Scent, My Way.

Yankee Scent of the Month - January 2012

2012-01-06T22:20:00.000-05:00

I did this same thing last year. Yankee Candle comes out with a calendar where they feature one of their scents for every month. I'll show the picture for the scent and describe in a couple words what I think of it.

Home Sweet Home

"A heartwarming blend of cinnamon, baking spices, and a hint of freshly poured tea." I never knew one of the notes in this scent was tea. This is a classic scent from Yankee that I've never really been a fan of. It's very strong and mainly just smells like cinnamon.

Red Flower Candle Review

2011-12-29T23:23:00.000-05:00

November 2011 Birchbox Review

2011-12-10T22:47:00.000-05:00

Watch me opening the box here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqT8lh5vJ3c

Klorane Eye Makeup Remover

This eye makeup remover is gentle and almost a little bit cooling but gives my eyes no irritatation. It is not greasy or oily at all like most eye makeup removers used to be. I'm a fan and I've used this several times. The only drawback to this small sample size is that the opening is so tiny, I have to dab it on cotton several times to get a large enough amount of it to wipe off makeup. And it does take several swipes to remove all eyeshadow and mascara but it works. I won't purchase it full size because the Neutrogena and Ole Henriksen facial wipes I have both take off all makeup and those are more convenient overall.

LaRocca Body Polish

I didn't see what was so amazing about this body polish. I guess it's a scrub, I'm still not sure. The unique thing I noticed was that it is thick and it seemed like it had a lot of oil in it. I used it on my hands and water seemed to almost bead off my hands instead of forming any type of lather so it's not your usual scrub. It smells vaguely citrusey but not great. I didn't notice any shimmer like the name suggests. Eh.

Oscar Blandi Jasmine Protein Mist

Like I mentioned in the video, I use this brand's dry shampoo and I like it so I wanted to love this product but I'm not sure what it does. It says it's for restyling and that you can use it on your hair before applying heat or use it on damp hair to restyle. It smells great like the dry shampoo does with the sweet creamy fresh lemon scent but it didn't really do much for me. It doesn't have any hold which I would appreciate for restyling my curly hair. Maybe this would be better for straight hair or someone that is going to use a flat iron. It just made my hair smell nice.

Zoya Noel

Love love love love love. This dark shimmery blue is gorgeous and there is a lot of shimmer especially in the light. Plus it's a 5 on the opaque scale so that means I only have to use one coat to get gorgeous color and no streaking. It's described as a cool metallic and part of the Gems and Jewels collection.

Chuao Chocolatier Chocopod

If you follow my twitter or channel, you know that I loved this. Check out my video review on the items I purchased: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5zH3Ns1eX8

And my bonus the Bauble Bar bracelet

I am not usually a fan of bracelets but I've worn this several times. I love it! So much, I went to the website hoping to find more colors and I think I saw only one other one in brown. I can't remember but this was the best one. I also caught the phrase, "As seen on Justin Bieber" and that ALMOST made me like it less but it didn't. It's gorgeous, goes with everything, can be dressed up, and is so adjustable. I think it retails for $20 so this gift from Birchbox is amazing. Thank you!

This is probably the best Birchbox yet, although the time I got a full size Laura Geller Baked Blush and Brighten comes to mind too but it made me super glad I didn't cancel my subscription like many others did recently.

Yankee's December Scent

2011-12-07T23:29:00.000-05:00

North Pole

I love this picture. That's about it. Don't get me started on how they tried to remake Jack Frost several times. Don't mess with a good thing. Why do companies always make this mistake? "What holiday dreams are made of ... a sweet blend of icy cool mint and sugary rich vanilla cream."

Candles by Victoria Haul & Review

2011-11-26T18:32:00.000-05:00

October 2011 Birchbox Review

2011-11-05T22:13:00.000-04:00

Watch the video of me opening the Birchbox here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjypSijpPUQ

Befine Lip Serum

I wasn't excited when I first saw this because I just received a lip balm from Birchbox but I think I like this one better. It's very thin and almost oily. It's slightly yellow in color from the tube and a little goes a LONG way. It's not sticky, heavy or thick on the lips (like the Jouer lip enhancer I also got from Birchbox). It's very comfortable on the lips and even gives a glossy finish while being very thin, smooth and light. It has no flavor, smell, or color.

blinc mascara

I haven't used this and I'm not going to. I might have given this away in a giveaway. Drugstore mascaras are fine for me since I don't wear it that often and I hate removing makeup so this is just not my cup of tea. The directions say this does not come off with makeup remover and you have to use soap and water with PRESSURE to get this off. Pressure? On my eyes? No thanks. Sounds way too complicated when I'm already pleased with a Cover Girl or Maybelline mascara.

Orofluido Beauty Elixir

This came with no instructions and I really have no idea how to use this, so I didn't. I think I heard someone on youtube say she put this in the ends of her hair...or maybe used it like a hair mask? I don't remember but it seems oily and my hair can already be oily at times so I don't see a use for this.

Pangea Organics Tea Facial Mask

I feel bad saying I didn't use this either. What a review this is! Hahaha. I WILL use this and I have been pleased with Pangea Organics products so far, but I'm still trying to use up the masks that Birchbox previously gave me so I didn't want to break the seal and use this when I have other opened ones still yet to finish. I will update after I use it - either on here or on Twitter.

Teaforte Minteas

Disgusting. I don't know if all flavors are as bad as this one because I did see other youtubers get a different flavor but I actually had to spit it out and then threw away the whole tin. I can't even describe what it tasted like. It was really strong - like dirt and cleaner. Awful.

Needless to say, I really didn't like this month's Birchbox. I'm thinking of canceling. I signed up for New Beauty Test Tube after this box and might cancel Birchbox in the future but I like the idea of getting a box every month so I'm gonna stick it out a little bit longer to see if the boxes get any better.

Yankee's November Scent

2011-11-05T21:42:00.000-04:00

Sparkling Cinnamon

I like this for November a lot because cinnamon is fall but it's also Christmas which is approaching. This might be as good as Slatkin's Spice...maybe better?!? I can't tell from just this little swatch. "Holiday glow ... the spicy warmth of real imported stick cinnamon with a hint of cloves."

September 2011 Birchbox Review

2011-10-08T22:00:00.000-04:00

Watch the video to see me opening the box: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg0r9s1XXBc

Pangea Organics Facial Cream

I was pleasantly surprised with this product. With all the moisturizers out there, I really like this one. It reminded me a lot of the Bare Minerals Purely Nourishing Moisturizer for Combination skin which was the current face cream I was using at the time but I am using this more frequently now. It has the same herbal lavender smell and it has a non-oily consistency. The Bare Minerals moisturizer is thin and soaks in immediately and is hard to spread around, which I didn't like. The Pangea Organics has a creamier consistency and can be a bit runny at times but soaks into the skin nicely. It's yellow in color and is not drying to my skin at all. It was good for the end of summer and so far, it's still enough moisture for the fall. We'll see how it works for the winter. This is a great all around product. I like the way it makes my skin feel and seems to have a lot of natural ingredients that give good benefits. I would consider purchasing this in full size if I still love it when I use up the sample (a little goes a long way!).

Jouer Lip Enhancer

This sample is super tiny but it's a nice product. My favorite part about it is the way it makes your lips look. It has a frosted light pink sheen in the tube and it gives a great look to the lips while remaining natural-looking. It doesn't actually give a color it just makes my lips a little bit darker and moisturized-looking. It's not as glossy as a lip gloss and not drying like a lipstick. It's a lip balm that's slightly thicker than the C O Bigelow balm that I love. Plus this has no taste or scent. It says it's supposed to do multiple things and is a treatment for the lips, but mainly it just seems like a lip balm with a light pink color/sheen.

LIV GRN Earth Eau de Parfum

I was surprised by this unique scent right away and thought it smelled really good but it's not a fragrance I could wear every day. It's very fresh and green smelling with a strong sweetness to it like fresh watermelon. I think it's a nice perfume for summer if you like sweet and fresh scents but there's something about it that makes me sick of it immediately after I put it on. It kind of smells like Herbal Essence shampoo. It's very strong which usually I like, but I can smell it every time I breathe in which is why I'm so sick of it so soon I guess. I think I was so excited at first because it smelled unique in the bottle but on my skin, it just reminds me of shampoo.

Incoco Nail Polish Applique

I love the design of this nail strip. I love the bright color blue against the black and the dots of blue really do shimmer and sparkle when it catches light - pretty amazing. However, they started to peel and chip immediately after I put them on. It seems like the strips are not as adhesive as the Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips cause it felt like they could peel right off. Also I always push down pretty hard on the strip to make sure they are stuck on and it started to make a fingerprint in the nail polish when I did that. From watching the selection of these from the youtube videos, some of the designs seemed a bit gaudy, but that's what I thought about these at first too and I ended up loving how they look on my nails. Plus one other thing I prefer about the Salon Effects is that they come with a cuticle stick, mini file, and buffer - everything you need!

Bonus -Birchbox Friendship Bracelet

I thought this was a really cute idea at first with the Birchbox color (love that color pink) and logo charm and I like small thin bracelets like that because I don't like to feel heavy things on my wrist that get in my way and make noise. So I wore this one day and that was the last time I wore it. It fit great since it's adjustable but the leftover piece of string was really long and was getting in the way all day because it kept sticking out instead of staying in line with the rest of the bracelet. I know this would've been more time consuming but the end of the adjustable string piece should've been attached to the bracelet too then there wouldn't be a long piece of string hanging down and you could adjust and move 2 different knots at two different spots in the bracelet.

In conclusion, I really liked this month's box. I think this might be the first time I have used every single product!

Yankee's October Scent

2011-10-05T23:46:00.000-04:00

Autumn Wreath

This is a good one for fall. Someone in a Yankee store said this surpassed Harvest in popularity, which I find hard to believe and it's not THAT good, but it's a nice scent. "There's a cheerful fall welcome in the spicy warmth of autumn leaves and cinnamon apples."

St. Johnsbury Candle Review

2011-10-05T23:44:00.002-04:00

August 2011 Birchbox Review

2011-09-14T21:06:00.001-04:00

Watch this to see me opening the box: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4cuWpB1s2o

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer

Am I the only one that can't really tell the difference between one primer and another? Maybe it's because the 2 primers that I have used are similar. I use Bare Minerals foundation so I have really only used their Prime Time primer which I like and haven't had any problems with. I like the added benefit of minerals and vitamins too. This primer from smashbox seems similar to me. It's nothing to write home about.

June Jacobs Papaya Purifying Enzyme Masque

First of all, this smells delicious - like papaya and pineapple, very tropical and island-like. When I was "massaging it into the skin" as it directs you to, it felt kind of strange for a mask. I'm used to clay masks which are slightly cold and thick and harden as they sit. This is white and very creamy in texture, almost like a thick body cream but it doesn't get soaked into the skin. It feels good but is very different than any other mask I have used. It says to leave it on the skin for 3-10 minutes. I left it on for the full 10 and by that time, all the white color had disappeared and my face just looked really greasy. After I washed it off, my skin did feel smooth and hydrated. After I used my Burt's Bees toner, my face burned a little but no real irritation occurred with this product but then my face felt greasy to the touch! That was strange since usually the toner dries my skin out a bit. I would recommend this product if you have dry skin, but with my combination skin, I will stick with clay masks like the Ahava one I got in a previous Birchbox.

twistband Hair Tie

Not a fan of this since it doesn't suit my hair. I need a lot of stretch in a hair tie and this hardly has any. 2 pull-throughs leaves my ponytail too loose and I can't fit it to go 3 pull-throughs. Plus since the band is so wide, it just folds over and creases and it stays that way. I guess if you wear hair ties on your wrist, this would be more comfortable but if it doesn't work in your hair, then what's the point?

Shaveworks The Cool Fix

I haven't used this product yet. If I do, I'll update with the review here. There's always one in the box every month.

