Harvest Moon 2006

[lorajc]

... This Harvest Moon oil is a merging of autumnal scents from all over the globe: chrysanthemum, pomegranate, cane sugar and dusty wheat, sorghum, green tea leaf, rice flower and rice milk, Russian sage, bamboo shoot, elderberry, black cherry, wild plum, red haw, hazelnut, red apple and shagbark hickory.

This took about 24 hours for me to actually fall in love with it. Note to new BPALers..... most of Beth scents have this effect. I've had oils I've worn 3 - 5 times before they acutally "clicked" with me (probably because Beth uses such unique oils that my nose is not familar with). At first, I was like meh......apples and then it fades. Sort of reminded me of a variation of last year's Harvest Moon. Today, after my nose grew accustomed to it (so to speak), I fell in love. The dry down is beautiful. Today it smells like a cross between last year's Harvest Moon and Lughnasadh. I couldn't stop sniffing my wrist today! I'm not really familiar with any of the notes in this scent (other than the obvious fruits), but the fruits don't jump out at you and the apple is not tart and is much different than the apple in other BPALs. A truly unique oil and lovely. I'm glad I have something that is reminiscent of my beloved Lughnasadh.....until the day we get a "revisited" one! Soft, sweet, with the wheat/grain notes in the background and something in here gives it a touch of spiciness without it really being spicy (if that makes any sense). (ETA - my only complaint is that it fades rather quickly - but now that I'm a seasoned BPALer, I know that this will age beautifully - as my experience with aged 1+ oils are that they get a bit stronger). Edited August 16, 2006 by Shollin

[sophia_helix]

Hm. I was all set to write a "meh" review, and then I read lorajc's and feeling like I should give this oil a third try. I got basically the same things -- green apples at first, kinda like Samhain, then some grain, then a faint drydown very similar to '05 (and '04, come to think of it) -- but maybe I'll pick out something different the next time I try it. Especially since I can't really describe what any of the Harvest Moons smell like, other than "kinda fruity herbal planty," which isn't very helpful.

[grrrlennyl]

at first: spicy apples. this makes me crave fall even more than i already do.

on: fresh, crisp apples and tons of warm spices. lovely.

1 hour later: sweeter and a bit perfumey, but mostly those wonderful spices and apple.

2.5 hours later: very sweet and even more perfumey. still nice, though.

4 hours later: faintly sweet.

overall: this is lovely. i'm so glad i went ahead and bought this. it will be nice to wear this when i want something a little lighter than jack.

[Taniwha]

My first lunar oil. I've had it on twice now, and still feel like it's evolving, like I'm still a kindergartener where it is concerned. I have lots to learn. It goes through several stages, and I smell something different every time - so very complex.

 

I don't know what pomegranate smells like, but I imagine it's that and apple that I get in the bottle and when it's first on. Soon after drydown, I got a scent that's very reminiscent of something I already knew, and it took me awhile to realize it was a fragrance my husband wore when I was falling in love with him - New West, by Aramis. I had to look it up - the only notes they share are sage and tea, and some woods in the base. It has geranium - perhaps to my nose it and mum are similar? (My husband didn't get it, so it's probably just me).

 

That similarity goes away eventually, which is good, because it was a little disconcerting. It ends up a milky, sweet yet snappish warm blend from which I have a hard time distinguishing individual notes. It's ok, though - I love it, it's comforting and evocative. It's not quite right for these hot August days, but soon it will be the perfect scent for my many fall activities - going to the apple orchard, hikes in the reddening woods, raking waaaay too many leaves in the back yard.

 

I'm happy with my first foray into lunar oils. Yay!

[this machine]

Harvest Moon smells like a harvest. Yup, that's my profound analysis. Really though, it's incredible just HOW MUCH this evokes autumn harvest time. Fall festivals around my hometown, visiting the local apple orchard and walking the fields, looking at the pumpkin patches and waiting for time to carve the Halloween jack-o-lantern. Leaves blowing around and the last few times the grass is mown, wood, and that perfectly distinct scent of autumn on the air. There are a few elements that i don't directly associate with autumn in my part of the world, such as the black cherries that linger in the complex layers of this scent, but those still add to the overall effect of this scent. It's lovely, just absolutely lovely.

