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[personal profile] femmenstein
Vanilla Craves 90s Malls (Bright fluorescent lights, glossy watermelon-flavored lip gloss, a ziplock baggie of fresh, green bud, sticky vanilla-laced marshmallow treats)

Preliminary notes: My bottle is just over a year old.

In bottle: Hoooo boy, that is W A T E R M E L O N. I can smell a very teeny bit of the weed behind it, but it's mostly old school, 90s watermelon cosmetic flavoring. I cannot tell you how many watermelon-flavored lip balms I went through in the 90s/early 2000s, and this smells exactly like them, minus the waxiness.

On skin: So it's still mostly watermelon, but the weed note definitely comes out more on the skin, so it kind of smells like a combination of watermelon bubblegum and cannabis, which is really nostalgic and summery.

Verdict: 5 watermelon-flavored bubblegum bubbles in a room hazy with weed smoke out of 5. Love this, love this, love this.
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Long time, no post! These reviews are from some time ago, but better late than never, I suppose.

Love (Vanilla accord, fresh cream, sugarcane, soft musk, a pinch of tea leaves)

Preliminary notes: I'm really glad this came back this year. I've been wanting to try it for a long while. Cream and tea is one of my favorite note combinations.

In bottle: This reminds me of Possets' tea and cream blends, which I love. This is much fresher, a bit sweeter, and more vanillic though. This is cottagecore as fuck.

On skin: Still very reminiscent of Possets' cream-tea blends, still cottagecore as fuck. The tea and cream notes are beautiful. The vanilla and a bit of sweetness come out after about 5 minutes, which takes this into having more of its own character. I really like this.

Verdict: 5 silky, creamy teas out of 5. This was a no-brainer and was unsurprisingly a big hit. Love that cream note.

Scáiltín (Fresh milk and silky cream are heated and gently whipped with confectionary sugar, warmly spiced honey, Réunion Island vanilla beans, sweet tonka, Irish whiskey, grated nutmeg, a bit of butter)

Preliminary notes: Another one I've wanted to try for a while. This sounds delectable.

In bottle: Oh, this is lovely. My nose recognized Arcana's honey note immediately, which was quickly followed by lots of booze and some milk.

On skin: This reminds me of Marshmallows Bite! a little bit, but this is creamier and brighter. The milk and cream are very strong here, followed by the honey and whiskey. This is delicious.

Verdict: 5 creamy, boozy beverages out of 5. I'm not shocked that I like this, and I'm glad I picked it up before the Winter stuff went down.

Philtre: Embrace (Three ambers, French vanilla, Bourbon custard, golden musk, sweet coconut milk, a soft whiff of skin musk)

Preliminary notes: The custard and coconut milk were the biggest draws for me on this one. Yes, please.

In bottle: Despite the semi-gourmand dairy notes, this is all about the musks and ambers in the bottle. It's a bit slinky and sexy.

On skin: Upon applying this, DH said "Mmm.. that smells scrumptious. I don't know if it's something I'm supposed to eat, but I'll give it a shot." (He didn't actually ingest it). It's still very much about the musks and ambers, but the custard and a tiny bit of the coconut milk peek through as well. This is seduction in a bottle.

Verdict: 5 sexy custards out of 5. This smells like the most decadent, opulent dessert served in a solid gold dish. If you ever wanna feel like a million bucks, wear this (or just sniff it).

Rose Petal Blunt (Dewy red rose petals, fresh green stems, soft tuberose, Silver Haze accord)

Preliminary notes: The only sample I've ever ordered from Arcana. I love cannabis scents, and this one sounds very pretty and feminine.

In bottle: Exactly what it sounds like. Weed and rose. I regret not just getting a full bottle of this, but I'll most likely upsize it in the future if it behaves well on my skin.

On skin: Deeefinitely full-sizing this in the future. The weed note is green, crisp, and very slightly smoky. The rose is realistic and not overbearing, so what you're left with is the smell of a vase of fresh roses in a slightly hazy room where weed was being smoked. Lovely.

Verdict: 5 toke sessions in a rose garden out of 5.

The Cunning Folk (The scent of an unread magical grimoire smudged with tobacco, surrounded by offerings of chocolate and golden amber)

Preliminary notes: I could smell cocoa or chocolate as soon as I opened the package these were all in and was initially confused, since none of them contained chocolate notes. Upon unwrapping everything, I saw this mixed in with it, which was incredibly generous of Arcana. Many thanks, if you happen to read this!

In bottle: So despite my aversion to chocolate notes, this is actually really nice. The tobacco is dry, the chocolate smells more like cocoa, and there's something a bit leathery/parchment-y hanging out beneath that as well. This smells very Halloween-esque. (I looked it up afterward, and this is apparently part of the Halloween collection. Go, brain!)

On skin: The tobacco gets a bit smoky (yum), and the chocolate calms down to a light dusting. The bookish notes are still pronounced as well. I'm kind of shocked that patchouli isn't listed as a note, because I swear I can smell a tiny bit of it in there somewhere. This smells like eating chocolate-covered toffee or Halloween candy in an old library or study.

DH thought this smelled like toffee, specifically Toffifee.

Verdict: 5 giant platters of chocolate-covered toffee in an old library, on Halloween, out of 5. This was a surprise hit! I usually stay very far away from chocolate notes, but I love this. The ambers and other notes subdue it enough that it doesn't smell like i just dumped a bunch of cocoa powder on myself or like I sat on a chocolate bar. This is the essence of Halloween and is also a perfect dark academia/gourmand crossover scent.

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DISCLAIMER

*All products mentioned were purchased by me unless otherwise stated.

*All photos and graphics used are my own unless otherwise stated.

c. Jan 2, 2019.

*Update 06/01/2025:* Given the tumultuous situation between the US and Canada right now including tariffs, reviews after the ones listed below are on hold indefinitely. It doesn't feel safe to purchase oils from the States anymore without the anxiety of potentially getting slammed with extra fees, so I won't be purchasing any for a while. I may explore Canadian companies at some point, but for now, I'm on an indefinite hiatus (minus the reviews below, which are all ready to post. I just have to stop being lazy about it).

UPCOMING REVIEWS

🥀 Alkemia 🥀

Angel's Kitchen
Hexenhausen
Rosa Alchemica
Foxfire
Viridis Arcanum
Surcie
Slice of Heaven Alchemy
Vanille Single Note
Winter Forest Alchemy
Taste of Rain
Attar al Oud
Bibliotheca
Baccante
Green Carnation
Sadzi
Moon Lust
Affaire de Coeur
Carmen 7
Silver Sky
Luminae (2025 revisit review)
Rose Rouge Layering Note
Gilded Alchemy
Deus Ex Machina
Haunted & Bewitched
Love Flight of a Candy Heart
Earthlight
Ecstasies of Light
Honored Ghosts
Come to Me
Ambre Gris (2025 revisit review)
Vert sur le Vert (2025 revisit review)
Lilacs Along the Winding Drive (2025 revisit review)
Siren's Spell
The Lady's Yes
The Lover Tells of the Rose (2025 revisit review)
Love Among the Ruins
Rose Musk
Persian Tea Room (2025 revisit review)
Pheromone P28
Arcanum Experiments 2023: 6, 7, 14, and 15
Ambre Aquae
Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure
Arcanum Experiments 2024: 9: Getting Lit
A Roll in the Hay (2025 revisit review)
Tulips & Chimneys
Novella
Caliph's Beloved
Candybox Alchemy


(Also attempting to review everything in my collection that hasn't been reviewed yet, so stay tuned for From the Vault posts)

CREDITS

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