Ouidad Climate Control Heat & Humidity Gel

I don't normally like gels since usually they make the hair crunchy but this gel doesn't do that at all. It actually doesn't have enough hold for me. I wouldn't say that it controls ALL frizz either. I noticed more frizz with this product than my normal mousse. My hair was very soft and very curly but it just didn't have enough hold. I'm not sure how much product to use but I felt like I used enough. It says to use a nickel size amount and I did that 3 or 4 times with my long hair. I'm not a fan of the smell either. It's not offensive, it just smells like gel. So I would recommend this product if you have curly hair and want to keep your curls without needing much hold because this leaves the hair very soft. But, I'll stick with my Paul Mitchell Sculpting Lotion.

{Currently Burning - Marshmallow Fireside by Slatkin & Co.}

Review of 11 New Holiday/Winter Slatkin Candles from B&BW

2011-09-11T17:01:00.000-04:00

Yankee's September Scent

2011-09-11T16:59:00.000-04:00

Macintosh Spice

Ok this scent I am excited for. (FYI I'm reviewing all the scents of this calendar in December 2010). When I saw this I thought this was new but I just checked the website and it's available now. When did this come out? I don't remember this. I was just saying how there needs to be a pure apple cinnamon scent without anything else. If it's as good as the regular Macintosh, I might purchase this. "Simply delicious ... crisp, slightly tart apple slices sprinkled with freshly ground cinnamon."

Fall Candle Picks 2011

2011-09-01T23:14:00.000-04:00

Yankee's August Scent

2011-08-27T00:34:00.000-04:00

Mountain Lake

I have expressed my dislike for Yankee's outdoor scents before. To me, they're too strong and all smell like men's cologne so this is no different. "A refreshing retreat ... the cooling scent of mountain pines and cypress with notes of lily and musk."

July 2011 Birchbox Review

2011-08-23T20:59:00.000-04:00

KIND Fruit & Nut Almond & Apricot Bar

This should be called Almond COCONUT Apricot Bar because I tasted coconut the most (which is one my favorite tastes and smells so I thought this was yum! The nuts were crunchy but the bar overall was soft and you could pull it apart easily, It's bendable as opposed to something that breaks off in pieces. It has to be all that yummy honey that holds it all together. It's pretty darn good for you too. Nutrition Facts: All natural, Gluten & Wheat free, Low Glycemic Index, 5g of fiber, non gmo and no trans fats, dairy free, very low sodium, no sulphur dioxide. Wow that's a lot of stuff to just put on the front of the label. I haven't even gotten to the ingredients list yet - basically it's honey, nuts, and fruit and it's yummy. I think I've seen this sold on QVC. Yup - they have an assortment on their website of 2 different flavors, 18 bars for $37. I don't think I would go searching for these or buy them online since they have comparisons in stores but if I were to see this exact brand readily accessible, I'd buy one.

Zoya Polish in Shay

This was the first time I've tried Zoya nail polish and I really liked it. So far, my favorite polishes are Essie and Zoya. This polish stayed on my nails without chipping for a couple days and had a little bit of luminescence to it. It's a great nude color for an understated clean look. Next time I'd like to try something more vibrant.

AHAVA Mineral Hand Cream

The texture of this hand cream is great. It's similar to a cream to powder finish - velvety smooth. The product soaks into your hands almost immediately without any greasy residue. Unfortunately, it smells like baby powder to me so I won't be purchasing a full size. (I can't stand baby powder scents.)

Philosophy Purity Made Simple

Honestly, I haven't even opened this. I'm saving it for a travel cleanser since I don't seem to have one. I've used this before and I remember not being a huge fan. They claim that it "melts" all the makeup right off your face and yeah it might do that but it's full of oils and I think this made me break out before. I don't mind the smell, some don't like it. This product is very highly reviewed and gets very mixed reviews. Check them out if you're still curious.

Redken Shine Flash

My curly hair is naturally shiny so I have no need for this produst so I included it in my most recent giveaway!

Sorry it took me so long to get this review up. I don't write on here that often anymore but I'm still gonna continue it. Honestly, if you're wanting more in depth reviews on products I feature in my youtube videos, follow me on twitter because it's sooo much easier and quicker to portray my thoughts on there. Thanks for watching/reading!

Yankee's July Scent

2011-08-23T20:42:00.000-04:00

Sun and Sand

I remember liking this one from last year. More fresh than beachy but not over the top. "A tropical beach breeze of sweet orange flower, lemony citrus, fresh lavender and powdery musk." Reading those notes made me like this scent even more.

June Birchbox Review

2011-06-22T18:37:00.000-04:00

Go to my Youtube Channel to see the video of me unwrapping the actual Birchbox.

Twirl by Kate Spade eau de parfum

This perfume is feminine and girly but it is way too strong for me. I would call it a fresh fruity floral, I guess. All I could think of when I sprayed it was "way too perfumey". If you like bold scents, then this is one to check out and it will definitely last all day long. I'm just not a fan of bold in-your-face fragrance.

Laura Geller Blush n' Brighten in Apricot Berry

I'm still stoked that I received this full size product in a $10 Birchbox that came with other goodies too. I used this the first day I opened the box. I must tell you this - a little goes a LONG way. I made the mistake of swiping my brush all over the compact, maybe even doing it twice, and I looked a little bit like a clown (or at least that's what I thought). The color is pretty - it definitely comes across as apricot with coral colors. I love the luminescence of it though. It's one of those colors that looks ten times better in the sun because it brings out other colors that you can't see otherwise and it gives you a great glow. Just be careful not to put too much on and be very careful where you put it. I used it as a blush and put an additional highlighter on top of it and above it to tone down the color. I think this is great for summer and will definitely keep using it.

Herban Essentials Orange Towelettes

This smelled really good. While I was using it on my hands, it smelled like a real fresh orange or tangerine, really juicy. Then my hands smelled like an orange creamsicle afterwards. The pad itself was in the shape of a rectangle and it had little holes in it as opposed to most handi wipes. It was soft and non-abrasive, a good size, and had the right amount of saturation. I had to wait a little bit for my hands to dry completely but they weren't sticky afterwards. Maybe a little dry but my hands were left feeling cleaner than they would after using a B&BW pocketbac. Plus I love towelettes because they're small and flat so they don't take up any room in a purse or suitcase and there's no chance of spilling. I checked out their website and they have other aromatherapy wipes too used for multi-purpose like eucalyptus, lavender, and lemon. I might consider purchasing a full size pack of these.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil Free Lotion

I don't think I like this product. The texture is fine, it's a cream but kind of a mixture between serum and cream. It's very light and soaks into the skin right away after putting it on. I could have used a little more moisture and I have oily combination skin in the summer. It definitely didn't prevent shine or oil throughout the day. My nose was very shiny (with no makeup) by mid day and I noticed my cheeks were also very red. Did you ever get a warming sensation on your skin after awhile of putting on a product? Like it's effective at doing something yet it's not making your skin feel very pretty in the meantime. This was an example of that. I thought I would love this product but I don't. I probably won't use the whole bottle. I might just throw it in my travel bag for when I go away.

Xen-Tan Deep Bronze Luxe Self Tanner

I thought I would give this a try, but who am I kidding? I hate self tanners. I don't need to be tan so I don't see the point. They all have flaws in my opinion so it's not worth it for me if I don't even care about the color of my skin tone. So sorry, there is no review of this product. It's the "throw away" item of this month's Birchbox for me - kinda like last month's Archipelago soap bar.

Stay tuned for next month and go to my Youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/Scentmyway for my whole collection of videos.

MoneyPenny SoySations Soy Melts Review

2011-06-18T16:07:00.002-04:00

Yankee's June Scent

2011-06-12T21:14:00.000-04:00

Black Cherry

I love Yankee's Black Cherry. I have tried this scent in other tart vendors and haven't like it as much. It's a good transitional scent from spring to summer. "The absolutely delicious sweetness of rich, ripe black cherries. "

Birchbox May 2011 Review

2011-06-03T22:03:00.000-04:00

So in case you haven't seen my video of my first birchbox, I have signed up for the program. If you're not familiar with it, you can check it out at http://www.birchbox.com/. It's a monthly subscription where you get deluxe beauty samples delivered to your door every month for $10/mth and they have some pretty big brands that participate. What a great concept - a Christmas present every month. Well the video was just a haul type style of opening the box and showing the products. I decided I would review the products after using them here on my blog. I decided to do this after I threw away the actual birchbox and one of the products so Sorry! I don't have the most comprehensive pictures this time but I will from now on - promise!

Ahava Time to Clear Purifying Mud Mask

This was my favorite product in the box. It goes on like a thin mud and it does dry and turn brown on the skin. I love that it dries and makes the skin tight which I like to think is the point of masks. I've tried some that just stay wet until you take them off but I love the feeling of this one. It says apply liberally but it's not really thick. It's a semi-thin consistency. You only leave it on for 2 minutes which goes by SO fast, then you rinse it off. It says it is approved for sensitive skin as well. Sometimes my skin can be sensitive and I had no problems using this mask. My skin was really smooth after using this product and not red or irritated. I would consider buying this in full size.

Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint

I didn't think I would like this since I'm not usually a fan of anything "luminizing" that makes my skin look shiny but I was surprised by this. I probably wouldn't buy this in full size but I received 2 samples of this and will definitely use both. Plus it's SPF 20 (great), oil free, and hypoallergenic. I think this shade is in pearl but it matched my skin fine. The coverage was pretty good for a tinted moisturizer. I think I bought one once from Cover Girl and it pretty much did nothing but this was almost like a light coverage foundation. And my skin didn't look or feel greasy but it actually was luminescent and glowy. I did a very natural eye and lip and it was perfect for a hot summer day. Am I the only one that hasn't heard of this brand before?

Jouer Lip Gloss

This was totally forgettable. I used it once and have no desire to use it again. It has no flavor or scent (boring) and it hardly had any color or shimmer. There's more in the tube than shows up on the lips. I have to say one big pro was that it was probably the smoothest lip gloss ever - no stickiness at all. But that's not enough to get me to use it again. I need color, shimmer, scent, or taste - SOMETHING!

Kerastase Reflection Luminous Softening Shampoo for Highlighted or Color Treated Hair

I still haven't used this. Haha. So why did I include this in this review? I don't know. Probably because I could take a picture of it since I still had it.

The last item was a bar of soap from Archipelago in Pomegranate. I threw that away. I think it was a sample that's used in hotel rooms. It has no scent - in fact, it smelled kinda gross because it was soooo soapy. My hands weren't extremely dry after washing them, but come on, I have to have some sort of scent to keep using it with all the great scented soap bars out there now.

I can't wait for June's Birchbox!!!!!

My Summer Candle Picks 2011

2011-05-23T23:57:00.000-04:00

Yankee's May Scent

2011-05-16T23:15:00.000-04:00

Blue Hydrangea

This is my sister's favorite flower so it makes me think of her. Again, Yankee's florals are a bit intense and perfumey for me so I wouldn't buy this one, but it's unique so check it out if you like florals for spring. "The enticing scent of beautiful flowers with green notes and hints of hyacinth, lilac and vanilla."

My Candle Collection

2011-05-16T23:13:00.002-04:00

Check out my Youtube channel!

2011-04-26T23:30:00.005-04:00

My Youtube Channel

My 10 Favorite Fragrances (Part 1)

2011-04-13T18:34:00.002-04:00

Kim's Tarts Haul & Review

2011-04-10T18:41:00.002-04:00

New Slatkin Test Scent Candles at B&BW Test Stores

2011-04-09T11:34:00.001-04:00

Yankee's April Scent

2011-04-09T11:32:00.000-04:00

Sweet Honeysuckle

I'm not a big fan of Yankee's floral scents but Honeysuckle is always a nice scent and usually isn't too strong. "A hummingbird's delight, the beautifully enticing spring aroma of golden honeysuckle nectar."

Blog Upgraded to YouTube Channel!

