Before we get too far into the fall, let’s look at a branch of the tuberose family tree that I’ve been ruminating over for a while. So here goes: If Fracas and Carnal Flower had a love child, with Tubereuse Criminelle lurking somewhere nearby among the relatives (perhaps a grandmother?), Hiram Green Moon Bloom could very well be it.
It’s got a dab of the buttery, rubber-y note of Fracas, but not so much as to scare you off, lightened as it is by its charms echoing Carnal Flower. Also in its genes resides a small hit of the menthol-camphory pop that CF shares lightly with TC’s medicinal opening.
Moon Bloom straddles the tuberose fence nicely: On the days when more oomph than the elegant Carnal Flower is needed, but not quite as much firepower as Fracas provides, it creates a good balance. The tuberose starts off strikingly with a hint of menthol, then see-saws with a lovely jasmine, a bit of green, and a hint of coconut to top things off beautifully, lending a playful whisper as it does so well in CF, Ysatis, By Kilian Beyond Love, and others.
I just wish it lasted longer. Granted, my original go at Moon Bloom was via a dab sample vial. So I made haste to get a little spray decant of it to experience it in a bigger way. However, even that didn’t seem to last as long as I thought it should have. But then again, I usually only spray once. So perhaps what’s needed is what several Posse writers (Tom? March?) have said on the Posse: “Drench your poitrine until your socks are wet.”
So let me give that a go and see what turns up. Two sprays on one wrist (sorry, folks, I just can’t bring myself to do more) not surprisingly, resulted in a bigger medicinal whoosh, followed by a more intense unfolding of the other characters. Longer lasting most definitely and still quite enjoyable, and gives the menthol stripe a far longer ride.
BTW, I think this would be nice in a body cream or shower gel as well, not to mention extrait.
Notes from Fragrantica: tuberose absolute, jasmine absolute, ylang-ylang, coconut, greens, tropical spices and resins.
Have any of you tried Hiram Green Moon Bloom? If so, what did you think of it? Or what tuberose scents are you loving now?
Hey Miss Ann, I love your description of Moon Bloom! You’re spot on! (I know this because an uberly-wonderful friend put a little sample in my birthday package and it was love at first sniff.) 😉 <3
Howdy, sweet Suzanne! So glad you stopped by and so happy that you are loving the Moon Bloom, too. Do I see a decant (or FB) in your future? 😉
I haven’t tried this one yet, but I’ve been wanting to. I suspect I will like it. Tuberose and I generally get along. Carnal Flower is gorgeous but I found the lasting power slightly disappointing. I have tried Fracas once or twice, and I remember liking it, though I’ve never really given it a full wearing. And Tubereuse Criminelle.. once I get past the initial wintergreen blast I like it, but that initial bit can be a little trying, and a little nauseating if I’m not really prepared for it.
Hey, Jennifer, it sounds like the Moon Bloom just might be your cup of tea since you pretty much like all the others. And the wintergreen/medicinal blast isn’t near as overpowering as TC. Hope you get to try it soon!
hiram and i have been playing hide and seek. he moved to amsterdam right after i left. i went on a tuberose binge and her refused to have samples in stock. a friend went to amsterdam and i sent along directions, funds and camera for the mission- her trip got cut short and hiram waved goodbye from schiphol. very cagey this hiram.
Moon Bloom sounds devastatingly beautiful! and i understand a natural perfume? i couldn’t ask for more.
one day i will pounce upon hiram from behind a stroopwaffel stand or something.
of course i am talking about the perfume, not the man. i have never literally jumped on a perfumer…. yet. 😉
Oh, no, poor thing — chasing the scent all over the continent. Here’s hoping that you get your hands on some ASAP!
I’ve had this on my list to try for awhile now. Your review has spurred me to order a sample today!
Howdy, Kandice! I’m so glad you’ll finally take the plunge and sample it.
Can’t wait to hear what you think of Moon Bloom
Just received my sample and love, love, love this!!! Would be super happy if they made matching bath products in it as well as someone mentioned. Thanks for the review and giving me the push to try this. Now if I only had the money for the FB. Oh well, maybe someday 🙂
Hooray, Kandice! So glad you love it, too! And like you, I would be over the moon, pardon the pun, for bath products — yum, yum!! I’ll probably never spring for a FB, but am considering saving my pennies for a slightly bigger decant 🙂
Between you and Kafka, I now have this one on my to-test list. I can’t do Tubby Criminal because of that rotting-meat thing in the opening (the menthol/camphor never bothers me), and Fracas is a bit like wearing tuberose-scented cold cream because of the crap-ton of OB in it… love CF with its cold green opening. Finefinefine. I will just go ahead and order the Moon Bloom sample – a spray one if I can find it. I sometimes have trouble with staying power with regards to naturals, though I note that Vamp a NY sticks around a good six hours and the plain tuberose EO I have lasts about four, so we’ll see how Moon Bloom does.
