Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Arcana Craves: New Honey Line, New Vanillas and New Strawberry

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


Julia composed several new lovely perfumes for her Arcana Craves line in honor of the things we have all missed terribly during this pandemic. She also debuted a new Craves flanker in the form of honey. And Julia's iterations of honey are some of my very favorite. Her honey blends are never sour or gamey, syrupy or powdery. They flow along the lines of floral or heady, rich and sometimes tobacco-like. These range $18 each and there are some great deals and coupon codes going on too.


Honey Craves Festivals- Notes: Smoky dragonsblood and nag champa incense, dark honey, live music, green cannabis, spilled beer, bonfires, patchouli, soft earth, and laughter.
Uncapping this is a practice in self indulgence. At least for me. I get lusty whiffs of patchouli incense and I am here for it. Swiped onto the skin satiny incense sticks of spiced dragon's blood and carnation hued nag champa waft about in gray streaming clouds. A teasing thread of fresh sticky weed outlines the heart of the scent while that smokin' patchouli reveals itself through the haze of incense. The dry down is my favorite, a gauzy honeyed musk infused patchouli. The patch and soft earth go hand-in-hand and rest beautifully on the skin but eventually vanish leaving only the honey musk glow. If Honey Craves Festivals then I crave Honey Craves Festivals.

Honey Craves Paradise- Notes: Sugared mango, heady tiare blossoms, delicate honey, golden sand, and warm coconut scented body oil.
In the vial a swell of honeyed white blossoms rises up, they are moony with the essence of tropical gardenias and sweet like bananas. This dewy nectar wears like a silk sarong on the skin with a golden shoulder exposed and a creamy white flower tucked behind the ear. A honeyed sunset on Oahu with palm tree silhouettes and Billie Holiday's lyrical voice weaving through the coconut and jasmine scented air. Silken, narcotic and well, paradise.

Honey Craves Moonlit Paths- Notes: Night hiking in a deciduous forest under the moonlight. Beeswax absolute, forest floor, damp, decaying leaves, fragrant mosses, wild honey, sleeping trees, and a whiff of feral fur.
Kicking up drifts of browned damp leaves while hiking along a winding shadowy path, this is the mirage that unfurls from the bottle when the cap is unscrewed. This mirage unfolds onto the flesh when dappled upon it. Leafy trees, dusty bark and warm burrows spring up too. There is even a hint of a chilly nightwind that combs through the oaks then skims over a moonlit silvered brook. As the swollen moon skims across the icy sky a lonely lupine howl rises. The drydown smells of a cold stone den, gray wolf fur the dry leaves stuck to it. I love this perfume and the earthy wild romp it takes me on.



Honey Craves Coffee Shops- Notes: Roasting coffee beans, honey-drizzled cake, freshly baked vanilla cookies, soft, overstuffed chairs, and a hint of steamed milk.
This was the first one I sniffed when I opened up the delivery and I was knocked on my rump. A coffee junkie's delight. Creamy and frothy honeyed cinnamon lattes and a heady atmosphere that reminds me of Holy Terror for some reason, is it the honey? Beeswax? I don't know but it is like sitting in a dark cafe with heavy velvet drapes while slightly inappropriate indie flicks are playing silently on the wall. On the skin a cup of cafe con leche rests on a saucer with a sliver of almond biscotti and two honey sticks. The honey and coffee holds nuances of chewy tobacco and vanilla. The coffee feathers out to a smooth and mild honey and cream that continues to project as a glorious mild tobacco on my skin.

Honey Craves Ice Cream Parlors- Notes: Pistachio ice cream, honey ice cream, Madagascar vanilla gelato, and a chilled porcelain bowl.
Iced cherries dot three scoops of vanilla bean studded gelato. Freshly drizzled on the wrists I initially get a suggestion of sweet dark tobacco, must be the cherry vanilla flavors. As it melts into the skin honey slowly warms the scent up and the cherry vanilla richness twists into that pistachio ice cream but yes, there is still a tiny round ruby cherry on top. 

