Ashland Scented Wax Melts from Michael's - Fall 2016 Review

Ashland Scented Wax Melts from Michael's - Fall 2016 Review

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The Ashland brand is made exclusively for Michael's Arts & Crafts store. The Ashland wax that Michael's used to carry (and still does, although it's the older wax line) was soft and creamy, and many of the scents didn't throw well. The newer wax melts (tall package with harder wax) are made by Hanna's Candles, the same company that used to make the Mainstays brand triple melts from Walmart (the triple melts were discontinued last year). Hanna's also makes the wax that Aldi carries a couple of times a year (usually in the spring and fall), labeled with Aldi's Huntington Home name. I'm glad to see that Michael's has switched their scented wax line, because Hanna's wax is very good in general, almost rivaling ScentSationals.

When new Ashland scents come out (generally seasonally... spring, fall, winter, and maybe summer), they cost $3.99, which is pricey ($4.99 in Canada). But Michael's frequently has 40% off sales, usually within only 2 to 4 weeks after the new scents have come out. However, this year, the new fall scents (called the "Harvest Candle Collection") went on sale as soon as they came out ($2.40 is a much better price!). And they came out early this year, in mid-July!

Search our Scented Wax Reviews website (top right hand corner) for Ashland wax melts reviews from spring, summer, and last fall.

Unfortunately the Ashland triple melts don't list the names of the scents, only pictures, which can sometimes be hard to figure out.


Fall Delights (triple melt)

Caramel Nut Squares
Yummy buttery caramel or butterscotch, with excellent throw, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5.

Caramel or Candied Apples
Apple scent with a slightly caramel sweet candy note. Excellent throw, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5.

Candy Corn
This does smell like candy corn, although it has a rich buttery quality that makes it smell like a rich sweet vanilla type cookie. Very nice scent, and throw is excellent, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5.


Destinations Discovered (triple melt)

Vanilla Bean
I can't tell from the picture, but the beige colored wax smells like a rich classy ambery cashmere vanilla scent. Very nice! Throw is good, around a 3 out of 5. This is the same as their Vanilla Bean scent.

Persimmon?
The picture looks like persimmons, which is a very sweet almost apricot type fruit, but this smells sweet with a slightly sour bitter note. I'm not a fan of this scent, but the throw is excellent, around a 4 out of 5.

Fig
I barely smell anything on cold sniff, maybe a slightly woodsy fruity scent. Melted, I still can't figure out what I'm smelling. It doesn't smell like fig, actually it's similar to the Persimmon scent with that sourness, but a little more of a fruity note. I'm not a fan, and the throw is fair to good, maybe 2.5 to 3 out of 4.


Sweet Treats (triple melt)

Almond?
The first picture looks like caramel and peanuts, but the beige wax smells like almond and vanilla with maybe a hint of coconut. Nice scent, and excellent throw, around a 4 out of 5. But the scent sizzled within a little over an hour.

Ginger Snaps?
I think the picture is of ginger snap cookies, and the orange wax smells like sweet frosted ginger snaps. Throw is very good, around a 3 or 3.5 out of 5.

Hazelnut Chocolate?
I see chocolate and hazelnuts in the picture, and the brown wax is very light on cold sniff but I do detect a slightly nutty chocolate note. Melted, it smells really good, like rich fudgy nut brownies. I smell not only the chocolate fudge but the nutty note as well. Throw is good, around a 3 out of 5.


Into the Woods (triple melt)
All 3 of these scents are very similar. They're "ok" scents, but I'm not really a fan.

Fall Leaves?
The first picture looks like a dried up brown leaf, and the brown wax is a nice woodsy scent with a slightly sweet and smoky note. Throw is good, around a 3 out of 5, but didn't last long, maybe an hour at most.

Cloves
The second picture looks like cinnamon sticks, but the red wax in the middle smells like cloves with a hint of smoky wood. Actually, it smells like barbecue sauce! Throw is excellent, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5.

Berries
The third picture shows tiny dark berries but I don't know what they're called. The wax smells similar to the cloves wax but maybe with more wood and a bit of a savory quality. I don't think I smell any kind of berries. Maybe it's supposed to be fall leaves? I can't figure out this scent, and I'm not sure if I like it. Throw is very good, around a 3.5 out of 5, but scent lasted an hour at most.


