The Moon by Frederic Malle

Fecal opening with synthetic-sounding red fruits; they say it’s similar to Promise, but nothing could be further from the truth: Promise is sweet apple with the green notes of Cipriol, while The Moon is fecal Oud that lightens up with red fruits and incense. It lasts and projects more than Promise, and that’s insane: I sprayed it on four times like I would with my favorite apple to last all night throwing rays, and I had to go shower and change clothes. If you like Indian Oud, it’s for night and cold weather; you can put on one or two sprays of this brew, anything else is asking to be locked up for a public health offense. You’ve been warned.

It works terribly on my skin. The opening is horrifyingly fecal, and although I can enjoy its leather, rose, sandalwood, and some red fruits starting from the second hour, I barely wear it for several hours because the first half-hour isn’t worth the suffering. As an occasional experience, once or twice a year, it’s fine, but unless my skin chemistry changes somehow, wearing it isn’t an option.

Despite the intense opening, the oud isn’t the star; what dominates is Amber Xtreme, turning the perfume into a longevity bomb. It resembles Promise more than The Night, with little oud, lots of cypress, and sweet-and-sour fruits. The red berries sound synthetic to me, but the incense is excellent. Frederic Malle has better scents for less money, just like Rasquinet with Bois d’Ascèse or Iris Cendre.

A before and after in my perfume journey. Totally addictive, I don’t want to stop smelling it. The opening is a slightly animal, smoky, armored oud that dries down to reveal a juicy, dark, realistic raspberry. Unique, rounded, and perfect are the words for The Moon. Ladies and gentlemen, it’s mandatory to try it at some point.

1) This is capitalism and personal enjoyment: if you like it, buy it, total freedom. 2) In a commercial product, everyone has the right to an opinion. If it smells like dirty sheep’s hoof or manure, you have to say it. 3) I never speak out of hate or snobbery. I’ve smelled and tested before, whether in ownership, perfumeries, or samples. I never buy blind with expensive niche scents, that would be idiotic. 4) Niche is more expensive and less commercial, sometimes risky. Let’s leave the ‘is it natural’ debate for another time. So, no idiotic hypes, thanks. On to The Moon by Frederic Malle. Among ouds, this is high quality, nothing synthetic, and hardcore, animal, with a ‘stable oud’ smell. Eternal longevity, Gestapo-level torture if you don’t like it, for the brave or the rich. Worth a field for a milliliter. Watch out, The Night is worth double and projects more. If you like the gun, go ahead. The rest of the world, the 99%, keep living.

I’m not trying to create hate. I quite like The Moon, although I understand it’s not for many noses. This explains the niche concept: there will be more people who dislike it. For seasoned olfactory palates, it’s the opposite. Many will appreciate the quality regardless of whether it’s for them. I don’t understand what kind of head buys something like this blind. If you’re new, I apologize for the ignorance, but if you’re an expert in niche and criticize that it smells like poop because you don’t understand the hype, that’s childish. You’ve shit and you’re eating it with potatoes. Another matter is whether the price is reasonable, but that’s a different debate.

Hello everyone! I agree with the YouTubers: The Moon is a beast by Frederic Malle, one of the best in the world. If you aren’t trained, it might seem like a horror, just like trying to lift 200 kg without preparation; you get hurt and say it’s impossible. Give your nose a chance! The first time I smelled Dior Homme, it smelled like crap, but now I have 10 bottles for life. I sprayed it 4 hours before the end of 2023 and filled the house; my family said I’d emptied half a bottle, but it was just one spray on my wrist and it was enough. Absolute madness of richness! That resinous, woody oud with a sweetness like red berry jam. I went to bed at 4 AM and it was still strong at noon, and at 11 PM it was still present. It lasted 28 hours intensely without touching my nose, then softened to skin scent. Atomic power, complex but pleasant, though the first hours give a headache because it’s so strong. Like all FMs, they last forever and when they warm up, the scent comes out even stronger. A 100ml bottle (1200 sprays) for €720 will last you years if you use it twice a week (9 years). Nobody uses it daily because it’s suicide; in a week, you’d be overwhelmed. Compared to Million, where you spend €100/year and smell like a millionaire, here you spend €720 and smell like The Moon; the difference is abyssal. If you think it’s expensive, check Wallapop carefully (fakes exist) and you can find FMs for €100, like I did with Uncut Gems and Musc Ravageur.

