Luna in Cancer Salve

if you've made your way to any LiC materia reviews after reading the writeup, this is for you! like many others, i was intrigued by the luna in cancer collection but felt some trepidation after reading kaitlin's copious warnings. i'm happy to report my experiences:
i have moon in cancer natally, so i wasn't sure if this meant this series would feel easier to me because i'm already used to her energy, or if it would mean that the series would be too much paired with my natal placement. i started off by applying only to my hands on monday mornings during my moon devotions, then eventually moved to pairing with other materia. i actually really like LiC salve as a potentiator of other materia, as indicated in kaitlin's writeup. LiC + salve of fomy is excellent for trancework and dream support, while LiC + SiA wraps me in an insulating, muffling cocoon of support. if you've been dying to try LiC, i would recommend it as a superpowered battery to boost any other materia you're working with!!

Bought this when I saw it was on sale and I have been applying a little bit of this almost every night before bed for the last 2-3 weeks. I honestly don't notice much when I use it alone, but it's an obvious enhancer of my EVII water and I'm curious to try it in combination with a couple of other things... it feels like a really nice base, rather than something that has a super noticeable effect for me on its own. I will also say that I loooovvvvee the smell, and I find the ritual of rubbing it into my neck/shoulders before bed very nourishing. I'm also very curious to see what becomes more obvious over time with regular application, since I'm guessing that 4oz tub will last a good long while.

This is just the stuff that my rigid, earthy Cap Moon needed. Smells like potpurri and nostalgia for an old home goods store I used to frequent with my mother. Layers great with Water of Asclepius for gentle comfort alongside Asclepius's somewhat clinical-feeling relief. Feels like a warm embrace before falling asleep. I'm already burning through this materia--might have to get it in bulk next time!

The Luna in Cancer series has a reputation for intensity for a reason.. the Salve has the same unnamable, magnetic resonance as the other LiC materia I have experienced but with a steady, soothing wrap of support. Wonderful for soothing a churning heart/mind (especially for mother and child related trauma) and an excellent grounding into sound and restful sleep. I have approached this series with extreme caution but found the salve the most medicinally supportive of the forms I've tried.

I’ll admit—I used this salve for over a year without fully grasping its role in my life. It wasn’t until I tried other lunar and salve products that I revisited the memories of Luna: like the time I had a loverboy rubbing it on my feet after frolicking at the pool, us oozing with desires (for each other), then us diving into the exploration of those wet desires... That year, I realized, was a whirlpool of self-discovery, as well as the discovery of my true desires blocked by trauma and conditionings (hello, comphet??!!? hello patriachy?!??!?!). The salve became a quiet companion as I peeled back layers of those armor to uncover raw, vulnerable truths about what I truly wanted... which allowed a space where fun and frolic felt safe again. In short: use Luna to soften the frictions in life, and at times when you need to seduce a lover... again and again and again.

I used this salve for the first time after a shower with Exalted Luna Spell Soap. I had the best sleep and I woke up feeling good and full of energy. I had dreams about my brothers when they were young and my school peers. Overall, lovely experience and restorative sleep.

Sometimes working with moon materia can feel too intense for me, so I tend to save this one for the days where I need extra TLC in my body, due to chronic illness. I like it for emotional comfort, but it may be hard for those of us who find it hard or feel unnatural to relax. It's soft in how hard it hits right away but it carries me gently through my day if I need it.

I was a bit worried this would make me oversensitive or bring nightmares at bedtime, but gladly it's felt like a really soothing energy that helps me settle into my body, which I can find hard to do. In using it, I've accidentally made an indentation of a crescent moon in the middle which felt so magical and perfect. I actually really like salves for the patterns they reveal even though that's not an explicit use.

I was worried about using this with a Scorpio Moon in the 6th house, but I have a strong relationship with the Moon and decided to go for it.

This promotes a deep sleep and dreams. I use this when my body or soul are painful and the sleep afterwards is restorative and the dreams uplifting (and usually includes a visit from a friendly spirit or two).

The balm promotes a feeling of gentleness and safety. Here are the arms you're safe to cry in; here are the arms that will rock you to sleep.

Gentle and soothing. A great way to enhance or extend the life of any other S&S salve by mixing it in or layering.