell and clean cool wonderfulness. This is a gorgeous green tea scent, very refreshing and cheerful. This will be great to wear when I need to perk up a little and go to class or work. It does make me want to go sit in a botanical garden in the shade on a sunny day, though.

[oatmealneko]

One piece of advice about Holiday Moon - "Don't slather."

 

Seriously. This blend is "Chuck Norris roundhouse kick in the teeth" strong.

 

Green. Very green. Tons of bamboo, oude, & tea. Similar to Aizen-Myoo, both lovely, but they've got a quality in them that screams "don't slather me, or you will be smelling my shadow for a month."

[merebrillante]

Disclaimer: I start all my reviews without looking at the Lab's description. My idea of notes may not be yours. It's okay.

 

 

In the bottle: Peppermint and lemon.

 

Wet: Same sort of feeling, light and bright and minty.

 

Drydown: Greener now. I never would've guessed tea, since I don't drink it that much, but now that I see it in the description, this does put me somewhat in mind of a tea scent that Elizabeth Arden used to put out, although this is much prettier.

 

Dry: Very bright and pretty, without being floral. Crisp. Don't really think it's me, though.

[moon_lemming]

The first Lunacy blend I've ever purchased straight from the Lab!

 

I put a little dab of Holiday Moon on at first, but it seemed to fade pretty quickly, so I slathered it on instead. I am not normally a slatherer, but this smelled so good and bright (excellent for the tired mood I was in) that I wanted to be able to smell it all day.

 

At first, it's nothing but lemon (not sure which note that is, but I'm getting nothing but lemon), but soon a fresh green scent starts to weigh the lemon down a little. It's very bold and full of light, but just a little too sharp. After an hour or so, though, it's a subtle lemony musk, absolutely beautiful. It's still got a hint of the greenery, and I can definitely smell where the green tea comes in, but it's so well blended that it's hard to pick out the individual notes.

 

Gorgeous. I'll wear this one in early spring, when my energy is still stuck in winter mode but I want to get revved up to go outside and get my hands dirty.

[isyche]

Wow, I completely adore Holiday Moon. I think it's my new favorite Lunacy.

 

I thought I would like it, because I love tea and bamboo and green scents, and I was so right. It's similar to Neo-Tokyo and The Dormouse, both of which I like a lot, but it's less sweet than either of them -- just this gorgeous misty, fresh, pale greenness anchored by the oude note. Meditative, simple, pared down...it definitely calls to mind the mountains and clouds in Chinese ink paintings.

 

Lovelovelove. I kind of wish I had another bottle, even though I usually don't do the multiple bottle thing.

[pekeana]

Dear Skin --

 

Oh, today, how I love you. You love Holiday Moon in a way that's unholy. Green, sweet, edible bamboo and tea, delightfully subtle and good for everyday wear. Thank you.

 

~mlle. becky, owner and proprieter~

[Northernminx]

A lot of wet, green tartness which I imagine is a touch of sour and woody bamboo. This dries down into a soft tea scent with an under touch of fruit that's almost plum and a little bit of floral. It's very unusual and likley not something I'd wear very often but it was intriguing (as always) to try.

[Meg]

In the bottle: tea, lemon and bamboo - very very green.

 

Wet: same as in the bottle, with a very lemony - it's strong!

 

Drydown: The lemon dominates for a while, and then slowly recedes, leaving a tea note, mostly green tea I think. It does have a smell of washing up liquid. I can't tell why it smells so lemony, but it's really a strong note. And when the lemony note lifts, there's a fainly plasticky sent behind it, perhaps the oude or a mix with the bamboo. It's something I've already smelled in shower gels.

 

Overall: Not unpleasant, but I find it a bit too artificial. The tea turns to lemon on me, and the bamboo doesn't smell very pleasant on me, sickly sweet and plasticky. It's actually not even that green, which is a bit disappointing. Nope, I'm not seduced by this one. It smells like soap or shower gel on me. I'll keep my beloved Embalming Fluid instead.

[Miyabi]

In the imp, it's intense freshness. Citrus soap-like, I'm not getting any tea or oude from this. Smells a lot like Irish Spring, to me.

