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[personal profile] femmenstein
Hello! Moonalisa had been recommended to me over the last few years numerous times, but I never bothered to place an order since I don't like the FOMO aspect that their shop seems to have. I couldn't resist the Halloween offerings this year though, so we'll see how they are! A friend of mine told me that Moona herself used to be a pastry chef, so I'm very eager to try her gourmand creations. I think that's a really interesting background to have when you're making oils that smell like desserts or other food. I'm hoping they're relatively realistic!

The TAT was listed as 3 weeks, but these shipped out about 10 days after ordering and arrived right on Halloween! This package was the best I've ever received in terms of how well and securely it was put together. All of the oils were wrapped in tissue paper, put into little boxes, and then wrapped again, so there was no way they could move around and leak. There was also a glitter spray included as a gift, along with some brand art and Halloween confetti.

Cauldron Cakes (Cauldron cakes oozing with melted butter, cinnamon, maple and vanilla glaze, crushed nut topping, piping hot cappuccino, a tiny touch of witching mischief)

Preliminary notes: If memory serves, cauldron cakes are a Harry Potter thing (I think). I was a big fan of HP as a kid but haven't really been into it since then. Regardless, this sounds delicious.

In bottle: I get the cake and butter notes right off the bat, followed by the nuts and a bit of the coffee. Something smells vaguely plasticky in there, but it could be the nut note (*see below).

On skin: There's something slightly fruity and powdery in there, and I'm not sure where it's coming from. I get a bit of the cappuccino, maple, and butter but not much else for the first while. I can smell the cappuccino more in the scent cloud around me than directly on my wrist, if that makes sense. I can smell the cinnamon, nuts, and more of the cappuccino the longer it wears.

Verdict: 3.75 ghosts of cappuccinos out of 5. This is very faint on me, and the way it works with my skin chemistry is just bizarre. I like what I can smell, but I think this one might need to age a bit.

Broom Brittle (Smoldering woods blended into a toasted coconut and pumpkin pie crumble, magically transformed into a rich buttery toffee brittle)

Preliminary notes: Smoky/woody gourmands are fantastic, and I LOVE toffee notes.

In bottle: I'm getting woods for sure, and some cinnamon and what smells like a tiny bit of citrus. No coconut, pumpkin, or toffee.

On skin: Definitely has cinnamon in it, as I'm amping it to hell and back. It's a dry cinnamon, like a cinnamon stick, and not candy-like at all. I'm also getting something nutty, but it's not the coconut. I don't get any pumpkin pie, toffee, or anything buttery when it's wet. It's just a dry, spicy cinnamon explosion. If I try really hard, I can kind of smell a bit of pumpkin pie and coconut about an hour in, but still no toffee. I don't get any smoldering woods either.

Verdict: 3.75 cinnamon factories out of 5. I like cinnamon, but I was hoping for more than a cinnamon single-note with this. Skin chemistry/scent perception sucks sometimes, and it's not a fault of the actual product.

Caramel Apple (Rich gooey buttery caramel and slightly spiced baked warm apples)

Preliminary notes: I didn't think I wanted to smell like caramel apples until I tried Fyrinnae's Autumn in Avalon, and now that it's discontinued (to my knowledge), I'd like to have a somewhat suitable replacement. I'm not looking for a dupe, but just something in the same vein.

In bottle: What it says on the tin, really. The apple note smells more like a Granny Smith than a red apple, which is gently spiced and baked. The caramel is fairly faint, but it's definitely there.

On skin: This is definitely a baked scent, as opposed to a cooled down caramel apple. The apple is nice and bright, the spices are subtle, and the caramel is very warm. It leans a smidge Christmas-y, but I'm okay with that. It kind of smells like there's some sort of crumble topping on it, which is really interesting.

Verdict: 4.5 apple desserts covered in caramel out of 5.

Pumpkin Batter (Toasty bread, pumpkin puree, warm Autumn spices, vanilla frosting, creamy caramel, juicy raisins)

Preliminary notes: So I realized after the fact, going off of the description, that this is more of a pumpkin bread scent than a pumpkin puree scent, but that's okay.

In bottle: Oh, that bread note is amazing. I get the spices and raisins as well, and something slightly plasticky again (*see below). I can smell the frosting as well, which smells photorealistic and delicious.

On skin: I mean, it smells like pumpkin bread with raisins in it. It's pretty straightforward, but it's delicious. The spices don't amp, fortunately. I get a bit of the frosting note, but it's mostly about the pumpkin bread.

Verdict: 5 loaves of pumpkin bread out of 5.

