Harvest Moon 2005

[Blood onmy hands]

... The autumnal scents of gladiola, chrysanthemum, aster, dahlia, anemone, bergamot, marigold, sage and verbena dust a blend of wine-soaked apples, plums, and red pears, mulling spices and brown sugar, the ivy leaves of Dionysus and Janus’ amaranth and lingum aloe.

I was so happy to get my latest BPAL order that included a bottle of Harvest Moon 2005 and Beatrice... both of which have completely adorable labels. This one has Harvest Moon 2005 on it, with the cutest little pumpkin picture. I love unique BPAL labels as much as I love the actual perfume oils

This reminds me of something that I cannot place. It is definitely the embodiment of fall/halloween. It smells like yummy spiced apples. A hint of cinnamon, a lot of brown sugar, and the sweetness of baked apples. But underneath that warmth and sweetness is a chill that smells exactly like fall air. I have no clue how anyone managed to bottle the scent of air and fallen leaves, but it's definitely here.

It's like walking out of a cozy warm house where desserts are baking, into the crisp fall air... crunching leaves under your feet and snuggling down deeper into your jacket.

I'm so glad that this doesn't go floral on me and the wine never really comes out. In the drydown it gets a bit earthier, but it retains the spiced foodie quality.

I'm just swooning between this and Beatrice. They both smell heavenly and the bottles are so cute.

[feline.by.design]

Spicy, yet fresh. Harvest Moon is quite a surprise. I didn't get last year's edition as it had pumpkin, but this year's batch lacked the offending note, and as a fan of apples and pears, I had to give it a whirl.

 

So glad I did, as this is a lovely fragrance that has a juicyness that I didn't quite expect. When it first landed on my skin, the oil was very light, but as the oil sat a bit, the spices burst forth out of nowhere. It's as if the inner crook of my elbow has apple cider splashed within it. Actually, it's more like a pile of spices and sugar merely sprinkled with cider. Definitely evocative of fall weather woefully absent from Florida (sigh).

 

This would be wonderful as a room fragrance, because it smells like a hyper-spiced apple pie. I'll have to try that once or twice, but for now I'm loving what Harvest Moon '05 is doing on my skin.

 

-doreen

[darkling]

Harvest Moon 2005 is hot apple cider with an undertone of spicy floral that adds depth to the scent. This is a gorgeous autumn fragrance and will be perfect for helping me feel warm once the weather turns chill.

 

It is not very long-lasting as I had to reapply in under an hour for my partner to be able to smell it on me. I guess this will be one that I will have to slather.

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

Yay, Harvest Moon has arrived in time to wear throughout autumn. Now, I loved last year's Harvest Moon and I'm down to a few drops, so I'm a little sorry that it isn't the same this year. However, I understand that Beth wants the Lunacies to keep changing--after all, the Moon is never the same twice Herself.

 

Funny logo this time--a little pumpkin that appears to be running away on 4 legs!

 

In the bottle: well, now, I do detect some notes that are the same as my 2004 bottle, especially the ivy. Much more apple-ish this year, though.

 

On me: Oh this is lovely! I am glad I have a bottle! Cinnamon and apples, with undercurrents of the lovely green ivy and a bouquet of fall flowers. This makes me want to take a hay ride and have apple cider and mulled wine. Just beautiful. I will alternate between this and Samhain a lot this season.

[ange_glorieux]

Oh, now this is simply... perfect. Lovely. I'm deliriously happy that I found someone to share some of this with me (having missed the update) -- my life would have been incomplete if I hadn't gotten to try this.

 

It's too soon for final impressions, but after 15 minutes, I am surrounded by a warm cloud redolent of sun-warmed apples and crisp leaves, spices and lingering days of Fall... I couldn't have asked for a more perfect Fall scent. And, thank goodness, it agrees with my chemistry.

 

This is amazing. It's 'Milk-Moon-Good', which from me is saying something. I have GOT to find more of this!!

[slugbait]

I do have to agree that the label is cute - the tiny little pumpkin running on four legs; hee hee.