2011-04-01T11:36:00.001-04:00

New Slatkin Scents

2011-03-28T20:27:00.000-04:00

Bath & Body Works recently came out with a new "Boardwalk" collection of candles: Lemon Gelato, Cotton Candy, and Salty Caramel and 2 new candles in their new "Fresh Picked" line: Summer Berries and Fresh Picked Cherries. I will give a brief description of all of these scents and review Fresh Picked Cherries more extensively since it's the only one from these new ones I've burned so far.

I purchased all of them except Summer Berries. That one just smelled like grape juice to me so I wasn't too impressed but Bathandbodyworks.com describes it as "A summer blend of wild blackberry, sweet vine-ripened strawberry and fresh blueberry with a hint of nectarine."

Fresh Picked Cherries

When I first burned this candle I was extremely sad and disappointed that it had the same problem as many Slatkin candles before it of the "low burn" I call it. This is where the wicks seem to burn at the bottom and the flame is very low so isn't strong enough to melt a pool of wax all the way across the top of the candle. If you blow it out before it has the chance to pool evenly, it pretty much ruins the candle since only half the wax will melt and the wicks never get a chance to correct themselves and you won't even really be able smell it. BUT if you burn the candle for as long as possible, pretty much all day and night, the problem will eventually correct. Because now when I burn this candle, it's perfectly normal, I can smell it and I love it. It smells exactly like the cherry Airhead candy. Tart and sweet. The offical description reads "A delicious blend of sweet red cherry, bright apple and vanilla cream." The soap in this scent, however, smelled like Robitussin.

Cotton Candy

I was probably most excited to burn this one out of the new scents. It's surprisingly complex. It's not too sweet and doesn't just smell like sugar. I can't seem to pick out any other specific notes though. It's very light so I just hope the smell is strong when burned. "Spun sugar and vanilla bean blend deliciously with a hint of sweet tangerine."

Lemon Gelato

Yum yum yum. I love lemon scents and this is a delicious creamy one. That's how it differs from Fresh Lemon. Fresh Lemon has a little bit of a tart sugar smell but Lemon Gelato is creamy and smells like a dessert. Fresh Lemon smells more like a cleaner. "Bright lemon citrus and creamy vanilla meringue." Seems they got lazy with that description.

Salty Caramel

This one belongs to the scent category that I like to call "Brown Bakery Scents" along with Slatkin's Kitchen Spice, Yankee's Almond Biscotti, and Wick Hut's Chocolate Chip Cookies. You have to be in the mood to burn these scents, but when you do the smell of baking fills the whole house. And that goes along with what I've heard of Salty Caramel which is that it is very strong. But that's one of the requirements of a good candle to me. If I'm paying good money for a candle, I want it to make a difference in my home and give me a whole sensory experience. This one definitely isn't too sweet and has a lot of nuttiness. "Sweet cream and caramel sprinkled with glazed pecans."

Ok I think I've obsessed about candles enough for one night.

{Currently Burning - Fresh Lemon by Slatkin & Co.}

Spring Scents 2011

2011-03-04T18:01:00.000-05:00

Spa Fresh by Yankee Candle

This might be my favorite spring scent. It's one of the few Yankee candles I still burn. Not too strong of any one note - it's fresh, herbal, and cool all at the same time. I just realized they no longer sell this. Wow I think I'm officially done with Yankee. They have gotten rid of ALL their good scents.

Garden Cucumber by Yankee Candle

This came back as a classic last year after being retired. Fresh fresh fresh. It's the cucumber melon without the sickening sweet melon. Just right. But you can't get this one either darn it!!! Maybe Ebay.

Slatkin & Co. Pineapple Orchid

This is a little sweet but it has the floral note needed for a spring candle. Way LESS sweet than one of the new Slatkin scents this season - Passion Flower (I had to blow that one out). "Delicate white orchid blended with sweet pineapple and rich black currant."

Slatkin & Co. Green Daisy

This was a spring scent last year that came our very late in the season for a limited time only - it may have even been a summer scent but I think it works best in spring. It's your green candle - perfect for when everything is blooming and you can see the grass again after all the snow has melted. I guess the most similar candle out now is Fresh Bamboo but I like this one better.

Slatkin & Co. Fresh Lemon

Not my favorite lemon candle but it seems to be the best available in stores right now. It has a strong lemon scent but also a sugary scent. Don't get me wrong - this isn't a typical sweet lemon like a lemon cream or a lemon vanilla. It has a tart sugary smell like a Lemonhead or a lemon Chuckle. You're welcome for that perfect description. :) Here's there's: "Sparkling lemons and delicious fresh citrus are blended with Chinese orange blossom, exotic palm leaf, and rich vanilla cream."

Slatkin & Co. Cranberry Pear Bellini

I reviewed this in an earlier post and it's not longer in stores, like several other of my spring picks but I think some of these are worth buying on ebay if you don't purchase them when they come out and save them until the right time to burn them like me. :)

Yankee's March Scent

2011-03-02T17:51:00.000-05:00

Early Sunrise

This scent was new last year and it was the only new spring scent that I liked. It's a great transitional scent into spring. It's nice and fresh with citrus notes. This smells like Fresh's Citron de Vigne perfume. "A new day dawns crisp and fresh in this clean lemony citrus scent with hints of ginger and tea."

Victoria's Secret Pink Body Mists

2011-02-20T20:31:00.001-05:00

I got a gift set for Christmas of 4 All-over body mists by Victoria's Secret Pink. They were travel sizes and came in a really cute box. They are currently selling the same scents in a new gift box with flowers for spring on their website www.victoriassecret.com. Just do a search for body mist and it will come up. Here's a picture of the box I got:

It can obviously be used to hold other things. These are just 4 of the scents they carry - I'm guessing maybe 4 of the most popular and ones they carry all the time. I've noticed there have been some other scents seasonally that have been retired so it seems they always have new scents coming out.

This product is stronger than a body splash. It's more like a perfume so I wouldn't use it all over the body. I only spray it a couple times. Victoriassecret.com says it "lightly moisturizes with aloe and chamomile". 2 of these scents I like (sweet & flirty and soft & dreamy) and 2 of them I don't (fresh & clean and pretty & pure).

Pretty & Pure has a green/teal cap and has a strong floral perfumey smell. It has a "green" scent, if you know your perfumes, you'll know what I mean. It's not bad, it's just a little strong for me. The website describes it as "Scented with a delicate blend of pure jasmine & pink lemonade."

Fresh & clean has a light blue cap and this actually is more of a blue scent that smells like men's cologne to me. I don't mind notes of cologne in a candle but I don't want to be smelling that on myself all day long. This one is probably my least favorite. "Scented with a sparkling mix of crisp apple and soft lily."

Sweet & flirty is the sweet one with the purple cap. (They did a really good job of naming these and creating the colors that represent them.) I like sweet perfumes so I like this one but sometimes it can be a bit too candy sweet. It doesn't have many notes other than just....sweet. "Scented with a sparkling mix of sweet sugar berry and pink grapefruit."

Soft & Dreamy is probably my favorite. It's sweet but is a little more complex than sweet & flirty. This one has the dark blue cap. It reminds me of cotton candy but don't let that deter you because it's not too sweet for me to wear all day. It is soft, they're right about that. When I hear soft to describe a scent I usually think of baby powder so I didn't think I would like this, but there are no traces of baby powder here. "Scented with a comforting blend of pink meringue and vanilla whipped cream."

If you like to try new scents and are new to this line of fragrance, this gift set of 4 smaller sizes is perfect for you. Let me know what you think!

{Currently Burning - Slatkin & Co. Passion Flower}

Yankee's February Scent

2011-02-08T09:11:00.000-05:00

Coconut Bay

This scent has been a popular candle for awhile now. It's nice and summery so I don't get it being the scent for February but it's definitely a good one. Coconut is one of my favorite scents. Yum. "The intoxicating scent of wind-swept palms and coconut milk."

Winter Candle Picks 2011

2011-01-18T17:39:00.000-05:00

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

2011-01-16T17:15:00.006-05:00

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

2011-01-10T18:30:00.004-05:00

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

2011-01-02T17:50:00.001-05:00

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.

3 new Slatkin Candles

2010-12-14T23:41:00.007-05:00

First I want to say that I realize this blog has become me just talking about Slatkin and Yankee candles so I promise that will change. Very soon. But I just bought these 3 new candles while the 2 for $20 sale is going on so I might as well let you know about them and briefly review them. Also an FYI - these are in stores only. I wonder why.

Cranberry Pear Bellini

I guess Slatkin is still on his cranberry kick - Cranberry Woods, Frosted Cranberry, Winter Garland, and now Cranberry Pear Bellini. I don't mind it though because I have like all the scents I just listed. This new one might be saved until spring but I guess it could be a winter scent as well. This is not a sweet cranberry as the bellini part of it does give a sparkling, effervescent feel. "A bright blend of sparkling cranberry and juicy nectarine with sweet pear nectar and luscious blackcurrant."

Hot Buttered Rum

When I first smelled this, it smelled like maple caramel to me which I did not like but I bought it to try it out. I burned it for several hours until it pooled all the way across and I could not smell a thing. I tried to read to see if anyone else had this problem but I found that people loved this new scent. I don't know. I thought about returning it but I'll probably give it another chance. What a letdown. "Rich and delicious, a comforting blend of spiced rum and warm caramel, with a touch of vanilla bourbon."

Vanilla Spice

This is very easy to describe. This is Slatkin's "Spice" but not as intense which is good to have because the last time I burned Spice I did think it was way too strong. As my fellow candle obsessed friend says, Spice is still a good layering candle though. I think he is slowly becoming Harry Slatkin. "Aromatic cinnamon is blended with whipped vanilla, spiced orange peel, balsam and a hint of cherry." There's no way I smell all those notes. Some of these descriptions you read are a little ridiculous.

Yankee's December Scent

2010-12-02T22:02:00.000-05:00

Balsam & Cedar

"Balsam, aromatic cedar wood, and juniper berry blend together in a fresh forest scent." I smelled this and thought of Christmas but in my opinion Yankee has too many pine scents because a lot of them are very similar. Not the same, but similar. I like this one, however I also remember liking Sparkling Pine and Mistletoe as well. This one is fresh, crisp, and woodsy.

Christmas Picks 2010

2010-11-14T17:04:00.008-05:00

If you're like me, your place is already decorated for Christmas and you're already thinking about Christmas scented candles. I usually don't start this early with Christmas decorating but I'm really excited for all things Christmas to come. I've already said that word 4 times in this introduction.

This year I'm gonna give my picks for Christmas first, then my picks for winter in a later post. Some of them could be either, but in Pennsylvania, the snow doesn't hit really hard usually until after Christmas and when I think winter, I think snow and really cold temperatures. So I usually burn my winter scents after Christmas. Christmas scents I burn November and December when everywhere you look, places are decorated for the holiday and the christmas carols start to play.

Slatkin & Co. Fresh Balsam

I need to have a pine scent - pure pine to mimic the fresh cut pine tree we used to have in our living room when I was growing up. After trying several different types, this one is the perfect and purest one in my opinion. Bathandbodyworks.com describes it as "Crisp, clean balsam fir blends delightfully with fresh eucalyptus and sweet pine layered with notes of bright apple, cedarwood and musk."

Slatkin & Co. Spice

This is another must-have classic. A lot of people think of cinnamon when they think of Christmas scents. This is also a pure scent to me - cinnamon and clove, warm and cozy. Very holiday. "Spice is the perfect blend of red cinnamon, spiced orange peel and sweet vanilla cream."

Slatkin & Co. Winter Garland

This one is new this year along with a lot of other new holiday scents at Bath & Body Works. I smelled it in the single wick earlier in the year and hated it and now here I am listing it as one of my favorites. It's pine with other notes of cranberry and orange so it's a nice combination of scents. "A sparkling combination of cranberry champagne, blood orange and red berry mixed with the essence of evergreen moss, white cedar and toasted clove." I just realized the description on the website is different than the one on the bottom of the candle but they're similar enough to smell the same.

