Ashland Scented Wax Melts from Michael's - Spring 2016 Reviews
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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. But within only maybe 2 to 4 weeks, they go on sale for 40% off, or Michael's has a 40% sale on some of their products. $2.40 for wax is a much better price!
Ashland Scented Wax Melts from Michael's - Spring 2016 Reviews http://www.scentedwaxreviews.com/2016/03/ashland-scented-wax-melts-from-michaels-spring-2016.html
Peach Cobbler This doesn't smell that much like peach to me, but it's still a very nice sweet yummy bakery scent with a hint of fruit. Throw is excellent, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5, and lasted all day.
Cilantro Lime This is a fantastic and popular scent, tangy and peppery with a lemony/limey note. It's very similar to the discontinued ScentSationals Zesty Lemon Peppercorn. Throw is excellent too, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5.
Spring Bamboo Very nice jasmine type floral with a strong green note that keeps the floral from being too sweet and flowery. Throw is excellent, around a 4 out of 5.
Salted Caramel Yummy rich sweet slightly burnt sugar scent with a hint of salt, and even a slight hint of coffee. This is not as rich or salty as Yankee Candle's Salted Caramel, but throw is excellent, around a 4 out of 5.
Herb Trio
Lavender side smells like rosemary (which has a savory, eucalyptus type scent, a little like Vicks Vaporub) combined with lavender. It's an herbal, medicinal, savory scent rather than a sweet lavender scent. On its own I think it's too medicinal and would probably smell better mixed with a floral or vanilla scent. Throw is very good, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5.
Light green side I think is supposed to be basil, based on the photo on the label. It's a little savory with a slightly minty note, so maybe it's mint. Light on cold sniff, so hard to tell. When melted, it smelled like toilet cleaner, that slightly minty clean antiseptic scent, actually better than it sounds. It smelled like someone was cleaning the house! Throw is good, around a 3 out of 5.
Medium green side is a green savory scent, but very light on cold sniff so it's hard to tell. I could barely smell it when melted, maybe a 1 out of 5 throw.
Vanilla Trio
Light tan side smells like a yummy vanilla marshmallow. The first picture on the label just shows vanilla beans, so maybe it's just plain vanilla. Throw is excellent, around a 4 out of 5.
Medium tan side shows a picture of vanilla ice cream above it. But this scent smells more like regular vanilla, while the light tan side smells more like a marshmallowy "ice cream" vanilla. Throw is good, around a 3 out of 5.
Dark brown side shows a picture of coconut above it, so I guess it's coconut and vanilla. If I didn't see the coconut, I wouldn't know based on the scent. It smells more like an old-fashioned or slightly burnt vanilla, rather than coconut. Melted, it smells like a sweet, yummy, buttery, burnt sugar vanilla, although it's not a bakery scent, and I don't smell any coconut. Throw is very good, around a 3.5 out of 5.
Berry Citrus Trio
Green side smells like a combination of orange and lime, tempered by a little bit of vanilla. It's not a bakery scent nor a fresh fruit scent, kind of like a orange/lime vanilla creme soda. I couldn't identify the picture, but I'm told it's Sugar Apples or Sweetsop, also known as "Custard Apple", and it tastes like custard. Throw for this scent is excellent, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5.
Magenta side (which I think is supposed to be pomegranate) is a fantastic succulent creamy berry scent, but not a bakery scent. It smells like luxurious berry scented makeup or body cream. Throw is very good, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5.
Red side (strawberry) smells like fake strawberry, but in a good way. It's a girly "pink sugar" type strawberry, like strawberry scented lip gloss, or even strawberry flavored marshmallow. Throw is very good, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5.
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Chesapeake Bay Candle Home Scents Wax Melts from Target - Spring 2016
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Chesapeake Bay Candles can be found at Kohl's and also a "Home Scents" line at Target. Some of the scents were $3.99 (the newer spring scents in the regular 2.3 oz. package, and the "wax pods" long 3oz. package with 3 round pods that are meant to be melted in a special Chesapeake Bay Candle warmer similar to a Yankee Scenterpiece).
These are much more than ScentSationals and Better Homes & Gardens at
Walmart which are $2.00 for 2.5 oz. If the scents and throw are
superb, I don't mind the higher price so much. However, the scents and the throw aren't good enough to justify the higher cost. This is the same assessment I made when I did my last Chesapeake Bay review in October 2015: http://www.scentedwaxreviews.com/2015/10/chesapeake-bay-candle-scented-wax-review.html.