I bought a decant because of the hype and reviews about how amazing it smells. Normally I use sweet, woody, or citrus perfumes that are wearable and tasty for everyone. But this, which is unisex, is very unpleasant. It’s like being in a wooden stable with intense horse manure, and then someone puts overripe red berries on top. Exactly like that it smells. I don’t understand people who enjoy it; I imagine they have super-developed noses that see it as art, but I can’t imagine going out smelling like horse poop with strawberries. Definitely not for me.

FREDERIC MALLE THE MOON: Warning, I’m not sure I’m ready to review this true masterpiece, but I’m willing to share the feeling it produces when you hold it. Before I begin, let me say this isn’t for casual sniffing; it’s for people immersed in this world or those who know how to appreciate quality. Just opening the cap floods you with an extraordinary sensation, like walking through a wet, monochromatic red fruit forest with raspberries, lychee, and a spicy saffron note; simply, pleasant, fruity bliss. When sprayed, it’s an explosion of red fruits and saffron alongside a real oud, animalic yet wrapped in exquisite incense and red fruits like a sorbet, leaving you speechless. After a minute, the fragrance settles into a balanced aroma: oud and incense wrapped in magnificent roses that don’t dominate on my skin, with a fine layer of red fruits losing their brightness to let the enveloping, dark incense-oud take over, evoking imposing elegance. It’s not that one note prevails; everything is aligned, but once settled, we have a dark opulence, like a frenetic battle between the darkness of the oud/incense and the bright light of red fruits that seem to expel intense drops of color until they fall into a collapsing lychee; it’s marvelous, a true synesthesia. The only downside, aside from the price, is that everything happens very quickly, a frantic battle lasting about half an hour; once it settles, the opulent aroma lasts over 10 hours.

One of my favorite perfumes. An explosive opening of red fruits, sweet and spicy. The oud is incredible, a true delight, with a medicinal, fecal side reminiscent of a stable at first, but always wrapped in that fruity layer and an exquisitely elegant leather that adorns the oud. Rose is also perceptible, though in lower intensity. Longevity and projection are unbeatable. The only downside is the price, which I don’t think is outrageous, but it is expensive. Maximum quality in ingredients, noticeable from start to finish.

A real keeper, medicinal scent, like rancid ointment, with a distant raspberry note. 600 euros, hahahaha, but what is this, please??!!

Very good but overrated in my opinion; you can find nothing similar in private collections or other niche houses. The price is obscene, and Frederic Malle’s presentation is quite average and generic for the cost.

The last of the collection, the moon. The Moon: opens fruity and bittersweet, a combo of lychee (sweet) – raspberry (bitter) with very marked smoky incense; the dirty oud is present though it lasts only a few minutes. When it dries, a leather accord marks the base. It’s very chameleon-like, many facets. After a few hours, it leaves a sweet scent, and the smoky character doesn’t disappear. Outstanding quality, I loved smelling it, but in my opinion, it has a problem: the phases are short, everything happens very fast, and I would like to enjoy each phase more (opening, development, dry down). Unisex with a masculine leaning (oud, leather, incense). Limited versatility, moderate performance. $850 for 100ml is a costly offering (prices have risen), but it’s worth every penny. Great perfume by Rasquinet.

I can’t think of a situation where I wouldn’t wear it, maybe except for something sad like funerals or funerals. For everything else—dancing, strolling, dinner, kissing, sunbathing, or a siesta—it’s unbeatable. Its amazing evolution; every time you smell it, you discover another layer. Along with its incredible longevity, it’s basically a three-in-one. There are expensive things you regret buying, and there are things you don’t. The Moon is a treasure.

The Moon is a masterpiece. I have nothing to add to what has already been said.