Patchouli Oak

This one is not very strong on cold sniff. It's definitely patchouli but not as woodsy as the name would suggest. It's a little sweet and maybe a bit perfumey and I think there's a smidgeon of vanilla. Nice scent, but unfortunately throw is not good, maybe a 2 out of 5, but would probably do well in a very small room like a bathroom.


The other available scents they had that I did not buy are Harvest (typical fall spice type scent), Pumpkin Trio (typical pumpkiny fall scents), Vanilla Bean (I already have a lot of vanilla scents, but this is one of the scents in the Destinations Discovered and it's fantastic), Cranberry Compote (typical cranberryish type scents), Orange Cinnamon Clove (this smells like pomander, which I'm not a fan of), Apple Cinnamon (typical generic fall scent), and Pumpkin Spice (typical pumpkin scent).


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ScentSationals Scented Wax Melts - New Summer 2016 Scents Review

ScentSationals Scented Wax Melts - New Summer 2016 Scents

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Mahogany Woods
"Sun-warmed oriental amber infused with soft sandalwood and fresh cedar wrapped in essences of golden citron, crushed coriander, gingered orange flower, and suede tobacco."
This is a men's cologne or body wash type scent with a noticeable fresh wood note (not smoky), and a little bit of warm amber, and maybe a smidgeon of patchouli in the background. Looking at the scent notes, there's the amber, and I do smell the sandalwood and cedar. Nice scent, but 0 throw, even from a foot away. This is a dupe of an older scent called Mahogany Teakwood.

Enchanted Woods
"A masculine blend of mahogany wood with southern bourbon, creamy vanilla with warm amber."
This is a men's cologne scent with a nice warm amber note and a bit of a woodsy background, but not smoky. There's also a very slight bakery note way in the background, like vanilla or maybe a smidgeon of caramel. Looking at the scent notes, I guess the caramel note is the bourbon. This scent smells a little bit like Mahogany Woods, but sweeter and with that bakery note. It's a very nice scent. Melted, it's halfway between a cologne scent and a sweet foodie scent. Throw is very good, around a 3.5 out of 5, and the scent lasted a long time.

Sienna Suede Fusion
"The brightness of citrus splashed greens, wild herbs and ambered fougere embrace dark woody patchouli, milky sandalwood and oriental amber spun with black suede and cocoa bean."
I love this scent! It's another yummy foodie cologne type scent. It smells a little bit like Mahogany Woods, but not as woodsy, and warmer than Enchanted Woods. I definitely smell amber and maybe vanilla and possibly patchouli and maybe a smidgeon of tobacco. Looking at the scent notes, I don't smell citrus. And although I don't smell chocolate, that's probably what I think is the vanilla and makes this scent smell so yummy. Melted, I don't detect all of the notes that I do on cold sniff. It's a very nice, rich men's cologne scent, but when melted it's quite similar to a lot of other men's cologne scents I have. Throw is very good, around a 3.5 out of 5.

Cactus Blossom
"Freshly picked eucalyptus leaf intermingles with ozone-infused citrus, sea salted herbs and hints of wild apple wrapped in sparkling marine greens and the warmth of mossy woods."
This smells like aloe (which smells like cucumber but more bland), which is a scent I'm not fond of. But there's also a light sweet floral in the background that makes the aloe scent more interesting and refreshing. When melted, however, it just smells like aloe with a slight sweetness in the background, but it also smells a little bit like paint. I didn't care for this scent. Throw was good, around a 3 out of 5. This is a dupe of an older scent called Cactus Flower.

Tosca Pear
No scent notes listed on website
Not very strong on cold sniff, but it's definitely pear, like the sweet inside of the pear. On cold sniff, it doesn't seem like anything else is added, and there's a very slight fake note but not enough to detract from the scent. But melted, there may be a smidgeon of cinnamon and bakery, but barely detectable. If you like pear scents, this is a nice one. Throw is very good, around a 3 or 3.5 out of 5. But the scent was pretty much gone in an hour-and-a-half.