OH! And forgot to mention that the small decant I got of the recently rereleased Le Galion Tubereuse is just gorgeous.
mals! You never fail to make me Laugh Out Loud! ‘Crap-ton of OB’, indeed! It’s that what makes me wonder….I usually cannot wear OB-heavy scents but LOVES my Fracas. And I LOVE cold cream! Maybe it’s the combo?
xoxoxoA
Could be, could be. It always puzzles me that people (including Luca Turin) refer to Fracas as the reference tuberose when the orange blossom is just as prominent in it. And conversely, Serge Lutens Fleurs d’Oranger is almost as much tubey as it is OB – I can actually wear that one. I should probably buy some. Cold cream has that very distinctive smell, doesn’t it? It reminds me of my mom, so it’s not a bad thing per se but I feel awkward wearing it.
(HEY. GLad to know I made you laugh. Just returning the favor, dearest. 🙂 And the Hunter puppy is right now sleeping on my foot, but I bet he would send you a big doggy kiss if he were awake.)
Seconding you on the love for the cold green open of Carnal Flower, Mals! That Le Galion sounds amazing — didn’t know it had been re-released. And do come back and let us know what you think of the Moon Bloom after you sample it. Thanks!
I love white florals so this has been on the list to try for a while. Haven’t gotten to it yet though. Actually I’ve heard so much positive stuff about it I’m almost afraid I’ll be disappointed when I do smell it.
Hiya, Poodle! I know what you mean about fearing to be disappointed, but even if you’re not head over heels for this, I think you’ll enjoy it at least somewhat. Do give it a try and let us know what you think.
Tuberose and I still aren’t playing nice. Well, tuberose isn’t and I should love tuberose because I love orange blossom and jasmine.
Oh, no — so sorry to hear this. Luckily, there are lots of other fish in the sea. And you have those amazing Amouages to love, right?
It’s funny… I love tuberose, but am iffy with jasmine soliflores and have great difficulty finding an orange-blossom-centric scent that does not smell like soap on me (the two I’ve found so far are BK Sweet Redemption and L’A Seville a l’Aube). MIXED white florals all do fine, but I find myself bored and, eventually, borderline irritated by, jasmine soliflores. And what is up with that, I don’t know, but it makes perfect sense to me that you might like some white florals but not all.
I am utterly crazy about Moon Bloom, and as soon as my husband smelled it, he bought me the bottle and the travel spray. He doesn’t usually react quite like that. On me it lasts a full four hours and is gorgeous the whole time. I have already written to Hiram Green begging them never to discontinue it. I still love my Fracas parfum, but this one is uniquely beautiful.
Wowza, lady! It made quite an impression on you both — and so wonderful that your hubby bought it for you! Got a question for you since you have the full bottle: Is there a regular cap that also comes with the spray or does it just come with the bulb atomizer? They are lovely and retro-looking but I worry about evaporation with them. Thanks!
A small screw cap came with the bottle. Regrettably, I misplaced the screw cap and am becoming worried about evaporation. I think I might cork the bottle when not in use, especially since another bottle I have with a cute retro atomizer has evaporated by half in the last year. .
I’m so sorry to hear that about your other bottle. If you can’t find a cork to work with your MB, perhaps you could contact the Hiram Green company and they could send you a new cap?
Hi Ann–have the Moon Bloom 5 ml travel spray. I find it to be quite long-lived–more so than CF, even. It lasts far longer on me than most naturals. I think MB skews a bit spicier than CF, though I enjoy both. Fracas edp smells very peachy to me, so all I have is a sample. Curious to try it in the parfum.
Oooh, you are so lucky to have the travel spray, Caroline! I agree, there are more spices and more zing in the MB. Glad it lasted so well on you; I got roughly two hours of goodness out of my two sprays, so CF definitely lasts longer on my skin though. Enjoy!
Goutal`s now dropped tuber is sooooo pretty!!! Grab a decant if unsure > FB`s still on Ebay 🙂 I miss original Chloe something fierce – open my bottles of that just to whiff!
That’s so sad, Linda — I’m sorry I never got to try it. I’m with you on the original Chloe: I loved it as well, and that frosted glass-topped parfum bottle was to die for.
I wore original Chloe for more than a decade, from middle school through college (dabbed. discreetly, I swear), and although the emotional effect of it now is too much, it really was such a lovely, lovely, rounded fragrance.
Hi, Mals — so nice to see you!! I remember you, too, were a huge Chloe fan. These mentions of it are making me crave it, so off I go to dig up my little bit of it.
I love, love, love, tuberose…but so far, only the real ones (so many in my garden, planted in memory of my Grandma, who loved them), and EL Private Garden Tuberose Gardenia. Have read about the others you named here, but haven’t tried (except Carnal Flower), as the other notes (medicinal, rubbery…) kind of scare me off! Wish I had a good place close, to spray and sniff…local Macy’s and Sephora are it for me…
Hi, Anne! I hear you; not a ton of good stuff to sniff very close by me either, but thank heaven for samples from the decant services like Surrender to Chance! Do try a few tuberose scents — you might find another one or two to enjoy.
I have never tried it, but it sounds interesting . I love tuberose in my garden, so……I’d be on board to try.
Lucky you, Ellen, to have tuberose in your garden — how wonderful! One of these days I’m going to have to find some and sniff it live in a garden.