Falling Leaf Moon

[blu°]

The first autumn rains dripping onto fallen leaves against a backdrop of opoponax, labdanum, patchouli, agarwood, and oakmoss.

I never think that bpal's dry leaf blends really smell like dry leaves, but this one really does.

This!

There are a few fall/leaves scents I love (Death of Autumn, Chant d'Automne, L'Autunno Atmosphere Spray), but this is autumn leaves scent perfection.

At first, there's the crisp but soft rain note over woody-leafy brown notes. The rain is a bit like the slushy snow note, yet softer, and once on skin, it starts to mingle with the warmer-smoky-airy leaves and woods, ever so slowly retreating into the background.

The leaves and woods become warmer, there's something sweet behind the leaves, and I think that would be the agarwood - it gives the oil a backbone, some substance in an otherwise airy-thin scent. There's also a smokiness, not thick, suffocating smoke, but delightful whiffs of woodsmoke running through the cool air of an autumn evening. After some time I get the comparison to Samhain, there's something similar in here. Samhain never worked for me, it's pumpkin and fruit notes just didn't combine well with the leaves and patchouli on my skin.

I almost didn't get this Moon because I was weary of the rain note. (I don't really like aquatics and ozone scents, although there have been a few scents with rain/snow/ozone notes before, that I enjoy.) Now I'm so glad the Lunacy was still up on the site when I made up my mind to get my two bottles days after it should have gone down.

[megank4]

Oh my. I think I hate this. One of my first instant hates in a long time.

Burning yet moldy leaves. Washed off after only a few minutes hoping that my coworkers weren't thinking "what IS that smell?!"

[Lamia]

I am also picking up a similarity to Samhain. Husband informed me that I smelled like cherry pipe tobacco (which is what he claims that both Samhain & Samhainophobia smell like, but we already know he's tapped, so there you have it)

 

Wet, this is a bright early autumn day - it's missing the heaviness of Samhain, there is a lightness and brightness to Falling Leaf that Samhain lacks. After drydown, it becomes a very thin scent, it doesn't keep up the promise inherent in the first application.

 

This is one of the few Lunacies that works on me, but it's still not quite right. Trade bag.

[arsenicsauce]

This smells very aquatic on me- the dominant note reminds me strongly of Calico Jack. Unfortunately I can't say much more about it, because it has absolutely zero throw to start out with and is quickly eaten by my skin. I had high hopes for this, but my skin isn't buying it.

[Aldercy]

Falling Leaf Moon is a spicy aquatic on me, with a certain insinuation of gentle rot. I get some oakmoss and slight resiny bits, but no patchouli whatsoever, which is good. The masculine ozone softens and dissipates the more it dries and the aquatic quality is more of an overall "wet" impression than soapy waters. It's a pretty realistic "woods after rain" scent, but actually so realistic that it doesn't make for a wonderful perfume on me. I'll use my decant, but I'm glad I didn't spring for a 5ml.

[Argentwolf]

This one is sort of a roller coaster for me. At first, it smells a little off -- almost like there's some mustyness in among the leaves, but not quite. Then it actually gets sort of sweet. At its peak, it does evoke a misty autumn day with piles of falling leaves all around; not really rainy or wet, but definitely not dry or smoky, either. It's really like nothing I've smelled before, and I can't put my finger on anything else to describe it...but all things considered, I rather like it.

[heathercaley]

In the bottle: It smells like Samhain minus the strong top note, and softened just a bit by a sweet watery note. Keep in mind it's a sweet watery note, not very ozoney at all (wewt!)

 

Wet: It's not so much "rain" as it is just a sweet watery incense over autumn air.

 

As it dries down: the watery note morphs into this almost minty sweety note over resins. I am in love with FLM! This is the best of the year for me

[Upstart Crow]

I was really looking forward to this one! Sadly, it's just very busy and kind of bland. I get a very sharp sweetness when it's wet (which I am guessing is the opoponax and labdanum -- I have never smelled agarwood). It mellows after a few minutes and I can smell the patchouli. Those saying it is a bit like Samhain are correct. Sadly, however, it's far busier than Samhain on me and not the dreamy, wet, leaves and rain and oakmoss I hoped for . Selling my bottle.

 

 

[Monster]

In the bottle: Hmmm...leaves, a bit of rain and something nutty (??) Odd.

 

Wet: Just like everyone else has been saying, there's something in here that smells strikingly similar to Samhain. This has a Samhain note with a gentle, slightly sweet aquatic note, smoke, leaves and again....something odd and almost nutty to my nose.

 

Dry: This one pretty much stays the same on me from top to bottom, it's all leaves, sweet smoke, Samhain and...errr...nuts o_O

 

Overall: The nutty note is really ruining this for me. I have no idea what that is but it's making my stomach turn. Someone mentioned sweet pipe tobacco and I think that must be it (it's the same note that ruined Herr Drosselmeyer for me). Don't get me wrong, Falling Leaf Moon is lovely, there's just that one note in there that doesn't work for me personally. Oh well. Off to swaps! Someone else will enjoy this

[amyw]

This smells like damp leaves with a bit of slightly sweet wood notes underneath. It's nice while that lasts, but I knew I was taking a chance with the "wet" part, as almost all aquatic type notes become soap on me. I put this on the SO and he doesn't like it enough to keep, as he's a foody type.

 

It's very nice and very evocative of autumn before it becomes soapy leaves on me. Skin chemistry FTL.

[crebbsgirl]

This is very similar to Autumn (Retail Only Salon) and has shades of Hex 05 on my skin. The is sweet apples and smoky resins. I don't get much in the way of damp, but it is very evocative of a drizzley autumn afternoon. I like this, but I like Autumn better.

