Winter Candle Picks 2011

Maybe I should have posted this entry sooner since B&BW just got in their new scents for spring and if you can find the winter scents still, most of them are on sale to move them out for the new season. But these are the scents that I'm currently burning since it's definitely the dead of winter right now.

Winter by Slatkin & Co.

This is still an all time favorite and a must have every year. It's one of the most unique candles I've ever smelled. Bathandbodyworks.com describes it as "Inspired by freshly fallen snow, perfect holiday getaways and the ultimate winter wonderland, Winter is a festive blend of shimmering pine, crisp bay leaf, orange clove and warm winter woods."

Twisted Peppermint by Slatkin & Co.

Although I do like Jack Frost better when it comes to a pepperminty vanilla candle, I have to say I haven't even burned Jack Frost yet this year and I've been getting by burning this scent and have really been enjoying it. "A refreshing mix of spearmint and mandarin, layered with iced peppermint, vanilla extract and sugar musk." Like I stated in my comparison between this and Jack Frost back in an entry when I first started this blog, this is a peppermint vanilla while Jack Frost is a vanilla peppermint.

Jack Frost by Yankee Candle

This might be my all time favorite candle from Yankee. It's sweet and minty at the same time while also invoking an invigorating extreme fresh feeling like you're out in the snow in a winter wonderland. Love. The biggest disappointment here was that it was extremely hard to find this year. I believe it returned as (I forget the term they used) a returning favorite or something. Mainly it seemed like they retired it as a regular scent and brought it back in limited quantities by popular demand. It seems they tried to recreate this scent this past Christmas but nothing came close. Yankeecandle.com describes it as "Winter cheer ... a playful, invigorating mix of icy cool peppermint and sweet vanilla snow cream."

Frosted Cranberry by Slatkin & Co.

I wasn't even going to buy this scent this year. It wasn't new and I never felt like it was a scent that I needed but I can't get enough of it right now. It's a cooling cranberry scent and a nice departure from woodsy/pine scents in winter. "Frosted Cranberry is the perfect blend of white cranberry, juicy peach, wild strawberry and sparkling raspberry."

Fireside by Slatkin & Co.

I have mixed feelings about this scent. The first time I burned it, I liked the extreme woodsy feel about it and it did remind me of firewood but when I burned it tonight it just smelled like men's cologne and gave me a headache. There's no sweetness to this scent whatsoever. It's very manly and reminds me of mahogany or something. This candle is very different than any other Slatkin I can think of, so if you can find this one still in stores, you be the judge on this one. It seems like I have to be in the right mood to burn it but it can be cozy when it's really cold and snowy outside. "A blazing fire in wintertime, this blend of cedar and sandalwood is layered with leather and the richness of amber."

Ugh. I'm over it. I cannot WAIT for spring. :-)

Henri Bendel Candle Review

The next product I bought in Philadelphia worthy of reviewing was a Henri Bendel candle. I've seen the candles being sold at Bath & Body Works before but with everything else to choose from and with them being so expensive in comparison, I never bought one. But in King of Prussia, they had a Henri Bendel boutique and I wanted to try another candle brand so I decided to purchase one. The store was actually quite unique and interesting and I had no idea he sold so many different products like clothes, handbags, even chocolates. I think the best way to review this candle is to list pros and cons. The scent I bought was Green Tea. They had full size candles, mini travel candles, and diffusers. My other favorite scents were Fig, Lemon Verbena, and Lavender Leaves.



Pros:

-the scent throw is very good and strong, enough to fill a large room
-the scents are natural and authentic, not overly sweet or synthetic

Cons:

-it doesn't come with a lid so it can gather dust when being stored
-the wax did not pool all the way across so I don't know how evenly this will burn
-it is VERY expensive - $30 for 10 oz - way too much




In conclusion, although I am enjoying this Green Tea candle a lot, it's not gonna be my new favorite candle brand as the Henri Bendel associate tried to predict. They are no longer sold at Bath and Body Works so they're difficult to find and with no coupons or sales that I'm aware that this boutique does, these are too expensive.

Kiehl's Liquid Hand Soap Review

I'm back! Happy New Year! Ok now hopefully no one will say that anymore cause that gets old quick. I recently went on a shopping trip to Philadelphia where I went to the Premium Outlets in Pottstown and King of Prussia Mall. So the next couple reviews will be what I found there. First, was something I was introduced to in NYC but finally had to purchase in Philly:

Kiehl's Liquid Hand Soap "Coriander"



I don't know much about this company. It looks like they specialize in skincare and I think I've seen them sell products on QVC now and then. Since I don't experiment much with skincare and it doesn't have the fragrance that I love, I moved to the body care section. They had a sink in NYC to sample the soap, so that's where I fell in love with this product.



Number 1: This is ridiculously expensive. It's $16 for 6.8 fl oz of soap. So I want to get that out there first. But I still ended up buying it in the store. I'm gonna try to explain it without getting crazy. The texture is different than most soaps. It's very thin and liquidy and you only need a tiny amount (no more than 1 pump). Then that little amount works into a very nice lather easily. The smell is herbal and fresh and not overpowering and almost reminds me a little bit like boxed hair dye but in a good way (I know that sounds crazy but try it and see). You can just laugh and disreguard that statement if you've never tried this scent. Then it rinses clean away without drying your hands. This is the first soap in a long time I can think of that doesn't make me run to moisturizer afterwards.

Here's some specifics on the bottle from the brand. "Our special formulation for hands uses gentle coconut derived cleansers, vitamin E and botanical extracts - including chamomile and aloe - to gently cleanse, soothe and recondition skin." You can purchase this in stores or on their website www.kiehls.com.

I know it's expensive but if scents intrigue you and can invoke a response like relaxation, then it's a small price to pay for indulgence.

Yankee's January Scent

Yankee Candle came out with a scented calendar again for 2011 with a different featured scent every month so I will continue to list and review each month's scent again this year. 2011 starts off with...

Vanilla Cupcake



This scent is alright. It's not nearly as good as their Christmas Cookie or Buttercream. Yankeecandle.com describes it as "The rich, creamy aroma of vanilla cupcakes with hints of lemon and lots of buttery icing."

Yummy picture.