Sonoma Wax Melts Reviews at Kohl's - Fall 2018
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I'm underwhelmed with the Kohl's Sonoma Fall 2018 wax melts scents. Several are dupes of scents from previous years, many are "typical" fall spice pumpkiny type scents (nothing exciting), and some of the ones that are different have weak throw.
Apple Spice
Notes: apple, spice and cinnamon
A typical apple cider scent, but not as much of that harsh "mulling spices" note. So it smells more like sweet apple juice with a hint of cinnamon. It's different from the Hot Apple Cider scent; I like this scent much more, as it's more authentic.
Throw: Medium, 3.5 out of 5
Autumn Hayride
Notes: cedarwood, cinnamon bark and white clove
This is the same Autumn Hayride scent that came out in October 2015 and October 2016, and I'm glad they brought it back because it's fantastic, a smoky woodsy scent that smells like burning leaves. I think I do detect the cloves a little, because it's not just a smoky scent, there's something else in there. One of my favorite fall scents. The 2015 and 2016 versions were bold throwers, 5 out of 5.
Throw: Strong, 4 out of 5
Bergamot Driftwood
Notes: bergamot, driftwood and spice
Bergamot is used in cologne type scents, and that's kind of what this is, but it's also "salty", if that makes sense, and has a woodsy note with just a smidgen of smokiness. It also has a little bit of a spa or herbal quality like a tiny bit of zestiness, perhaps lemongrass way in the background. I like it.
Throw: Mild, 2.5 out of 5
Bourbon Pumpkin Brulee
Notes: pumpkin, creamy vanilla and caramelized sugar
I think this is a dupe of an older scent, but I don't remember which one, maybe White Pumpkin Marshmallow from August 2017? I described it the same way back then: "This smells just like the scent name... sweet marshmallow with pumpkin spices. Very nice!"
Throw: Mild, 3 out of 5
Caramel Toffee
Notes: caramel, butterscotch and cinnamon
This is the same Caramel Toffee scent that came out in October 2015 and October 2016, and it's fantastic. It smells just like the notes: rich caramel, butterscotch, and cinnamon. It smells a little like a cinnamon roll but without the bakery notes.
Throw: Strong, 4 out of 5
Cinnamon Spice Cookie
Notes: cinnamon, warm maple syrup and sugar cookie
A yummy rich scent of brown sugar with a bit of a raisin note, a hint of maple and cinnamon, and possibly a smidgen of nutmeg. I also smell a vanilla cookie note in the background. The scent started dissipating around 1.5 hour.
Throw: Medium, 3.5 out of 5
Crackling Cedarwood
Notes: smoked woods, warm vanilla and sweet tobacco
I'm pretty sure this is an older marshmallow type scent. It's a sweet vanilla buttercream scent with a strong marshmallow note and a hint of caramel and maybe a smidgen of woodsiness. I do smell the sweet tobacco as well. It's very nice. I don't think it's the same as Toasted Marshmallow from August 2017, as that had a milky note with a hint of smokiness. But it might be the same scent as Fireside Memories (also August 2017), which smelled like marshmallow with a hint of caramel and a smidgen of barely noticeable smokiness (even though the scent notes were different).
Throw: Strong, 3.5 out of 5
Crafted Caramel Apple
Notes: green apple, vanilla and caramel
A very nice sweet caramel apple scent. I definitely smell the apple, so it's not all caramel like some similar scents are.
Throw: Bold, 5 out of 5
Cranberry Oak
Notes: cranberry, red currant and oakwood
I really like this scent. I can smell the cranberry, the currant, and the woodsy note, and maybe a hint of pine. It also has a smidgen of a warm cologne note, although I don't smell that as much when melted. This is more of a Christmasy/holiday scent than a fall scent. The scent started dissipating in under 2 hours.
Throw: Strong, 3.5 out of 5
Fall in Love
Notes: apple, pear and cedar
This smells like musty pineapple to me, but I think it's the combination of old brown apples and leaves, plus a woodsy note like cedar, and a sour note that I don't care for. This is the same scent as Fall in Love that came out in August 2015. Back then, my review was, "I smell earthy pineapple with a woodsy note and very slight sweetness. It has a slight tropical note to me."