Slatkin & Co. Holly Wreath

This one is very unique. It smells like pine but it actually has no pine notes in it at all. I'll give their description first: "Fresh juniper and eucalyptus leaves combined with notes of spicy cinnamon bark and sparkling citrus." This one is very fresh and almost smells a little of mint. I can smell the notes of eucalyptus but no one note stands out more than the others.

Slatkin & Co. Mint Chocolate

This one isn't necessarily a Christmas scent or a winter scent but here's my logic - the cool mint reminds me of winter and the chocolate reminds me of holiday. This is more mint chocolate chip ice cream than a peppermint patty or peppermint bark. It's not fake smelling though. It's yummy and fresh. "Semi-sweet chocolate, dark cocoa and peppermint."

Honorable Mentions (with no pictures)

Yankee Candle Holiday Bayberry

"Pine, fir, and laurel are softened with the clean scent of bayberry, frankincense, and myrrh." Here's the story on why you should burn a bayberry candle on Christmas Eve (courtesy of Yankeecandle.com):

First made by early colonists who boiled real bayberries to get the wax, bayberry candles are considered by many to be the original scented candles in America. Because they were difficult and expensive to make, they were highly prized and reserved for special occasions. Traditional holds that when one receives a bayberry candle as a gift from a friend, then burns the candle on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve (allowing candle to burn itself out), they will receive good luck, good health, and much wealth. That translates into the popular saying that "burning a bayberry candle from tip to socket puts luck in the home and gold in the pocket."

Purchase Yankee Candle's Natural Bayberry Tapers to get the real thing with the story on the box!

Yankee Candle Christmas Cookie

If you're not baking constantly during the holiday season, just burn this candle and it smells just as good. It's one of the yummiest candle scents ever. "Buttery rich, vanilla scented, holiday sugar cookies."

Is Santa here yet?

{Currently Burning - Slatkin & Co. Cranberry Woods}

Yankee's November Scent

2010-11-10T21:17:00.000-05:00

Be Thankful

"It's easy to appreciate nature's goodness in the warm, inviting aromas of a Thanksgiving kitchen." That really doesn't describe the scent at all so I'll do that. All I really smell from this sample is nutmeg. You'd think it smelled like apple pie from this picture but... no. It kind of smells like the Creamy Nutmeg scent from B&BW. Nothing special about this one though.

Slatkin & Co. Cranberry Woods

2010-10-31T21:31:00.004-04:00

This is a great transitional scent from fall to winter. It can also be burned in both seasons. It's a nice change from the other fall scents I've been burning (Leaves, Pumpkin Patch, and Harvest). There's no cinnamon, apple, or pumpkin in this one. It's cranberry, maybe a little orange, and the warm woods scent of trees or firewood. It's a little sweeter when it burns than I imagined - I might like a little more of the "woods" but it's still nice. Bathandbodyworks.com describes it as "A mysterious blend of cranberry, rich black currant, and raspberry layered with notes of cinnamon bark, cedarwood and warm amber."

B&BW Vanilla Bean Noel

2010-10-17T21:25:00.004-04:00

The time is upon us where the Holiday Traditions line at B&BW is available once again. When it comes to body care, this is my favorite line at B&BW. Every other line or scent they have, especially the signature collection, is way too strong and overpowering. The holiday traditions line is creamy and lightly scented. I stock up when it's available because it is only in stores and online during the holidays. The scents and products available along with the packaging change every year slightly. This year they have the returning favorites vanilla bean noel, winter candy apple (my sister's favorite), and twisted peppermint, and the new snow kissed berry.

My favorite scent in this line is Vanilla Bean Noel. Twisted Peppermint comes in a close second and I only use that scent in winter since the cool vanilla peppermint seems appropriate at that time. But VBN you can use all year round. My favorite product in this line is the body cream. Thick and creamy yet absorbed by the skin quickly. I do not like the lotion - I find it thin, not very moisturizing, yet greasy and sticky. The scent is yum yum yum. Vanilla, caramel, cream. Sometimes it has a cotton candy scent but it is not strong or overly sweet. Trust me on that. Bathandbodyworks.com says "Our exclusive Vanilla Bean Noel is a warm blend of fresh vanilla bean, warm caramel and rich, comforting cream." This year, the body mist is better than last year. It smells like alcohol in the bottle but you can smell the scent when you spray it on. It just doesn't last very long. They also came out with it in a "HandiBac" this year which is my answer to wanting it in travel sizes. It's a travel size hand lotion that is also antibacterial.

They always have good deals on these products making it easy to stock up. I bought them when they were buy three get three free. That's a darn good deal. I'm not sure if that deal is still on or not. VBN comes in other products available now like lotion, shower gel, and pocket bac. I just reviewed my favorite products in the line. Check it out at their website or in stores.

{Currently Burning - Harvest by Yankee Candle}

Fresh Citron de Vigne

2010-10-04T23:40:00.004-04:00

I had the pleasure of going into a Fresh store for the first time while I was visiting New York City a couple weeks ago. I. Loved. It. It's heaven for a scent lover like me. They have a ton of different scents and they come in different products (some more than others) - perfume, candles, soap, lotion, shower gel, etc. The associate there helped me since it was my first time there and she recommended 4 different products - 2 of which I bought. I bought their Sugar Rose Lip Treatment but it's the Citron de Vigne perfume I wanna talk about.

The website www.fresh.com has a blurb about this fragrance that you can go there to read since I can't copy and paste it. They describe it as "a crisp, sparkling scent inspired by France's champagne region." It looks like this is their most popular scent currently, or just the featured one and comes in a wide variety of products.

It's like a more sophisticated and upscale version of Bigelow's Lemon perfume. It's fresh and a little sweet with citrus/lemon notes and you can definitely smell the champagne as well. It's a young sophisticated scent. I say that because usually when a scent is described as "sophisticated" it smells like a strong old lady perfume but this is nowhere near that. I bought it in the medium 1 oz size to try it first and thought it was a good value. This bottle has more perfume than the rollerball but you can still carry it in your purse. This has a good staying power on me too and you only need 1 or 2 sprays.

If you haven't been to one of these stores, I recommend going if you can find one. I think they sell a limited number of products at beauty stores like Sephora but going into their store is a great experience. You can sample all their unique perfumes (there's something for everyone) and when I went, there were large jars (almost vats) of retired perfume scents they brought back and mixed themselves in the store. Exciting.

{Currently Burning - Leaves by Slatkin & Co.}

Yankee's October Scent

2010-10-03T20:46:00.000-04:00

Autumn Leaves

"A vibrant medley of birch and maple leaves with pomegranate, juniper berry, and orange blossom." This scent swatch smells like pine to me. It must be the juniper berry. It's nice but it seems more of a winter scent than a fall one. Then I smelled it in the store and it smelled like Robitussin so I'm gonna pass on this one.

Bath & Body Works Holiday Preview

2010-09-30T21:07:00.004-04:00

If you're a fragrance lover like me, then you might be itching for some holiday scents already. You need to go to http://www.bbwsneakpeek.com/. At this webpage, you can sign up to be notified of holiday items that aren't yet available and click links to view items available now. As for candles and home fragrance, Slatkin has returning favorites and also new holiday scents - a lot of new holiday scents. Dare I say, Slatkin and B&BW went overboard with new holiday scents this year? Of course not. You can NEVER have enough of these candles. Yankee had a email coupon come out today that was buy one get one free ALL large jars and I still went to B&BW and bought 2 Slatkin 3-wick candles at 2 for 20. Oh yeah, did I mention the 2 for $20 sale is on again??

This is getting me excited for Christmas.

{Currently Burning - Leaves by Slatkin & Co.}

Fall Picks 2010

2010-09-13T19:37:00.007-04:00

It's my favorite time of year and the best time for fragrance, in my opinion. Here are my picks for fall candles this year:

Leaves by Slatkin & Co.

A must-have every autumn. They've had this scent for a couple years now and I think it's everyone's favorite at B&BW. My sister descibes this scent as a fall dessert. It's apple cider, cinnamon, and other spices like clove/nutmeg etc. Bathandbodyworks.com describes it as "Autumnal notes of golden nectar, juicy mandarin and red delicious apple are paired with toasted cinnamon stick, mulled cider spices and freshly harvested red berries."

Pumpkin Patch by Slatkin & Co.

This isn't a new scent; it's a returning favorite of mine. It used to be part of the collection called "The Perfect Autumn" like the collection during the holiday season called "The Perfect Christmas". This one was called The Perfect Autumn - Pumpkin then a couple years ago they changed the name to Pumpkin Patch. I think a pumpkin scent is a necessity during fall. You have to have an apple scent and a pumpkin scent. And my first two candles cover those bases. "Pumpkin Patch is an invitingly warm blend of fresh pumpkin, spicy cinnamon, creamy nutmeg, whipped butter, and rich brown sugar."

By the way, if you know Slatkin as well as I do you'll notice that the labels on these two candles are different and nicer - the pictures are larger and more artistic I guess you could say. This year it seems they made these new labels and the old ones. I've seen both in stores and they're the same price so you might not care about that but it's just an observation.

Caramel Apple by Slatkin & Co.

My fellow candle-obsessed friend doesn't like this one. I would say give it a chance. The first time I smelled it I didn't think I liked it either but now I love it because it stands out. You can smell both the caramel AND the apple. I think they blended the two perfectly. The more I smelled this one, the more I liked it. I might go back and get the oil for my Scentbug. This was a new scent for Slatkin this year, along with Creamy Pumpkin (too ordinary and P. Patch is the better pumpkin scent) and Autumn (which I'll review in the next post probably). It can smell a little like maple oatmeal at first but burn it and you might love it like me. "Golden apple, brown sugar and creamy caramel are blended with Anjou pear, nutmeg and vanilla cream to create this fall favorite."

Harvest by Yankee

A fall classic. I spent so much money on Slatkin this year, I haven't even bought this yet (hence no picture) but I probably still will. This combines all the great scents of fall into one candle - apple, cinnamon, pumpkin, etc. If you're only gonna get one fall candle, then it might as well be Harvest. This is probably my all time favorite Yankee scent. Yankeecandle.com says "A blend of cinnamon, cloves, and musk with a hint of sweet apples and pumpkin."

Honorable Mentions - Ginger Vanilla by Slatkin & Co. (They didn't make this scent this year but they were still selling some on QVC.com. I love and miss this scent.) and Cranberry Orange by Yankee (one of their new ones this year; "Fresh-baked muffins with tart cranberries, sweet orange zest and spicy cloves.")

{Currently Burning - Autumn by Slatkin & Co.}

Yankee's September Scent

2010-09-07T21:28:00.000-04:00

Macintosh

"So vividly real you can almost taste the unmistakable crunch." I don't know about all that but this is a great apple scent - very true. It reminds me of Soergel's Orchards in the fall when they're making fresh apple cider and selling all sorts of fresh apples.

Great Labor Day Weekend Sale

2010-09-03T22:46:00.002-04:00

All Slatkin 3 wick candles are 2 for $20 this weekend! Visit bathandbodyworks.com for more information. I already stocked up. This sale doesn't happen very often and it's the best deal they do on these candles (that are the best money can buy in my opinion.) So stock up or try new fall scents...and then some!

{Currently Burning- Slatkin & Co. Caramel Apple}

Foodie Scent 2

2010-08-30T19:58:00.002-04:00

Yankee Candle Almond Cookie

I'm currently in love with this candle. I'm over summer scents and I'm not ready for fall yet so a bakery scent was a good transitional candle for me. I found this at a Yankee outlet store for $15 for the large jar. It's something you can burn year round and it's a real "feel good" scent, as most foodie scents are. But this one is different enough that I recommend going out and buying. It's not overly sweet, it's got a warm feeling without having those Christmasey notes like cinnamon or apple. Yankeecandle.com says, "Still warm from the oven ... rich almonds and buttery vanilla baked in an irresistibly luscious treat." Exactly right. Yum.

