Moonmilk

To explain what this scent means to me, I need to give some backstory. I started collecting perfume samples back in the late ‘00s, right after reading Luca Turin’s Perfumes: The Guide. Every few months, whenever I needed some dopamine-replenishment, I’d order a dozen new-to-me samples and spend a magical afternoon sniffing them and writing down my thoughts. My samples collection grew and grew, and in all that time, I never bought a FB. Instead, I’d re-buy testers of my favorites once I used them up. For most of that time, I was too broke to justify paying $200+ for a bottle. But even after I started making a (more) livable wage, I kept on buying testers. And the longer I went without buying a FB, the higher my standards for my first purchase became. It would need to be a scent I’d ache for when I wasn’t wearing it. AND a scent that felt like it was doing its own thing, something new or distinct. AND, most importantly, it needed to be a scent that would feel like “me” — that captured something about how I think and feel and move through the world. Moonmilk was the first scent that ticked all those boxes. It eventually became my very first FB. It’s not a big scent. As I write this, I have Moonmilk on one wrist and Shalimar on the other. Shalimar is so much louder. Moonmilk, in contrast, feels subtle and private. But they both combine citrus and leather in a way that makes me ... a little horny? A little hungry? A little impatient for the life that the perfume conjures to begin? But, unlike a big bold perfume like Shalimar, Moonmilk feels like “me.” It’s a scent for introverts. For people who like straightforward pleasure, but also like some mystery. There’s a fresh and surprisingly rounded lime at the top, balanced by the solemnity of the black tea note. And then, a ginger-y cardamom starts to bloom. Leather and sandalwood notes round it out, and bring a more earth-bound quality to the zing and spice. The combination is optimistic and melancholy, bright and dark, all at the same time. But, most of all, it’s inward-facing. This is the scent of someone who knows their own mind, but also doesn’t always feel the urge to share it. It’s feline, not canine. A soft-footed loner. Slightly aloof but also full of lively contradictions. In short: it’s the scent for me. And maybe you, too, if you’re looking for something that isn’t just pleasurable and distinct, but soulful, too.

I'm very taken with Stora Skuggan as a niche perfume house, and Moonmilk is no exception. A creamy sandalwood scent punctuated by other complementary notes, it somehow manages to reflect its abstract name perfectly (as did Mistpouffer). I love a good sandalwood note, and find that only the Mysore variety that is now only found in vintage scents hits the spot. However, Moonmilk is one notable exception. The sandalwood here is smooth and rich, comforting and warm. Moonmilk opens with a spicy cardamom note, joined shortly by the aforementioned sandalwood that dominates this scent. The lime note adds fleeting citric freshness, and Moonmilk becomes warmer and creamy after it subsides. Lily-of-the-valley adds a hint of white floral creaminess, with its characteristic greenness adding a little lift to the warm wood. This segues to the the refreshing tea note, adding a herbal freshness as it develops. The woodiness becomes surprisingly green here, almost petitgrain-like, aromatic and forest-y. I love a green accord, and here it is delicious. As it dries down, a leathery amber accord emerges in the base, rich and labdanum-like. It marries beautifully with the sandalwood in the late stages of this scent. In fact, each note - citrus, floral, tea, spice, amber - seems to be expertly chosen to provide a nice counterpoint to the smooth, dominant sandalwood. Sillage is moderate and longevity is long-lasting. Perfectly unisex, this is a top-notch modern sandalwood scent, expertly composed with high-quality ingredients. Easy everyday elegance as well as being comforting. Best worn in cold weather. Hard to fault. 5/5.

This is a great interpretation of lime in an opening fragrance. It smells so realistic! Very uplifting. I see in the breakdown that there is orange in the middle. That's not going to come through strongly, but it will extend the citrus elements further out for longevity. And it does! I have misconceptions about this fragrance. I thought it was going to be mostly about sandalwood. Of course there is, but there's so much more going on here. This is more or less my initial reaction to this fragrance. My first impression. Typically, that does not happen. I try to wear fragrances multiple times before I start writing a review. That did not happen tonight. So whatever you are reading is going to sound clunker than usual. Moonmilk is more about mountainous exploration than it is about abstract interpretation. Black tea and cardamom are the two other significant notes within the composition. I absolutely love cardamom and I certainly get it here! I'm really happy about that. And of course black tea. Spicier than green tea or any other of like. Don't forget the simple black pepper in the middle. You can start to imagine the overall smell is spicy. Creamy, spicy, dusty, and aromatic. The title of the fragrance comes from the Appalachian mountains and how the beautiful light of the moon comes through into a cave and highlights the stalagtites, dripping into the pools underneath. Moonmilk. Lily of the valley and leather are the only remaining notes we haven’t discussed yet. They are supporting characters for sure. It is a great fragrance! I am going to purchase as soon as I can.

