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!
Showing posts with label mainstays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mainstays. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
Tuesday, November 8, 2016
Walmart Scented Wax Melts Winter/Holiday/Christmas 2016 - Better Homes & Gardens & Mainstays Review
Walmart Scented Wax Melts Winter/Holiday/Christmas 2016 - Better Homes & Gardens & Mainstays Review
 |
| Click photo to view larger image |
Watch video below, or read text review below:
Better Homes &
Gardens Winter's Sleigh Ride
"Seasonal blend
of orange zest, cool winter spices, smoky woods, incense and mountain fir, with
a warming base of oakmoss, blue cedar and vanilla bean"
This is a cozy smoky scent with a slight pine note I think.
I thought I smelled a hint of mint, but I don't think so; maybe it's the orange
zest or the "cool winter spices" (whatever those are). I don't smell
orange at all. On cold sniff there's a hint of sweetness which is probably the
vanilla, but I don't smell any sweetness when melted. This is similar to Better
Homes & Gardens Winter Ski Resort from 2014, and Better Homes & Gardens
Wooded Mountain Trails, but with slightly different notes. And it's a scent
monster that took over the entire house, a throw of 5 out of 5, and it smells
great!
Better Homes &
Gardens First Winter Blizzard
"Crushed
peppermint leaf, smoked birch wood, fragrant pine and emerald holly leaf
glisten with an icy, ozone freshness touched by mistletoe greens"
I barely smell anything other than maybe a slightly sweet
woodsy soapy scent. I didn't detect any mint. Throw was maybe a 2 out of 5.
Better Homes &
Gardens Cranberry Cookie Crumble
"Sweet cranberry,
cinnamon sugar, caramel swirl and buttered pecan in a heart of sugar cookie and
crumb cake"
There's a reason why everyone is raving over this one...
It's fantastic, a super rich buttery cookie with a pecan note (like snowball cookies) and a hint of brown sugar, and maybe a slight berry note (although I don't smell cranberry per se). I don't smell cinnamon at all, which is good. Throw is
excellent, at least 4 out of 5.
Better Homes &
Gardens Bubbly Peach Cocktail
"Peach prosecco,
sparkling bubbles and pink champagne blend together to create this effervescent
fragrance. Fruity infusion of mango, peach nectar and blush wine swirl in the
heart and lead into a sweet, refreshing base of icy vanilla and sugarcane"
I thought I would hate this one because generally anything
with "wine" or "cocktail" or "champagne" in the
scent name tends to have that sour wine fermentation note. And this scent does
have that note, but it's slight. I smell peach and a little bit of creaminess
which is probably the vanilla, and just a smidgeon of that sour wine
fermentation note. I don't detect any effervescence notes that you sometimes
get with fizzy alcohol type scents. It's a nice scent but not my favorite.
Throw is pretty good, around a 3 or 3.5 out of 5.
Better Homes &
Gardens Warm Up Winter
"Warm cedar and
oriental clove bud with notes of black myrrh touched by shimmering aldehydes,
swirls of fragrant wood smoke, spiced amber and herbaceous greens"
I smell the cloves, cedar, and smokiness. It's a cozy scent with almost has a slight foodie quality, maybe because of the cloves. But it's not sweet enough to be yummy. It smells a little like Dr. Pepper soda, and other people have said the same thing. The picture on the label shows a mug of hot chocolate or coffee, but this scent smells nothing like that. I don't care for this one. Throw is very good, around a 3.5 out of 5.
Better Homes &
Gardens Sugared Maple and Evergreens
"Fusion of autumn
accords including sugared maple, orchard woods, autumn apple and clementine
with holiday notes of roasted chestnuts, nutmeg, fresh evergreen, holiday pine
and buttered rum"
This smells fantastic, like a mixture of caramel and pine
with a hint of nut. It sounds like a weird combination, but it really works. I
guess the caramel I smell is the maple and buttered rum. I don't smell apple or
any kind of fruit. Throw is excellent, a 4 out of 5.
