Tuesday, June 18, 2019

Arcana Wildcraft and B. Perry Studios Precious Stones Collaboration

These perfumes were sent as a gift from Julia. All opinions are my own.


Julia at Arcana Wildcraft and Brooke from B. Perry Studios are deft hands when it comes to collaboration. Formerly as Villainess, Brooke and Julia would come together for scents, soaps, scrubs and all things fragrant for the body. I tickles me greatly that they are continuing their fragrant partnership as Brooke transitions into B. Perry Studios. In fact, that is where these amazing scents can be found in both perfume and scrub form (though I do think some of the perfumes may be sold out- don't miss those scrubs!). These items are all vegan. Including the scrubs which I will feature later.

Rhodochrosite- Notes: Cheerful pink rhodochrosite is believed to stimulate happiness, love and youthful vigor. Fragrant Monoi de Tahiti with pink lemonade, citron, fresh gingerroot and pink labdanum. $20

Summer. This is summertime on the shore. At first when I sniffed the bottle it hit me with tropical gardenia but then oiled beach skin, bronze and glowing, came to mind too. Living on island time where people amble to the beach front cafe' for lemon spritzers, sand crunching between their flip flops and heels, sunscreen fragranting their shoulders and wild jasmine and gardenias blooming somehow among the cast off shells that roll in dunes. Fresh and wet on the skin the citron and tiare flowers possess a kinetic effervescence that pulses with summer brightness. I need to wear shades. I love it. The heart of the scent is tart and sour, a nod to the lemonade, with a bracing breath of soapy ginger that plays beautifully with the Tahitian gardenias. The dry down is interesting. A cottony clean labdanum and musk that reminds me of stones and shimmery sheets of mica flakes. I think the pink lemonade left a touch of the powderiness behind which translates into the clean cotton scent for me. Unique and lovely and cheerful indeed.


Chocolate Opal- Notes: This burnished stone filled with mysterious reflections is used to bring mindfulness, healing and psychic visions. White chocolate, fizzy raspberry soda, German cocoa CO2 extract, marshmallows and a sliver of young spruce. $20

Sniffing from the chocolately amber bottle reminds me of walking into The Ganachery at Disney Springs. It is this quaint artisan chocolate shop that features exquisite milk and dark chocolates along with a handful of truffle flavors. Dark cocoa, silken and dusky, melts in ribbons, pooling with magenta raspberry sauce. The white chocolate and marshmallow lend a creaminess to the robust chocolate. It is delicious. Soaked into the skin of the wrists the raspberries drizzle out like the sticky syrupy centers of a cordial, dense and flavorful, mouthwateringly delicious. This is easily the most appealing rendition of a raspberry that I have laid my nose on in perfume. It moves from a plump candied berry surrounded by juice and encased in a thin layer of artisan chocolate to having just the merest breath of cherry tobacco within the heart. As it dries down the cocoa takes on more of the nuances of woods while that sliver of spruce lends credence to that feel. All the while the raspberry cordials linger in the background, keeping the scent plush and constant. This is a beautiful chocolate aroma, so much more that it appears from the notes alone. One not to be missed.


Celestite- Notes: The soft, gentle sweetness of ethereal blue celestite helps to alleviate anxiety and calm the soul. Delicate iris, lavender, violet, orris root, confectioner's sugar, vanilla bean creme and white musk. $20. 

Darkly glimmering florals reach out from the vial, as if these rare purple and blue hued flowers existed in a sacred clearing at midnight and were beaded with moon dew and strung with pearls of spiders' web. Draped on the skin the orris root, which comes from an iris plant, exhales its tarry notes with a breath of mint and mystery. The heart of this scent is all about those tranquil florals. Powdery and beautiful like moth wings, iris and violet float like gossamer ghosts on a nightwind, lulling the senses into repose. The orris resurrects itself in the drydown but with soft leather and violet tones that merge with the faint suggestion of powdered sugar. However, on my skin this is never sweet. I think I am naturally drawn to this particular perfume not just because of the notes alone, but also because this time in my life does need soul calming and anxiety soothing. I appreciate having this elixir to wear. I do want to note that when I state that something is powdery, I do not mean "baby powder" it is how I envision a light ethereal softness in a scent. If I mention talc, then I am thinking more like baby powder. Powdery in a fragrance is not negative in my esteem. It is a tactile beauty that has a place and a texture in the fragrance. 


These three scents are beautifully created. I love the theme behind them and hope more precious gemstones emerge from Julia and Brooke with scents, scrubs and perhaps even lotion and bar soap? Hey. A girl can dream. I am rooting for a moonstone muse. I knew I would love Celestite but Chocolate Opal was a surprise favorite for me. Normally chocolate and I do not get along but this one will be worn often. You should go get it. 

How are you doing? What gemstones would you like to inspire a fragrance?

4 comments:

  1. I think I'd have to do some real thinking about gemstones relating to fragrance.. like what would I interpret? Very interesting, wonderful thing to think about!
    Hexennacht has a gemstone line of perfume blends on her scent description list- have you checked that out? :)

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    1. I am thinking perhaps the colors translating into scents, or the stone's properties. Like if they help you feel positive or calm. I have had a scent before that reminded me of a fiery red carnelian.

      I have not! I tried a few Hexennacht scents that were gifted but none of them really stuck with me. I think maybe I need to explore the house more. Sihaya & Co just released her summer candle line and it is all gemstone blends. But I hauled SO MANY of her candles I seriously need to just get to burning.

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    2. I saw Sihaya & Co's gemstone release too and immediately thought of our convo here! It sounds like such a wonderful collection of fragrances.
      I tried Hexennacht when I first got into indie goodness a few years back. I fell in love with Caroline's Papa Legba blend, Planchette and Jareth-which is a discontinued scent now.
      I've been trying a ton of sample vials from Ajevie recently. Honey Moon has been my standout favorite. Some wear nicely on me, some not so much and I definitely want to layer blends as a lot of people in her Facebook group come up with great combos.
      But yes, definitely with any perfume house, some mesh with our body chemistry more than others.
      I do like that Caroline offers some home and body products. The handful of stuff I've tried, I really do enjoy.

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    3. Good to know! I will look into those scents and see if I can track them down. <3

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