Honey Craves Theater- Notes: Golden vetiver, floral honey, sakura blossoms, rare orchids, white amber, pearl musk, a glass of chilled chardonnay, and a hint of leather.
Liquid flowers and dank vetiver emerge from the perfume bottle. Wet in the crook of my elbow spry cherry blossoms pair with edgy dark vetiver with its damp grassy aroma. Starched white amber, crisp like an oxford collar, begins to pull up through the sakura and the vetiver slips away. A touch of leather and drop of honey joins the act with the amber. 


Vanilla Craves Mermaid Shoals- Notes: A gourmand aquatic fantasy. Warm, musky neroli, lemon biscotti, bright tangerine, sunlight glittering on blue water, vanilla, sea foam, briny seaweed absolute, and scattered rose petal incense.
I swear when this was fresh from the mail I picked up a tiny ocean in the bottle. Now that some days have passed I mostly scent a lemony vanilla neroli bouquet. On the skin a balmy neroli blooms, surrounded by vanilla orchids, sweet and round. The ghost of Sand in Your Tail hovers in the back of my mind when I sniff it, but the vanilla in this particular perfume stands out. After several minutes of wear the undulating brackish greenery of seaweed slinks around the peripheral of the aroma. But I only catch fleeting glimpses of it out of the corner of my nose, the vanilla and neroli remain out in the open sunning themselves on the rocks. As it fades the perfume of lacy vanilla incense remains.

Vanilla Craves Grind Shows- Notes: Vanilla-laced cotton candy, deep fried funnel cakes encrusted with powdered sugar, salty peanuts, kettle corn, and caramel covered apples.
Sugary cotton candy as cheerful as strings of colored twinkling lights beckoning for a closer peep, salty treats hum with flavor like neon lights buzzing in the night and a raucous excitement that bites firmly into the spirit, crisp like an apple. Painted onto the skin the jolly pink apples and salted peanuts make a festive trail mix with a handful of brightly colored candied popcorn tossed in. It is that candied popcorn that sticks to the hands with its subtle fruity flavoring and joyful crunch that lingers after initial application. This is the snack before the show that amps the energy and gets the bones dancing. The popcorn crunch morphs into an illusion of bakery that begins to sweeten with vanilla icing, a build up to the finale of the show.`


Peaches Crave the Movies- Notes: Torn ticket stubs, peach gummy worms, cherry licorice whips, red velvet drapes, buttery popcorn, and smashed candy on the floor.
Crisp popcorn, peachy flavored lipgloss and murky leather shadows playfully tickle the nose when sniffed from the glass. There is naughtiness afoot in the dark of the movie theater. Wet on the skin the peach and popcorn are giddy with youth and mischief. The heart does expand into those peach gummy rings, almost plastic in their elasticity, while the old fashioned waxed paper buckets that hold the bounty of buttery popcorn come into play as well. As it dries down a pithy peach musk settles down to enjoy the film. 


Strawberries Crave Sunlit Paths- Notes: Sugary red strawberries with Arcana's Her Forest (forest moss, green lichens, fir tips, Bourbon vetiver, black oudh, and forest floor).
I must preface this by first saying that Her Forest is in my Arcana Top 10. This is my past review of Her Forest:
The notes on this one. They all speak to me. Sniffing gently from the vial the fir tips tumble out and scatter while notes of damp humus and grassy vetiver tease out between the evergreen tufts. Dappled onto the skin like sun through the leaves, the forest floor awakens and shakes itself from the winter slumber. The brackish leaves rustle like scales on a great beast, tannic and loamy. As the hide shivers and stirs the trees tremble and drop their needles and greenery in a waterfall of foliage. Papery skinned lichens and the dry curled tresses of moss float like confetti in the energized air, taking an indiscriminate path down to the earth. They possess a dried grass quality that hints at earthen romps in childhood. Her Forest burrows down into a gorgeous midnight oudh with a sweet resinous foundation. This has my heart.
Tart wild strawberries lie like so many chips of rubies on the forest floor when sniffing from the bottle and the beauty of Her Forest germinates anew. Brushed onto the wrists the strawberries and evergreen needles sparkle with dewy sweetness and verve. It smells like a holiday on the skin. It brings to mind Skookum just briefly. I had that one but ended up passing it on to my sister because I knew she would love it. Strawberries Crave Sunlit Paths sits more companionably on my flesh. It has a juicy ripeness to it amid the wooded charms. I now am teased with all the Her Forest variations I could imagine: Lavender Craves Forests, Vanilla Craves Enchanted Woods, Patchouli Craves Deer Trails. Filthy Vikings Raid the Woods. Holy Terror Haunts the Copse. I want it all. Just add Her Forest to everything.