Flower Shop
Nice authentic fresh "green" floral scent, like a lily. Throw is excellent, around a 4 out of 5.
Strawberry Patch
As nice as this smells, it's not strawberry. I'm just not sure what I'm smelling. It's some kind of berry but also a bit of a "green" floral and maybe a tiny bit of sweet vanilla. And I think a very slight barely detectable smidgeon of eucalyptus or sage! It's not a "natural" type of scent. It's a very nice scent. I'm just stumped about the notes. Throw is very good, around a 3.5 out of 5.
Fresh Springs
This is a men's body wash type scent with a soapy note. It's so hard to differentiate the notes in these types of scents from other similar scents. There's a bit of "mustiness" to it (in a good way) that keeps it from being too sweet. Throw is excellent, around a 3.5 or maybe 4 out of 5.
Key Lime
Very light on cold sniff, this smells like a slightly bitter lemon or lime rind. When melted, it's kind of a lime/lemon with a eucalyptus note that makes it smell a little like lime scented cleaner but not in a bad way. It's a nice scent, but throw was mediocre, around a 2.5 out of 5.
Citrus Burst
This is very light on cold sniff. On cold sniff, I detect a hint of lemon and a saltiness, like a lemon spa salt scrub, as well as a very slight soapy hint that gives it just a smidgeon of a kitchen lemon vibe. Weak throw though, maybe a 1.5 or possibly a 2 out of 5. When melted, I smelled "something" kind of clean, like maybe a laundry scent with a lemon note. But it was very weak.
Pina Verbena
This is very slight on cold sniff. On cold sniff, I smell a sweet pineapple type scent, maybe with just a hint of lemon. It smells more like pineapple flavored hard candy, but it's not an annoying tropical pineapple probably due to the lemony note of the verbena. It's a nice sweet fragrance, but throw was not very good, maybe a 2 or 2.5 out of 5. When melted, all I smelled was a hint of sweet tropical fruit, but I couldn't tell what I was smelling.
Caramel Latte
This is a nice light cinnamon and sugar scent with a hint of caramel and maybe a bit of vanilla. If there's coffee in this one, it's barely noticeable. Although it's a nice scent, it's a rather "typical" cinnamon and sugar scent. Surprisingly for a cinnamon type scent, throw was very weak, maybe a 2 out of 5.
Sweet Amber
A nice ambery cedar type scent, not overly sweet, and a little more woodsy than typical amber scents. It's a classy background type scent. When melted, it has a slight tobacco note that's very nice. Although it's a masculine scent, it's not a cologne scent. Unfortunately, throw was almost non-existent, maybe a 1 out of 5.
Dewy Blossom
This is a very pleasant summery fruity floral. It smells like fake strawberry (but in a good way) mixed with a floral and possibly a smidgeon of melon. It's very strong on cold sniff, so I was disappointed that throw was very weak, barely a 2 out of 5.
Beach Glass
Typical fresh air/salt water type scent. Pleasant, but like every other fresh air/water scent out there. Melted, it smells a little like men's body wash. Excellent throw, around 3.5 or 4 out of 5.
Mango Sorbet
Light on cold sniff, this smells like sweet peach (which I guess is what mango smells like), but not an artificial peach scent. Weak throw, around 2 or 2.5 out of 5.
Bamboo Coconut
This scent is in a melt cup ("pod"). The entire pod is meant to be placed in a special warmer to melt all the wax in the cup at one time. So trying to get the wax out of the cup to cut it up for a regular warmer is very difficult. These pods are only 2.5" circumference, which I think is much smaller than the Yankee Scenterpiece wax. So I don't think the wax would melt properly if you tried to use it in a Yankee Scenterpiece warmer. Only the bottom would get warmed and you'd have all this empty space around the sides.
This is a tropical coconut with a slight woodsy note from the bamboo. It's not an annoying or fake tropical coconut. On cold sniff, there's a very slight tropical fruit note that's not there when melting. Melted, it almost has a "foody" quality to it, not like a bakery note, but something yummy. I love this scent! And throw is excellent, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5.
Spa Waters
This one is another melt cup. The scent is fantastic, a sweet clean watery scent with a hint of salty peppery lemon. Throw is good, around a 3 out of 5.