 

On skin, wet: Ah, there's the oude, but it's very light. It's still very fresh, very clean, but not too feminine. I think it would smell exceedingly sexy on a guy.

 

Drydown: Now the oude's out, but I dunno. I think it's a lovely scent, but maybe not me. I tend to go clean-but-a-little girly.

 

Luckily, I've got a friend who wants a scent like this, so I'm going to try a second time and if I still don't think much of it, I'll give it to her.

[maewitch]

My first impression: very green and fresh, without being a redundant rehash of Embalming Fluid.

 

It's in the same general family as EF and Spirits of the Dead, but whereas the first is soft and fresh, and the second is pale and romantic, this is crisp and cool. There is no lemon as such, but the bamboo pulp lends both a cooling greeness and a faintly lime-like jolt. As it dries, the citrus character fades and the beautiful tea note emerges. This is a carefully prepared and lovingly steeped tea, deep and redolant with a floral undertone.

 

I was afraid the oude would take this to an overly sharp and woodsy level, but it seems to serve more as an anchor, giving this weight and a certain feminine austerity, keeping this from being merely fresh and flighty.

 

Lovely, elegant, serene.

Edited January 27, 2006 by maewitch

[paradoxicaljlb]

For the first twenty minutes it spent on my skin, Holiday Moon smelled like lemon-lime Irish Spring. I didn't think I liked it at all...

 

...but eventually the citrus calmed down and the tea notes appeared. Overall, Holiday Moon is a clean, clear, vibrant scent. This one has been very hard to review because I keep getting whiffs of notes other than tea, but I have no idea what they are. A lot of people have described this as green; to me it's like bottled jade. Green, but not in a grassy chlorophyll way. Cool green, almost aquatic. Very workplace friendly and not the least bit dark or mysterious. I'm not usually into "green" scents but this one is very pleasant.

 

Lasted about 3-3.5 hours with medium throw.

[LittleGreyKitten]

Glad I full-bottled this one (thanks Carolyn!!) This is a truly nice sweet but bright scent. Light in feeling but it is pretty strong- I don't need much. I get the tea scent, but mostly because it's akin to other perfumes that claim "tea" notes, not that it actually smells much like real tea (real green tea=fishy to me) but it is similar to Bulgari's Green Tea, etc. In all the good ways. I have not a friggin clue what oude smells like- it must be good though, since HM is lovely. Or bamboo for that matter

 

I'd give it a 5 out of 5. Good for anywhere, anytime- not too sexy for work, not too mild mannered to go out and cause trouble

[mandragora]

I got a 2 decants of Holiday Moon from wolfgrrl. Am excited, I'm always intrigued by the Lunacy oils.

 

In the vial: It's green and citrusy like fresh-squeezed lime but different, maybe that's the bamboo.

 

Wet on me: Lovely sparkly green scent, the citrus fades a little making it more pleasant. The smell reminds of the holidays for some reason (ergo the name), like when putting up a wreath or decorating the tree.

 

Drydown: I smell tea. HM morphs into a refreshing, clear and sweet scent yet still remains green ... but not really too green.

 

Verdict: Loving this, I'm getting a bottle.

Edited January 27, 2006 by mandragora

[arabella]

First Impression: Very fresh, sharp and green.

 

Dries down to: Still fresh and green and the tea has now come to the forefront. It feels more like white tea than green tea to me.

 

Additional Comments: This one was a huge surprise. I don't normally like tea scents but this one blew me away. The oude really adds "heart" to this blend - it's like the "secret ingredient" in a great recipe. Another plus is the staying power. My skin seems to absorb scent, especially if it's light, so I was surprised at how long it lasted. This will be a fabulous summer scent - it's so crisp, yet rich. I almost passed on this one but got it only because it's a Lunacy LE. I'm so happy I did.

 

Lasted: Around 3 hours (which is great - light scents are usually gone in less than an hour on me).

 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

[PurringPulsar]

Holiday Moon

 

In the imp: clean, slightly lemony, a tad soapy, green tea with…something floral? Smells like spring…and oddly enough, like green apples.