[SoapyRN]

Grrrlennyl and Sophia both said how i feel. Very nice, apples with enough tart to balance out something that could be very fruity and sweet. If you make beer, that bright grain smell is there. With perfume notes.

 

Quite comforting. I thought this was September's moon which is my birthmonth, but it is August.

 

I have last years Harvest Moon. Later I will play with both bottles and see what I get. I love it though.

[oatmealneko]

Slightly fruity in the bottle - I ended up comparing this side-by-side with last year's.

 

First I get a whiff of apples, which fades quickly. Green tea takes over fast - it's green, slightly floral (crysanthemum or the rice flower) - light floral with tea. I got a second hit of the apple at the end, but it's weird. This year's Harvest Moon is more of late harvest after the fruits are gone.

 

I preferred last year's, as it was more berry spicy cider than this. This year's probably could smell nice if layered with Hungry Ghost Moon as the scents are rather similar in composition.

[oceandreamer001]

I just got this in the mail and have already fallen in love!

 

In bottle: I smell apple, hay and light spices.

 

On skin: Visions of autumn. I get a dark apple cider with some pomegranate. It's cidery, but not in a foody way. It's very fresh, like the smell of an apple when you bite into it.

 

After a slight drydown the hay is coming out more, and warm wood with a slight dust to it. (Not too much, it isn't making me sneeze, or tickling my nose.) Very comforting, and still fresh, bright apple. The spices are heating up, I am getting some cinnamon, and maybe hazelnut and almond milk.

 

This is a keeper, I ordered 2 bottles because of the description. Harvest Moon 2005 didn't work on me, but 2006 is definitely in my top 3 Lunacies. This scent brings up everything that is wonderful about autumn.

 

EDIT: After 3 hours, it still is giving great throw. It hasn't changed very much during the drydown, funny I don't get any green out of this scent.

 

My only worry is that 2 bottles won't be enough!!!!!

Edited August 14, 2006 by oceandreamer001

[QueenFae]

Oooo, a very complex scent, just lovely! The dominant note for me is a green/herbal, I think it's the green tea leaf. There is a sweet, pretty, fruity base, but I can't really pick out the individual berry notes; they are well blended. There is a faintly perfumey quality to this blend, and it oddly reminds me a bit of Dia de Los Muertos. On the dry down, the pomegranate and the plum start to show themselves a little more. This is a really cool Harvest Moon, I don't like it quite as much as last year's, but I will certainly enjoy wearing it. Yum!

[Shannihilation]

In the bottle: A fruity floral with a dusty overtone. It's pleasant though. Like walking into the hay barn right after it was stacked.

 

Wet: Pomegranate, black cherry, and wheat... and a bit of a green grass note. Like fresh cut grass. Very sweet. Almost too sweet...

 

Drydown: Sweet and dusty. Dry. This is exactly the smell of a long day working in the fields bailing hay. Walking into the barn, lying down across a square bale, taking a deep breath and relaxing. The breeze bringing in the sweet scents from the orchard, the dust of the barn, the fresh mown hay... and sunshine. This is really nice. I like it alot but I'm not sure I'll need both bottles of it. I'll probably sell one. It really is a "harvest" scent though.

Edited August 14, 2006 by Shannon

[Blood onmy hands]

I was so excited to try this new Harvest Moon. '05 is one of my very favorite BPAL blends; and the label art for '06 is my favorite label artwork ever. My expectations for this one are pretty high though I don't know what to expect from a lot of the listed notes.

 

In the bottle, this smells like fall harvest festivals to me. Sweet, tart fruits, chilled air, dying fields and grasses, and some sort of spicy goodness.

 

On me at first, the green tea leaf and bamboo add a very refreshing and clean element to this scent. They're mingling with tart fruits (I can definitely pick out the yummy black cherry) and an almost edible sort of woods note. It's a bit more green and fresh/clean smelling than I would have liked initially, but the 'fresh' element thankfully fades within 5 minutes on me.