I am overjoyed that Julia is crafting more Craves goodies. She generously offered a free full sized bottle of any scent up the release. You had to be the in Arcana Addicts Facebook group (which I highly recommend joining). Julia is very generous and kind. She also has a special for EMTs and first responders if you send her a message. Some of these scents are out of stock but WILL be restocked very soon. There is also a buy 3 get one free offer code (DAYDREAM) that will be on going for a good while. 

I am giving away four of these scents: Honey Craves Theater, Honey Craves Ice Cream Parlors, Honey Craves Paradise, and Peaches Crave the Movies. If you would like to win these beauties please comment below with what single note you are currently enjoying tremendously right now or what candle you are enjoying currently. I will randomly draw a winner over the weekend.

74 comments:

  1. I'm loving the lemongrass in Peaches Craves Beaches.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am newly attuned to the joys of lemongrass. I have a plant growing just outside my door and I have been snipping it for tea. Peaches Crave Beaches sounds lovely.

      Delete
  2. Ohhh these all sound so good!! I’m really enjoying the blueberry notes of a few Craves I just received, but can’t wait to test out the Honey line. With my last (which was also my first!) order, Julia included Peaches Crave Black Sand, and I was so pleasantly surprised with how realistic the peaches note was. Lovely post!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't know if I have ever tried a Blueberry Craves scent... I think the closest I got was Murder Ballad Blues and now that I think of it... isn't that one blackberries? Hm. Congrats on your first order!!! I simply love Julia's perfumes and her honeys are sublime. Welcome and thank you for stopping by!

      Delete
  3. wonderful reviews! I'm very much looking forward to trying out Honey Craves Ice Cream Parlors, especially. Yellow Cake will always be my favourite SN, now and forever. <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Audrey! I have Cake Lust but I don't think I have ever really sampled Yellow Cake on its own. I have a feeling I would enjoy it.

      Delete
  4. Lovely post! Summer = PEACH notes to me!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! Peach is so summery and juicy isn't it?? I like mango too which always feels similar to me in some ways.

      Delete
  5. I've been living for any scent with predominant smoky notes--incense, wood burning, you name it. They just make me happy in a way I can't really understand, but am grateful for right now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mmmmm... smoke and I are friends. I love incense and woodsmoke and all those sultry hazy scents. And they really do work all year, from summer beach bonfires to winter fireplaces. Thank you for stopping by, Grace!

      Delete
  6. I'm loving tomato leaf currently. It's such a strong green scent. I've been enjoying Sihaya's The Dreamer Awakens candle, it's a lovely calming lavender.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have a close friend who goes gaga over tomato leaf. I gifted her Vampires in the Garden years ago and she loved it. Last summer I grew my own 'maters and running my fingers along the stems was an olfactory ride. I enjoy that candle too! It was perfect for the bedside table. <3

      Delete
  7. I'm presently vibeing with orange. Like normally I love citrus of all types but I love how expansive and warm orange is. It lacks the sharpness of lemon, lime and grapefruit, but it make up for it by being cozy.

    Peaches Craves the Movies sounds sooooooo good.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I only have a handful of orange scents and most are from Julia. She does such a great job with it. Death in the Afternoon is really cool. You are right, orange rocks. Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  8. I have been all about the patch lately. I think I need grounding. I have Honey Craves Festivals in my cart. Hoping Vanilla Craves Grind Shows is restocked soon!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. YES. Certified patchouli fan over here. Honey Craves Festivals is a gem for that note. Julia said she would restock soon. Thank you for visiting me! Good luck!

      Delete
  9. I am big on cotton candy notes this summer! Sugary sweet without being too heavy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cotton candy is so fun. It makes me smile when I wear it. Wylde Ivy does some fantastic cotton candy scents. Good luck!

      Delete
  10. I’ve been into bread lately. I didn’t expect it to be so comforting! In other news, I look forward to the restock of Grind Shows and Mermaid Shoals.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bread is so comforting to me in real life. I think Julia mentioned she will be keeping them in stock once her supplies arrive. Thanks for reading, Ayen! Good luck!

