Raven Moon

[strahlend]

Mournful and Never-ending Remembrance: shining, moonlit ebony musk with benzoin, myrrh, smoky vanilla, patchouli, nutmeg, and dried red chili.

I can't believe I haven't written a review of this, I have three bottles now - I love it!
Raven Moon reminds me a lot of Marquis de Carabas, which I realize is my standard for “spiced, warm, sweet, musky” blends – of which many are made. I do get a feeling of black musk for a few minutes at the start. Myrrh, smoky vanilla, patchouli... seems to be a great base for an earthy, musky, spicy sort of blend and it's perfectly balanced here. The patchouli is clearly present, but not hoarding the spotlight. I would almost think there was a hint of clove here, but it's not listed so I guess it must be the nutmeg. This is both snuggly and sexy. I get no sense of red chili at all and I kind of wonder what that would even smell like in this context.
I've collected many decants of lunacy blends and they almost never work for me, Raven Moon is one of the few fantastic exceptions and I'm so glad that I've had the chance to experience it.

[starfish327]

I thought I had reviewed this one but apparently not. This is a heavy, dark blend on my skin but it's not so heavy I can't wear it to work. The first few minutes that I apply it, the blend's quite harsh on my skin. Myrrh doesn't always play well with my chemistry. After a few minutes though it becomes a smooth, vanilla and dark musk that's quite comforting.

 

and does remind of a bird, which i love because i really like birds.

[Penance]

Origin:

 

5mL from Dark Alice.

 

Preconceived notions:

 

This is one of those scents that flew under my radar and then suddenly jumped out at me as "OMG, why haven't you tried this?!". I missed its release during my hiatus, otherwise I probably would have ordered it when it came out instead of waiting so long to discover it.

 

Pretty much everything here sounds awesome. I love resins, I love patchouli, I'm turning into a big musk fan and I really like the chili in Calaveras, so it should work here, too. Nutmeg should be fine, too, although I haven't had much experience with it in perfume, other than in foody blends. I'm expecting something dark and smooth and slightly sinister.

 

First sniff:

 

Lots of musk (dark and deep), a slightly bitter resinous scent from the myrrh and just a touch of patchouli. I'm not really getting the other notes, but the vanilla and benzoin are probably adding a slight sweetness to the musk.

 

Wet on skin:

 

Still predominately musk (it makes me think of fur rather than feathers), with a background of patchouli and soft, smoky resins. There's a hint of sweetness here from the vanilla and benzoin. Not getting any chili yet. So far I'm really liking this.

 

Dry down:

 

So good! Raven Moon is one of those scents that keeps developing long after the oil has dried. At first, it's very similar to the wet stage and then, a couple hours later, it turns into something utterly beautiful. Soft, dark, almost creamy musk, smoky vanilla, smooth resins, a light touch of patchouli and the barest hint of spiciness from the chili.

 

The bottom line:

 

My second favorite Lunacy blend, after Panther Moon. Gorgeous and dark, but somehow soft and smooth. Beautiful.

[AnyseLawsBray]

In vial: Lush & deep, not sweet at all. Earthy without being dirty.

Wet: Sleek black musk combined with the sweet resins and nutmeg gives almost a leathery feeling to this, odd as it sounds. Like a luxurious paper-thin pair of black European driving gloves.

Dry: I'm getting more patchouli now, which is really good. I expected this to be more like The Raven, dusty and light, but this is definitely it's own blend. I never get much vanilla, but I think that bit of creaminess and the chili may be what's combining with the resins and spices to make me smell leather.

 

Verdict: It fits the description quite well- solemn, pale yet still dark, watchful. The 'leather' was a surprise, but a nice one! I wouldn't turn down an imp of this.

[angelmecha]

In Bottle: This scent is so hard/impossible for me to describe. I don't smell any of the notes individually, even if I sniff for them. It's a dark and musky cool night and a full moon, a flap of wings and soft feathers. Very well blended at this stage. Black and mysterious and intruiging.

Wet: Spicy smooth musk; but it, as many Lunacy musk blends do on me, threatens to powder at this stage. The nutmeg brings a soft, spicy sweetness and vibrant warmth.

Drydown: This fades into something playful, light and spicy. By light, I don't mean it's got low throw; it's pretty strong in that category, but it's got an uplifting sort of feel to it. It's bright and powdery and seems very indicitive of it's namesake.

Verdict: While I wore this a lot when I first got the bottle, and though I still think it's really pretty, I don't wear it much anymore... maybe my tastes or signature scents have just changed. Still, I can't see myself giving this one up just yet...

 

3 stars.

[kawaiiferreto]

This is very dark, rich ,and spicy. And WHOA the throw. It smells a little like clove, but spicier (I assume the red chili and nutmeg are doing that together.) I think I was hoping for just at least a tad of creaminess or sweetness from the vanilla to round it out. This is lovely, but not really my style.

[Vega]

Sniffed: Darkly glowing resins (myrrh and patchouli being the most prominent) mingle with dark musk, with perhaps a spicy kick from nutmeg and chilli.