Casa di Francesca Diffusers

2010-08-19T19:31:00.009-04:00

This collection is found on HSN - on tv or hsn.com. The brand is represented by Katie Borghese - the wife of Skip Borghese, one of the representatives of Perlier Italian Bath and Body.

I first purchased one of these diffusers for my mom for Mother's Day. There's a wide variety of scents and they have starter kits with oil, diffuser sticks, and a handblown Italian vase and they also have refill kits with just oil and sticks. I bought my mom the Honeysuckle & Night Blooming Jasmine. I thought it was a great scent even though I'm not a big fan of florals. It had a lot of scent for a diffuser and the smell was very authentic, unique, and high end - not cheap smelling at all (which is good because these are kind of expensive).

Then I purchased a set of mini diffusers on sale for myself during a recent event they had. I purchased the Eat, Pray, Love™ Casa di Francesca Mini Diffuser Set which is still available on hsn.com. (Both of the products that I purchased are also customer picks which means it has an average of 4-5 stars out of 5 based on customer reviews and ratings.)

I loved the idea of getting three small ones because I couldn't pick just one scent and I could put them in my bedroom without too much constant fragrance. HSN did a big "Eat, Pray, Love" event so this kit comes with a scent for each of the places that the character/author of the book/movie visited:

Italy - Lavender, Rosemary, and Thyme (herbal and fresh with a little bit of spice)

India - Cinnamon and Vanilla (not too potent of a cinnamon and is nice and sweet)

Bali - Frangipani, Ylang Ylang, and Jasmine (soft floral that reminded me of clouds)

Let me just say - GIFT GIFT GIFT!!! The packaging is impeccable for the whole line really but especially this set. It's twenty dollars which seems expensive but this is all made in Italy and will probably be the best diffusers you've ever smelled/used. The scents also come individually in their own set with more oil and really pretty vases - different for each one. The sticks they use absorb very well and the scent dissipates throughout a whole room if you keep flipping them over. These are by far the top of the line when it comes to diffusers and they have made me really enjoy this form of home fragrance. I will definitely come back to this line for gift giving again and for myself. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how lovely the packaging really is - even the inside of the box is printed with a map and there's gold foil accents on the outline of the box and a story of "Francesca" on the back. Give this set a try before it sells out!

Yankee Candle Fragrance Mixology

2010-08-05T23:05:00.008-04:00

Yankee Candle is now advertising "Fragrance Mixology" by making it possible to burn multiple scents at one time with their new triple votive holder. They have a long list of "recipes" with scents to combine on their website. You can either burn two or three at a time, or even just one if you wanted. I like this new idea and it's fun and easy to come up with your own combinations as well. Votives don't last long but that allows you to keep trying new mixes and they are inexpensive to buy. Plus the scent throw ends up being stronger than with just one votive.

Here are Yankee's combinations that I have tried:

Toasted Marshmallows: Fireside™ and Vanilla Cupcake

Fireside overpowered this combination and I like that scent but if I were to burn this mix again, I would do two Vanilla Cupcakes and one Fireside and see if that made the scents more even.

Super Clean: Spiced Orange and Lemon Lavender

I love this. Spiced Orange is one of the new fall fragrances in the Yankee line and I think it's one of the best ones. It reminds me a little bit of Wick Hut's Mandarin Tiki. I was able to smell both scents and it created a wonderfully fresh scent that could be burned year round.

Warm Muffins: Cranberry Orange, Cinnamon & Sugar and French Vanilla

This is my favorite. This combination should be made into it's own candle. Cranberry Orange is also one of the new fall scents and it might be my favorite. This scent combination is just what you want your house to smell like all the time. It reminds me a little bit of fall but it's definitely a year round fragrance. It's a little spice and sweet and comforting. I know they already have a scent called "Home Sweet Home" but that's what comes to mind with this scent.

Bed & Breakfast: Cranberry Orange and Home Sweet Home®

I couldn't even really smell this one. Maybe since it's only two votives but you can smell the Super Clean combination a lot more. These would be 2 great scents to burn alone. If you're going for a "Bed & Breakfast" feel, I would go with the Warm Muffins combination.

I would recommend trying the mixology. The votive holder and votives are inexpensive and there's probably an endless combination of candles to mix. Once you burn them for awhile, the wax runs into the other candles so it creates a new color and it's own scent which is pretty cool (as pictured below with "Warm Muffins").

You can still find the list of scent combinations by searching for "mixology" on Yankee's website.

{Currently Burning - Island Nectar by Slatkin & Co}

Yankee's August Scent

2010-08-03T23:16:00.000-04:00

Evening Air

"The crisp breeze of a fall night warmed with notes of clove, geranium, basil, cedarwood and musk." This one just smells like soap. :) It sounds fantastic from the desription they give so I might go out and buy a tart to burn just to give it enough of a chance but from the sample on the calendar - men's soap.

My recent disappointment in Perlier

2010-07-18T18:50:00.005-04:00

I used to love this brand made in Italy and sold in the US in high end department stores (and T.J. Maxx and Marshalls) and on HSN. Their products come in a lot of different scents that are natural-smelling and not only smell good but had great moisturizing properties but I've been pretty disappointed lately. Their products are way too expensive now since other companies like Bath & Body Works and even Victoria's Secret are stepping up with their body products. I just can't justify the expense anymore. One of my favorite Perlier scents used to be Coconut Milk and they recently re-formulated that line to include natural organic shea butter - 25% in some products. So you'd think all the new products would be super moisturizing right? I wanna rant about the hand soap.

I know hand soaps are mainly for cleaning and not moisturizing but I had to stop using this expensive product and throw it away because it dried out my hands so bad. I've never had a soap strip my hands of all moisture like this one did. It makes me pretty mad actually. I don't like the rest of the line either. The coconut smell is more natural than other brands but sometimes it smells like play-doh. The hand cream is too greasy, the body cream is too thick, and the shower gel doesn't lather enough. I used to really love this company but I might be done after this huge disappointing purchase.

{Currently Burning - Slatkin & Co Island Nectar}

New Summer Scents from Slatkin

2010-07-12T23:14:00.004-04:00

Bath & Body Works just came out with 4 new late summer scents from Slatkin. It seems a little late in the season to be coming out with more summer scents, but I'll always welcome a new scent to try.

Green Daisy

This one is my favorite. "Citrus, pear and green apple add to the delicate floral essence of lily of the valley and dewy jasmine." This scent most reminds me of their earlier fresh bamboo candle. There was something missing from their summer scents this year and I feel like this was it. There needed to be a nice fresh green scent. The top note here is fresh plants then the lightest notes of floral and fruit. This could also be a nice spring scent as well.

Eucalyptus Mint

This I purchased in a small size but was disappointed with. It sounded like a perfect relaxing spa scent - one that didn't have lavender in it for a change but it came out smelling like a combination of soap and toothpaste for me - mainly just the mint with no eucalyptus. But it still seemed like an appropriate scent to leave in the bathroom. Bathandbodyworks.com says it's a "A bright, refreshing blend of mint, citrus and ginger with clear notes of fresh eucalyptus and jasmine."

Peach Bellini

Not a fan. Way too strong but not sweet. I was overwhelmed with the smell of strong peaches and potent fruit. "A light, delicate blend of white peach, sweet orange peel and yellow mandarin, finished with jasmine and sweet black currant."

Lotus Flower

This was a light floral scent that reminded me of Sunflowers perfume. Eh. I don't have any use for this type of scent - especially in the summer. I'm a fan of sandalwood in fragrances, but I didn't get it from this candle. "Delicate and fresh, this mix of beautiful lotus blossom, rose and white jasmine is perfectly finished with rich sandalwood."

Stay tuned. I've already had a sneak peek at some new fall scents this year. The best time of the year for fragrance and my favorite time of the year in general will soon be upon us!!

{Currently Burning - Caribbean Escape by Slatkin & Co.}

Yankee's July Scent

2010-07-04T21:03:00.000-04:00

Ocean Water

"The cool scent of blue waters, exotic hibiscus, and musk." This one is very unique. It's not bad but not a scent that I would go out and buy. I definitely smell musk in this one. It's a powdery scent that kind of reminds me of a man's cologne yet I can smell the floral hibiscus note. It's definitely a mixture of feminine and masculine. It wasn't what I thought it would be at all.

Wick Hut Candles

2010-06-24T20:50:00.011-04:00

You'll never guess where I found this new candle brand to try - from a facebook ad! But I'm glad I've tried them as I wanted to try some different candles. Although, now I just have another company to throw my money at haha.

I read a little about the company before purchasing and the reviews that I found were raving about this brand. Also, it seems that from looking at their website (www.thewickhut.com), they claim to have the "most powerful scent throw" which was enough for me to place an order. Their most popular candles come in tins, 3 sizes (4 oz, 8 oz, and 16 oz double wick), and 3 options for scent throw (full strength, half scent, and quarter scent). I thought it would be a good idea to purchase several of the small size for my first try but I have to say, even purchased at full strength, they aren't as strong as the 16 oz double wick so there's a tip right there. My second purchase was 3 of the largest tins at full strength scent throw, of course.

The scents I have tried so far: China Rain, Butt Naked (reviewed on an earlier post), Oven Baked Bread, Blueberry Waffles, Mandarin Tiki, and Chocolate Chip Cookies.

My favorite so far is China Rain.

This is one of their best sellers. "A rejuvenating scent with a clean and refreshing fragrance of floral surroundings, with the added scent of musky rose and fresh midnight rain. A very smooth and relaxing scent to brighten your day." I felt I needed a nice relaxing fragrance that wasn't lavender so I bought this and it does relax you. I can't even describe this scent. It has a lot of different notes and doesn't come off as a floral candle. It's interesting and I've never smelled anything like it.

My favorite foodie scent so far - Oven Baked Bread

I would just as soon call this oven baked cookies. It doesn't exactly smell like that fresh baked bread that most of us love with that distinctive yeast smell and it's a little sweeter but it still smells divine. "Walk into the wonderful scent of freshly baked bread, straight out of the hot oven."

Mandarin Tiki

This is their newest scent and is currently featured on their website. It sounded so unique I had to try it. "A complex aroma of mandarin rind, red currants, strawberries, and bluberries; with middle notes of watercress and palm leaves. A fresh and energizing aroma that stirs the senses and brightens the spirit." I don't like just orange scents but this really is so much more. Their scents really do smell like all the notes they say.

Blueberry Waffles

I haven't burned this one yet because it's a small one and they don't burn as quickly or evenly and they're not as strong but it's nice right from the tin. "Hot, homemade waffles, straight from the griddle, topped with freshly picked blueberries and whip cream. An absolute delight of a scent to wake up to in the morning." I don't know that it's as great as that description, but still nice.

Chocolate Chip Cookies.

This didn't smell as good as I was hoping, but it's still nice and I think it will smell better once I burn it. You can definitely smell the chocolate. You can order this scent but I don't see that they provide a scent description of it.

Here's a picture to show the difference between the smallest and largest sizes.

Here's a picture to show the two-wick burning. My one main complaint is that the large ones are only 2 wicks instead of 3 and if you can tell, the wax burns the whole way across but there is some space on either side where the wax does not melt all the way so it might not burn all the way across. [UPDATE: As long as you burn the candle long enough and it's level, the wax will melt evenly all the way across. Yay!]

So overall I do really like these candles, but do they have the strongest scent throw? In my opinion, the scent throw in their large 2 wick is AS STRONG as a Slatkin 3 wick. And I would say they are a little stronger than a large Yankee. But I definitely recommend getting the largest size. It took awhile to burn the little 3-ouncer all the way across. They have a lot of different scents to choose from (bakery, seasonal, holiday, year-round), their prices are good (although the shipping kinda sucks and they ship from AZ which is all the way across the country from me), and there are no stores throughout the country so you have to guess on the scents but I definitely recommend you give this brand a try!

Summer Scents 2010

2010-06-15T21:35:00.009-04:00

Here are my picks for summer candles this year.

