Beaver Moon 2011

[krazyanjel]

Lavender honey cheesecake.

I don't usually review, but since nothing was up yet for this and I know people are curious, I figured I'd dive in.

In the bottle: Buttery, almost like Boo with a hint of lavender. Yum.

On the skin: Gloriously pretty. Honey is a death note for me, so this lunacy was an act of faith that ended in WIN!! Starts like a softened TKO. Creamy with a touch of light lavender. This isn't the strong, herbal, medicinal lavender of TKO... it's much more similiar to TKO when it's been on your skin settled in for an hour. Smooth lavender with a creamy base. I know I keep saying creamy, but it's all my mind can wrap around. This is smooooooth. Honey didn't even show up at all on me (shock!) except to support the cream with a touch of powder. Not too much. It's pretty perfect, actually. Just enough.

Dry: Lavender fades pretty quick, leaving a soft hint of cream. It's very light. Like getting out of the shower after using shower gel. Close to the skin. This isn't something people will say "Your perfume smells good", it's a "You smell good scent". Very light. It's really nice, and I'm hoping once it has the time to settle, it will strengthen up a bit.

Overall: LOVELY!!! So gentle, this is a scent you can wear around people that have sensitive noses, or a baby shower/wedding where you want to smell gorgeous, but not stand out because of it. Fades fast, but hoping that will change a bit. Really, REALLY glad I chanced and snagged a bottle. This is incredibly pretty!

Edited because I can spell. I swear I can! Edited November 6, 2011 by Silvertree

[femmefatale]

In the bottle it's a sharp, somewhat pungent lavender with a bit of sweet cheesecake. It actually caught me off guard and gave me an "ew" reaction. But I decided to take a chance and try it.

Wet it's better, though still heavy on the lavender (which I actually I don't mind). It's not as sharp and the cheesecake note comes out more (though it doesn't really smell like cheesecake to me, more of just a rich vanilla with a bit of something extra). At first they almost seem at war with each other, but as it begins to dry the lavender softens and everything seems to blend a bit better. It's very interesting how the herbal lavender and sweetness of the cheesecake note come together. I'm also pleasantly surprised that this doesn't go plastic, which the other version I tried (forget the year?) did. After about 30 minutes the lavender has calmed down significantly and it's really very pretty and somehow avoids turning into a baby-type scent which I was worried about. I think people who wanted to like TKO but found it too sweet might really enjoy this.

The throw isn't heavy, but it's not a skin hugging scent either. Of course, I didn't put much on so that might be a factor. This is overall a comforting scent that makes me want to cuddle under a cozy blanket in front of a fire (which happily I'm doing atm!). It's just very pretty and I can see wearing it both at home and out.

And just now when I had dh smell it, he actually closed his eyes when he inhaled and said "mmmm....I like it". I would say that's a thumbs up.

[femmefatale]

Ooops. I accidently reviewed this in the other thread. Well, here is my not so helpful review.

 

 

In the bottle it's a sharp, somewhat pungent lavender with a bit of sweet cheesecake. It actually caught me off guard and gave me an "ew" reaction. But I decided to take a chance and try it.

Wet it's better, though still heavy on the lavender (which I actually I don't mind). It's not as sharp and the cheesecake note comes out more (though it doesn't really smell like cheesecake to me, more of just a rich vanilla with a bit of something extra). At first they almost seem at war with each other, but as it begins to dry the lavender softens and everything seems to blend a bit better. It's very interesting how the herbal lavender and sweetness of the cheesecake note come together. I'm also pleasantly surprised that this doesn't go plastic, which the other version I tried (forget the year?) did. After about 30 minutes the lavender has calmed down significantly and it's really very pretty and somehow avoids turning into a baby-type scent which I was worried about. I think people who wanted to like TKO but found it too sweet might really enjoy this.

The throw isn't heavy, but it's not a skin hugging scent either. Of course, I didn't put much on so that might be a factor. This is overall a comforting scent that makes me want to cuddle under a cozy blanket in front of a fire (which happily I'm doing atm!). It's just very pretty and I can see wearing it both at home and out.

And just now when I had dh smell it, he actually closed his eyes when he inhaled and said "mmmm....I like it". I would say that's a thumbs up.

[Rho]

Preconceived Notions: The lab's honey note is one of my favorites, and I love eating cheesecake as a rare treat. Lavender doesn't bother me. This should work nicely.

 

In the bottle: Crazy strong! I'm in a closet full of cheesecakes. Lavender permeates the air! I'm going to pass out!

 

Wet: It smells burnt. Cheesecake charred at the bottom of an oven. Pungent, high pitched lavender. Oh no... I thought I was going to love this.

 

Drying: It's gradually sorting through its issues as it warms up and dries down. All the things that were nasty are fading away, but the scent is still not appealing on me.