 

On skin: Raven Moon is mainly a resinous blend. Myrrh is the prominent note, supported by benzoin and patchouli; these glowing resins are flattened slightly by the soft, dark musk, and discreetly spiced with nutmeg and chilli. I don't recognize any vanilla at all. All the notes are very well-blended, no one dominates; this Moon is gentle, warm and enfolding. Unfortunately it gets a bit sourish over time, probably the patchouli going a bit dirty. Colour impression is the darkest ultramarine with a flash of dark red.

 

Verdict: A cozy, gentle Lunacy blend, definitely shadowy and vague... and ultimately not memorable. I'm indifferent.

[ami226]

On the skin: That is some dark musk. Thankfully it isn't turning powdery on me this once! Otherwise I can definitely smell sweetened myrrh, a hint of vanilla, and a slight hint of patchouli. For some odd reason I smell a bit of leather too? Well, at least it reminds me very slightly of leather.

 

This is actually a very interesting scent. Looking at the notes I feel like this one would be really overpowering and dark, but it is actually kind of a light, gentle scent. Like a bird in flight?

 

My SO also likes it, so I think it is a keeper!

 

-ETA- Much later the amber really blooms. At this point it reminds me quite a bit of Amaterasu v3!

Edited June 24, 2012 by Catseyes

[orata]

Medicinal at first, a little terrifying to sniff when wet; however, it mellows and morphs into the most amazing dark, spicy, resinous vanilla that clings to the body--a sexy skin scent like a black silk negligee. Smoldering, smooth, dark, warm, well blended. The chili does burn my skin a little, so if you're sensitive, be careful.

[Aldercy]

2012 Version

 

Oh wow, this is one of the very few oils that has caused me to gasp the moment I removed the cap. It's the kind of scent that demonstrates perfect blending... you have no idea what it is at first sniff-- nothing stands out more than anything else-- but it's intoxicating. I worried the patchouli would take over or that the chili pepper would be weird, but everything's really in wonderful harmony. It's slinky and sultry and smoky, with just a touch of sweetness and a touch of spice (neither hot spice nor bakery spice but just a certain glowing, grainy warmth). The benzoin, myrrh and musk are really the body of the scent, with the patchouli flitting in and out and the vanilla/nutmeg/chili floating on top. The myrrh is very, very much like that in Priala, The Human Phoenix. This has the same mood as aged Priala and they must share a type of myrrh that isn't exactly standard. Something about the whole scent also reminds me of Inez, though the only listed note they share is vanilla, and that's common enough. Not sure what's creating that comparison in my mind, but they just seem to have the same "texture." The musk is not a generic "black" musk-- which can go powdery-- or "dark" musk-- which can be too dirty or masculine. Whatever "ebony" musk is, its like soft sexy shadows. Velvety.

 

The only other Lunacy oil that could give this a run for its money in my book is Falling Leaf Moon, my favorite. Raven Moon might be my favorite thing released so far this year. I'm so glad I didn't hesitate to buy it this time around; it's absolutely exquisite. Trying to decide if I need a backup of 2012 or if I should look for a bottle of the 2009 vintage. It seems like a blend that would age really well.

[Larinessa]

Wow. This is gorgeous!

 

Straight out of the box, this is smokey myrrh, rich benzoin and black musk.

 

Dries down to an awesome spicy combo of the myrrh, chili and musk with an underlying base of rich vanilla.

 

I have absolutely nothing in my collection like this, and this will be gorgeous this fall. A standout winner.

[Dedee]

At first whiff I smell a deep dark incense, no vanilla at all. Uh oh, I'm a little scared since so far controlling incense notes have not liked my skin!!!

After few moments the chili made an appearance, somehow calming the incense throw, oh, and here comes the vanilla in the background, slowly morphing into a spicy unique vanilla!! YAY! Please stay that way!!!

This may turn out to be ok on me. I'll let time settle it and edit with an update

[boomtownrat]

2012 version: The musk and myrrh are the major notes in the bottle and wet on my skin, but as it dries I start to get more of the chili, nutmeg, and smoky vanilla. Benzoin and patchouli are the beautiful undertones. This stays pretty close to the skin and it lasted about four hours before I felt a need to dot on a little more.

[Lorna Brigid]

2012:

Omg I was sooo looking forward to getting this blend, and it did not disappoint!!!

 

This is definitely evocative of soft blue black feathers with a slightly sweet vibe.

There is not much difference between the wet and the drydown for me, so I'm skipping that part and going with overall review.

Usually black musks are powder/no good on me, but this ebony musk must be special. The way it melds with the benzoin, myrrh and patch is quite magickal.

The vanilla, nutmeg and chili float surreptitiously on the top in and out, creating the slight sweetness vaguely discernible through the smoke of the base notes.

 

Yeah, it's that good.

This is one of the most beautiful Lunacies I've ever smelled. Well done Beth!!!

[lamenteuse]

For the 2012 version: This reminds me so much of Death of Autumn. Lots dark, spicy goodness with a bit of the patchouli, but not enough to make it dirty. It's got a nice sweetness to it, and the chilis don't seem to do too much to the scent. Not as much throw as my beloved DoA, but decent.

A keeper in my book!