[aquazoo]

Starts earthy and a little dusty. Really woody. Definitely leaves with some of them burning in the background. This is right on for a late October or November day, with the sun warming the leaves.

 

[zankoku_zen]

Slightly more aquatic Samhain - it's got many of the same components. It's less smoky, but its got the dried leaves, slightly dirty, and I swear the sweetness actually makes me think of raisins. Something in this blend reminds me to raisins.

 

ETA: In the prototype, it is much more foodie. I get a big caramel hit from it, and when it dries, it goes powdery. I am thinking more sandalwood.

Edited May 11, 2010 by zankoku_zen

[rayvn1]

I get sweet brown sugar and maple leaves out of this one. Almost foody! Perfect fall scent. I'm hoping it deepens into a smokier, woodsier blend as it ages.

[tinyvulture]

This is a very close relative to Samhain, with that gorgeous “autumn leaves” note, but it lacks Samhain’s foodiness. It’s almost entirely autumn leaves, with a hint of patchouli that gives it some depth. I was right to order a bottle unsniffed -- I’ll take all the autumn scents I can get my hands on, especially when they’re as pretty as Falling Leaf Moon!

[fairestrocza]

In the Bottle: musty, sweet (The Boy says 'herbal')

 

Wet on Skin: Sweet note dominates

 

While Drying: Powerful scent at first; sweet note tones down and smokiness dominates

 

After a Little While: campfire smoke, with something sinister in the background; strong smoke note when applied to hair

 

Later: Occasional dead-on dead leaf smell; very Autumny, slightly sinister

 

This was part of my first BPAL purchase. I ordered it with the hope that it would evoke a certain Autumny mood, and in that it is effective. I thought I wanted a stronger wet note, but after testing more of the aquatics, I might be lucky that I didn't get my wish. Not quite the crisp Autumn leaf scent I was hoping for, but nice all the same.

Falling Leaf Moon earns a 3/5

[iletaitunefois]

I absolutely love this scent! I'm wishing that I bought more so I could wear this on every horrible gray day that has me wishing for a little greenery.

 

Wet, I got the sense of wet herbs drying, but dry it was wet leaves all over. I was very much reminded of when I'd tromp around in the woods as a kid--only to come home with soaking wet stained sneakers. Not only is there wet and crushed leaves in this blend, but I also get the feeling of a good rain after a bit of a drought. The kind that sits on the surface of the ground for a little while. I loved this so much!

[Invidiana]

Trust me, this is definitely not the scent of soggy leaves! Falling Leaf Moon really was everything I hoped for and more. It starts off initially cool and dries down to a beautiful scent of warm, dry fallen leaves and wood with just a hint of aquatics in the backdrop. For anyone who fears patchouli, I'm not getting a prominent patchouli note; it blends in very smoothly with the rest of the notes. I can swear I'm getting a hint of cinnamon in the drydown, which must be a part of the "fallen leaves" accord to give that warm crackling feel and just adds to this scent's autumnal beauty. Absolutely gorgeous!

Edited November 25, 2009 by Invidiana

[loubric]

Warm and spicy with hints of aquatic notes. There is also something slightly sweet trying to come through. I think this is a very sophisticated scent, something to warm up a cold winters day. I also think it would make an awesome scent for my oil burner.

 

Not what I expected but I’m pleasantly surprised.

 

Ohh I had to quickly add ... 5min later this smells like freshly baked Cinnabons!!

Edited December 28, 2009 by Lilly

[Coldfire]

 

 

 

Decant: dark and earthy

Wet on Me: wet leaves. I get the woods and mosses

Drying Down: soft powder over wood.

Dry: once the earthiness left this became a soft powder over faint wood scent on me and stayed that way. Will probably swap away.

 

[edenssixthday]

Falling Leaf Moon - From first sniff, this reminded me so much of Samhain that I came to this thread and did a search for the word "Samhain" and was blown away at how many times it was mentioned. So it's not just me! To me, this is almost exactly like Samhain without the apple fruitiness. It's incredibly autumnal, positively gorgeous, and something I would wear a lot if I didn't already love Samhain so much.

[fairnymph]

Brownish-amber coloured oil. Rainy aquatic against a backdrop of faint dry leaves and earthy/woody notes.

 

Sweeter, earthier, more resinous. I get the patchouli and other resins clearly now and the slightly sharp greenness of the agarwood. The leaves too have a slightly sharp quality. Oakmoss is pretty faint.

 

Sweeter and sweeter! I guess the sweetness if from the resins - I'm not super familiar with the ones here - it's a little heavy and cloying. This is more bitter now, and something is giving this a mentholic quality. Much more woody, with nearly all of the lovely light aquatic-rainy note gone.

 

Finally the oakmoss comes out, but it's not enough to combat the now sort of dirty patchouli, sharp/sour agarwood and labdanum, and way too sickly sweet resins.

 

Sweet earthy leaves, with a bit of resin. Well-blended, unisex to feminine. Fortunately not at all my thing though it softens into something tolerable. Moderate throw and longevity.

 

[puddingirl]

In the imp it smells slightly sharp but definatelyreminds me of brown leaves on an autumn day. On and wet I can smell the patchouli but I don't know the other scents well enough to be able to recognise them. It's turning slightly incensy but not in a spicy way. I think maybe it's the oakmoss.It's just a bit too incensy for my liking.

[Redillon]

In the imp: Cold. I think I can smell some ben gay.

 

On the skin: Bengay with some thing earthy.

 

Swap.

[nekogrrl]

My goodness, I love this scent. This personifies autumn to me, and I couldn't be happier about it.