Moonmilk is another creative masterpiece from Stora Skuggan. It’s not my favourite from the house based on personal preference (I am simply not a fan of lime), but it’s undeniably a wonderful experiential fragrance. Moonmilk is cold, spacious, suspended in time. It sparkles with bitter lime, it gleams with creamy sandlewood, and it echoes and drips with a sort of salty mineralic quality. But beyond the imagery, Moonmilk is one of those rare fragrances that captures something more all-encompassing that I can only try my best to put into words... What I find interesting about cave tours is the silence that seems to descend upon people as they journey downwards. The deeper, darker, cooler it gets, the more hushed and introspective people become. I imagine that such a sensory shift, from the world above to the world below demands a kind of pause from people: forced existential contact with the earth that is far older than us. I admit this is probably way too weird for fragrantica, but the psychoanalyst in me also wonders whether there’s something strangely yonic about journeying into caves. A sort of...symbolic return to our ancient womb...if you will. How impressive that a fragrance aptly named Moonmilk can capture such a thing!!

A good old sandalwood + cardamom combo. It's a profile I really enjoy in colder months, and I have found many this fall and winter that I enjoy. Lune Feline and Bewitching Yasmine are in this category, but Moonmilk is somewhat different than the other two in that it has a more aromatic, masculine slant. I still think this is unisex leaning feminine, but there is something a little deeper and darker and almost soil-like about this that the other two do not have. When I first smelled it, I thought it had an aquatic note somewhere in there; maybe that's the lime, though I don't really smell it as itself or as citrus at all. Don't get put off by "soil", "aquatic", or "citrus", these are really just me trying to describe the je ne sais quoi quality that this fragrance has that makes it intriguing and alluring beyond the call of simply well-done cold-weather warm spice scents. Intoxicating in the way that you feel when you look over at your long-time friend and suddenly there's a romantic spark as you sit together in moonlight. 9.5/10.

I tried a sample of this on a whim from LuckyScent.. and i immediately fell in love. This is a warm, green, spiky smell that on me develops into a soft, almost tabacco/leather arm chair that you took naps on at your grandparents in the warm summer sun...eventually it dries down to a smooth sandalwood that plays with the tea and florals as you move through your day. One spray is enough, there is substantial power and depth in the sillage. The initial earthy/green makes it a good spring and summer scent.. but as it develops, i'm excited to wear this into the fall and winter. Its a unique balance between smoothness and superb blending, while at the same time being surprising as I find I can smell the unique notes at different points throughout the day. Give it a sample try first.. i can understand where this wouldn't work with everyone's chemistry. I'm excited to try others from this house.

Opens in a very light and clean, citrusy and floral mix of lily of the valley and lime. After around 30 minutes, it sets as a powdery, still clean smell, where the leather starts to come out. After a few hours, the sandalwood really kicks in, and the scent sets as a very leathery, more masculine finish. The tea and cardamom is present throughout all stages. In my opinion a beautiful scent, which evolves very very smoothly and discreetly. To me, this is a very nice office perfume, as you start the day with the energizing smells of citrus, and as the day goes on and your resolve dwindles, you set into the soothing, woody tones that your SO will smell every day yo get home. Slightly more geared towards male, simply because of the woody and leathery tones underneath, but the opening and mid-section are as unisex as they come.

This scent is really unique and beautiful! A creamy creamy sandalwood with a soothing tea topped up by some fresh lime, so clean and versatile.. Everytime I wear this one, I know the compliments are going to absolutely flow and people are going to smell me from miles away. Don’t be fooled by the notes because this is a beast mode fragrance and today my colleague arrived in the shop and said « the shop smells so good today, I can tell from outside even.. » He confirmed it was me when He smelt my arm. The bottle is also stunning, I am obsessed by this Beige bubble and beige is my favorite color so I feel so « me » when I wear it. I d say this perfume is for someone balanced and neutral; in character and appearance.

The best way I can describe this, is you're wearing a spiced based fragrance and you take a breath of fresh cold air - there's something deliciously different about this. it opens with a burst of lime that doesnt feel astringent or cleaner, but more of a sweet lime that brings a freshness to the fragrance rather than a fruity citrus note. As it settles you get that creamy cardamom kick that tickles your nose in a good way, with the black tea and leather adding warmth, its woody and warm without feeling synthetic. The cardamom really lingers as this goes on, its toasty and warm, with the leather almost acting like a musk on the dry down - I can say I kept going back to smell this on myself as I couldnt stop.