 

OK, I'll have to be honest. I bought this mainly because I love the Harvest Moon games. You know, the ones where you are a farmer and raise cows and chickens and such. It's highly addictive. I am such a geek. I also love the smells of fall, but that was my main motive.

 

Right out of the bottle this is straight up brown sugar, then the apples begin to come out. While wet on skin I get spices and I smell wine, which smells like it is going to turn sour. Fortunatley that dissapears and the dry down is just gorgeous. It smells like apple pie baking and the autumn air. Oh my goodness! This is amazing. Definately wishing I would have gotten more than one bottle and I will be hoarding every last drop of this.

[wolfie13]

I really can't believe this - but I like Harvest Moon too!

 

In the bottle I smell mostly wine, sweet plums and some florals.

 

Wearing: Things really change. It becomes mostly light apple, light spice, light autumn florals, light herbs all beautifully blended so it doesn't read as one thing more than another on me.

 

It's not apple cider, it's not wine, it's not floral, it's just......FALL.

(And no food, butter or potpourri aspects either - those are big hurrahs for me!)

 

It's not my usual type of scent, but this may well be the very first lunar blend that I end up keeping.

 

(ETA: After about 2 hours of loveliness, this turns to a lingering swampy floral on me. What is wrong with me?? I may have to officially give up on the lunars - though i ordered Blood Moon already)

Edited October 10, 2005 by wolfie13

[SevenSins]

I was a little nervous about this one. I don't generally like fruity scents, and in the bottle this was VERY fruity - plum/berry/winey fruit. But I put it on anyway.

 

On drydown, the strong plum/wine mellowed out and the spicy-apple-fall floral came in. This is gorgeous! Perfect autumn scent - makes me think of warm days and crispy night air, golden leaves and spicy cider and a dusty undertone of something - dying summer maybe? I don't know - I just know this one is definitely a keeper. Great balance between floral fruit and spice.

 

Throw is definitely more than average. Really - a teeny drop is enough for the day for me! This one really lasts! I am glad I got more than one bottle of this one!

 

It's now 9pm - I wanted to edit to come back and say I've had this on for over 12 hours now, and it's still beautiful! About 4 hours or so in, it mellowed into a nice soft spicey apple scent and stayed there all day - with just a hint of background floral. Absolutely stunning! I now wish I had more than the 2 bottles I have - it's that good!

Edited October 8, 2005 by DoveNoir

[Aredhel]

Rating (on skin): 2/5

Summarised in a word or two: Spicy floral.

 

In the imp: Rich, sweet wine and crisp, Hesperides-esque apples.

 

On skin, wet: Very nice! Sugared apples, sweet wine and plums, with a very light spice. There also seems to be something cinnamon-like in this, but it may not be cinnamon itself. After a few minutes it becomes sweeter, more floral.

 

On skin, dry: The apples, wine and plums fade, leaving a sugar-spice red floral. This reminds me of The Living Flame a bit. I had a bad feeling this would turn floral on me, just as it has. It reminds me of very early autumn, before the leaves change.

 

Conclusion: Nice enough, but, as with Living Flame, this is too floral for me.

Edited December 16, 2005 by Aredhel

[summer]

Simply stunning. It reminds me of Harvest Moon 2004, in that it is a very grown-up, sophisticated, leather-boots-and-tweed-jackets, distinctly "autumn" perfume. However, it is completely lacking the buttery pumpkin note in last year's blend, which makes the scent crisper. The other notable difference is that this blend has some SPICE to it! Gorgeous, warming, comforting, autumnal spices. Absolutely divine.

 

As with last year's blend, I can't really pick out individual notes, because they're all married so well that the overall effect is just gorgeous, gorgeous, and more gorgeous. This is the cover of the first fall issue of Vogue. This is crisp fall air and suptuous meals. This is everything I love about the changing of the seasons.

 

I will treasure this bottle.

[zenvodunista]

i can't tell if i like Harvest Moon or not.

 

in the bottle it's very plummy and ripe and sweet. i was worried that my sking might do that "amp up the berry" thing it loves to do.

 

i put it on and it blossemed into a pure carnelian scent. i mean, the scent glowed crimson. i can't describe it better than that. i would smell it and floating in front of my eyes was the most beautiful red i've ever seen -- the color of blood but glowing. weird, i know.

