I was not expecting this scent to smell as good as it does. I expected it to smell like mostly coconut with a hint of lime. But instead, it's a perfect combination of sweet creamy lime and coconut. It's a nice sweet scent with just a smidgen of saltiness, like a creamy tropical lime drink, and it's fantastic.
Comparing it to other similar scents, I like this new Mainstays Coconut Lime scent the best:
ScentSationals Coconut Lime and Better Homes & Gardens Island Coconut Lime (same scent) and ScentSationals Coconut Vacay smell completely different. Coconut Lime is mostly coconut with a slightly salty lime note, and Coconut Vacay is an even mix of coconut and lime, but the lime is slightly salty and lemony. Neither of these scents are sweet.
Yankee Perfect Margarita / Margarita Time is a fresh sweet creamy lime scent, and I don't really smell coconut. It's a great scent, but it's richer and more "limey" than the Mainstays scent, with another note that I've never cared for, maybe honey, which sounds great, but it makes this scent too rich.
A tropical fruit scent with notes of pineapple and papaya, and possibly a smidgen of coconut. It's sweet but not overly sweet, and not overly pineapply. After doing this review, I realized that this scent has returned from last year, and I reviewed it in February 2018. Throw was strong last year, 4 out of 5, but as we all know, there are a lot of variables that can affect throw.
Throw: Medium, 3.5 out of 5
Pineapple Lily
A tropical scent that smells almost exactly like Papaya Passion, but a little less sweet, and has a slightly sour fruit note that a lot of tropical scents have (but not in a bad way). I only smell a smidgen of pineapple, and I don't smell any lily or floral notes.
Throw: Medium, 3.5 out of 5
Peach & Mango and Wild Honeysuckle have returned from previous years. I reviewed both of them in February 2016.
Also, I offer a FREE review service for U.S. wax melt companies (retail, indie/vendor, and direct sales), where I review and promote your wax melts on this website (8,500+ new visitors per month), YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and more. It's a great way to promote your brand and get more customers! If interested, just leave a comment below with your email address and website where I can view your products.
I don't know the scent notes on any of these new Mainstays Winter 2018 scents yet, but as soon as they appear on the Walmart website (if they do), I'll add them to this review.
On cold sniff I wasn't sure about this one because it has a slightly bitter "off" note, but I don't smell that at all when melted, and it smells great! It's a sweet vanilla buttercream with a hint of marshmallow (but it's not a bakery scent), with a warm rich amber or mahogany, and possibly bergamot that gives it a hint of a cologne note (although it's not really a cologne scent). I love it!
This is a nice cologne scent that has just a smidgen of sweetness, unlike most cologne scents that tend to be quite sweet and even perfumey. It has a "dark" note that might be oud (a resinous tree sappy wood scent that sounds awful but smells incredible), and possibly a smidgen of leather. It also has a bland soapy note like Ivory soap (in a good way). I know that based on the scent name, there should be spruce or pine in this scent, but if it's in there, it's very subtle and barely noticeable. This scent is very similar to ScentSationals Black Tux, and a bit like Village Candle Black Bamboo. I really like it, and the scent lasted all day, 12 hours, and probably would have gone longer if I hadn't turned off my warmer at night.
This is very nice, and very rich (almost nauseatingly so)! It smells like salty caramel buttered popcorn with an apple note. The scent lasted around 2.5 hours for me.
Throw: Strong, 3.5 out of 5
Also returning this year from previous years is Cinnamon (a sweet red hot cinnamon candy scent with strong throw) and Evergreen Spruce (a pine scent with a little bit of a biting note and smidgen of smokiness, with strong throw).
Also, I offer a FREE review service for U.S. wax melt companies (retail, indie/vendor, and direct sales), where I review and promote your wax melts on this website (8,500+ new visitors per month), YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and more. It's a great way to promote your brand and get more customers! If interested, just leave a comment below with your email address and website where I can view your products.
On cold sniff I smell a strong, slightly biting pine, but I also smell a fresh air soapy note, as well as a smidgen of a rich vanilla or caramel way in the background (which probably can't be detected when melting). It's an odd combination of notes, and I'm not sure how well they'll work together.
Melted, however, as I expected, I only smell pine. Considering how few scents Mainstays has, I don't think they need so many of them to be pine (Pine, Evergreen Spruce, Rustic Pine, and even a little Shade of Autumn).
Throw: Strong, 4 out of 5
Shades of Autumn
I really like this scent. It smells like raw wood and fallen leaves with just a hint of pine, and maybe a barely detectable smidgen of apple.
Also, I offer a FREE review service for U.S. wax melt companies (retail, indie/vendor, and direct sales), where I review and promote your wax melts on this website (8,500+ new visitors per month), YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and more. It's a great way to promote your brand and get more customers! If interested, just leave a comment below with your email address and website where I can view your products.
These are the 3 new Walmart Mainstays wax melt scents for Spring 2018.