Slatkin & Co. Seaside Escape

"Free yourself with a delightful blend of bright citrus, jasmine, and rum layered with hints of guava, rich vanilla, and musk." When I smell this, the only notes I can pick out are pineapple and a blue scent like ocean water, but this is more complex. It's a cool, tropical scent. A relaxation vacation. I think this one is my favorite.

Slatkin & Co. Island Nectar

"An intoxicating island dream of sparkling tropical fruits blended seductively with lush vanilla, warming rum, and sensual musk." This is orange, passionfruit, guava (or at least it seems like it would be as I have never smelled an actual passionfruit or guava), and vanilla. It's tropical and fruity.

Slatkin & Co. Caribbean Escape

"Indulge in a sweet, tropical blend of melon, raspberry nectar, and Italian lemon tempered with creamy coconut milk and raw sugarcane." Another escape. I smell pineapple again but I get other fruits too like the melon. This is a little sweeter than Seaside and it doesn't have any of the fresh notes. This is a sweet, fruity tropical.

Wick Hut Butt Naked

This is a brand new candle brand for me and I will dedicate another post talking just about them but I am including this scent in my summer picks because it's pretty unique. It's their best selling scent and can be purchased on their website www.thewickhut.com. "Wonderful base notes of granny smith apples and honeydew melon, middle notes of strawberries and pears with an added hint of spice." It has the fruits you would see in a summer candle (and some more) but you definitely can smell the different base note of the added spice. It's quite interesting. Stay tuned for more information and my thoughts on this brand.

Yankee Candle Sun and Sand

"A tropical beach breeze of sweet orange flower, lemony citrus, fresh lavender and powdery musk." I sampled a lot of summer scents from Yankee and this is the only one that I thought I would include. I've been pretty disappointed in that brand lately. But this scent is nice and beachy. I don't exactly get the notes they describe but I guess all those mixed together add up to sun and sand, which I think is an appropriate title because it actually does smell like that. I don't have a picture because I threw the wrapper on my tart away by accident but it's a nice light brown sand color.

Hope you enjoy! Burn some candles this summer to "take you away" to a vacation while staying right in your living room.

Slatkin & Co Sunflower Review

2010-06-06T20:32:00.002-04:00

I already had my Slatkin summer scents tucked away and was still burning spring scents when they came out with the new ones: Summer Orchard, Pomegranate Lemonade, Summer Melon, and Sunflower. I wasn't crazy about any of these but decided I liked Sunflower enough to buy for a transitional scent between spring and summer because, for me, certain scents can only be burned during a particular season.

I reminds me a lot of green tea and white pear, but not as complex. Once I read the notes, I understood why. "Bright and sunny, this fresh blend of mandarin, grapefruit and green tea is completed with sheer musk and the natural essence of white woods." Fruit and green tea notes again. It's not a favorite candle of mine. It's like green tea and white pear but not as good, and with only a couple of the notes. I don't know but it seems these four extra scents they launched maybe were rushed or not even really necessary at all. My friend likes the pomegranate lemonade a lot but I already have a sweet one - pineapple orchid.

Stay tuned for my summer picks!

{Currently Burning - Slatkin & Co Seaside Escape.}

Yankee's June Scent

2010-06-01T23:04:00.000-04:00

Sweet Strawberry

"The essence of perfectly ripe strawberries sprinkled with sugar." I'm not a fan of this one. It's too sweet, much like Slatkin & Co's Strawberry Patch except I like the Yankee version even less. To me, it doesn't even resemble the fruit. I'm hoping someone will eventually get strawberry right.

My favorite hand soaps.

2010-05-19T22:51:00.011-04:00

This is another way for me to enjoy fragrance. You have to wash your hands, so why not buy soap in fun different scents? It's also a pretty cheap way to try new scents and decorate your home.

Generally, the soaps I am most often buying are from the anti-bac collection from B&BW. These are always on sale, there are a ton of different scents to choose from, and they are always getting new scents. They can be found in stores and on bathandbodyworks.com. They come in three different types - moisturizing, foaming, and deep cleansing. People definitely have their favorite. I have to say most people I find like the foaming (my close friend, sister, dad). Me and my mom like the deep cleansing (I like to make my own foaming lather instead of it coming out that way....I know I'm weird), and I have to say I don't really know anyone that prefers the moisturizing. When it comes to the anti-bac collection, the soaps smell great and do the job but don't really moisturize at all. I still need to put hand cream on after. Here are some of my favorite scents:

Pink Grapefruit. Yum. (Sorry for the half empty bottles.)

Kitchen Lemon. Clean.

Crisp Cucumber. Fresh. This is part of their new configuration - odor eliminating.

There's also the new Summer Vanillas. I haven't tried these yet but I like the scents in the candles. Berry, Coconut, and Lemon.

I also like Tropical Passionfruit and Nectarine Mint (not pictured).

Now we come to C.O. Bigelow. These hand soaps are probably my favorite when it comes to the formula - very smooth and doesn't leave your skin so incredibly dry. However they don't come in as many scents and most scents are only found in Bigelow stores. I think the only one B&BW sells is the lemon. But that one is excellent too!

Lavender. Relaxing.

I also have vanilla and coconut (not pictured).

Then comes Perlier (made in Italy). These are probably the highest quality, the most expensive, and hardest to get. You have to get these online unless you spot one at a TJ Max or a Marshalls, which is likely but they would only have the most classic scents there. You can find them online at HSN or Perlier's website. HSN has pretty good deals. These probably have the most natural ingredients and leave the skin the most moisturized.

The only one I currently have is the honey. Their first ever scent which has a high percentage of real honey in it so it's good for your skin. This is the jumbo size.

They have a ton of other scents to check out. My favorite one is probably the Coconut Milk - the most natural, authentic scent of coconut I've ever smelled. Theirs is not synthetic or too sweet smelling. LOVE. I've actually received compliments on that soap when people that visit have used it.

Then sometimes B&BW will come out with the caddies - mainly during seasonal or holiday. They're great for presentation but I find myself never using the lotion - I always prefer a cream to a lotion, even for my hands. (Vanilla Bean Noel pictured - my all time favorite B&BW scent)

And B&BW will also come out with figural soaps that help with decorating during holidays - like the Halloween one pictured.

What are your favorite soaps to use?

L'Occitane Candied Fruit Candle

2010-05-09T19:13:00.003-04:00

I have to say, L'Occitane products are very expensive - even for me, a person that doesn't mind spending a little more on something I like. But they do have nice products and fragrances. I was surprised to see incense, since most similar stores don't carry that. I guess they're famous for their hand creams but they have a variety of beauty, body care, skin care, and home fragrance items.

I didn't know where to start when I went in to the new L'Occitane store in one of our malls, so my friend suggested this candle. I got it in the small size that comes in a box. Then I had to get the little plate that goes with it (but you have to buy separately), which is also an incense holder which I talked about in an earlier post.

Loccitane.com describes this scent as "A sweet fragrance combining flowers and dried fruits coated in honey, with a patchouli, vanilla and caramel base." The first thing I smell is the patchouli, which I usually don't like, but it's not too strong like it sometimes can be. I think because it's mixed with sweet which makes for a unique, interesting combination. I would say it's still a masculine fragrance and a nice scent for this cold spring night. The candle itself does not give off a lot of fragrance and I have it sitting right in front of me so I don't know if I'll go back to their candles but I would say give this one a try.

Yankee's May Scent

2010-05-03T21:24:00.000-04:00

Lilac Blossoms

"An alluring grove of lavender, white, and deep purple lilacs." This is a true lilac scent. That's really all I can say about it. I'm only going by the scent sample from the calendar so I don't know how strong the candle would be - but probably pretty strong judging from their other floral scents. This scent will always remind me of my mother since it's her favorite flower. Slatkin also has a nice lilac candle called Lilac Blossom - singular instead of plural. :)

Yankee's April Scent

2010-04-27T21:16:00.003-04:00

Garden Sweet Pea

I brought the calendar home from work so I could post the pictures for each month that go along with the scents.

"The sweet perfume of delicate blooms accented with hints of pear, peach, freesia, and rosewood." This is a sweet floral - similar to other sweet pea scents I've smelled, like from B&BW. It reminds me of a candy - like sweet tarts or smarties or something. But the mixture of floral and sweet is nice.

SCENTBUG Review

2010-04-19T18:10:00.008-04:00

Finally I'll give my review of the Slatkin & Co. SCENTBUG Home Fragrance Oil Fan found at Bath & Body Works.

I bought the black one so it goes with my decor. They come in a variety of different colors though. I was hesitant to try this product. First, because it has the name "bug" in the title (to be completely honest). I hate bugs and that really turns me off. Then because I thought I didn't need another form of home fragrance - but there really is nothing else like this of this caliber. When my sister said she loves hers and I finally figured out what it really was all about, I bought one and now I love mine too!

You put 2 AA batteries (which are included) in the bottom and that's also where you store the extra cotton pads.

Then you put several drops of oil onto one pad and put it in the little drawer that pops out when you push it.

Then on the other side is the little button you push to turn it on and it turns green. There's a little fan that runs quietly that pushes the scent through the air. You press the button again to turn it off. So easy!

I put mine in my bathroom and only turn it on when I want to freshen the room. I haven't yet had to replace the pad or put more oil onto it. It still fills up the small room pretty quickly and I've had it for a couple months. I love this mainly because there's no continuous fragrance, which if you read this blog you know I hate. You turn it on when you want it, it fills the room with fragrance, and then you turn it off. I put a very neutral scent - Fresh Linen - in the one in my bathroom because it goes with other home fragrances and is year-round but you can use any of their oils. Usually whatever they have a candle in, they have it in the oil too.

I think this is a great addition to the home fragrance world. Plus, since it uses batteries (which I haven't had to replace yet either) you can take it into any room whenever you want to freshen any area of the house. Plus it's so light and small too. It doesn't take up much room so you can put it virtually anywhere and you can get a color to match your decor. You can use this if you want fragrance that is not as strong as a room spray or if you don't want to wait for candle wax to melt. Plus unlike diffusers, there's no mess with the oil. I definitely recommend these. Tip - my sister likes to change out the oil in hers so she can have different scents and when she does, she saves the cotton pad if it still has oil on it and stores it in a plastic bag so she can reuse it later.

{Currently Burning - Slatkin & Co. Green Tea & White Pear}

Incense

2010-04-12T17:48:00.004-04:00

Time to talk about another form of home fragrance.

I think this is a love it or hate it thing. I've always liked burning incense - ever since I was introduced to it at a local hippie store/head shop - whatever you wanna call it. But recently I found it again at a privately run scent shop. It's a good way to get scent quickly and it's usually enough to fill a room. You will need an incense burner/holder to catch the ash but I always used to stick an incense stick in a votive candle if you don't have one. They come in a ton a different scents, although they do all have a similar type of aroma. I tried vanilla this time and it's really nice. Dragon's blood is very popular and one of my friend's favorite scents. I think all parents still think that if incense is burning, someone is smoking pot, and I'm sure a lot of people still use it to cover that up, but it's an interesting alternative to candle burning as well.

I bought this little dish from L'Occitane that holds their mini candles perfectly but since it has the little hole in the center, it's an incense burner too! How cool. :-) Wait till you see it with the little candle it's made for. I bought it with one of their most popular scents. That review is to come.

{Currently Burning - Pineapple Orchid by Slatkin & Co.}

Yankee's March Scent

2010-03-21T20:42:00.002-04:00

Midnight Jasmine

This is pretty nice for a floral scent. I like jasmine and it's good for spring. It is a tad perfumey but I would say I like it overall. It's a soft floral with the sensual, romantic jasmine fragrance so it could be called a "floriental" scent.

Spring Scents 2010

2010-03-14T20:34:00.008-04:00

After a long search, here are my picks for spring. I apologize for not having pictures for all of them. I don't know how the whole thing works with posting pictures that aren't legally yours so I'm just following the rule of only posting pictures that I have personally taken.

