Budding Moon

[grrrlennyl]

Budding Moon shines as Spring moves with its first breath, and this scent expresses that burst of life-affirming joy through an olfactory interpretation of Huang Quan’s flower-and-bird paintings. Plum blossom, peony, lotus root, Chinese musk and a hint of white ginger.

at first: a sweet, powdery flower and lots of lovely musk
on: a bit sharp and soapy, but with a hint of ginger, soft musk, and sweetness.
half an hour later: powdery, sweet, and soapy. i'm not sure about this.
1 hour later: sweet and powdery. very pretty.
2 hours later: just generally floral.
overall: i wan't sure about this one, since i'm not too familiar with some of the notes. while i don't like it for me, i'm glad i tried it out. Edited February 7, 2006 by Shollin

[oakmoss]

The moist cool sweetness of peony with a higher, lunar essence -- this blend reminds me of why I so admire the perfumer's art. I've never really understood the frenzy for collecting the single notes, because for me it's the way the notes are combined that turns simple scents into perfumes.... I can't identify the individual notes here, and I don't really want to. It's evocative and creates a mood of anticipation and quiet contemplation, like waiting for the moon to rise. Budding Moon isn't like spring, it's like the promise of spring, and that's a lovely thing to have captured in a bottle.

[mandragora]

In the vial and on initial application, Budding Moon reminds me of Dirty. It has same fresh, clean smell and basically the same "feel" to it. The drydown is where they start to differ, Budding Moon's plum and peony gives it sweeter, berry-ish scent that is just captivating. I'm half tempted to duck-tape my wrist to my nose . It's like Dirty's sweeter, younger version, with a lunar oil tang. Alas, the scent is gone after a couple of hours.

 

On a scale of 1-5, Budding Moon rates a 4. Would've been higher if it had lasting power.

Edited February 5, 2006 by mandragora

[zenvodunista]

in the bottle, i could smell the plum blossom, the peony, that note that must be lotus root becuase i know it from Al Araaf. no ginger.

 

on me though, the sweetness of what i think is the plum blossom just amps up and up and up, until i smell like Sweet-Tarts candy. it's kind of nostalgic, but not really something that makes me want to wear it.

 

ah well!

 

n.

[Lit Chick]

This is a very delicate, gentle floral. It's so soft and lovely, with the fragile smell of spring.

It goes by so fast on me, though. If I did not have too many bottles of florals that bowled me over, this could become a favorite. But as it is, Budding Moon is just too demure for me. My skin loved it for 10 minutes and then devoured it.

[brownbear]

mmm A sweet, springy, pale, fruity floral. Very very light. It is pretty and girly.

[AliBabble]

budding moon is hard for me to define...in the bottle it is very gentle and sort of "far-away..." i have to try hard to smell the plum blossoms...but they're there, just very quietly blowing in a warm breeze...this is real subtle on me. i get something which reminds me of carnation (although i know that's not in there ) - a spicy-flower smell. on me, this is a "barely there" kind of scent. very subtle. it is floral, but a quiet, passive floral. i like it, although it disappears rapidly on my skin. however, i find it calming, meditative, and good for bedtime.

[Brienze]

In the bottle, this smells a lot like Kitsune-Tsuki meets The Dormouse, which is exactly what I was expecting and hoping for, since I love both those blends.

 

On wet, the Chinese musk comes out and it's a musky-plum-flower. It's quite sweet, and seems to have a lot of throw.

 

Drydown: This was a huge disappointment. It goes very perfumey on me, in a "yuck" way, not like the perfumeyness of The Perfumed Garden, which I liked. It lasts maybe 4 hrs total from application to gone, and half of that is the yucky perfumeyness. This may be a bad time of month to be testing, though, so I won't get rid of the whole bottle just yet. I wanted to love this badly enough that I'll definitely give it another try.

[Chrysantza]

My. Very. First. Lunacy!

 

In the bottle: Sweet, delicate floral. I get the impression of white florals yet I know it's not really - must be the peony and plum blossom.

 

On me: Another blend I put into the category of "Fairy Princess Perfumes." It's a lovely, haunting, sweet, ethereal floral with a touch of fruit. Luckily, the fruit isn't a "fruit punch" note; it's more like standing in an orchard.

 

Budding Moon is the olfactory equivalent of one of those very delicate Japanese brush paintings, or a pale-green celadon vase. It's just lovely. No other word for it.

 

The only drawback is that it has little throw and doesn't seem to be lasting on me. Take with a grain of salt, though, as I am the Queen of All Scent Eaters.

 

Verdict: Definitely keep! Maybe even hoard. This is so lovely for spring and summer casual occasions.

[foxroses]

in the bottle this smells very pink and green, nice and sweet. once i put it on, it just blooms into SOAPPPP. holiday moon did the exact same thing on me, it just turned to green soap. budding moon turns into peony soap.