Better Homes &
Gardens Season of Joy
"Balsam and fir
adorned with festive red berries join notes of warm woods and oriental amber
accented by vanilla caramel and shimmering spice"
This is not a Christmas scent, but a fantastic warm perfumey
scent with both an amber and a caramel note. I don't smell any balsam/pine or
spices, but maybe there's a smidgeon of berries that I barely detect. It smells a tiny bit like ScentSationals Love Letters. Throw is maybe a 2.5 out of 5, but it might do well in a small room. But when I melted a different one months later, the throw was better, good to very good, 3 or 3.5 out of 5.
Mainstays Apples & Evergreen
This is a nice even blend of sweet apples and pine, with
maybe just a smidgeon of caramel. I'm not sure which I smell more, the apples
or pine. It's a combination that wouldn't seem to make sense, but it works.
Throw is excellent, 3.5 or 4 out of 5.
Mainstays Spiced
Cranberry
This is a nice cranberry sauce scent, sweet with a little
bit of that bitterness, making it an authentic cranberry rather than a
"candy" type cranberry. I think there's some kind of spice in the
background but I'm not sure what. This is definitely a fall type scent. Throw
is good, around a 3 or 3.5 out of 5.
Mainstays Pine
This is an authentic woodsy spruce scent. Mainstays came out
with an "Evergreen Spruce" scent last year or the year before, and
although it smells very similar to the "Pine" scent, the Evergreen
Spruce scent is more of that biting artificial pine scent with a smidgeon of
sweetness. This new Pine scent smells much nicer. And throw is fantastic, at
least a 4 out of 5.
Mainstays Winter
Mittens
This smells like Better Homes & Gardens Pure White Woods
or ScentSationals Vanilla Wood, and on cold sniff there's just a hint of mint
which I smell from close up but not in the room. It's a nice classy light
woodsy scent with a hint of sweetness but no smokiness. Throw is very good,
around a 3 or 3.5 out of 5.
Mainstays Spiced
Orange
This smells like orange pomander, which is orange plus
spices. I think cloves is one of the spices, but I don't smell cinnamon. This
is a strong, rich, almost savory orange scent. I'm not a fan of this one, or
pomander scents in general, as it's a bit nauseating to me. Throw is excellent,
3.5 or 4 out of 5.
If you'd like to view comments and participate in discussions about this
review and others, and find out where you can find these scents, please
join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/scentedwaxretail.
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Mainstays Scented Wax Melts Reviews - Early Spring 2016
Mainstays Scented Wax Melts Reviews - Early Spring 2016
 |
| Click photo to view larger image |
Watch video below:
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.
If you'd like to view comments and participate in discussions about this review and others, and find out where you can find these scents, please join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/scentedwaxretail.
Sunday, February 14, 2016
Better Homes & Gardens Scented Wax Melts Review - Early Spring 2016
Better Homes & Gardens Scented Wax Melts Review - Early Spring 2016
 |
| Click photo to view larger image |
Watch video below:
This is a review of the Better Homes & Gardens Scented Wax Melts (from Walmart) new Early Spring 2016 scents (and some older ones that Walmart has restocked).
Apricot Rose Water
Notes: Sun drenched apricot, nectarine blossom and pink grapefruit become enlivened with rosewater, gardenia petals and white peach. White musk, vanilla and creamy sandalwood gives it a smooth finish.
This is kind of like a "tropical" peach scent, like an authentic fruit, and it's sour rather than sweet. I don't smell any rose. When melted, it's very similar to the new ScentSationals Isla Bonita with the "sour fruit" scent. I'm not sure if I like it, as it's very sour, but not like a nice lemon sour. It might smell better mixed with something like vanilla to temper that sourness.
Throw: Very good, around a 3 out of 5
Caribbean Sea Breeze
Notes: Ocean sea spray, water pineapple and honeydew captivates the senses. Coconut water, sea orchid and muguet lead into aquatic moss and white woods in the base for a tranquil finish.
This is a nice coconut scent with a hint of fresh air and just a smidgeon of tropical fruit.
Throw: Excellent, 4 or 5 out of 5
Exotic Paradise Punch
Notes: The sparkling scent of juicy pineapple, sweet orange and Fuji apple becomes enriched with Rainier cherries and passion fruit.