      Delete
  11. Fantastic review as always! I am currently obsessed with the sea water note in keel, I can’t stop sniffing that sweet and salty magic!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Kendra!! xoxo Oooo.. I don't think I have experienced Keel but I do like the salty musk in The Kraken.. I wonder if it is similar? Good luck!

      Delete
  12. OMG!! These fragrances sound so fun and unique. Lots of scent notes I generally stay away from, but these note mashups just sound so intriguing. I wish I could try them all!
    I've really been enjoying oud scents quite a bit lately. <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They really are!! I feel you. Popcorn and peanuts aren't generally something I enjoy but these were like mini vacations in a bottle. Which is probably exactly what Julia intended.

      Oud is my weakness. Nothing compares to Andy Tauer's Attar but I do love NA's oud scents (Oudh Ombre #23 is guuuuuuhhhhhhhoooooooddddd).

      Delete
  13. Popcorn scents and fall have been calling to me this past week 🎃 wish the mermaid scent stayed as ocean in a bottle 💙 that sounds lovely!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. YES! Fall is in my bones right now. That mermaid scent really threw me. I have a feeling it isn't done morphing. Hope you are doing well!! Good luck!

      Delete
  14. Been really into the dry coconut/husk note in Arcana Black Sand. Its dark and mysterious, yet summery at the same time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is a very unique scent isn't it?! Nothing quite like it. A gothic bikini. Thank you for reading! Good luck!

      Delete
  15. I've been loving popcorn scents! TenThreeLabs' Fair Season for my perfume, and B&BW's Summer Boardwalk candle have been my staples lately.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Popcorn is such a festive scent isn't it? Movies, fairs, carnivals... all the best outings involve popcorn. I picked up Summer Boardwalk for the first time and it is a fun scent! Thanks for stopping by, Tiff. Good luck!

      Delete
  16. Ahh yay I’ve been waiting to see your impressions of these, beautiful evocative reviews as usual 🥰 I’ve been all about honey and lavender scents lately I need the sweetness and calm

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Sarah!! <3 Your kind words mean a lot to me. Lavender is my thing. If Julia ever made a lavender craves line I would be all in. Honey and lavender is even better. Sends me right off to slumberland. Good luck, Sarah!

      Delete
  17. Lately it's been strawberry--I used some of BPAL's Enveloped in Silk hair gloss last night and it's delicious.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This new strawberry scents is incredible. Definitely one of my favorites from the new collection. I need to explore BPAL more. I have 4 scents on their way to me soon. Hopefully we get along. :-) Good luck!

      Delete
  18. Enjoying tobacco notes lately! Also peach notes!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tobacco is always a favorite of mine (as you can probably tell I smell it even when it isn't there) :-)

      Delete
    2. CONGRATS Nina! Please send me your address so I can mail out your perfumes. You have until Monday at midnight EST to respond before I draw again. Thank you!

      Delete
    3. Hi Julie,I wasn't sure where to contact you, so I have messaged you of Thankyou heaps!

      Delete
    4. On Facebook* sorry!

      Delete
  19. I am so excited for Vanilla Craves Mermaid Shoals. I have been enjoying ocean notes

    ReplyDelete
  20. Lovely... the Craves sound like just the escape we need right now! I am all about peach, peach, peach these days :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, isn't that the truth. At least scent can transport us. <3 Good luck!

      Delete
  21. I love any kind of strawberry note! Thanks for these reviews!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Love these reviews & your photography is so beautiful! I'm in love with Arcana's Strawberry notes especially- although I love nearly everything Julia creates! Her incredible artistry never ceases to amaze me. <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Winter! That means a lot to hear. Julia truly is gifted in her olfactory magic. This new strawberry makes my knees weak. <3 Good luck!

      Delete
  23. I’ve been enjoying anything with ‘incense’
    Currently burning a lot of lavender peach candles x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Incense is so calming for me. I don't think I have ever sniffed a lavender peach candle... I will have to look into that. I do know I enjoy lavender and blueberry. I bet is it lovely with the peach honey vibe. :-)

      Delete
  24. I’ve been very much enjoying the candle wax in Stereoplasm The Cake and Scaredy Cats. Both deliciously gourmand and, though quite different: as someone on Reddit noted, kind of like summer and fall versions of each other.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Stereoplasm is a house I have not tried yet. I love wax/beeswax/candle wax types of notes. They can make a neat addition. Thank you! Good luck!