Wet on skin: the crisp tea notes come out more now, it's a very fresh scent, still oddly fruity-floral, and now with bamboo.

Dry on skin: this is lovely! It's not soapy now. I get a bright, tangy tea scent, like true green and white tea, but it's not all tea-in fact the tea note in here is more muted than, say, Shanghai, Spirits of the Dead and the Dormouse. I also get the moist, pulpy bamboo, it's fresh green scent is softer and smoothes out the sharp tea notes, but there's also something else. Slightly floral, slightly woody, a little bit spicy (at times, almost a savoury spice), a bit fruity and with a depth and a green scent that is different to the greenness of the tea and bamboo…I'm guessing this is the enigmatic oude. I think I can now see why oude is legendary-because it smells very unique and complex, and quite breathtaking-something about it also reminds me of something in the 'lunar oils' that were in some previous Lunacies. I see why some reviews compare this to Blue Moon too-it does have a similarity but it, one is tangier, and is green in feel. It's a springtime scent like the first green leaves bursting from their buds, the first spring plants growing out of the soil.

After a while: just when I thought the oude was veering into 'savoury cooking spice' territory, it goes back and turns to a scent of fresh green wood-like new wood that has just grown, but with a hint of the first blossoms of spring nearby. It also has a gorgeous depth reminiscent of resins or stronger woody notes, and a warmth that is almost spice-like. I still get a mild, gentle green tea scent with the bamboo, the scent is moist and dewy, and has a lovely, calming, 'zen' feel to it. It's also a very light smell but I love the dimension the oude gives it.

There's only one problem with this scent-it seems to be fading fast on me! after an hour or so, the tea is gone, all that remains now is a lovely fresh bamboo with hints of floral and fruit and green, which now has developed a creamy aspect. It's a bit faint now.

It's interesting because it doesn't fade altogether-the scent sticks, developing a sweetness, and some intriguing floral like aspects-at one point it's almost a 'clean linen' scent, and then it becomes sweet creamy bamboo.

Verdict: this is a gorgeous lunar oil, vividly green, evocative of early spring, and with a bright festive sparkle, yet also with a calmness and inner stillness to it. To me, this paints a picture festivity of renewal, after the slumber of winter, the earth stirs into life, awakening with green leaves and blossoms and shoots bursting from buds and bulbs like fireworks, it's a scent full of vitality and life. It's awake; it's youthful, with the scent of the greenness and moistness of the first days of spring. Yet it is also calm and serene, like moonlight sparkling on the drops of a gentle waterfall, it has a subtle depth and complexity to it. The tea notes in this add brightness and a tang to the scent, yet they are mild. The bamboo is lush and moist, but the note that I think adds the complexity and an enigmatic touch is the oude…at times it is floral like new spring blossoms, or sometimes fruity. At times it is deep like rich woody or resinous notes, at times it is warm and slightly spicy, and at other times it has a deeper green feel to it. I think this oude is what makes this a very interesting lunar oil. The only disadvantage is that it seems to fade away and the throw lessens, but the subtle scent that remains on the skin is very pleasant-at times, it's like a clean white floral bamboo scent. I will definitely be wearing this for Chinese New Year, and also it seems fitting for early spring and shaking off the winter blues.

Edited January 27, 2006 by yeahbutnobut

[Inanna9]

In the wet and initial drydown stages, I didn't enjoy this nearly as much as I'd expected to; it's quite strong and green--but not a fresh green. I don't how else to explain that, except to say that I love me some green--I could easily wear grass every day as a single note--but this is an almost spicy green, one I can feel hitting the back of my throat when I inhale. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't that green Nirvana I was expecting either. This may just be a problem of flawed expectations.

 

However--the final, lasts-forever (on me, anyway) drydown is be-a-u-tee-ful

 

That's when the tea comes out and the sharp spicy-lemony green edge fades, and the oude sticks around, giving it a depth (and what I suspect is the lasting power on me), and keeping everything soft and grounded. It's so pretty--a fresh spring/summer scent, but sophisticated instead of cute and one-dimensional, something I could wear to work or out to lunch. And I'm thinking if I use a much lighter touch when applying (or perhaps experiment with an atomizer) I could avoid some the problems with the initial stages. Regardless, it's completely worth it in the end.