Blue Hyacinth
This smells EXACTLY like hyacinth, which is a greener, slightly watery, slightly less sweet version of lilac. Throw: Strong, 3.5 to 4 out of 5
Cherry Pie
This is a fantastic almond scent with a buttery bakery note, and the cherry is more in the background. Throw: Strong, 3.5 to 4 out of 5
Papaya Passion
A nice but typical sweet, slightly sour tropical fruit scent. Throw: Strong, 4 out of 5
Also, I offer a FREE review service for U.S. wax melt companies (retail, indie/vendor, and direct sales), where I review and promote your wax melts on this website (6,500 new visitors per month), YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. It's a great way to promote your brand and get more customers! If interested, just leave a comment below with your contact info, or under my video on YouTube.
These 3 new Mainstays Winter 2017 scents use hard wax rather than the usual soft messy wax. The surface is slightly greasy, like Scentsy wax. These 3 scents were manufactured by Hanna's Candle exclusively for Walmart. The other Mainstays Winter 2017 scents, such as Pine, Evergreen Spruce, and Cinnamon, have returned from previous years. I reviewed the Pine and Evergreen Spruce scents on November 8, 2016.
I don't know the scent notes of these 3 Mainstays melts, but as soon as I find out, I'll add them to this review.
By The Fire
A nice smoky scent but it's not a woodsy smoky scent, more like almost a foodie smoky scent. There may be a hint of a cologne note, but it's definitely not a cologne scent, nor is it a sweet scent at all. It has a bit of a Play-Doh note but that doesn't really detract from the scent. It smells a lot like the old discontinued Better Homes & Gardens Wooded Mountain Trails and a little bit like the discontinued ScentSationals Camelot, but with slightly different notes. Throw: Medium, 3 or 3.5 out of 5
Cranberry Mistletoe Notes: The tangy scent of homemade cranberry sauce mingles with the fresh fragrance of mistletoe to create the perfect aroma for fall or winter.
A nice strong sweet and tart cranberry scent with a pine note. There's also a smidgen of some other berry note in here like raspberry that gives it a bit more richness. Throw: Strong, 3.5 or 4 out of 5
Gingerbread Spice
A perfect gingerbread scent. I can smell the bread and all the spices, including nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and a hint of cloves and cinnamon. Fantastic yummy scent! Throw: Strong, 4 out of 5
Also, I offer a FREE review service for U.S. wax melt companies (retail,
indie/vendor, and direct sales), where I review and promote your wax
melts on this website (6,500 new visitors per month), YouTube, Facebook,
Twitter, Pinterest, etc. It's a great way to promote your brand and get
more customers! If interested, just leave a comment below with your
contact info, or under my video on YouTube.
Aloha Colada Notes: Juicy, sun-ripe, island pineapple spun with creamy, smooth coconut milk, a hint of sweet vanilla bean and a generous splash of white rum stirred with dazzling sugarcane.
Typical pineapple coconut scent, nothing special. Very strong on cold sniff, and throw was quite good, around a 3 or 3.5 out of 5 (although based on the strong cold sniff I was expecting this to be a scent monster that would take over the entire house).
Tranquil Island
Notes: Tropical marine waters flow with notes of heady melon flower and sweet, aquatic melon touched by hints of island coconut fused with milky greens, sun-drenched musk and pure white woods
This smells like fabric softener with a tropical fruit note. It's an "okay" scent for me. Throw was good, around a 3 out of 5.
Sweet Apple
Notes: Juicy apple is freshened with sweet pear and fresh sliced orange, while crystallized sugar and raw vanilla bean add a hint of sweetness.
This one was hard to find, and not all Walmarts carry it. It's a sweet fake apple scent, like apple candy. Throw is excellent, 3.5 or 4 out of 5.
Soothing Spa
Notes: Bright herbal greens, white eucalyptus and smooth sandalwood gleam with budding lavender blossom, effervescent bergamot and cool whispers of crushed mint.
This one actually came out last year but only a few Walmarts carried it. It came back this year but is still hard to find. This smells like combination of ScentSationals Zen (light sandalwood with a very subtle spearmint note and a smidgeon of musk and laundry) with a sweet coffee note and a smidgeon of amber. Like relaxing yoga in the morning! When melted, it really smells like ScentSationals Zen and I don't smell as much of the coffee, although it's a richer, warmer, sweeter version of Zen. Throw was very good, 3 to 3.5 out of 5.
Darkest Sandalwood
Notes: Intriguing notes of warm sandalwood and earthy patchouli blend with aromatic tobacco leaf and white cedar wrapped in an appealing hint of balsamic fir and soft vanilla musk.
This one also came out last year but only a few Walmarts carried it. It came back this year but is still hard to find. It smells like smoky tobacco with a very sweet note that kind of makes it smell like barbecue sauce. It's not a men's cologne type scent although there could be a smidgeon of cologne in there. It's a very nice masculine scent with a slightly foodie quality. Melted, it really smells like sweet barbecue sauce. When I left the room and came back a half hour later, I thought someone was cooking! Throw was good, 3 out of 5.
Walmart has 6 new Mainstays scents for spring! Candles only right now but most, if not all, of
these new scents should be available in Mainstays wax melts within a few
weeks or so.