 

but after about 30 minutes or so, its actually quite nice. i don't really know how to describe it, i'll have to come back here after i wear it for a full day. i definitely think i'm getting the plum blossom, and maybe some ginger? but i'm not sure. this needs a fully day. it alternates between bubble-gummy sweet, light floral, and a bit soapy. hmmmm. but i like it

[Voleuse]

This is intoxicating plum on first application, with a sweetness I'm tempted to label honeyed. It's definitely a floral blend, but sweet enough that it edges into foody territory, IMHO. It's very fresh, and the ginger lends a bit of kick to the blend.

 

This is a light and pale scent, but it has definite presence. It's both pretty and beautiful, and those are usually very different things.

[bellis]

The plum in this is gorgeous. Sweet and fresh, with slightly rosy peony and a tiny bit of spicy ginger. It's a very refreshing scent, and I think I'll live in it this summer.

[oatmealneko]

I got a lot of fruit out of Budding Moon right from the start. I don't notice every single stage anymore, I tend to sniff at the end - evenly plummy, lots of peony, very musky as well. Exactly what I hoped for.

[LittleGreyKitten]

Another that I can't define the notes of. It's very sweet, but a clear uncloying sweetness. I suppose it's a floral, but it's not one that is overly flowery or perfumy on me. I definitely smell the lunar oils in there- they get pretty strong on me usually- but this blend has them fainter than some lunar oils, yet not as faintly as, say, Holiday Moon did.

 

It does remind me a bit of Kitsune-Tsuki, which also works well on my skin. All in all, I definitely need more than the imp I received today

 

I'd give it a 4.5 out of 5, just because there are others I like more.

[purplegirl]

If Budding Moon had a bit more staying power, it would be a giant - a GIANT, I tell you!!

 

First wearing today and it was just divine - it was flowery, and sugary, and fresh air-y and green, and sigh-worthy. It seemed shimmery - it constantly went back and forth between the different facets it has. A little kaleidescopic, in that it was constantly changing.

 

I should have bought more bottles, because I can see wanting to smell like this for two weeks solid when I go to Brisbane this summer; but with it fading quicker than we wish it would, I can see finishing my bottle in less than `4 days!! WEH!

[Barb25]

Oh baby.

 

I love all the notes in this scent, and it doesn't disappoint. An amazing fruity floral - lots of plum and peony on me - but the musk and ginger are noticable in the background. It has a nice throw, not too strong, but MAJOR staying power - it lasted through a 1 1/2 hour Lush Godliness bubble bath and is still going strong hours later. Damn! I am a happy woman!

[magikalcrab]

Mmmmmm. I love it when I get my Lunacy orders. There has only been one so far that hasn't worked for me, and thankfully, Budding Moon is not it!

 

Now, I'll likely be lynched for this, but to my untrained nose, at first, this smelled exactly like Holiday Moon. I went to grab my bottle of that to make sure that I didn't just get one that had been mislabelled, or something. (No, it wasn't, it really was just my brain/nose being silly).

 

In the bottle, Budding Moon is sweet, fruity and has a touch of something sharp (I thought maybe the white ginger, but what do I know?)

 

On skin, Budding Moon is sweet, fruity and has a touch of something sharp. (witty, aren't I?)

 

I can't think of another way to describe it. Plum, something lingering just above it - maybe the ginger, and an underlaying blast of sweetness. If you sniff it right up close, it's like a punch in the face, however the aura of this one is simply gorgeous, sweet and light without being overwhelmingly high-school girly. Just brilliant.

 

And the best thing is that after a half hour of wear, it's changed a little - a hint of something deeper, almost earthy. But still sweet. Oh, dear. I love this.

[olympia301]

 

Violets, I smell violets in the opening fanfare of Budding Moon. It is certainly one of the nicest violet scents that Beth has ever come up with and is soft and alluring as the real blossoms. This was great timing for a pre-spring floral, around this time of year you are starting to yearn for green things to push their way out of the soil, and for the cheer of flowers. Budding Moon is the hopeful scent that lets you hang on to the illusion of spring coming soon with its floral and unobtrusive lilt.

 

I read that there is peony and plum in Budding Moon, but I still get "violets" out of it, and that is a point which makes me luxuiate in the scent. Well done.

 

The image in this moon icon is Van Gogh's "Almond Branch Budding". I know it's small, but it is so apt, even if it isn't violets.

[BlackWingedRoses]

i'm so thankfull I got a decant of this. It is blissful.

 

At fisrt sniff it is very sweet and fruity almost candy-like

but when you put it on it just blooms all over your skin, lucious plum , and sweet breathy peony and lotus. That fizzy zingy scent poeple are describing must be the ginger and it really makes it beautiful.

 

I too wish it lasted longer. I think 4 hours seems to be the consensus, but I am also glad that it is not overpowering. Musks tend to not do well with me, so i'm glad I finally found one that works and doesn't monopolize the scent.

 

I love Budding Moon.