Throw: Strong, 3.5 out of 5
Falling Leaves
Notes: fresh apples, woodland sage and cedarwood
This smells like old brown apples and leaves, that typical musty fall apple scent. It's the same Falling Leaves scent that came out in August 2015 (although the notes were different then: crisp green apple, orchard pear, oakwood and harvest acorn). My review then was, "It smells to me like apples on the ground in October, at the end of the apple season, mixed with brown leaves. Almost like old apples, but not in a bad way. It smells like apple cider with a mossy note, not very sweet, and very little spice if any. Definitely a fall scent."
Throw: Strong, 4 out of 5
Farmstand Peach Cobbler
Notes: harvest peaches, brown sugar and salted caramel
This is the same scent as Brown Sugar Peaches that came out in August 2017. My review is the same as it was last year: "I don't smell peaches or brown sugar. It's a salty savory scent with just a hint of sweetness. My roommate says it smells like roasted chicken, and I agree! I don't like this one." I do smell peach in this scent though, but that weird salty sage note of turkey stuffing takes over. But most people love this scent and don't detect any chicken or stuffing notes!
Throw: Strong, 3.5 out of 5
Golden Sunflower
Notes: citrus, sage and peppercorn
This is not a floral scent, and it's not sweet at all. But I like it. It's a zesty lemony spa scent with lemongrass and herbal notes.
Throw: Medium, 3.5 out of 5
Harvest Pumpkin Patch
Notes: clove, pumpkin and dark woods
This is a clove scent with pumpkin, like pumpkin pie filling (without the pie crust) with extra cloves. And it's very sweet. I don't think I smell any woodsy notes. I like this one.
Throw: Mild, 2.5 out of 5
Hot Apple Cider
Notes: red apple, nutmeg and orange zest
A typical kind of generic apple cider scent. This one has a little bit of an apple pie note.
Throw: Medium, 3.5 out of 5
Iced Vanilla
Notes: buttercream, vanilla and cane sugar
I don't know why this is called "iced" vanilla, because it's just a vanilla buttercream scent. It smells great though, like super sweet buttercream, or a sweet vanilla milkshake. I think there might be a barely detectable hint of cinnamon way in the background. When melted, it has a bit of a bakery note, like a vanilla cookie with a hint of cinnamon and sweet buttercream frosting. Yummy!
Throw: Medium, 3 out of 5
Juniper and Cypress
Notes: juniper, cypress and sage
This is the same as Silent Night from October 2016 and November 2017 (even though the scents notes are different... 2016: pine, sandalwood and musk; 2017: amber, pine, lavender and sweet sandalwood). It's a rich pine scent with a smoky background, a hint of sweetness, and a smidgen of a cologne note. Fantastic scent, and I'm glad they brought it back.
Throw: Strong, 4 out of 5
Pumpkin Spice
Notes: pumpkin, brown sugar and gingered vanilla
A typical pumpkin pie type scent. It's one of the better pumpkin pie scents I've smelled though, without that waxy generic note that some pumpkin pie scents have. It's probably the same pumpkin spice scent that Sonoma comes out with every year.
Throw: Strong, 4 out of 5
Rustic Cedar
Notes: bergamot, sandalwood and rose
This is kind of a cologney scent (the bergamot), but it also has a little bit of a warm note with a smidgen of floral (probably the rose), and I think there's a barely detectable hint of berry way in the background. Melted, it has a bit of a sweet tobacco note. It's nice.
Throw: Mild, 2.5 to 3 out of 5
Vanilla Pumpkin Latte
Notes: pumpkin, warm vanilla and espresso
This is the same as their Vanilla Pumpkin Latte scent from August 2017, and I'm glad they brought it back because it's one of my favorite scents. It's a fantastic super creamy coffee scent with a sweet milky vanilla note and a smidgeon of pumpkin spices and maybe a hint of caramel. It's definitely a coffee scent rather than a fall or pumpkin scent. It's also similar to their Pumpkin Latte scent from August 2015, but this scent is creamier, sweeter, milkier, and a little less coffee-ish.
Throw: Bold, 5 out of 5
Weathered Woods
Notes: cedar, sweet clove and pepper
This is light on cold sniff. It smells like a perfume or men's cologne with oriental spice notes. I do detect all 3 notes, the cedar, peppery note, and a little bit of the clove. I like this one.
Throw: Faint, 2.5 out of 5
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