[Dark Alice]

I love the new Raven Moon. The vanilla is stronger as is the ebony musk. The chili pepper is milder. Much Milder. It's what made me part with my other two bottles from 2009...too much chili not enough vanilla. So glad that I got a bottle of this. It will age gloriously.

[brilliantcat]

In bottle: nom nom nom. Resiny and a smidge of patchouli and maybe that musk. On: Immediately, insanely gorgeous patchouli/resin/smoky vanilla with the slightest hint of chili. Moonlight on a raven's wing. The flash of color that makes ebony darker than dark. A single feather floating to the earth, shining and stiff. One heated drop of blood on a gleaming edge. Chilling and beautiful. I love it.

[yakiguri]

Mmm, spicy dark but non-dirty patchouli with a dash of sweetness. Raven Moon '12 is definitely dark, but more of a glossy dark rather than no-light-shall-enter dark. Lasts all day too! I can't wait to see what this is like aged. So glad I took a risk on this.

[ReallyZeb]

2012 version:

 

This starts off dark spicy incensey and it's nice, but then, after about half an hour, it changes ...

 

Slowly, almost imperceptibly, it changes to the smell of old, cold iron, the heartless, inhuman, implacable evil that has lived, alone and uncaring, for countless millennia. This is the scent that wafts up from the cellar when you're all alone in the house, and you hear an unexplained scratching in the basement. You put your hand on the metal doorknob and turn it, just a fraction. You smell this and, if you're sensible, you run, not walk, out of the house and never look back.

 

Seriously, this creeps me out, it makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck and I hope its next owner loves it.

Edited September 21, 2012 by ReallyZeb

[SadariEvenstar]

This is dark, spicy, and sexy as hell. I kind of want to put this all over my sheets and roll around in it.

[jkfagtongpun]

2012 version - Wow. This was a whim decant circle purchase as I usually don't get on with patchouli but the other notes were calling to me.

 

In the vial it's a wonderful, dark and warm mix of spicy, earthy, smokey sweetness but not candy or cloying sweet.

 

On wet, the chili, smoked vanilla, nutmeg and patchouli are all apparent and blend together SO nicely... the patchouli isn't in your face or dirty at all, it's sort of a grounding, comforting earthy smell.

 

Dry I keep getting whiffs of smokey, spicy beauty. That combination of nutmeg, vanilla and chili is just amazing. I've never tried a Raven Moon and I'm so glad I went for this. Shame I missed out on a big bottle!

 

Oh yummy Raven Moon - I will buy a large bottle of all your future permutations.

[Sultaana]

I am horrible at Lunacy cutoffs and always miss ones I want, and this was no exception. Thankfully, I saw a 2009 bottle up for cheap in a sale so I snagged it just so I could experience this one for myself. In the bottle, I get heavy dark patchouli and I'm reminded a lot of Banshee Beat. Once I put it on, I get a big smack of baby powder which I wasn't expecting, and that's normally a turn off for me but I think this is keeping it from going too dark on me. The spices are wonderful, I really enjoy the nutmeg and I wish there was just a liiiittle more chili. The baby powder fades and the smoky vanilla comes out as it dries. Whoa. This is WAY sexier than I imagined!

[stellamaris]

2012 Version : This is very heavy and dark, in the Smokey Moon/Schwartzer Mon family however there is something in it that really really strongly (and I like blends that are considered "boy" or "either") Gentleman's Scent to me, so it got pushed over to that side of the cabinet...

[Kit Foxly]

[This review is for the 2009 version. I tested this in 2010, but never posted my notes.]

 

Oh, Raven Moon. You sounded so intriguing, and ravens have been important symbols in my life for twenty years now. I very much wanted you and I to get along.

 

Why have you turned into a Single-Note Clove scent and stayed that way for the entire evening?

 

You are strong and penetrating, and overpowering everything else that I'm trying tonight... and you smell of cloves, and nothing but cloves. I don't mind cloves, but I wanted so much more from you, and I'm not getting any of it.

 

Seriously, cloves aren't even in you – what are you doing???

 

At some point I may have to try the 2012 version to see how they compare, but 2009's Raven discouraged me from taking the risk on it unsniffed...

[joyfulgirl]

2012 version

 

bought this on a whim, was very scared of the red chili, but the rest of the notes sounded so amazing, i couldn't say no.

 

in the bottle: dark. spicy. dark. i imagine something sweet and slick and black. it's very well blended.

 

wet on my skin: whew, this bloooooms! patchouli! musk! vanilla! all the lighter/softer notes come out of this and it becomes absolutely gorgeous. as others have noted, the nutmeg + chili combo reads as "clove" to my nose, and i am 100% okay with that.

 

dry on my skin: this actually has some similarity to a darker, insence-ier version of snake oil now that it's dried down a bit...i'm guessing the vanilla/musk/nutmeg combination is doing it? in any case, i am loving this blend. my only wish would be for a bit more throw and lasting power. next time i will prime with lotion first.

 

bottom line: besides luna negra, i'd call this my favorite lunacy so far. i'm really excited to see how it ages, and i'll be looking for a backup bottle.