 

In the drydown, I am in love with this . I adore fall scents, and this is just such a perfect harvest time and crisp fall air fragrance. It really does have a dusty wheat and fields smell to it, with some sugary sweetness and a creamy note to it. This isn't as spicy as '05, but it does have a light spiciness underneath a creamy sweetness. The fruitiness has faded to the background and I catch hints of a berry or plum every once in a while.

 

This is wonderfully sweet on me, without being really foodie or fake smelling. I keep smelling this one around me and it transports me to the forests where I grew up, around fall harvest when everything was fading away for winter. It's just beautiful and serene in that way that only fall can be.

 

Harvest Moon '06 manages to smell both exotic and familiar at the same time. It's blends like these that make me love BPAL so much. I'm so glad that I grabbed two bottles of this one

Edited August 14, 2006 by Blood onmy hands

[Heavenlyrabbit]

Harvest Moon smells like Life. Or perhaps more to the point, Fecundity.

 

I can't be more specific with this Harvest Moon cause for me the notes all blend into one scent.

 

It's like walking around a Farmers Market in late Summer or early Fall and taking in all the smells.

Edited August 14, 2006 by Heavenlyrabbit

[AliBabble]

harvest moon '05 was a favorite of mine, and i'm not sure this year's version lives up to the same magic, but it is still quite lovely: out of the bottle it's very juicy, fresh apples with a hint of spice in the background. tart and refreshing. on my skin, the apples have a very real presence, like the skin of an apple. within minutes, florals and perhaps the wheatiness emerge - very soft and pretty, and rather light actually - last year's was stronger, with more throw. eventually the hickory wood comes out a bit - a really neat smell that definitely evokes autumn. i can't tell if i'm smelling the hazelnut or not...i was hoping for more. eventually it becomes a great mix of woodsiness and floral, with just a hint of the apple. very pretty and autumnal. i can't wait to wear it to the farmer's market!

[nightbird]

I love autumn - the scents, the colors, all of it. this scent is autumn in a bottle. I smell apples, spices, cherry - something else I can't quite place, but it's kind of herbal - YUM. I'm utterly in love with this scent. after it dries down a bit, I smell wood... it reminds me a bit of the woodsmoke of campfires (another autumn scent I adore).

 

my husband likes it too. he sniffed the bottle and said, "I love this - it smells like gummi bears!" well, whatever floats his boat...! at least we'll both enjoy me wearing this scent

Edited August 15, 2006 by Nightbird

[juniperus]

Bottle: sweet. apple, berries, and the sorghum.

Wet: I can really smell the plum, now, and that hickory! this is complex, still on the sweeter side, but while I can pick out many of the food scents this isn't overwhelmingly foody.

Dry: woody and herbal and a little sharp - nothing is amping or morphing on me, yet. I'm amazed that the berries haven't taken over and that my allergies are still in check!

Later: I didn't expect it to work at all - but it's an interesting combination of scents, heady with the images they invoke. This really feels like indian summer to me - hot days, cold nights, the last flowers still in bloom but autumn on the evening air...makes me miss Diana's Grove. My whim orders don't always turn out well, but this one did. Splendid!

[savage_rose]

In the bottle: Lightly sugared apples and spice. Mulled cider with a pale hint of something floral/green, and a lightly creamy base. Delicious .

 

Wet: Mmmm...the floral/green is amped and complements the apple...it's almost like a fruity version of rose red with apples instead of roses.

 

Dry: Where did it go? It's like this scent evaporates on contact with my skin . So sad...I guess this will be a scent for the scent lockets. Although I dabbed a bit on a tissue, and it has no throw. But it's a wonderful scent! Sigh.

[macabre_fae]

Oh I love this to death.It smells of crisp juicy apples,and spice.It reminds me of thanksgiving.

[mandragora]

This is my first autumn BPAL scent and I must say that I'm blown away by Harvest Moon 06.