This scent came out in 2014 and it doesn't look like it's coming back, but the old ones are being restocked on the Walmart shelves (don't worry, ScentSationals and Better Homes & Gardens scents last for several years). This scent is similar to Better Homes & Gardens Fresh Pulled Taffy. Both scents smell like hard candy with a sweet lemon drop note. But Fresh Pulled Taffy has more of a cotton candy vibe, and Exotic Paradise Punch also has a sweet tropical note, making it smell more like a Kool-Aid type drink. Melted, it really smells like Fresh Pulled Taffy!
Throw: Very good, around a 3.5 out of 5
Iced Lemon Poundcake
Notes: A medley of homemade vanilla infused pound cake drizzled in lemon essence icing and a twist of candied lemon zest
This one is different from the new ScentSationals Iced Lemon Sugar Cookies. Cookies is more lemony, while poundcake is more like vanilla cake with lemon flavored sugar frosting. But there's something "off" about the scent, like a weird sour waxy note.
Throw: Excellent, 4 or 5 out of 5
Island Pomelo Dragonfruit
Notes: Bright, sunny pomelo, sweet orange and pink grapefruit, blended with candied dragonfruit and island mango, fused with hints of green citrus leaf and warm citron woods
This is a nice bright orange scent, actually more like mandarin, which is basically orange but with a tropical note. It's very similar to Better Homes & Gardens Cranberry Mandarin Splash. But Cranberry Mandarin Splash is a little more bitter, and Island Pomelo Dragonfruit has a little more of a citrus note, and I think even a touch of lemon. I like this scent much better than Cranberry Mandarin Splash. I'd classify this more as a citrus scent rather than a tropical scent.
Throw: Excellent, 5 out of 5
Savory Blackberry Cobbler
Notes: Juicy and plump sun-ripe blackberries sweetened with white sugar crystals and topped with a buttery cobbler crust
This is not like any other SS or bakery berry scents. "Savory" is the keyword here. This is not a sweet dessert type scent. I do smell blackberries, but they're slightly sour blackberries (what is it with the sour fruit theme of a lot of the new SS and scents?). I also smell the crust, but it's not a rich buttery crust, more like unsweetened raw dough. There's an offputting note in this scent, like a slightly sour or "clay" type note. If any scent ever needed some sweet vanilla mixed in, this would be it. On its own, it's not one of my favorites.
Throw: Very good, around a 3 or 3.5 out of 5
Serene Spa Resort
Notes: Breezy, sea salted greens and fresh ozonic florals gleam with sparkling citrus highlights over a warm background of ambered driftwood and mossy marines
This is a fresh salty water scent with maybe a smidgeon of eucalyptus and maybe a slight touch of ScentSationals Zen on cold sniff. It's not a sweet scent at all, more of a fresh "spa" scent. The closest scent to this one is maybe ScentSationals White Water, but it's not exact. When melted, I don't detect the eucalyptus or Zen notes that I did on cold sniff; it's just a nice salty slightly herbal water scent.
Throw: Excellent, around a 3 or 3.5 out of 5
Smoky Gray Mist
Notes: Softly smoked woods surrounded by the emerald freshness of crystal marines, shimmering ozone, and cool citrus fruit splashed over dewy cyclamen and aromatic herbs touched by amber
This is a super fresh men's cologne scent that smells very strong on cold sniff; in fact, it's kind of "in your face" strong, like a clean aftershave with a high alcohol content. If you don't like men's cologne scents, this one might annoy you.
Throw: Not good, 2.5 out of 5
Sun Washed Poppies
Notes: An intriguing floral/fruity blend that opens with notes of sweet apple, pink raspberry and white pepper. A playful heart of rose petals, jasmine and wild poppies leads into a sensuous comforting base of sandalwood and sun-washed musk.
A beautiful summer scent, this smells like strawberries combined with a floral. I knew I'd smelled this one before! It's a dupe of the discontinued Better Homes & Gardens Sun-Kissed Tulips.
Throw: Excellent, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5
Sunset Creek Azalea
Notes: An alluring grove of canyon azalea, jasmine and rose petals, topped with bright lemon, sunny daffodil and early spring greens. Aromas of white oak and creek moss are infused for a soothing finish.