I did a cold sniff review video, which can only be viewed by our "Scented Wax Melts Retail Store Bought" Facebook
group members, at https://www.facebook.com/groups/scentedwaxretail/permalink/1123910864393408/. Please come and join our group to see the video and add to the discussion. We are a fun active group of over 1,600 members!
Mainstays Scented Wax Melts Reviews - Early Spring 2016
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Watch video below:
This is a review of Mainstays Scented Wax Melts (Walmart wax cubes) from early spring 2016. These came out in January and February 2016, depending on your Walmart store. These are the 1.25 oz. packages that sell for $.93 (rather than the ScentSationals and Better Homes & Gardens wax melts which are $2 for 2.5 oz.). The smaller packages allow you to test a scent to see if you like it before buying more. But keep in mind that if you use one cube of ScentSationals or Better Homes & Gardens wax in your warmer, you'll need to use 2 cubes of the Mainstays wax because each cube is half the size. I've been very happy with the Mainstays scented wax melts, and I'd say they're very close to ScentSationals and Better Home & Gardens in terms of scent quality, throw, and duration. The Mainstays scented wax melts are made by MVP Group International (http://www.mvpgroupint.com) which manufactures candles and scented wax for several companies, including Colonial Candle, Everyday Escapes, Harry & David, Febreze Home Collection, no-name brands from stores like Sears and K-Mart, and more.
Aruba Sands
I believe this is a new scent. It's a subtle tropical scent with a creamy coconut base and sweet tropical fruit. It's not overwhelming like some tropical scents can be, and the coconut is not that "fake" coconut scent. And although one of the fruits may be pineapple, it's just a hint. Throw is fairly good, around a 3 out of 5.
Sweet Sangria Notes: A sparkling melange of orange zest and grapefruit fizz dance around sun sweetened raspberries. Slices of strawberry, peach and plum fuse into icy vanilla sugar while the juiciness of goji, passionfruit and pomegranate complete this sweet sangria
I believe this one is also a new scent. I'd love to know the scent notes in this one, because it doesn't smell tropical or even like sangria. On cold sniff, it smells a little like chocolate covered cherries! Now, sangria is made with wine, brandy, orange, and sugar. Apples or lemons or limes or maraschino cherries are often added. On cold sniff, I smell the brandy, sugar and cherry. But no orange, definitely no lemon, and I don't think apples, although it's possible. It smells fantastic! Melted, I'm detecting a little bit of grape from the wine, and a slightly tropical note. It's kind of a sweet vanilla cherry grape scent, but the fruit scents are not in the forefront. Throw is fairly good, around a 3 or 3.5 out of 5.
Purple Sands Notes: The intoxicating fragrance of green, fruity melon delights the senses. Notes of watermelon, pear, melon and musk.
This smells like fresh bananas. Based on the name it's supposed to be a tropical scent (and it's purple), but I'm not sure if there are any tropical notes. On cold sniff, there's an offputting note in the background, like a burnt or maybe sour note. But when melted, the room just smells like fresh sweet bananas. After reading the scent notes, I can't believe banana is not listed. And I do smell the watermelon, which I think is that offputting note. Pear? OK, I do detect that. I think the combination of pear and melon makes it smell like banana. I don't detect any musk though. Throw is fairly good, around a 3 or 3.5 out of 5.
Tahitian Sunset Notes: Crushed orange peel, fruity paradise mango and sugared papaya gleam with the warm essence of ambered mango wood, salted sands, smooth cedar, earthy patchouli and twilight musk.
This is the type of scent you think of when you think of a "typical" tropical scent. I smell mango or papaya (I don't know what the difference is). But I also smell a little bit of coconut, although it's not listed in the scent notes, but that might be the "salted sands" note. Cedar? I don't know, maybe way in the background, if at all. I don't smell patchouli or musk. This has a bit of that fake "car freshener" scent. Throw was very good, around a 3 out of 5.
Wild Honeysuckle Notes: This sweet floral aroma opens with an infusion of honeysuckle, orange blossom and zesty lemon. In the heart, a captivating blend of yellow freesia, muguet and gardenia evoke the essence of spring. A touch of sweet musk is added for a sunny warming sensation, creating the perfect finish.
I smell honeysuckle and neroli (orange blossom). Very few wax melts use orange blossom/neroli as a scent note. It's hard to describe, kind of like a warm slightly ambery floral. Once you smell it, you never forget it. I don't smell lemon. Throw was okay, around a 2 or 2.5 out of 5, but after about an hour maybe a 3.
Peach & Mango Notes: Fruity notes of sweet mango and fresh papaya swirl with accents of juicy apricot and ripe guava fruit, wrapped in floral highlights of island jasmine and golden ylang ylang.
This smells just like an authentic juicy peach! I also smell the jasmine note, and a little bit of the sweet guava nectar. But I don't really smell mango and papaya, or they may be way in the background. And definitely no ylang ylang. I'm generally not a fan of peach scents, but this one is fantastic. Throw is very good, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5.
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