[empi girl]

I expected this to be bright and green with a deep kick from the oude (not that I know what oude smells like! ) But it is actually light and rather soft. I smell the tea (which I love), a hint of lemon citrus, and then a very soft woody note. I don't get any spiciness of any kind at all. And that's good, actually, because I think it would distract from the lovely pale green translucency of the oil. I think it would also be a great scent for lotions as it is light, clean, slightly sweet and refreshing. A keeper.

[magikalcrab]

Oh. Oh. This is just amazing perfection in a bottle!!

 

It's all sweet lemon tea and bamboo on me. In the bottle it was a little greener, but the dominant notes are very definatley sweet lemon, tea, bamboo and another little something that just pops its head in for the throw - if I try to sniff it out, it's been eluding me.

 

Yeah, I know, I suck at reviews (in my own defence, I have just gotten home from night shift and stayed up to paw greedily at the mail man in hopes of getting this BPAL order!) but thats the best I can do. Sweet. Tea. Bamboo. Amazing stuff. Beyond words amazing, really.

 

I don't know how Beth does it, but I'd take my hat off to her, if I was wearing one.

[Lit Chick]

This is almost wonderful. But alas, my skin HATES tea. It goes bitter on me.... oh god it's awful (tea in general that is).

 

If this did not have tea, it would be a bright, luscious, goregeous scent. Fresh and a little sweet. Very cheerful.

Too bad the tea note stays so strong - ugh. I'm so sad.

[purplegirl]

Holiday Moon - in a word, GORGEOUS!!

 

disclaimer- i do not usually like orange or grapefruit scents, i actually can't stand the smell of orange on someone's hands and you'd be hard pressed to find ANYTHING orange-scented in my house!!!

 

that being said, i fell flat on my arse when i smelled this mandarin-scent wafting up from my wrist... and found myself salivating immediately! Beth, how do you do that magic that you do??! i have never smelled a citrus-y scent that i wish i could bite into. this mandarin stage lasted quite a while, it became tempered with (i think) the bamboo which gave it feeling that i can only describe as 'hopeful'... such an optimistic scent, and a very good choice for this time of year when SADD can knock you for a loop!!

 

the drydown was very floral and soft, i wish it has as much throw as the hopeful phase!!

 

i wishwishwish i had bought more bottles of this. if ever there was a keeper... wait, i can't finish that, i have to kick my own arse one more time...

 

lise

[Aredhel]

Rating (on skin): 2/5

Summarised in a word or two: Tea soap.

 

In the imp: Green and white teas and what I *think* is the bamboo pulp.

 

On skin, wet: Soapy already?! Damn it. Tea notes can go either way on me, and going soapy is the route Holiday Moon's teas have decided to take. Aside from the soapy quality, it also seems kind of... perfumey. I *know* I've smelled something like what my skin makes of this somewhere...

 

On skin, dry: As this dries, it becomes less soapy, and more tea-like, which I love. A fresh, bright green tea with just a bit of bamboo. It's really pretty, but it doesn't last. Soon, it becomes soapy again, and stays that way for the remainder of the application's life.

 

Conclusion: I really, really like what HM becomes in the middle of its drydown phase, but it'd be silly to buy a bottle, or any more, really, for that fleeting loveliness.

[girlmadasbirds]

very fresh, green scent! the tea notes stand out along with something citrusy and something that i'm assuming is the bamboo. i think this will be a great spring scent.

[slave1]

In Bottle: Tea and lemon

 

On Skin: Very floral, a bright white lily. Still a tea note and something very yellow and citrus, a lemon. The bamboo is so fresh and wet. A very pretty scent that opens my eyes right away. This scent smells very asian, I get asian imagery and am also reminded of drinking lemon tea at a teahouse. The throw is strong and the scent has great staying power. I think it’s beautiful, but not something I would wear personally. I’d prefer to smell it on someone else. It’s a bit too bright and tart for me. I do love that it’s an extremely different blend in the Lunacy series.