 

It's juicy red delicious apple with spice and berry hints surrounding it. I can smell the dusty wheat and wood (shagbark hickory). On the drydown, the dusty wheat and rice note comes to fore and now it's reminiscent of apple cider. I don't get the bamboo and green tea. But it doesn't matter, it's perfect as it is.

 

This is like standing in a wheat field at dusk drinking apple cider. Perfect autumn scent .

[angharad]

Very fruity at first -- there's definitely apples in here, but I'm pretty sure I can pick out the pomegranate as well. After the oil finishes drying, however, it becomes more herbal. I can still kind of smell the fruits, but that may be wishful thinking. I'm not crazy about herbal scents. After an hour or so, it turns very powdery on my skin, which isn't much better. The throw isn't very strong, and it doesn't seem to last much longer once it goes powdery. Harvest Moon '06 makes me sad. I wish the fruit stayed on me.

[oakmoss]

A tart-spicy fruitiness like walking by a roadside fruit stand in autumn, with all the apple varieties side by side with ripe plums and late apricots, and the sun warming the bales of hay stacked in a picturesque way for the real down-home country autumn feel...

 

And then you keep walking and *poof* the scent disappears. The staying power of this blend is very short on me. But it is oh-so-delicious while it lasts!

[zenvodunista]

Harvest Moon '05 + Hungry Ghost Moon = Harvest Moon '06

 

n.

[filigree_shadow]

In the bottle: Apple cider.

 

Initial impression: While it's wet, it smells mainly like apple cider, but the apples are very light. Mostly it's that spicy cider scent.

 

When it's drying: It seems like a spicy floral that has a fruity roundness to it.

 

It ends up being: A rather sweet fruit scent with a little bit of green behind it. Like maybe some gentle herbs or a very soft floral note. It also smells dry. Not quite smoky, but just a bit of dry wood. This is one of the softest fruity scents I've smelled -- the fruit isn't overpowering at all. And I don't think it smells like apples when it's dry, more like just the barest suggestion of plum. I can also definitely pick up mums in this, and they smell a lot better than I thought they would. When I catch wafts of it I can immediately visualize those dry, almost crunchy petals of mums at the end of the season.

 

It doesn't seem to last very long on my skin, though... I've applied it three times so far today.

 

I honestly didn't know whether I was going to like this after reading the description, but when I saw the wild plum listed I went ahead and got two bottles just in case. I'm glad I did -- I really enjoy this scent. My hubby likes it on me, too. And if the previous Harvest Moon oils are any indication, it's going to get better with age. (The 2004 version is one of my favorite lunacy oils.)

[MrsSoup67]

In the Imp: Apples and some berry

 

Wet: Sunshine in an apple orchard

 

Dry: Apple tea with mulling spices

 

Very nice and I wish I had purchased a bottle.

[lysithea]

Harvest Moon '06 is quite a nice departure from the deep, dark visit at last year's harvest. This blend blooms with the scent of rich, red apples - tart and juicy - with a overlayer of sweet cherry with a whiff of pomegrante. The wet stage is all fruit and sweetness. As it dries, we take a trip into a more pastoral setting with wafts of wheat and unusual woods. All along, there is the musky sweetness of the sorghum lending a hand to the beautiful bounty of the Asian notes of bamboo, tea, rice flower and a creamy touch of rice milk.

 

All in all, this is a very wearable and enjoyable blend. I do agree that it has similarities to Hungry Ghost Moon. I for one am happy about that sincee HGM is one of my all time favorite lunacy blends. Here's to Beth's artistic vision. With great appreciation for branching out and visiting the Asian moons and their influences this year.

[Rheliwen]

This smells noticeably similar to Harvest Moon 05 but they are quite different as well.

 

05 was less apple and more spice, 06 is more apple and less spice.

 

Overall I mostly smell the dusty wheat and apple...baked red apples, no granny smith tart apples here, with a dash of sage. It's less tart than 05 but still fruity just in a different way.

 

Overall it smells wonderful but as I have a wheaty fave already (Litha) and Harvest Moon 05 is the closest thing to a signature scent, I'm not sure I'll keep this one.

Edited August 17, 2006 by Rheliwen