Spice Market Fusion
"Exotic amber, oriental myrrh and rich spices embrace notes of black iris, eastern orchid and refreshing emerald bamboo balanced by brushed suede, warm musk and red saffron."
I expected this one to smell like bakery spices, like cinnamon and sweet spices, but it's not, which is good because I already have more than enough of those types of scents. This smells like a pungent, sour basil, but not in a bad way because it's a fresh garden basil scent, and there's also a sweet vanilla note in the background. Looking at the scent notes, I don't know if I smell any of those. There's no floral, so I don't think I smell the iris or orchid. Bamboo, probably since there's a green note. Amber adds a sweet warmth, but I don't know if I smell that either, and definitely not musk. Melted, I smell mostly the basil but also the hint of vanillary sweetness. This is a weird combination of scents and I don't really care for it. It's not at all what I expected based on the scent description. Throw is good, around a 2.5 or 3 out of 5.

Eucalyptus Leaf & Cedar Fusion
"Fresh greens, wild citrus and crushed eucalyptus leaf combine with aquatic nuances of spicy cardamom along with white cedar, oriental amber and mossy musk."
I definitely smell the eucalyptus, and there's a very slight sweetness in the background and maybe a lemongrass note. Looking at the scent notes, the citrus is probably the lemony note I'm detecting. I don't smell amber or musk. Melted, this is definitely a eucalyptus scent, but more of a lemony eucalyptus scented industrial cleaner. I don't care for this one. Throw is excellent, around a 4 out of 5.

Almond Brandy Pudding Fusion
"Almond milk splashed with aged brandy and stirred with salted caramel, roasted almond silvers, Kenyan coffee and Madagascar vanilla bean baked into a creamy custard pudding."
This is a super intense, super rich milky buttery caramel or butterscotch scent with a little bit of salt. If I didn't know coffee was in this one, I might not detect it, but now that I know, I do detect a smidgeon of creamy coffee. I don't think I detect the almond or any kind of nutty note. Very yummy, very rich! I knew this was going to be a strong thrower when I started smelling it within 2 minutes after I put it into the warmer. This one is a scent monster, with a throw of 5 out of 5. It's taken over the entire house. A definite winner!!

Flaming Orange
"Juicy mandarin, sweet tangerine and ripe Valencia orange blend with tangy lemon zest and juicy notes of glittering island pineapple."
This is actually an older scent that they brought back. I had heard it was the same scent as their Molten Orange scent, but it's not. Molten Orange has a bit of a lemony note in the background, where Flaming Orange does not. Both scents have a slight grapefruit note. Flaming Orange is not as pungent as Molten Orange. It smells a little bit like their Rainbow Fruit scent, but more orangey. There's a bit of a fake note in there as well. Looking at the scent notes, I don't detect the lemon or pineapple, although the pineapple, maybe just a smidgeon. I expected throw to be excellent, as is usually the case with orange scents. But throw was just "good", around a 3 out of 5.

Sugared Raspberry
"The irresistible aroma of tart sun-ripened raspberries stirred with sweet sugarcane juice and heaped over a slow churned vanilla ice cream."
This one is very weak on cold sniff, but I smell a fruity note that smells like fake raspberry. Throw is barely a 1, and the tiny bit that I can smell, from maybe a foot away, is a fake chemical berry scent.

Princess Petal
"Vibrantly sweet pink poppy, juicy apricot, all blended with creamy coconut sit perfectly on soft amber-vanilla, & white sandalwood."
This one is not strong on cold sniff. It smells a little bit like their Pretty in Pink scent, a Pink Sugar type scent. It's a sweet warm ambery scent with a little bit of a girly perfume in the background. Looking at the scent notes, I don't smell apricot or coconut at all. I love this scent, but the throw was not very good, maybe a 2 or 2.5 out of 5. It would probably do well in a very small room.

Grapefruit Tequila
"Effervescent pink grapefruit enhanced by bergamot, petitgrain and sweet, creamy vanilla."
This is a very sweet scent that smells like grapefruit candy, but a fake chemical sweet grapefruit scent that I don't like. Looking at the scent notes, there's no effervescence (which would give it a soda type note), I'm not sure what bergamot actually smells like, I think I smell a bit of vanilla, and petitgrain is a very similar scent to orange blossom and I don't smell that at all. Throw is fair to good, around a 2.5 or 3 out of 5. 


