Scarlet Moon

This is currently my favorite perfume and the closest thing that I have ever had to a signature scent. It is a 100% natural fragrance (developed by Heretic in collaboration with Rose Marie Swift/RMS Beauty) and I am impressed by how sophisticated and good it smells. It is interesting that I don't feel like it exactly smells like anything other than itself - there definitely is a lot of wood and some citrus, and I may be able to detect the pine, but it still smells really unusual and good to me beyond that. The company told me that the ambrox that is used in this perfume comes from natural sources, which is something that I had never heard of before. And so perhaps that is what I am picking up on. They did a great job with it, in any event, in my opinion.

Very citrusy opening - sparkling fresh and zesty, minimally sweet, definitely on the tart side. Very evocative of biting into a blood orange, zest, pith and all. The petitgrain is a nice foreshadowing for the green and woody notes. Then the elemi comes in, takes your hand and guide you through the transition from citrus to wood. I also get a lot of cedar in the base, which I really love. I definitely can vouch for the ozonic and aquatic accords too, though they're really not that prominent. Can't really speak for the hinoki wood though because I'm not familiar with this note. The dry down is simply gorgeous. Soft, smooth and green-woody-fresh-spicy at the same time, surprisingly elegant, not overwhelmingly bitter or balsamic. I was gonna say that this fragrance is not dark or edgy enough to have a name like scarlet moon, but tbh if I picture a red moon hanging serenely in the distant night sky above a dark forest, it fits - especially the dry down. To me, this is a night fragrance. It's for the evenings spent in solitude or with people very dear to me. Lowkey makes me want to wander the forests at night like some sort of wild creature. Opening is strong but after the first few minutes the fragrance sits very close to skin the entire time, lasts about 2-3 hours, a little longer on clothes. It's completely genderless. I would love it if not for the price tag.

Sweet and summery, but disappears quickly. The notes are bright and juicy since the woods are just in the background, and I really do like it, but I think it’s overpriced because of the poor performance. Plus I already have Dirty Hinoki, which I think is in the same family.

was honestly expecting more from this. like the name sounds beautiful. the bottle is fun. but on my skin it's really just all orange peel. it doesnt fade into anything different, just straight bitter orange peel the entire time (with a slight hint of cedar). it just fades in intensity. it's not complex or anything. to me it just smells like you rubbed orange peels all over you lol. which i mean, isnt the worst smell in the world- i just thought there would be more. something juicy with a hint of wood, you know. something either seductive or fun but no. just orange peel. i feel like a garnish or a wood cleaner lol definitely summery or a scent for being outside. it's great if you do actually love that zesty smell though. like if this is your jam- it's perfect. it's just not for me edit (9/23/25): okayyy hold on hold on. so originally, i wrote this fragrance off immediately after i got it. but recently i decided to experiment with layering it. hoping that it would add some dimension to it. some body. and let me tell youuuu- THAT is the move with this. i used it under black opium le parfum and it was SCRUMPTIOUS. it really highlights and accentuates the mandarin hint that's in it and just makes it so much better imo. im actually obsessed.

This is a clean fresh skin scent. Thank goodness it's Not soapy / Not laundry. (Tired of those). Maybe a touch sweet like the scent of fresh fruit blossoms in the air (not food-y sweet). I think if Sunflower Pop and Missing Person morphed, it might smell like this. It's youthful, but the freshness would likely be suitable for all ages. Leans feminine on my skin. I think it could be worn in any environment. I prefer my fragrance woodier and / or muskier, but this is a nice scent. Alas, as with most 'clean' brands the scent is fleeting. Longevity is an issue.

At first, when there was a faint hint of hinoki, it was okay. But once it hit the skin, the hinoki disappeared completely, leaving behind a fruity scent that just smells like shower gel. It’s super similar to a Le Monde Gourmand Kiwi — artificial sweetness.

Mini review: A soapy, blood orange freshie. I don't like it, but you might. Actual review: I'll start this review off by saying that there's nothing wrong with enjoying basic, mass-appealing fragrances. Sometimes, you just need a simple, "easy reach" fragrance that's inoffensive and won't get you in trouble at work. I feel as though Heretic, in this collaboration with RMS Beauty, tried to go that route with Scarlet Moon, but I'm not sure if they were successful in that venture. This is a blood orange fragrance. That's it. The sweet, fruity flesh scent is short-lived. The remainder of the wear is just the bitter peel and green leaves. There is also this heady "dish soap" quality to it; Like orange-scented Palmolive. It could be argued that I'm simply not the target demographic for this fragrance, but going by the description on the RMS website (the only place you can buy this fragrance, by the way), they don't know who their target demographic is, either.

Seriously considering making this my signature everyday. It has an incredibly addicting dry down and honestly just delicious from the beginning. I was expecting this to be more citrusy but it has just the right balance between the blood orange and woods. There is something slightly balsamic to it and the hinoki is what makes it special. A beautiful creation and I love that it’s a natural perfume!