Slatkin & Co Green Tea and White Pear

I don't know if I liked this the first time I smelled it. I don't even know if I was interested enough to pick it up and smell it. This is very complex with a lot of different notes to it. It's fruity and fresh at the same time so it's great for spring. Bathandbodyworks.com says "A light, clean blend of Asian pear, Yuzu, and a custom blend of green tea is infused with delicate florals gently layered over the ancient and restorative scents of oak, patchouli and warm musk". Uh...yeah, like I said...very complex.

Yankee Spa Fresh

My friend lead me on to this candle and I'm sooo glad he did. This isn't a new fragrance but I don't remember this coming out. This is one of my new favorites. Out of all Yankee candles. This has a little bit of a fresh-cut grass smell to it without being overwhelming since it has other notes to it as well. "A naturally revitalizing blend of soothing lavender, invigorating eucalyptus and stimulating mint". Those notes blend very well because I can't pick out any one of them separately.

Slatkin & Co Pineapple Orchid

"Delicate white orchid blended with sweet pineapple and rich black currant." This is pretty sweet. But it has the floral that is typical of spring. I don't like straight floral scents, as you can see from my picks for spring, so I like that this mixes a floral with a sweet. I also have this Scentportable in my car right now. But be careful, I was in my sister's car today and her scentportable starting to drip onto my pants! So be careful not to puncture the little pocket where the oil/gel/scent is.

Slatkin & Co Nectarine Mint

I was first introduced to this scent as an anti-bac soap so I never really gave it a chance as a home fragrance item but I love it so much, why not? Fruity and fresh, mixing different items found in a spring garden. Perfect. "A fresh blend of juicy nectarine, grapefruit, sugar, and crisp mint leaves."

C.O. Bigelow Lemon

No one does lemon like Bigelow. No one. Bath and Body Works has a couple lemon fragrances and so does Yankee but they're nothing like this. I couldn't find this item on www.bigelowchemists.com but I did find it listed on www.ilovebigelow.com. Is that even an official site? It looks like one. Weird. Anyway, their lemon line is amazing. The lemon perfume is actually one of my all time favorite perfumes. Also perfect for spring and summer. Unfortunately, Bath and Body Works does not sell this candle. Their Bigelow selection is kind of small. But if you can get to one of the Bigelow stores, get this candle.

Yankee Early Sunrise

I gave a full review of this earlier so I'll refrain from doing it again. But like I said before, this was the only brand new spring scent from Yankee that I liked.

{Currently Burning - Spa Fresh by Yankee}

Spring is Here!!!!!

2010-03-10T19:39:00.004-05:00

I am making the official annoucement. Spring is officially here and if you have been having the dramatic weather change Pittsburgh has been having lately, you would agree with me. I am super excited. I have taken down the snowman wreath on my door and replaced it with a spring garden sign, the snowman and polar bear B&BW soap dispensers have been thrown away (I used most of the soap) and spring anti-bac scents are out, spring pillows are put on the patio chairs and the Christmas/winter candles and scents are put away and not to be seen again until late November.

I'm doing some shopping this weekend to find a great spring scent but for now I'm burning Slatkin & Co.'s Strawberry Patch.

Bathandbodyworks.com describes this scent as "Succulent and sweet - this invigorating fragrance quenches your thirst with ripe strawberries, juicy mango, and tropical white peach gently layered with rich vanilla." It is extremely sweet. When I first burned it (last year) I didn't like it and put it away. When I took it out this year, I didn't mind it as much. It's still really sweet and sugary, but I don't hate it. Maybe that's just how much I'm longing for spring scents. And I missed Slatkin after all those Yankee reviews. For now, it'll do. Happy Spring! Go outside and frolic.

I guess I need to put away the snowflake Yankee Candle plate. :-)

Yankee's New Spring Scents - Ocean Blossom

2010-03-03T18:44:00.006-05:00

Tooooo strong again. Almost headache-inducing. I thought I'd like this scent also since it sounds like a nice tropical summery scent but not so much. I think it might be the worst one! This smells like perfume too. Yankeecandle.com says "Like a swim in a tropical lagoon ... paradise calls in this blend of sea salt, lotus and water lily." Sea salt...really? I would say this is a strong fresh floral.

Overall I'm not a big fan of Yankee's new spring scents, as you can tell from my reviews. The only one I would consider buying in a larger size is Early Sunrise. The other ones are just too strong and perfumey and fake smelling for me. I have some great summer candles I'm saving but I have yet to find the perfect spring scent this year. I'll keep looking!

Yankee's New Spring Scents - Pineapple Cilantro

2010-02-28T22:18:00.004-05:00

I thought I would like this one since I really liked their Pineapple Gardenia (I think it was) but.......no. This is strictly really sweet, really strong pineapple. I don't smell any cilantro in this or anything else for that matter. I like pineapple too, but this is just too much. There are much better pineapple candles out there. Yankeecandle.com describes it as "A tropical treat ... fresh, island pineapple served with a citrus touch of cilantro and sweet coconut." So far these new scents are mostly misses and I would only consider buying one. One more to review.

Diffusers

2010-02-21T22:29:00.007-05:00

Overall - not one of my favorite ways to fragrance a home but I have learned to appreciate them. I think their number one purpose is to look pretty and as long as you have a nice vase/holder for the oil, I think they do. And it is nice that you can control the amount of fragrance by how often you flip over the sticks, how many sticks you flip over, and how much oil you put in the jar. The things I don't like about diffusers mainly involve the oil. Everytime you flip the sticks, the oil gets on your fingers and it can drip down the vase or spill onto the surface you're using as you're turning the sticks over. Plus it is very hard to find good diffusers that give off enough scent to smell at all. These certainly will not fill a room with fragrance so let's not even go there. I would say these are mainly for home decor with light fragrance. I haven't tried a lot of different brands but I can say don't bother with ones from Pier One. They have a wide variety of unique scents that smell great in the store but hardly give off any scent at all.

My first recommendation are the diffusers from Costco. I bought mine awhile ago and they had a twin pack. One was a fireside-like scent (can't remember if that was the exact name) and the other was a vanilla. This vanilla is sitting right by my entrance so you can smell it as soon as you walk into the door. The writing on the vase says Essenza. I'm not sure if that was the brand name or not since I threw away the box but the vase has a nice sleek shape and is quite large.

The other diffuser I'm loving was a gift but I think it was from Walmart. It was part of a Valentine's set and I have to say I'm like addicted to this scent. The kit is called Chocolate and Sensual Roses and the scent of the oil does have a chocolate smell but it's much more than that. I know, when you hear something has a scent of chocolate, you think it must smell really cheap, especially if it's from Walmart but I LOVE THIS!! I think the scent might actually be both chocolate and roses. I think I would even wear this as a perfume. I don't know if you can still find this, but maybe keep an eye out next year.

The gift set is so cute too. It comes with 2 nice red tealight holders, tealights, and faux red rose petals which actually don't come off as tacky. Of course real would be better for a romantic night with a loved one but these are great for decoration because they look real and they're reusable. I am loving this gift set.

And how cute is that little round vase with the little red bow? And the red oil is pretty in the jar and when it dies the sticks red on the top.

Yankee's New Spring Scents - Early Sunrise

2010-02-18T21:31:00.004-05:00

I think this might be my favorite of the new ones so far. It's not overwhelming like the others. It smells like grapefruit and orange peel so you'd have to like citrus scents. Yankeecandle.com says "A new day dawns crisp and fresh in this clean lemony citrus scent with hints of ginger and tea." Once I saw that, I guess there are some herbal notes there but I didn't get that right away. I'm getting sick of reviewing these. I have two more to go. Plus I find myself yearning for Slatkin. Next post, I'm gonna take a break and talk about something completely different.

Yankee's New Spring Scents - Beautiful Day

2010-02-15T19:41:00.005-05:00

Yankeecandle.com says "Life is good with this happily enchanting mix of sunny fruits, pretty flowers and spicy herbs." I would say this one's between a floral and a fresh scent. It's a great scent for spring. It makes me think of a sunny meadow. It's like fresh flowers and grass. After awhile though, it gets kinda strong and smells like perfume.

Yankee's New Spring Scents - Drift Away

2010-02-10T19:00:00.004-05:00

I'll be reviewing all of Yankee's new spring scents with the exception of Tahitian Tiare Flower - that one is too floral for me so I didn't even bother buying it. I bought the tarts in these scents because they're cheaper and I can sample a lot of different ones without investing too much. I think it's a nice way to burn "candles" if you just wanna smell them for a couple days and move on.

This scent is definitely a "blue" scent as I would say. It's fresh, cool, an ocean water scent. It does remind me of fabric softener after awhile but it's not bad. Nothing really makes this one special though, and it doesn't stand out enough for me to ever buy it again. This is how yankeecandle.com describes it: "Cares float away on peaceful, blue waters surrounded by lush woodlands."

Yankee's February Scent

2010-02-07T14:14:00.004-05:00

Island Spa

Yankeecandle.com describes this scent as "a revitalizing escape with the sunny citrus aroma of crisp, juicy mandarins and vibrant lemon verbena." I like this one and that's a great description of it. It definitely has citrus notes, I smell lemon and even lime, but I certainly wouldn't say it's a "lemon-lime" candle. It's a fresh scent without the citrus being too strong. It's refreshing yet relaxing - just like you would want a spa scent to be. I would say it's great for February - especially on a day like this after a weekend of being snowed in.

Foodie Scent

2010-01-31T22:26:00.005-05:00

Slatkin & Co. Vanilla Shortbread

I just checked the B&BW website and apparently they're not selling this candle anymore so, sorry if you wanted to get this one. There's always ebay. I bought it right before Christmas. This scent should definitely be called lemon shortbread. This smells exactly like the lemon cream cake dessert thing at Olive Garden. It also reminds me of the lemon sugar body line Bath & Body Works had a couple of years ago. It's lemon, then sugar, then cake. It's not bad but not a favorite of mine. It's a little too sweet and lemony for me. Little less sugar next time.

**Update - The more I burn this one, the more I like it. Sometimes it reminds me of Cap'n Crunch cereal too! Haha.

Glade Candle Review

2010-01-27T22:13:00.003-05:00

Fail.

This scent is called Creamy Custard and Blushing Apple but I've smelled Pumpkin Pie while it was burning too and that review would be the same.

I wanted to give Glade Candles a try after seeing all those commercials with that annoying lady that pretends these candles are French, as if French candles are widely known to be the best. This scent smelled sooo good in the store. I'm not a real fan of the whole dual scent thing but the one on top (creamy custard) smelled so good I bought it for that. It does not burn evenly even after burning it all night long. The wax just would not burn all the way across. The scent is practically non-existent even after putting it right in front of me while burning. But when you do catch a whiff, it smells completely different than what it smelled like before burning. This candle and the pumpkin pie candle have the same baby powder-type fragrance. Gross.

I'll mainly stick to spending a little more money on my home fragrance, however it is kinda fun to review a wide variety of things including brand new products so I'll continue to review cheapy things as well.

{Currently Burning - nothing again! I'm sick of my winter scents but it's too early for spring. I'm gonna break out some foodie scents next. I have some good ones too!}

Renuzit Pearl Scents Review

2010-01-21T18:22:00.005-05:00

Fail.

I saw the commercial for the Renuzit Crystal Elements (the little rocks in a vase) Amber Vanilla Scent and I was interested but when they didn't have that new scent in the store, I went for the Pearl Scents in "After the Rain". It was an "odor neutralizer" so I figured I could put it in my bathroom and forget about it. ...Ten minutes later sitting in my living room, I had enough and threw it away.

This is a small plastic jar with a bunch of little oily beads inside - kinda pretty. After peeling the seal off the top, there's a decorative lid (well it's just gray plastic) with openings for the scent to come through but so the beads don't fall out. The smell is cheap and very strong. Extremely strong. I thought they had improved on the quality of less-expensive fragrances but I guess you still do get what you pay for. The store I went to, KMart, had Orchard Garden (which I couldn't smell since the scratch n sniff sticker didn't seem to have any more smell to it) and Pure Breeze (and that one was just pure awful). They didn't have the lavender one, which I might have liked better but the scent to these is too strong for me. Plus I'm not huge fan of constant fragrance which is why I like to burn candles and I never use Wallflowers or Scentports. I don't like to smell a strong scent every single time I breathe in.