A very nice fruity floral with a hint of baby powder. This smells a little bit like a preteen girl's perfume, but without a candy note and it's not annoying.
Throw: Not good, 2.5 out of 5
White Peach Mango
Notes: A fruity infusion of white peach, apricot and sweet orange is blended with mandarin water and exotic mango nectar. Sugar cane and vanilla bean are added to the base and deliver a smooth finish.
This smells like mango with some peach mixed in. It has kind of a "fake" peach note, like a cheap peach scented air freshener spray. I don't care for this scent.
Throw: Very good, 3 or 3.5 out of 5
Wild Honeysuckle Pear
Notes: Luminous accords of wild honeysuckle, sweet orange blossom and sparkling pear wraps around an intoxicating floral bouquet of yellow freesia, muguet and gardenia petals. A soothing base of sweet musk further exudes a tranquil experience.
I swear this is a dupe of another scent that I might no longer have. It's a soapy floral, but pear, I don't know about that. It's not really honeysuckle either. It's kind of a "harsh" floral, if that makes sense, not perfumey at all, maybe a slight chemical note? It's light on cold sniff, and doesn't smell nearly as good as it sounds.
Throw: Poor, 1.5 or 2 out of 5
By The Pool duo - Splash + Coconut
This is a scent from last year, and the package is dated 2015. All in all, I'm not crazy about either of the scents in this duo.
The blue side (Splash) smells like fresh clean tropical water with a bit of coconut and a hint of salt. It started out very strong and a bit harsh, but after about an hour the scent dissipated just enough to eliminate some of the harshness. Throw is around a 3.5 out of 5.
The white side (Coconut) smells like dry coconut flakes used for baking, but has that "fake" coconut note. Throw is around a 3 or 3.5 out of 5.
Hideaway in Paradise duo - Mai Tai + Saltwater Sands
Notes: A delicious blend of fresh squeezed orange, apple slices and sundrenched peaches. Sugarcane and sangria add sweetness. The scent of sweet orange blossom and mandarin combined with waterlily, island florals and golden sand makes you feel like you never want to leave.
This is a scent from last year, and the package is dated 2015.
The orange side (Mai Tai) is a sweet, pleasant, slightly perfumey tropical scent. It doesn't have that sour note that a lot of tropical scents have, and no pineapple or coconut. Throw is very good, around a 3.5 out of 5.
The white side (Saltwater Sands) is a nice sweet, perfumey soapy scent with a hint of floral. Throw is excellent, a 3.5 or 4 out of 5.
Saltwater Sea Escape duo - Sea Orchid + Coral
Notes: Explore the depths of the ocean with this fruity marine fragrance, featuring fuzzy peach, nectarine, beach coral and driftwood. Pineapple water and fresh ozones open this fragrance into a beautiful blend of white orchid, jasmine and violet leaf.
This is a scent from last year, and the package is dated 2015.
The blue side (Sea Orchid) is a fresh, sweet, watery scent with a soapy note, a little bit like the new ScentSationals Rainy Day, but with a slight chlorine note like a fresh swimming pool. Throw is excellent, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5.
The pink side (Coral) is a sweet tropical fruit scent without coconut or that sour fruit note. It's almost like strawberry with a tropical note. Throw is excellent, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5.
Tropical Beach Getaway duo - Beach Flowers + Dragonfruit
This is a scent from last year, and the package is dated 2015. Both scents smell similar to ScentSationals Isla Bonita (in fact, they both have a picture of dragonfruit on the label), which is a savory, very sour fruit scent.
The dark pink side (Dragonfruit) has a berry note, maybe strawberry, but with that sour dragonfruit note in the background. Throw is excellent, 3.5 or 4 out of 5.
The light pink side (Beach Flowers) is sweet, with a floral note, and just a smidgeon of the sour dragonfruit note. It's kind of a boring, non-descript scent. Throw is okay, around a 2.5 or 3 out of 5.
If you'd like to view comments and participate in discussions about this review and others, and find out where you can find these scents, please join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/scentedwaxretail.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)