 

i would have loved it had it stayed that way, but after awhile it went into potpurri. very *good* potpurri, but potpurri nontheless.

 

now it'd died down some and is becomeing more about apples, pears and spice. the pears are helping a lot.

 

i'm going to let this one sit in it's bottle a bit, before trying it again. and i will try it again, you know.

 

n.

[Julilla Regina]

This is why I love BPAL. For these sorts of moments, when you swipe something along the back of your hand and sniff deeply. Something happens deep in the brain, something that made me cry out "OMFG are you kidding me?!" because Harvest Moon '05 is just so delicious to me, it's so extraordinary, it's so unique and it smells so damned good that I kept sniffing over and over and over again until I got lightheaded.

 

What smells so good? There are a lot of ingredients in this one, and I can't really pick out any particular overwhelming note, but at first I get a spice, like cinnamon. It's warm and a little hot smelling, almost "Atomic Fireball" scented, but without the candy aspect. There's a sniff of wine, but it isn't boozy or too much. There's an apple scent, but not a sweet overripe apple, a crisp, almost dry apple, maybe like the dried apples you can buy at the Farmer's Market. The floral mix is very subdued on me. It's underneath everything, but the top of it all, the thing that makes it so scrumptious without being 'foody' at all is the cinnamony dry apple'ish crisp autumn'ness.

 

It is just so good on me. I love this. I wish I'd bought more than one.

Edited October 9, 2005 by Julilla Regina

[Loligo]

The cider, pear, and brown sugar notes jump out at me right away, but alas, they don't last long. Pretty quickly this turns into the smell of gardening in the fall on an Indian summer day: dry leaves, dust everywhere after a long dry summer, fall blooms, fragrant herbs, and maybe a little smoke on the air. There's also a slightly harsh spiciness to it. The spices in Snake Charmer were quite harsh to my nose, too, so maybe they'll both mellow with age. Come to think of it, I've never gotten a really spicey blend direct from the lab before this order, only through trades. Anyway, this is a *very* seasonal blend, which is always what I'm hoping for with the Moons!

[girlmadasbirds]

this is the perfect autumn scent! on me, this is spicy sugared apples with a hint of the sage, plum, pear and aloe. i don't really smell the florals in this much at all. beautiful!

[Heavenlyrabbit]

Harvest Moon 2005 brings to mind the very first perfume I bought and wore as a teenager- Cinnabar, a spicy fruity floral. Yes, I do love spiced perfumes still and Harvest Moon's description mentions mulling spices. Unfortunately, that's pretty much what asserts itself at the opening and mostly what's left after dry down.

 

True, you can smell the fruits somewhat. But over time, the spices become tedious. Even when the fruits present themselves, the spices never leave center stage and continue to chew the scenery throughout the day. The Tagete (marigold) never really gives its hint of smoke and the flowers just don't ever seem to get a moment in the spotlight at all. In the end, this version of Harvest Moon seems lacking a certain distinctiveness. It is a very nice spicy, fruity perfume but is too much like the many other spicy, fruity perfumes available.

 

As a quality Autumnal scent, I can see why Harvest Moon is loved by many. Recomendation, layer with something like O or Dana O'Shee for a more lavish gourmand production. Use as is for pot pourri or sachets.

Edited October 17, 2005 by Heavenlyrabbit

[AngelFireHeart]

Harvest Moon,

 

Ooooh I was sooo happy when my bottles arrived this morning & this is gorgeous.

 

To my nose, this is quite spicy but when I say that I mena, cinnamon, nutmeg, giner etc.

 

I also picked up something that I'd swear was like pumpkin.

 

To me this oil is Jack + The Hesperides - the butteryness & some of the sugar.

 

This is a gorgeous scent I just wish it didn't fade away so light when it's dry - looks like one for my perfume pendant though, so far this is my favorite out of all lunacy oils I've tried

[theshapeshifter]

Woohoo! It's here!

 

In the bottle: Rich, spiced apple, with just a hint of wine.