Warm spicy is a perfect description for this scent, but there is also a juicy freshness that comes from the lime accord. Sandalwood dominates this scent, but it comes off as soft and creamy. The notes blend together perfectly to evoke the feeling of a lactonic perfume, but it doesn't exactly smell lactonic. Leather and cardamom come out as it dries down, which helps to give a serene and calming feeling. I'd group this Eyes Closed and Radio Bombay as my favorite calming scents. Longevity is solid, and a little better than some of the other offerings from Stora Skuggan, usually eight hours with moderate projection.

I've been on the hunt for a new signature scent, and it MIGHT just be this. I opened the little sample vial and said aloud "Oh my GOD it's here!!!" I've tried around 60 samples so far, and I think this may be the winner. I have ranked several top contenders as 'leaning yes,' but this is my first 'love.' The dry down is astonishing. I'm blown away. I have to say, I cannot believe the citrus and spices― these are usually elements I don't enjoy in a fragrance, so I was shocked to see that these are so essential to the scent profile. In any case, it's a fantastic special scent.

For me this a richer, more inviting , and more unisex version of Midnight in paris. Yes that might not seem possible, but you have to smell it. It is as if midnight and paris got mixed with cold milk and a little more clean patchouli and you get moonmilk. Think Oud Satin mood kind of territory here. For Niche lovers I suggest you check this out, this is one seductive fragrance either gender could pull off, but I would prefer on a women. Longevity is elbow length for 7 to 8 hours and it seems to work better in the evenings, nothing for the summer. For me a Masterpiece.

The reviews of Moonmilk seem very divided, and I understand why. The combination of lime, pepper, and cardamom makes this almost medicinal at the opening. However, if you give it just a few minutes to mellow out, you start to get some cozy tea and woodiness. I love this scent. Imagine opening an old cedar cabinet full of teas sachets, dried fruits, and spices, the scent that wafts out of that cabinet is Moonmilk. They need to make an incense version of this fragrance in my opinion. I would want my home to smell like this as I fall asleep at night.

I love the smell of wood but find woody fragrances to be a difficult genre. They often smell very sharp and syntetic or they don’t smell like wood at all (especially with ”sandalwood” I find that to be a problem). But this one, i find perfect. It has a very natural-smelling wood note and a very very lovely cardamom. The lime is also very nice, also very natural, like lime peel. All in all i find this to be a perfect balance between a dry warmth and coldness. Real perfume art and a new favorite for me.

Soooo good. Heavy on the sandalwood, and it pairs so perfectly with the tea, lime, and leather notes. The middle notes kind of get lost on my skin, but I don’t mind. This is currently the only perfume in my collection that gets more than one individual compliment when I wear it to work or out to town. Every time I wear this, I get dozens of compliments and people asking what perfume I’m wearing. It’s sooo nice, and the performance is fantastic! Genuinely a 10/10 for me. Love love love.

The fragrance that changed it all for me. This singlehandedly gut punched me into thinking about fragrance seriously. Until that point, it was just me and my CDG Wonderwood. I can’t even separate the notes here, it’s just the perfect blend of woody and fresh and a bit warm and completely unisex and undoubtedly sexy. It’s exclusively a night time fragrance for me. Works best with a chill in the air and a leather jacket. Two sprays is all you need, clothes hold onto it for weeks.

The scent is subtle, delicate, and clean, making it versatile enough for the workplace and perfect for all seasons. I’m generally not a fan of leather notes, but here, it’s not overpowering at all; instead, it plays a brilliant supporting role that elevates the fragrance. The balance of lime, cardamom, and tea in the opening is superb—it’s so refreshing that I just want to keep sniffing it. I truly believe this is a well-crafted perfume.

I am usually a Mistpouffer girl but as we transitioned into spring time, I have quickly become full blown moonmilk-pilled. This is the kind of perfume you put on to tend to your garden, listening to Linda Perhacs’ Parallelograms while smoking a joint on a bright spring day, planting beautiful flowers that will later on bloom and sweetly scent the air you breathe so beautifully. What an absolute masterpiece, I truly can’t get enough.

There’s something mysterious and mineralic about this scent. I definitely get a burst of lime the sandalwood is the backbone here. It reminds me of the Carlsbad caverns in New Mexico. Someone mentioned eating key lime pie in a cave and I feel like that really sums it up in a way. I like it a lot. I think it’s sophisticated but odd, it’s not easy to pin point. It reminds me of the moon card in tarot

Moonmilk and Fantome de Maules are both great for the cooler months. I definitely get the chai tea vibe from Moonmilk. Cardamom is definitely present through the whole longevity and it's citrussy aspect is played up by the lime. I do get a soft milky pentadecanolide type lactone but it may be the creamy facet of the sandalwood. The 30ml bottles are adorable and great for travelling.