Twisted Carnival #2 (Buttery toffee crusted marshmallows and strawberry jam topped funnel cakes)

Preliminary notes: You know me and my affinity for carnival scents. The jam note gives me a bit of pause, but the rest sounds delightful.

In bottle: This is so well blended that my nose is having a hard time deciphering everything. I can for sure smell the strawberry jam, which does indeed smell like jam and not fresh strawberries (which is fine by me, as I don't really like fruity scents), and I can definitely smell the toffee. The funnel cake note is a bit shy here, but then again, the toffee and jam are STRONG, so I'm not surprised. Something about this kind of smells like apple pie or apple crumble.

On skin: Cinnamon. Nothing but cinnamon, which is 100% my skin chemistry, since I amp it. I get a slight doughy note underneath that, but the toffee, marshmallow, and jam are hidden by a very strong cinnamon sugar note. It does smell relatively carnival-y, like cinnamon sugar mini donuts, so I'm not mad about it. Once it's on the skin for 1-2 hours, the cinnamon backs off a bit, and the toffee finally has a chance to come out. This one goes through several interesting phases.

Verdict: 4 buckets of cinnamon sugar donuts out of 5.

Wicked Apple (Buttery toffee apple crunch with a wicked bend of amber)

Preliminary notes: Shocker, another caramel-adjacent apple scent. I didn't realize that most of these had butter or buttery notes until after I started drafting this review. I might like gourmands just a little bit.

In bottle: That apple note is potent, but it's fantastic. It does indeed smell like toffee apples. Very warm, very gooey.

*I realized while smelling this one that the weird plasticky undertone I was getting from some of these was actually the labels! They smell like plain candle wax, and I guess I was getting cross-scents from that.

On skin: The same apple note from Caramel Apple, but not baked this time. It's like 95% apple with a tiny bit of toffee and amber underneath it initially. It eventually calms down a bit, and more of the supporting notes come out. This is very heavy on the apple itself, which is a very crisp, tart apple note. Not quite a caramel apple scent, but close.

Verdict: 4 baskets full of apples out of 5. I was hoping for more toffee, but it does come out more once it dries down a bit. This will be fantastic during autumn next year.

Sleepy Hallow (Smoldering seasoned oakwood fires, warmed leather, roasted spiced pumpkin flesh, smoldering marshmallows)

Preliminary notes: I'm a huge fan of Deep Midnight's oakwood fire note, and while no two house's notes are the same, it gives me great hope for this one. I'm also a sucker for a good toasted marshmallow note.

In bottle: Oh, god yes. The oakwood fire note is perfection, and all of the other notes marry beautifully with it. The marshmallows actually smell toasted! Toasted marshmallow notes never smell toasted to me, so I'm counting that as a miracle. The leather is fairly soft and doesn't smell like a jacket or the interior of a car.

On skin: Virtually the same as in the bottle, but warmer. It's just skirting the line of being a gourmand but never fully gets there. It's atmospheric for sure, and very appropriate for fall/Halloween. The wood note goes almost oud-y on me, which I'm not a fan of, but the marshmallow and pumpkin notes are fantastic. I also smell a bit of cinnamon in there.

Verdict: 4 fiery jack o'lanterns being thrown down a covered bridge out of 5.

Coconut Pumpkin Latte (Steamy, roasted coffee with creamy coconut milk, topped with sweet whipping cream, sprinkled with a touch of spice)

Preliminary notes: The note lineup kind of reminds me of Balefire Apothecary's Midnight Cackle, but I'm hoping this one is balanced a bit better.

In bottle: Okay, so Moona's coffee note is excellent. I get a bit of the coconut milk, whipped cream, and spices. I don't think there's an actual pumpkin note in this, so I'm assuming the spices are pumpkin pie spices. It's creamy, a bit spicy, and very coffee-heavy. DH is going to love this one.

On skin: A coffee scent that actually smells like coffee! This smells like a cup of dark roast coffee with a touch of coconut milk and some gentle spices. No pumpkin, but then again, pumpkin isn't listed as a note. This is delicious and cozy. Good throw and longevity. DH loves this one.

Verdict: 5 steaming cups of coconut-flavored coffee out of 5.

Where's My Pie (Pie crust, cinnamon, pumpkin, carrot, caramel, clove, nutmeg, pecan)

Preliminary notes: Carrot isn't a note I see a lot, so that's interesting. This kind of sounds like Thanksgiving.

In bottle: This is very interesting. On first sniff, I get the carrot, caramel, and something that smells like apples. I get a bit of the pecan and pumpkin if I try a bit harder, and something akin to lemon zest peeks out from underneath. I did not expect the carrot and pecan to be the strongest notes in this, but I'm not complaining. It smells delicious.