I did not get these "new" scents, because they're dupes of other scents I already have:

Salted Caramel Apple
"Juicy wedges of fresh picked apple stirred with cinnamon fused caramel blending into a sugar sweet vanilla cupcake batter."
This is an older scent that they brought back, and I already have it. The name says it all, it smells like apple covered in salted caramel and it's very rich and yummy. Throw is excellent.

Raspberry Vanilla
"Tart berries layered with sweet vanilla cream."
This is the same scent as AmbiEscents Raspberry Vanilla that came out at Bed Bath & Beyond stores in December. My review of that scent can be found at http://www.scentedwaxreviews.com/2015/12/ambiescents-wax-melts-review.html. It's also a dupe of Better Homes & Gardens Black Raspberry Vanilla.

Birch Woods
"White birch and white musk intermingle with deep greens delicately touched with sweet vanilla."
This is a dupe of the discontinued Better Homes & Gardens Pinecones & Birch, a very nice milky woodsy scent with a smidgeon of sweetness.

Dark Musk
"Luxurious notes of warm amber and gently spiced woods drift through earthy patchouli undertones enveloped in sweet Tahitian vanilla and musk-infused sandalwood."
This is a dupe of a discontinued scent called Date Night (not the one with the purple label though), which is also the same as a discontinued scent called Rogue. It's a fantastic, warm men's cologne type scent with excellent throw.

Cherry Blossom Festival
"The romantic garden of Asia with fragrant Japanese Cherry Blossom, juicy pear and warm sandalwood."
This is the same scent as AmbiEscents Cherry Blossom that came out at Bed Bath & Beyond stores in April. My review of that scent can be found at http://www.scentedwaxreviews.com/2016/04/ambiescents-scented-wax-melts-spring-2016-review.html

Citrus Pineapple
"Juicy mouthwatering pineapple, ripe sun kissed strawberries, mingle over sweet milky coconut & white jasmine. Making the perfect array of fruity-florals."
This is the same scent as AmbiEscents Citrus Pineapple that came out at Bed Bath & Beyond stores in April. My review of that scent can be found at http://www.scentedwaxreviews.com/2016/04/ambiescents-scented-wax-melts-spring-2016-review.html

Beachfront
"A delicious mandarin-coconut blend, succulent cactus, beautiful mariposa lily and warm cinnamon all wrapped in with a base of sweet amber-vanilla."
This is the same scent as AmbiEscents Beach Front that came out at Bed Bath & Beyond stores in April. My review of that scent can be found at http://www.scentedwaxreviews.com/2016/04/ambiescents-scented-wax-melts-spring-2016-review.html


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The Candleberry Co. - Scented Wax (Power Pods) Melts Review

The Candleberry Co. - Scented Wax (Power Pods) Melts Review

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I had always wanted to try Candleberry's scented wax melts (they call them "Power Pods", and can be found at https://candleberry.com/shop-by-size/power-pods.html), but they're $4.99 a piece on their website, which I think is too expensive. However, they had a sale about two weeks ago, and most of their wax melts were reduced to $2 a piece. So I bought all the ones that were on sale.

I've been told that Candleberry wax melts used to be hard paraffin, but they switched to a softer soy blend which is soft, greasy and messy. I've also heard that the newer soy blend wax doesn't throw as well, which is typical for a lot of soy wax. I've never tried their older paraffin wax to compare to, but the soft soy blend I got was not good at all. In fact, just about all of these were duds in terms of throw, as well as scent quality. I would not buy these again at any price (except for maybe the 2 that I actually did like).

On July 8 I called The Candleberry Co. to return the wax melts and get a refund. The girl I talked to was very pleasant and said it was not necessary to return them, that she would refund me for the entire order! Five minutes later I got the refund email. Major kudos to The Candleberry Co. for exceptional customer service!