I bought another home fragrance product from KMart so that review will come next. I've been kinda broke so I thought I would give the cheap stuff a try. Stay tuned to see if I ever try it again.

Tips for Burning Candles

2010-01-17T17:58:00.006-05:00

1. Wick-Trimming

If you're burning quality candles, forget about trimming the wick. This is just completely not necessary.

2. Candle Burning

A. Probably the most important tip is to burn the whole top surface of wax all the way across every single time you burn a candle. The more wicks the candle has, the less time it takes for this to happen. So for example if you are burning my favorite - a Slatkin 3-Wick, the surface area is burning in more areas so the wax melts all the way across pretty quickly. If you are burning a large 1 wick candle, like the large jar candles from Yankee, you will need a lot of burn time. I always think about this before I light a candle because once you have to blow it out too soon one time, it's hard to get it to burn evenly again.

B. Sometimes when you burn a candle, following all instructions properly, the flames get very low and they are still burning but the wax is not melting as quickly. Do not blow out! Keep burning! I find this happens with Slatkin candles sometimes and if you keep burning the candle, the flames will eventually rise again and melt the wax quickly and evenly again. I don't know why this happens, but if you blow them out while this is happening, sometimes it's very hard to light the wicks again at all.

3. Putting the candle out

I like to blow out a candle instead of putting a metal lid back on to make it go out (like some have been known to suggest) because that really blackens the lid. Plus you get a strong smell of the candle right after it is blown out and you don't get to enjoy that when the lid is left on. You could also use a snuffer but I just don't think it's necessary to buy an extra tool and then have to find someplace to store it.

4. Cleaning the Wick

Some people recommend taking off the black bulb-type things that collect on the top of the wick. This prevents them from falling into the wax and keeping your candle clean and pretty. However, I don't feel that this is necessary if you don't care about the black pieces collecting into the wax. You only see them when the candle is being burned and it doesn't affect the candle burn or fragrance. Also, a couple times that I have done this, with either a tissue or my fingers, it has broken the wick off which is not good. Trying to burn a candle with a wick that's too short is pretty difficult and sometimes impossible.

Stay tuned...Different brands and different forms of home fragrance to come!

{Currently Burning - Christmas Cookie by Yankee Candle}

Yankee's January Scent

2010-01-11T23:22:00.002-05:00

So I'm loving the Yankee Candle 2010 calendar that I bought. I decided it would be a good idea to post their scents for each month for those of you that love to burn seasonally and don't have the luxury of the calendar.

January is Sparkling Snow.

Yankeecandle.com describes this as "The crisp, naturally fresh scent of gleaming, snow-covered pines with hints of patchouli and fruit." It definitely has a light pine scent, not nearly as strong as all the pines that come out during Christmas and that's nice for January. There's not a strong patchouli scent because I hate that smell- it just makes it a little woodsy. And I don't get much of a fruit smell - it's not like the orange in Slatkin's Winter (which is still the ultimate winter scent to me). It might be a little soapy but it's overall not a bad scent to burn this month. My mom likes this sparkling line. She also has sparking vanilla, which I'm not a huge fan of but this one: not bad.

An All Time Favorite

2010-01-05T22:37:00.002-05:00

Sandalwood Vanilla by Slatkin & Co. from Bath & Body Works. This is a sexy/romantic fragrance to me. It's a good blend of masculine and feminine. I always used to light it when I had male company. Hopefully I'll be lighting this again sometime soon. The website describes it as "a powdery soft and sensual fragrance that blends the warm woody essence of sandalwood with creamy vanilla". That doesn't say much but I can't do any better myself. It really does just smell like the two notes it's comprised of. They changed the packaging so if you see this candle now it's in clear glass with a lighter, floral picture which to me does not echo the product. That dark amber color of the glass better represented the sexy fragrance, in my opinion.

My sister, a former manager of B&BW, once told me they were discontinuing this fragrance so I proceeded to buy stock of it. I still have yet to burn several of the exact product - the 3 wick candle. I even have a couple of what I call the "turbo" three wicks which I don't even know if they make anymore. They're taller than the regular 3 wicks - almost doubled the size. My brother also loves this scent so I think it's a great unisex candle. Light one to set the mood tonight!

{Currently Burning - Spice by Slatkin & Co.}

Post-Holidays

2010-01-03T21:03:00.003-05:00

I hope that the one person who reads this blog had a wonderful Christmas, or whatever, and happy New Year.

I went overboard with buying holiday scented candles this year like I usually do so I'm still burning up those. So it'll be Winter, Fresh Balsam, Spice, Christmas Cookie, and Jack Frost for awhile.

I bought some Fireside products (by Slatkin & Co. from Bath and Body Works) for my brother for Christmas and he liked them so that's another recommendation. I bought him the three wick candle and Scentport. Another scent great for winter...or fall.

I also just bought the 2010 Yankee Candle calendar which I'm excited about. Besides the beautiful pictures each month showcasing a certain scent, there's also a peel off sticker that lets you sample the candle scent as well. So more new scents to come! Stay tuned!

{Currently Burning - Winter by Slatkin & Co.}

Winter Scent Comparison

2009-12-17T20:58:00.005-05:00

There are two seasonal scents this winter that are very similar. I found myself buying both, however, because to me they are very different. I'll try to explain this madness in this comparison post. I will be comparing Yankee Candle's Jack Frost and Slatkin & Co's Twisted Peppermint.

Ok to start with a returning favorite of mine: Jack Frost.

I have to burn this whenever it snows because it is a complete winter experience. This is a vanilla peppermint (in that order). But it's so much more. It's fresh without having too much menthol. It's cool and calm while also being sweet. This to me is not just a candle with different notes - it's an experience. It's walking through a Christmas tree forest picking out the perfect tree in feet of snow or enjoying a sleigh ride drawn by horses while sipping hot chocolate. Sorry if that was lame. Yankee keeps changing the label every year and I'm not a huge fan of the current childish version of the snowman, but- minor detail.

Then there's the scent that I have loved the body products of and that they promised would be online only this year, but apparently after so many requests this was brought into stores- Slatkin & Co's Twisted Peppermint.

This is very much a peppermint vanilla. This is more invigorating and not as sweet. There is definitely a menthol feel in this one but there is still vanilla lingering so it reminds me of a candy cane, hence the name I guess. I'll enjoy burning this in the winter because it is a little harsh and "cold" similar to the bitter cold of snowy weather in Pittsburgh. I still have the body cream in this scent, but have stopped using it to save what I have left. I hope they bring that back.

Well feel free to give one of these a try. I know some people really don't like mint-anything but if you're not one of those people, you might like one of these. In the meantime, I hope you all have a great White Christmas!

{Currently Burning - Spice by Slatkin & Co.}

Aromatherapy - Sleep

2009-12-08T22:24:00.007-05:00

This just seems like the perfect time to talk about fragrances that help me sleep. I don't know how well aromatherapy really works scientifically but I do know the sense of smell is very powerful so you might want to give these favorites of mine a try. All of mine contain lavender, some of them chamomile. Plus my mother always said a cup of chamomile tea always helps encourage sleep as well!

This is my favorite - Aromatherapy Concentrated Room Spray Sleep - Lavender Chamomile from Bath and Body Works. I feel it's the most effective since it is powerful and fills a whole room. I only spray this once right around my bed before I go to sleep- anything else is too strong for me.

I like to put this on my hands and arms right before I go to sleep - Aromatherapy Hand Cream, same scent, from Bath and Body Works. That way I can stay moisturized and smell the scent at the same time. I like the hand cream better than the lotion because it's thicker and sinks into the skin more therefore moisturizes better - their lotion is a little greasy to me.

They sell other products in the same line that I've tried but I haven't liked them as much. I tried the pillow mist but who wants to put their head on a wet pillow? And if you let it dry before laying down you can't really smell it anymore. If you don't like this scent, they do have others - Black Chamomile, Lavender Vanilla, and Warm Milk and Honey.

This is from the Perlier line - the number 1 bath and body line in Italy. You can purchase this line from HSN and also find it in discount stores like Marshalls and TJMaxx sometimes. This is the Lavender Moisturizing Bath and Shower Cream. I love Perlier products as you'll see. They use great, natural ingredients and leave the skin feeling so soft without feeling greasy. This scent is just a natural lavender and is great to use in the shower at night before bed.

I like this line but I have to say this product I don't use as often as the others. This is Badger Sleep Balm - A Calming Sleep Enhancer. It has ingredients like organic extra virgin olive oil with essential oils of bergamot, ginger, rosemary, lavender, and balsam fir. You are directed to rub a little bit on pressure points like temples, neck or even lips. My brother really likes this product but keep in mind you are rubbing a balm onto your skin instead of a lotion or cream so it might be better for guys. But don't worry it's not too greasy. Also I recommend putting it somewhere where you'll smell it. I think my brother even rubs it right underneath his nose. It's a great line though, check it out. You can buy it several different places but the closest place for me is the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store.

Let me know what your favorite sleep remedies are! Sweet Dreams.

{Currently Burning - Winter by Slatkin & Co.}

Scents of Christmas 2009

2009-11-28T17:49:00.010-05:00

I'm not going to bother to list all the holiday scents for this year, I will only list my current favorites. I have to admit my favorite candles are Slatkin from Bath and Body Works then Yankee but I will try to review a variety of different brands on this blog.

Winter by Slatkin & Co.

Bathandbodyworks.com says this candle has notes of pine, bay leaf, red cinnamon, and warm winter woods. I get notes of pine, orange peel, maybe a little bit of cinnamon, and a woodsy herb smell - I'll take bay leaf. This is my favorite Christmas scent this year. They've had it years past but I don't remember liking it until this year. In my opinion it's the perfect holiday scent because it combines all the typical holiday smells into one fragrance. Give this scent a chance - when I first burned it I thought it was glorious.

Spice by Slatkin & Co.

Bathandbodyworks.com says this has notes of cinnamon, spiced orange peel, and sweet vanilla cream. The main note of this candle is definitely cinnamon, but it's not too spicy like some other cinnamon candles. I definitely get a sweet note of vanilla with it as well. They've had this scent other years too and to me it's a classic for holidays.

Fresh Balsam by Slatkin & Co.

Bathandbodyworks.com says this has notes of balsam fir, eucalyptus, apple, cedarwood, and musk. I just get notes of pine and a little of eucalyptus. Even though Winter has pine notes, I always need a strong pine candle to burn right around Christmas because it reminds me of our real Christmas tree when I was little. Now there's nothing but artificial trees for my family so burning a pine candle now is a must. This pine scent is lighter than most and has more of a fresh feeling.

Last year my favorite pine was Yankee Sparkling Pine so that gets an honorable mention.

Christmas Cookie by Yankee

This is a classic for me around the holidays as well. I remember my Mother burning this in the kitchen around Christmas. Plus a good sweet cookie foodie scent I'm always a sucker for. You'll see here that I love sweet scents.

Those are my picks for Christmas '09. I have some great winter scents as well but I'll save those for a Scents of the Season post.

{Currently burning - Jack Frost by Yankee}

Introduction

2009-11-28T00:02:00.005-05:00

After a trip to buy candles that led to a lengthy discussion afterwards, my friend Josh suggested I start a blog about something I am passionate about - fragrance. This is where I will give my opionion about home fragrance - candles, room sprays, diffusers, etc. and also body care like shower gels and hand/body creams.

Future posts will be in categories like:

Scents of the Season,
Holiday Scents,
All Time Favorites,
Scents that serve a purpose (to relax, heal ailments, "set the mood"),
Scents that failed,
Compare different brands/companies and so on.

Posts will probably be weekly. I hope you enjoy. Feel free to share your comments!

{Currently Burning - Winter by Slatkin & Co.}