On skin: I still get that hidden apple note in there. This is delicious. Lots of spice, but also lots of pie fillings of all different varieties, and a bit of a buttery pastry note. It's very warm and cozy. Later in the drydown, this smells uncannily like pumpkin cookies smothered in cream cheese icing.

Verdict: 5 towering piles of pies out of 5.

Swirly Pop (Sweet orange EO, caramel, vanilla, spun sugar)

Preliminary notes: So my partner and I were watching DreamWorks Spooky Stories for the first time in mid-October, and one of the episodes featured a special candy called a Swirly Pop. I messaged Moona about it and asked if that was the inspiration for the scent, thinking it was a shot in the dark, but it turns out that assumption was correct. She had said she created the scent after watching that episode for the first time with her son years ago, which is really sweet. It made me that much more excited to have it arrive in the mail. I had no idea about that association until after I'd already ordered it.

In bottle: Orange candy. A LOT of orange candy, which makes perfect sense given the inspiration for the scent. It smells pretty much exactly how I'd assume a swirly pop from Spooky Stories would smell. I don't usually like fruity scents, but something about this one is very nostalgic. Orange suckers were my favorite kind growing up, and this is a dead ringer for them.

On skin: This was the first one in this batch that I tried on the skin, since they arrived on Halloween and it just seemed appropriate. First off, WOW, these pack a punch. The texture of the oil is very thin, and it absorbed almost instantly instead of taking a few minutes to soak in. When I was moving everything into the bedroom after the initial in-bottle impressions, I could smell this in a cloud around me.

In regard to the scent itself, it's virtually the same as in the bottle but the orange calms down a tiny bit and gives the other notes a chance to play. I can smell the caramel and spun sugar now, and they play off of the sweet orange in a very nostalgic, cheery way. I think I might have to wear this on days where I'm not feeling great mentally, because it instantly made me happy when I smelled it for the first time.

Verdict: 5 bags full of nostalgic orange candy out of 5. For someone who doesn't like fruity scents, I adore this so much. I'm so glad I tried it.

No Witches on a Crackling Fire! (A berry rich type of smoldering wood. A very realistic outdoor camping fire with that kind of sweet wet smolder in the damp morning woods)

Preliminary notes: I'm not super crazy about berry notes (save for blackberry), but smoky outdoorsy scents always get me. I'm hoping the berry note is fairly dark and not a raspberry or strawberry.

In bottle: "Realistic outdoor camping fire" is right. This is one of the most realistic campfire scents I've smelled. I don't get any fruity notes in the bottle. It's all burning wood, smoke, and a bit of damp air.

On skin: This leans a bit into BBQ territory, but I personally like intense smoke notes, so I'm not bothered by it. The berry note comes out a very small amount on the skin, but it's mostly smoke.

Verdict: 4 campfires out of 5.

Maple Kettle Corn (Vermont maple dousing freshly popped corn ending with a sugar crunch finish)

Preliminary notes: I mean.. do I even really need to say anything about this one?

In bottle: Yesss. All of the notes are present in the bottle, and there's a very slight fruitiness in there as well. It could just be part of the sugar crunch accord though, since it doesn't smell like any fruit in particular.

On skin: This is a weird one on my for the first minute or two. It smells almost minty, but the mintiness goes away fairly quickly. The maple is very strong, but I can smell the popcorn behind it, which is warm and heavenly. As it dries down, it smells like hot caramel corn, and the popcorn note strongly reminds me of the one from Alkemia's County Fair, which is one of my favorite carnival gourmands. It has very low throw compared to the other ones I'd skin tested at this point.

Verdict: 4 popcorn balls dripping in maple syrup out of 5.

Ghoul School Cupcakes (Moist caramelized vanilla cake, sweet coffee buttercream frosting, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, a touch of tonka and maple)

Preliminary notes: I have yet to try a vanilla cake note that actually smells like cake, so we'll see how this goes.

In bottle: The coffee buttercream comes off as almost savory upon first sniff, but everything gets sweeter the more I smell it. This is a pretty heavily-spiced cake scent.

On skin: I get the coffee buttercream for sure, and of course because there's cinnamon in this, I'm amping it and everything else disappears. After the cinnamon calms down, I get some of the maple and cake, which does smell relatively realistic. Later on, it's a caramelized cake scent with a tiny bit of maple. This is a very buttery, slightly spicy gourmand.

Verdict: 4.25 Halloween cakes smothered in coffee buttercream frosting out of 5.