 

Dry: Ahhhh, there we go. I can wear this now. Very fluffy cheesecake and noticeable lavender. I don't really sense honey, but it's probably just melded in with the vanilla-y cheesecakey-ness. I will make up as many words as I need to describe this.

 

ETA: The honey blooms later on for me. I can only smell it if I'm not too close to the place I'm wearing it. It's exactly the honey note that I love.

 

The throw is decent on this. I would classify it as a womanly fragrance. It's super creamy and deep; cuddly. Not insanely sweet. I think it will only get better with age. It's better from a distance rather than sticking my nose into it.

 

Overall: Yeah, I think I can work with Beaver Moon 2011. It's a bit quirky, but once dry nothing's a total deal-breaker. Not my favorite, but not bad.

 

Rating: 3/5

Edited November 9, 2011 by Rho

[zagadka]

YUM!

 

This is everything I was hoping it would be! I'm usually not much of a foody scent lover, but this sounded way too good to pass up, now I'm wishing I had gotten another bottle!

 

Wet, this smells like the lightest, whipped cheesecake with a touch of honey drizzled on top. Its fresh and light, slightly sweet.

 

On, the lavender opens up and it goes through a strange somewhat stinky stage. All I can say is "milk breath". It smells so much like tangy dairy its crazy. How the hell do they do that?!

 

The dry down is glorious- creamy, vanilla with a bit of amber. It smells like dried Charisma from TAL, which is probably my most favorite scent ever. This is very soft and cozy with a bit of playful naughtiness. I can definitely see slathering myself in this!

 

Throw is decent- I put a little on my wrists and as I have been working on the computer keep thinking "where is that yummy scent coming from?! What is that? Oh- its ME!!!"

 

5/5 yumminess!!

[bicyclette]

In the bottle it's definitely buttery- I agree with the comparison to Boo posted upthread. Wet on skin, I get a big hit of lavender that quickly gives way to a gorgeous creaminess. Dry, I keep getting whiffs of this amazing vanilla that I can't actually smell when I put my nose up to my wrist- it's really, really nice. Definitely a comforting, feminine, wear-to-bed scent for me. I don't get any of the tartness I usually associate with cheesecake; this reminds me more of a lavender creme brulee.

[sharkdiver]

In the bottle it's definitely buttery- I agree with the comparison to Boo posted upthread. Wet on skin, I get a big hit of lavender that quickly gives way to a gorgeous creaminess. Dry, I keep getting whiffs of this amazing vanilla that I can't actually smell when I put my nose up to my wrist- it's really, really nice. Definitely a comforting, feminine, wear-to-bed scent for me. I don't get any of the tartness I usually associate with cheesecake; this reminds me more of a lavender creme brulee.

 

 

I completely agree with this. I haven't tried Boo, but I also get more of a "creaminess" rather than specifically cheesecake. The lavender is very strong on initial application, but quickly (within just a few minutes) softens to a beautiful CREAMY lavender scent. It's not too sweet, it's just perfect! I actually did wear this to bed last night, and slept really well. It's a lovely, soft, comforting scent. If you can enjoy a softer lavender, and you like "creamy" scents, definitely give this one a try!

[boxinghelena]

Beaver Moon 2011

 

I buy Beaver Moon every time it comes out. I knew this year's blend wouldn't work on me but I bought it anyway. Love the label.

 

Something turned citrus-y on me and then straight to plastic. It was epic fail.

[Gateau]

Bottle--I smell the lavender and I smell a slightly tangy cake, but not the full-on cheesecake I've smelled in other cheesecake blends. This is good.

 

Wet--the lavender is there and the cheesecake is there, and they're sort of colliding into each other and neither one is showing itself entirely. Whiffs of my favorite honey-lavender ice cream peek through.

 

Dry--Mmmmmm, the lavender has gotten on top, and it's a beautiful herby lavender, the kind that makes me think of Provence. The cheesecake is there below it, sweet and warm and not very tangy. I can't pick out honey specifically, but I think it's providing a warm dusky note. If this were a dessert it would be very sophisticated and I'd gobble it up.

 

Bottom line--I took a chance on this because I love lavender confections, even though I usually find cheesecake scents to be something I don't really want to wear, and I've had trouble with the Lab's lavender. But this really works for me. Only downside is it's a close to skin scent that fades relatively quickly on me.

[yukinohana]

A gorgeous, soft, sweet, creamy lavender dream. *sighs* It is pure love.

[angelicruin]

Wow, this one works so well on me!

 

In the bottle, it's a creamy lavender. On my skin, it starts out straight up lavender cheesecake with no honey at all. It dries down to a soft vanilla lavender reminiscent of TKO on my skin. I love this one so much, I have someone buying me a back-up bottle at tonight's WC.