      Delete
  25. These are beautiful reviews! I've been enjoying creamy fruit notes lately.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Jooji! I enjoyed spending time with them. Creamy fruits?! I don't know if I have any perfume that would be a creamy fruit. I should probably remedy that.

      Delete
  26. Lilac! Most florals go extremely gross and sharp on me, but mmm, not lilac!

    I love your writing style. So evocative! Makes it even harder to narrow down all the bottles I want to grab.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Love your name. :-) Thank you for the very kind words. <3 Lilac really is a gorgeous scent isn't it? I love a thoughtfully executed floral. Good luck and thank you for stopping by!

      Delete
  27. Lovely reviews! I can't wait to get my bottles and try some of these.

    I've never really been much of a lavender fan, but on a recent walking tour in my city, I stood for a long time in the hot sun next to a large section of lavender growing in an empty lot. It smelled so good and now I'm on this huge lavender kick. I want to try every lavender scent there is!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! I hope you love your order!!

      It is funny you say that. I don't ever remember loving lavender like I have these past few years. I think I always associated it with a powdery grandma's bathroom scent but I am totally addicted now. Give me all the lavenders: herbal, medicinal, sweet, piney, sugared. Glad you got to have that random urban plant magic experience. <3 Thank you for coming and good luck!

      Delete
  28. I've been enjoying coffee scents. I usually love vanilla but it's been too sweet for me in this heat.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Coffee in perfume can be great fun! I love Leaves Falling Like Rain and of course this new Honey Craves Coffee Shops. Yeah, I live in Florida so anything that hits like a heavy bakery on my skin makes me queasy. I do have a few fluffy vanillas I love though even in summer. :-) Good luck!

      Delete
  29. I've been using Arcana's Marshmallow layering accord a lot lately.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nice!! I have that and love it. I should layer with it more often. Thanks for entering!

      Delete
  30. I enjoyed reading your reviews! It makes me really want Strawberries Crave Sunlit Paths, and I love the idea of a Lavender forest.
    -
    I'm enjoying anything with bread/yeast in it. Currently wearing Arcana Blueberries Crave Home. I also have been burning Cantrip Candles Goldenwheat Bakery.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Eva! That is so kind. Honestly this strawberry scent is incredible. I will be wearing it happily. Don't we need a lavender forest?!? Please!!!

      YummM! I will have to look into Cantrip Candles. Never tried them. Good luck, Eva!

      Delete
  31. As usual, your reviews make me want every single one of these! I'm wearing a lot of Black Musk even though it's so hot out lol...the heat just seems to amp the sexiness of it :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey there, Kristin!! Thanks!! Isn't it fun when a scent blooms like that? Try to stay cool! Good luck!

      Delete
  32. God, I love your reviews. You have such a way with words! This collection in particular kills me because I have been all about honey recently, in perfume and pretty much everything and anything else. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!! <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tess, thank you. Julia makes a mad tasty honey. Thank you for stopping by, good luck!

      Delete
  33. I'm liking Poesie's Cloud single-note right now. Fresh cotton candy! Wish it was stronger, though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Poesie. I miss Poesie. I need to head back over there. She had a linen spray that I adored. I love cotton candy. I find it strangely relaxing. Good luck, Roo!

      Delete
    2. I've been wondering if their water-based mist used on linens would last longer, but she hasn't had any in stock. I guess there has been a shortage for everyone of spray bottle parts

      Delete
  34. Is it cliche to say vanilla? I just think you can never go wrong with a dash of vanilla in any blend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. NEVER, LIZA. NEVER. In fact I am wearing Nocturne Alchemy Crystalline right now which is just one big puffy cloud of vanilla. I am a vanilla fiend. It is so cozy. Good luck!

      Delete
  35. ****CLOSED***
    Random drawing in progress.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Hi Ren! I hope you don't mind if I tell you I have always been a fan. That Space Madness performance was clutch but Happy Happy Joy Joy will always be my fave.

    This new strawberry is life. SO SO GOOD

    ReplyDelete