 

Wet on skin: Mulled cider initially, and after a few minutes the plum and pear come in, along with a hint of winey tang and dry florals.

 

Dry on skin: It's more like a spiced wine now, with the fruits playing more of a background role. There's something reminiscent of tea - that must be the bergamot.

 

My only regret? As others have said, I'm finding this dries down VERY faint on my skin; after about four hours, it's hard for me to detect it at all any more. However, a little dab in my hair is keeping the autumnal goodness going strong.

[AliBabble]

it smells great in the bottle, and right off the bat on my skin it's a fun, autumn spicy, zingy apple. i like it a lot. it fades a little bit quickly, and then the other scents seem to come out more - but i'm not sure which i'm smelling...maybe marigold? i don't know what all the things in this one smell like...it's a little unclear. but soft, and warm..."cozy" as some people have mentioned, if a little nondescript, after an hour or so. it does end up a bit floral, though very subtle. the initial apple/pear fruitiness is pretty great.

[grrrlennyl]

at first: foody and fall-like. spicy and sweet.

on: very juicy and fruity. the spices come out right behind the fruits. perfect for fall.

half an hour later: warm and spicy, with a hint of sweetness. the fruits all seem to have disappeared. there are also some warm, spicy flowers in the background.

2 hours later: warm and sweet. spices and sugar.

overall: this is nice, but i don't think i'll be reaching for it often.

[Tramp]

This is my favorite of the moons thus far. All that is missing is a big fire for me to curl up in front of as the scents of cider and mulled wine waft around me. Love it.

 

Rating (out of 5)

5

Edited October 12, 2005 by Tramp

[Andromedii]

Harvest Moon is:

 

--> cedar woodsy

--> apple-cider-ish

--> much better than last year's version

--> now going all woodsy on me

--> not fond of that

--> wait...apple cider is fighting for its life

--> gah - cedar is winning, with apple cider fading into the diiiiiiiiiiiiistance

--> cedar won...all I smell is wood

--> noooooooooooooooooooooo *sniff*

 

Why does the apple cider in Samhain smell so lovely on me, and in this one it's just gone? All I'm left with is cedar woods with a wee hint of apple wayyyyyyy in the distance. I'm disappointed, as everyone's reviews seemed to point towards a lighter Samhain. Ah, well. I still have my Samhain.

[loralei]

This is a real OMFG-I-must-get-more-of-this scent for me!

 

I don't really get any of the florals at all. On me, it's all spicy sugary fruit soaked in booze. It's a very cozy comforting scent. This is exactly what I was hoping Samhain would be.

 

I'd say I couldn't stop sniffing myself but I don't need to because it has an incredible throw and it's very long lasting.

[Eros]

In the bottle, fresh tart apples. On, it immediately goes all generic scented/perfumed lotion. Like, generic floral something from the drugstore aisle. Made me sneeze, too.

What a disappointment. I'll give it another chance, but it's unlikely it'll get better, *sigh*.

[Rheliwen]

When I first put this one on, I wasn't so sure. I have to be in the mood to like autumn scents and it was hot and humid at the time. I also thought it smelled a lot like Mabon. So, I put it away for a week or so.

 

Well, today I brought it out and OH MY GOD! In a week's span it's aged into the most beautiful autumn fragrance from BPAL ever!

 

It's spicey like cinnamon and other mulling spices. It's creamy. It's falling leaves. It's like heaven.

 

I just can't believe how different my opinion of Harvest Moon is. I absolutely love this!!!

[Nepthys]

I've worn this every day since I got it, because it's just stunningly beautiful. Unfortunately allergies have impaired my sense of smell, so I got used to it before I could really experience the full impact of it... That said, on me this begins as a wet, tart apple with a quieter note of pear, almost bitter; then a sugar-floral sweetens it up and then gradually, a deeper wine scent warms and finalizes it as the very best autumn scent ever. To die for. Holy Grail of nostalgic fall utopia scents.

 

However, and I don't think this is my nose being wonky, the potency of this really varies. Some days just a dab is more than enough, other days multiple dabs fade into the woodwork. I accidentally doused myself in this one night and left scent trails that had people commenting, "Something smells beautiful..."