Crone's Cottage (Smoking embers, delicious cakes and breads baking, hanging bushels of botanicals and herbs)

Preliminary notes: I've tried a few "witch's cottage" type scents over the years, but they've all been either too herbal or not foody enough for me. There's a very fine line between too much and too little for this concept, but I'm still tryin'.

In bottle: Ooo, okay. Right off the bat, this is already my favorite "witch's cottage" type of scent. Similarly-themed scents from other houses that I've tried have missed the mark for me, but this nails it on the head. The smoking embers smell like oakwood, and there's some savory baked goods dusted with soft herbs.

On skin: Pumpkin! Lots and lots of pumpkin puree. I smell something that almost smells like frankincense beneath that, which I'm assuming is some kind of lemony herb since there aren't any resins listed. I smell some cinnamon trying to eclipse everything, which it soon does for a brief moment. More of the herbs come out after a few minutes, and that lovely pumpkin puree note comes back. I don't get any bread or cake notes, but I am in love with that pumpkin note, so I'm not even mad at it. For me, this smells like lightly spiced pumpkin puree (aside from the cinnamon amping, which is just my skin), frankincense, and gentle herbs. I don't get any smoke or burning wood either.

Verdict: 4.5 jumbo cans of pumpkin puree out of 5. I could do without the cinnamon bonanza, but such is my general experience with it. After that calms down, this is lovely and delectable.

Haunted Home (Woods, herbs, resins, a touch of spice)

Preliminary notes: A scent that's inspired by the Haunted Mansion ride? Yes, please. I've never been to a Disney park, but I've always been fascinated by the Haunted Mansion.

In bottle: This is interesting. I get something lemony, which I'd wager is probably frankincense, given the description, followed by what smells like old wood (in a good way), and a bit of non-offensive lavender. It smells cold, and appropriately enough, haunting.

On skin: There is definitely, definitely lavender in this. It's not astringent or soapy though, so it's not bad. There's something that smells like pine needles or menthol (something camphorous) as well. It smells like a forest after a good snowfall shortly after application, which is not at all what I was expecting. There's something very slightly sweet underneath that, but I have no idea what it is, as the camphorous quality of whatever notes are in here overshadows it. I get something that smells similar to gingerbread briefly, and then more of the non-camphorous woods come out. I get a little bit of the resins after that stage, and then it just kind of disappears altogether.

Verdict: 3.75 wintry woodlands out of 5. I like this scent, but the longevity leaves a lot to be desired, which could just be my skin. Take that with a grain of salt.
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[personal profile] femmenstein
As usual, favorites are denoted with an asterisk. You can find Alkemia's storefront here.

A Roll in the Hay (A delightful romp through dried hay, fresh green grass, early summer wildflower honey, vanilla grass, vanilla leaf, and wild poppy.)

In the bottle: Hay, vanilla, greenery, and something very minty.

On skin: Hay, grass, a bit of vanilla, and something slightly herbal. It’s nice and fresh, and will be really nice for summer/early autumn.

Longevity: Became significantly close to the skin after 2 hours, and the herbal undertone took a backseat. More of the vanilla came out, and it got slightly warmer. I'll have to try this with Alkemia's perfume fixative to see how much longer it lasts. Lasted about 2.5 to 3 hours.

Misdeeds After Midnight (A hedonistic adventure of late night coffee liqueur, white rum, and a splash of creme de bergamot; Black Forest raspberries dipped in salted caramel; and Arabian rosewater infused with vetiver root tumbling wantonly together into a seductive bed of vanilla musk and golden amber.)

In the bottle: Strong raspberry, something chocolatey, and a bit of booze. Reminds me of something from my childhood, but I can’t pin what.

On skin: Virtually the same as in the bottle, but there’s something floral and sweet underneath it. I don’t think this one is staying with me, but it’s not bad. I don’t like raspberry in fragrance, so I’m not sure why I opted for this in the first place, but.

Longevity: The raspberry calmed down after a few hours, and the coffee came out more. Lasted about 4 hours.

Gaea** (Forest loam under warm spring sunshine, new ferns poking up through decaying leaves, maple sap flowing over lichens, mosses and wet stones at the edge of a vernal pool.)

In the bottle: Predominantly wet soil and stone, with a bit of wet greenery. This is really calming.

On skin: Virtually the same as in the bottle, but maybe with a bit more moss and wet greens. This is really beautiful and magical.

Longevity: Started fading after about 3 hours, but was still noticeable. When this fades, it fades very abruptly. Once it reaches the end of its lifespan on the skin, it disappears very suddenly.