 

If you love lavender and you love vanilla/foody scents, this is definitely a winner.

[edenssixthday]

Beaver Moon 2011 - I thought for sure the lavender would ruin it for me, but I smell absolutely no lavender. None whatsoever. Instead, I smell a bit of honey, and something that reminds me of tangy cream cheese, maybe cream cheese that's turned slightly. It doesn't smell bad on me, but it doesn't smell good. It actually reminds me more of the original Milk Moon more than anything else. It's very subtle on my skin, as well.

[PixieSkull]

I love the cheekiness of this Moon and the description was too interesting to me to pass up. Lavender, honey, cheesecake. Each note is different: lavender - herbal and astringent, honey - sweet and slightly cloying, cheesecake - rich and buttery.

 

In the bottle: super-sweet purple floral. Not much of the buttery/rich/cheesecake-y goodness here.

Wet: Sickly-sweet lavender

Dry: Lavender mellows out, the honey isn't as sweet, the cheesecake kinda came out a little.

 

Overall, I'm not too impressed. It smelled pretty, just not on my skin. The artwork is awesome.

[Aldercy]

Beaver Moon 2011 is exactly what's it's advertised to be, and it's a really inspired combination. The lavender is most apparent at first sniff, but it settles down and plays well with the cheesecake as it dries. It's fluffy, gentle, herbal. A great and unique complement to the cheesecake-- which is flat-out gorgeous. I've never really liked cheesecake as a note, and I'm not super-foody in my perfume tastes, but this is divine. It's understated, not too sweet, with a little bite to it like cream cheese. A hint of warm, milky vanilla. No graham cracker crust or anything to distract from it. All together, it's a really sophisticated and grown up scent with just a hint of bakery to it.

 

Honey is a minor player. This dessert has a faint honey drizzle for presentation's sake, and it doesn't take over at all.

[beachbabealways]

Love love love this! Very creamy lavender. Nothing like TKO on my skin (which I love too). So glad I bought a bottle.

[DahliaHayashi]

HOLY CRAP! I think I will have a blue eye tomorrow because this scent in the bottle just punched me in the face with overwhelming sweetness

 

I was a bit hesitated to try it after this but I anyway did an I am glad I got it now...

 

In the Bottle: Sickenly Sweet Vanilla! Creamy sweet...Sweet...SSSSSSWWWWWWWEEEETTTTT

 

Wet on my skin: Still sweet sugared vanilla but the lavender mellows it down fast

 

Dry on my skin: Sweet and tart vanilla with a grounded underlayering scent which, the more it warms up, you can identify as lavender

 

After about 1 hour: The lavender is only a silent whisper. I mostely get a kind of sophisticated creamy vanilla note which is calming and warm feeling. I get no honey at all which I am happy about because honey can be iffy on me and turn into a sweaty note (also I think it only does it togther with amber)

 

Verdict: Beaver Moon is far not as foody as I feared it would be. I love a good spicy scent and a good vanilla but I hate running around smelling like I just rolled in cakes (not that I wouldnt love to roll in cakes but I have so many cake addicted friends that I am always scared I will get eaten ). I also dont like sugary vanilla, but here the tartness of the cheesecake seems to keep it down.

I used to hate lavender but I love a good vanilla lavender combination. In this case I would even wish Beaver Moon had a bit more lavender in it. The sweetness on my skin not to much not to little, just right (and my skin amps sweet notes like no tomorrow). It would be a really nice sleep blend for sure, but it is to lovely to only wear it to bed! It really made me want to try TKO now. Its really sad that you cant get imps of TKO because if it is sweeter than this than I am doomed with migrain

However I really love Beaver Moon 2011 and I am glad I got a bottle of it also I was hesitated. Maybe i will even hunt down a back up. But i shall not sniff it in the bottle anymore

 

EDIT: Seems me and Beaver Moon need to spend a bit more time together. It was love at the first skin contact but retrying it today I get a burned cake smell when putting it on before it mellows in its lavender sweetness and the first stage gives me a headache. I still love and keep it because I love it after it calms down but I will not go for a backup for now...

Edited November 19, 2011 by DahliaHayashi

[SophieCedar]

This scent, for me, is funny giggly sweet innocent cute cheesecake. I would compare it to the way Bones Trombone plays out on my skin: balance of sweet confection and herbal notes. The lavender is coming out in varying levels of strength with each application.

 

Wet: sweet strong but non-astringent lavender and creamy cheese cake. The honey note stays syrupy during this phase.

 

Drydown: honey tends to go powdery on me. What a shame that is! Honey + lavender = it's clean sweet, slightly powdery..but the cheesecake keeps it all in check. This does not dump itself into the baby powder category due to the cheesecake...awesome! It's this strange innocuous sweet foody lavender blend. Creamy in the way only cheesecake can pull off: pungent, nose filling sweet cream and sugar. Soothing lavender honey stays just that.