 

Will you marry me?

[arabella]

First Impression: Pale green, like a mild aloe vera, with a tinge of spring flowers.

 

Dries down to: A lovely, very light floral.

 

Additional Comments: The plum blossom and peony simply blend together and get a dusting of the lotus root, musk and ginger. It's hauntingly pretty but doesn't hold my interest, nor does it last long. I'll wear it on days I don't want to feel like I'm making a statement.

 

Lasted: About an hour.

 

Rating: 3 out of 5

[yeahbutnobut]

Budding Moon

 

In the imp: a pale, slightly powdery, sweet floral. I get something orris like which must be lotus root, and maybe musk too. it reminds me of a Chaos Theory bottle I have.

Wet on skin: a slight fruity sharpness comes out, probably the plum (blossom).

Dry on skin: oooh, this is very pretty. A pale, slightly powdery (but not in a bad way), slightly greenish and floral scent. The plum note in this is fruity and sweet, but also a lot lighter and 'greener' than other BPAL plum notes, and there's something blossom like about it-it reminds me of other BPAL blossom notes. I also get a fruity-sharp 'lunar oil' scent, and I agree with Belladonnastrap about the Fee comparison, it does have something Fee-ish about it. The scent is cool, soft, youthful and has aspects of tree bark and new leaves that, interestingly enough, seems very much reminiscent of buds-it's the scent of flowers that haven't yet bloomed, still waiting in their cocoons for the first touch of spring that lies around the corner. The Chinese musk and lotus root adds a nice, light powder base for the scent and hints of peony emerge here and there.

After a while: now the fruitiness of this scent is more apparent…it's almost banana like at times, sometimes it's like sweet melon, and at other times it is like plum. Now this scent also bears a resemblance to Flower Moon, but with a musk and powder background-a lighter, floatier version of Flower Moon with a bit of Fee mixed in. The scent is now a lot sweeter.

After about two hours or so, the scent becomes a sweet peony fragrance on a soft bed of musk. Hints of plum remain but the scent is now of a huge pink peony flower.

Verdict: this is a very pleasant, graceful and delicate spring scent. a cool scent reminiscent of the first stages of spring, it combines fruity, floral, green and pale-musk-powdery notes into something delightful. I get the peony, the orris-like lotus root, the soft Chinese musk, and the plum scent which at times resembles buds and blossoms, and at times is fruity. The scent also has elements of green and something that reminds me of tree bark, it brings to mind young buds on trees, waiting to burst open as soon as spring arrives. This bears a slight resemblance to Fee and Flower Moon and yet is quite different to both. I'm also sure this blend has a 'lunar oil' background. I'm not sure of what to make of the stages when it turns very sweet and almost banana like, but I am very fond of this, I'm glad I got a bottle and I think this will be a lovely light scent to wear in springtime.

[QueenFae]

At first sniff, I was thinking this was just a non descript floral moon, but on my skin it really blossomed. The top notes are definitely the peony and the plum. It's a light pink scent, floral yet innocently fruity. It's very girly, sweet and airy. Makes me think of ruffled pink little girl's rooms and frilly nighties. As far as florals go, I actually really like this one, I just wish it was a bit longer lasting. It fades very quickly on me, but is definitely lovely enough to reapply.

[sarada]

This is such a very faint scent...and as such I know I won't hang onto any, but in the bottle it is very nice. It makes me think of opening a box of fruity tea bags. Not sure what kind of tea...maybe something with peach in it even though it's plum, not peach blossom that is in this scent. Or, it's just the aroma of a cup of fruity tea brewing.

 

There's a slightly astringent quality when I sniff it, that warms on the skin but it is so faint that I still can't smell it. It clings a little to the end of my sleeves. A pleasant, pale orange scent. It should be pale purple but...it makes me think of something peach-ish. The ginger must be doing that.

 

If this was presented to me in candle form I would certainly burn it at the beginning of spring. It is a welcoming, warming scent that suggests the transition of green buds into peach-colored blossoms (plum, okay, whatever). As a body scent though my weak nose does not allow me to enjoy it except in the most fleeting manner.

[alasindocs]

This is really just such a gorgeous scent.

 

The plum blossom and peony are just luminous.

 

I love, love, love, love this.

 

The more I wear it the more I'm loving it.

 

[moon_lemming]

Based on the artwork and the name, I expected Budding Moon to be a green floral -- and it seems to have been for a lot of reviewers -- but it surprised me. On me, it's more of a blue floral than anything else. I realize that's not very helpful to most people, but I suck when it comes to picking out florals, unless we're talking jasmine, carnation, or rose, and I tend to sort them by color. This one is blue, a bright dark blue, with white edges. Lovely and a little perfumey on me -- and hey, it doesn't turn to detergent, so I'm not going to complain.

 

It's very pretty, but I'm not sure how often I'll wear it. I'm going to keep it around through summer to see what happens.