Fire
Plain cinnamon with a fake note, like Big Red chewing gum. Very weak on cold sniff, but actually fairly strong when melted, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5. I'm not a fan of straight cinnamon scents, and this one has that fake note as well, so I didn't care for this scent.

Red Stag Spiced
Very similar to Fire, but more of a cinnamon candy note, and again, not very strong on cold sniff. This may be an older scent, as the wax is harder than the others. Melted, this smells more like red hot cinnamon candy. It seems like the "Fire" scent should smell like this one instead. I'm not a fan of straight cinnamon scents, so I don't care for this. But throw is excellent, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5.

Jim Beam Honey
Ooh I love this one! It smells like sweet buttery rich caramel apples but with a note of something else, probably the Jim Beam. Throw was only fair, 2.5 or 3 out of 5.

Jim Beam Apple
A nice fresh apple scent with a sweet almost candy note, but that might be the Jim Beam in the background. I think I smelled something when it started melting, but within 10 minutes it was gone, with zero throw. I could barely smell it from 2 feet away while melting.

Tennessee Whiskey
Similar to Jim Beam Bourbon, kind of a vanilla light cinnamon scent, but not very strong on cold sniff so hard to tell. When melted, there was something nauseating about the scent. It didn't smell bad, but it was too rich or, I don't know, I just had to remove it from the warmer. My roommate said it smells like sweet puke. I don't think it smelled nearly that bad, but it's not something I'll melt again. Throw was good, around a 3 out of 5.

Jim Beam Bourbon
I can't figure out what this smells like. It's sweet, maybe vanilla or brown sugar, and almost a smidgeon of a "dirt" note but not in a bad way. I guess it's supposed to smell like bourbon. Not strong on cold sniff. Melted, it had that slight nauseating quality that Tennessee Whiskey has, but not as bad. There's more of a vanilla or brown sugar note. These really don't smell like bourbon at all. Throw was very good, around a 3 or 3.5 out of 5.

Cranberry Crumb Cake
A very light, sweet cranberry scent with a fake note. Weak on cold sniff. Melted, it's a fake cranberry, like cranberry scented bubblegum, but not in a good way. I smelled it for about 10 minutes and then most of the scent dissipated and the throw was maybe 2 out of 5.

Honey Buttered Rolls
This one is nice, and I can really smell the rich butter in it, with a slight bread note. This one is a scent monster, 5 out of 5 throw, and it's taking over the entire house. It's very rich, almost too rich, and it just smells like butter being melted in a pan. This one would probably be a good scent to mix with another scent to give it a richer, buttery note. But alone, it's just too nauseatingly buttery.

Apple Brown Betty
A typical apple cinnamon scent with a slightly fake note. Melted, it was mostly a fake-ish apple scent with a hint of cinnamon. Throw was fair to good, maybe a 2.5 or 3 out of 5.

Red Stag Black Cherry
Ooh I like this one. I smell the black cherry, but it's not really fruity. I can smell that other note in the background, probably the whiskey, that makes it smell really rich. It doesn't smell like whiskey though; in fact, none of these melts smell like liquor. Melted, this one is cherry with an earthy quality, like a smidgeon of a "dirt" note, but in a good way, and maybe also a smidgeon of vanilla. Very nice scent, and throw is very good, around a 3.5 out of 5.

Jim Beam Maple
This smells like yummy maple syrup with a buttery note and that hint of something else, the Jim Beam I guess. Like many of the other scents, this one fizzled within about a half hour, and throw was around a 2.5 out of 5.

Jim Beam Ghost
I barely smell anything on cold sniff, maybe a slight vanilla note with a rich slightly nutty or smoky note. What I can smell smells really good. Melted, it just smells like vanilla, and throw is not very good, maybe a 2 or 2.5 out of 5.

Red Stag Hardcore Cider
This one is really strong on cold sniff. It smells like fresh apples but it has a sweet caramel note in the background which is probably the whiskey. It's different from Jim Beam Apple, with more apple. Melted, this is really nice scent, and it doesn't have that nasty bourbon note in the background. It just smells like sweet apple with a slight caramel note, similar to a lot of other apple scents from other companies. And this one is a scent monster and takes over the entire house, a 5 out of 5 throw.

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