La Belle Sorciére (A smouldering mystery of bakhoor incense, wild berries, narcotic champa flower, white moss, sweet agarwood, orange blossom honey, spiced wine, oppononax, and Egyptian kyphi.)

In the bottle: I was initially kind of scared by the champa note, since I usually hate nag champa, but this is lovely. It’s like a combination of Magus and Sorciére Rouge, but a bit deeper and smokier.

On skin: Still smells like a combination of Magus and Sorciére Rouge, but it’s more.. feminine, I guess? The champa is definitely there, but it’s not the cheap, choking champa I’m used to. Unfortunately, champa reminds me of babies, and this is no different, but I’m trying to like it. It’s primarily incense and lighter elements, and it reminds me of vintage perfume a little bit.

Longevity: Became more incense-focused after about 3 hours. Lasted about 4 hours.

Additional notes: In the last chance section.

Update (11/01/2019): I've worn this properly a few times since reviewing, and it's quickly become one of my favorite Alkemia offerings. It's the perfect sweet, feminine incense fragrance, and I adore it. It seems to have about double the longevity it had in testing, which is a little confusing, but I'm not complaining!

Honeycakes for Harvest Moon*** (Freshly baked honeycakes, autumn beeswax, gleanings from ripened grainfields, and newly harvested fruits lightly spiced with nutmeg, ginger, and golden cloves.)

In the bottle: Ooo, this is what I wanted from this. Bright fruits tempered with spices and grains, and a little bit of sweetness. I’m hoping the beeswax comes out more on the skin.

On skin: God, this is beautiful. Autumnal spices, grains, and a bit of fruit. It’s primarily spices on me, and it’s incredibly autumnal. Love this.

Longevity: Took on a strange burnt undertone after about 3.5 hours. Lasted about 4 hours.

Additional notes: Seasonal, in the last chance section.

Desiderata (The exquisitely simple beauty of an evening stroll on a warm June evening. Fresh honeysuckle blooming under a rising full moon, ivy vines, dew dampened grass, riverbed clay, old barnwood, and earthy vetivert root.)

In the bottle: Primarily honeysuckle and greenery, with a bit of vetiver. This is really nice.

On skin: Earthy notes and ivy are definitely the stars of this on my skin. I don’t get honeysuckle at all. It’s very, very soapy and screechy-green (which I didn't think was possible, being that I love green notes) on me, to the point of being overwhelming. It’s kind of a bizarre scent, and it’s hard to explain. This was a scrubber for me, which very rarely happens.

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DISCLAIMER

*All products mentioned were purchased by me unless otherwise stated.

*All photos and graphics used are my own unless otherwise stated.

c. Jan 2, 2019.

*Update 06/01/2025:* Given the tumultuous situation between the US and Canada right now including tariffs, reviews after the ones listed below are on hold indefinitely. It doesn't feel safe to purchase oils from the States anymore without the anxiety of potentially getting slammed with extra fees, so I won't be purchasing any for a while. I may explore Canadian companies at some point, but for now, I'm on an indefinite hiatus (minus the reviews below, which are all ready to post. I just have to stop being lazy about it).

UPCOMING REVIEWS

🥀 Alkemia 🥀

Angel's Kitchen
Hexenhausen
Rosa Alchemica
Foxfire
Viridis Arcanum
Surcie
Slice of Heaven Alchemy
Vanille Single Note
Winter Forest Alchemy
Taste of Rain
Attar al Oud
Bibliotheca
Baccante
Green Carnation
Sadzi
Moon Lust
Affaire de Coeur
Carmen 7
Silver Sky
Luminae (2025 revisit review)
Rose Rouge Layering Note
Gilded Alchemy
Deus Ex Machina
Haunted & Bewitched
Love Flight of a Candy Heart
Earthlight
Ecstasies of Light
Honored Ghosts
Come to Me
Ambre Gris (2025 revisit review)
Vert sur le Vert (2025 revisit review)
Lilacs Along the Winding Drive (2025 revisit review)
Siren's Spell
The Lady's Yes
The Lover Tells of the Rose (2025 revisit review)
Love Among the Ruins
Rose Musk
Persian Tea Room (2025 revisit review)
Pheromone P28
Arcanum Experiments 2023: 6, 7, 14, and 15
Ambre Aquae
Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure
Arcanum Experiments 2024: 9: Getting Lit
A Roll in the Hay (2025 revisit review)
Tulips & Chimneys
Novella
Caliph's Beloved
Candybox Alchemy


(Also attempting to review everything in my collection that hasn't been reviewed yet, so stay tuned for From the Vault posts)

CREDITS

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