 

The powdery part of the honey actually faded and it's back to sweet creamy lavender awesomeness. Glad I blindly ordered 2 bottles. Very versatile.

[Ghost of a Rose]

In the vial: The scent is cheesecake, honey, and lavender; in that order of strength. Yum! I wish I could eat this!

 

On me, wet: The lavender and cheesecake are fairly equal, with the honey not far behind.

 

On me, just dried: Much of the honey has already floated away, leaving mostly lavender with some cheesecake. It's considerably less sweet than when wet.

 

After 10 minutes: Some of the sweetness has returned as the lavender dries down., and a bit of the honey. But it's not as distinctly honey as it was before. Mostly a general sweetness at first, then honey and cheesecake, then lavender.

 

After 20 minutes: Mostly cheesecake, then honey, and a hint of lavender.

 

After 30 minutes: Cheesecake and honey; and it has gone just a little plastic-y .

 

After 1 hour: Same as above, except that the honey is now equal to or even a little stronger than the cheesecake.

 

After 1 1/2 hours: Same as above. The honey is a beautiful warm, gentle, note that wafts around me like a cloud. The plastic-y note is evident only if I sniff with my nose right up next to my skin.

 

After 2 hours: Now pretty much all honey, and the plastic-y note is completely gone.

 

After 2 3/4 hours: A mild vanilla scent.

 

After 4 hours: A faint vanilla that has gone plastic-y again, but it's too faded to matter anyway.

 

Verdict: I'll wear this in the scent locket to make the top notes last longer - especially the lavender, and the realistic cheesecake scent that this has when fresh. This is very nice, but a little too foody (for my preferences) to be a 5-star fragrance.

 

My rating: 4 stars

 

Later ETA: In the perfume locket, It does retain the lavender note, and the realistic cheesecake, even after 24 hours. It's less foody in the locket, because of the way the lavender sticks around. Wear it on the skin as well, to bring out the honey note.

Edited November 15, 2011 by Ghost of a Rose

[Gryphon]

First, strongly herbal, astringent lavender makes my nose wrinkle. <Ewwwwww> And this from a girl who loves me some lavender! Eventually, a smidge of vanilla honeyness comes out to play. It's very light, and I have to put my wrist right under my nose in order to smell it. In between, there's a rather unfortunate little old lady scent phase. Overall, it was not what I was expecting, which was something significantly more foody, creamy, and vanilla-y. Think I'm going to let this one age a bit before deciding if it needs to go into the swaps.

[TheIceMaiden]

Although honey is often a tricky note for me, I really wanted to try this as I love lavender and like cheesecake as well. Strangely enough though, I get none of the above from my Beaver Moon. It smells strongly of a cologne-y, slightly incense-y musk (black and/or red musk maybe?) No lavender, no honey, no cheesecake, just potent musk.

[portalkat]

This is one of my favorite lavender blends and I collect them. I love to wear them for sleeping and this is just so pretty. I find the lavender to be about mid-level astringent, not too much, but strong and herbal enough to cut through the sweet notes. It is creamy, but not in a really milky sort of way and it does have a cheesecake aspect. I also love the way that the honey blends with the lavender, because lavender honey is one of my favorites. I wish that I had bought backups of this one so that I wouldn't have to use it so sparingly.

 

ETA - I am so glad that I do not detect any graham cracker crust. That would have spoiled it for me.

Edited November 17, 2011 by portalkat

[ACVail24]

As advertised - a gorgeous lavendar honey cheesecake!

it's about equal parts of each listed item - with a distinct buttery graham cracker crust, but this element just re-inforces that cheesecake vibe.

[Gale]

This is just beautiful! I can't add anything new to all of the other reviews--it's true to all of its notes and blended perfectly.

 

The only question I have is whether I'll be okay with only one bottle!

[Alshneato]

My bottle smells like cologne- I was hoping for the buttery lavender cheesecake everyone is talking about!

 

ETA- I have now tried a decant that was supposed to be the more lavender cheesecake version- I still didn't get any cheesecake out of it!! Not for me I guess.

 

ETAA- I now have a bottle of the cheesecake version- thanks to the extremely generous and lovely emzebel to whom I will forever be grateful!! I LOVE this sooooo much! :love!:

 

ETAAA- This one is in my top ten! I wear it to bed every night- as well as during the day sometimes- it is so creamy and well balanced and just perfect!!

Edited January 19, 2012 by Alshneato

[dreamingjune]

In bottle: perfumey wispyness.

 

On skin: Not really any different. This is super feminine and I am not getting any richness that I might expect from honey or cheesecake, and I am certainly not getting any lavender. Huh.

 

Overall: Not for me.