Velvet Orchid/Cherry Blossom/Rose Lychee
This one contains 3 melt cups, each in different scents. Rose Lychee is a sweet woodsy scent with a smidgeon of floral. It had no throw, 0 out of 5. Velvet Orchid is a typical fresh fruity floral with a very good throw, around a 3 or 3.5 out of 5. Cherry Blossom is a very pleasant scent of, well, cherry blossom, although it's more like a cherry blossom scented body wash or cream. It may have a hint of sweet vanilla in it. Cherry Blossom throw was very weak, maybe a 1.5 or 2 out of 5.
Sea Salt Air
Another melt cup, this is a fantastic fresh "rich" salty water scent with just a hint of sweetness, a slight cologne note and maybe a barely detectable smidgeon of lemon. Similar to Spa Waters, but slightly different notes. Throw is very good, around a 3.5 out of 5.
Out of all of these, the only ones I liked enough to keep (those with scents that were good and unique enough to justify the high price, and also had very good throw) were Bamboo Coconut, Strawberry Patch, Spa Waters, and Sea Salt Air.
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Glade Scented Wax Melts - Spring 2016 Scents Review
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This is a review of the Glade new "Be" Scented Wax Melt scents from Spring 2016. All in all, I wasn't impressed with these scents except for Be Edgy. Scent notes are from the Glade.com website.
Be Edgy - Coconut Water & Freesia "Stimulating notes of fresh mint and crisp air send your bolder side a wakeup call, while hints of sweet jasmine and refreshing freesia take your confidence levels sky high."
I found this scent at Walmart in January. This is a fresh, sweet scent with a hint of floral and a smidgeon of coconut. It's very pleasant, and the throw is quite good, around a 3 or 3.5 out of 5.
Be Colorful - Wild Lemongrass & Green Pear "It’s time to express who you really are by embracing the colorful side of yourself. With notes of wild lemongrass and green pear this scent is a fun way to tackle whatever life throws at you, and take things in stride with a smile on your face."
I found this scent at Target in mid-February. I can't really describe this scent. It's kind of a green grassy scent with a pear note, but there's something offputting about the pear. It has kind of a watermelon note. I don't smell any lemon. I didn't really like this scent. Throw was very good, around a 3.5 out of 5.
Be Ravishing - Magnolia & Rose "Fall under the sweet spell of a completely alluring scent with notes of gala apple and lush florals. Be charmed as you decide on the right fragrance for you, one that expresses who you are and how lovely you choose to live your life. It’s an enchanting way to breathe in and say ahhh."
I found this scent at Target in mid-February. This is very weak on cold sniff, so all I can detect is some kind of floral. Throw was non-existant, as in 0 out of 5. I could smell a slight floral note if I stuck my face right in front of the melted wax.
Be Energetic - White Peach & Daisies "Notes of juicy orange and green tea take your energy levels up, up and away. Hints of white peach, cedarwood and sandalwood follow closely behind, giving you your second, third and fourth winds."
I haven't found this wax melt at the stores yet, but when I do I'll add my review to this page.
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Sonoma Wax Melts Reviews from Kohl's - Spring 2016
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Green Apple & Kale smells quite weak on cold sniff. My experience with Sonoma wax is that their spring and summer scents have poor throw if they're weak on cold sniff. I do smell the apple and something a little herbal and green in the background that tempers the sweetness of the apple. So rather than being a rich, sweet or caramely apple, it's a fresh springy slightly sour apple like maybe a Granny Smith baking apple. Actually it has a little of a cantaloupe note. There's also a smidgeon of something that smells a little like cologne, so maybe it's the green note of the kale that gives it a fresh note. I did not buy this one, so I can't comment on the throw.
Lemongrass & Herbs was only available in the candle, and was very weak on cold sniff. It's herbal and salty with a smidgeon of lemon. A nice scent if it were stronger. I did not buy this one, so I can't comment on the throw.
Peach & Apricot has that typical fake peach scent that smells like a fake peach scented car freshener. I did not buy this one, so I can't comment on the throw.
Strawberry Basil is also only available in the candle. This is the only one of the 4 new scents that was quite strong on cold sniff. And it's the only scent for which I will buy the melt. It's a very nice sweet strawberry scent with an ice creamy note. There's also a smidgeon of something a little savory and maybe salty in the background, just enough to add some richness to the strawberry. I did buy a small candle and scooped out the wax to melt it, and the throw was excellent, 4 out of 5.
And if you are a U.S. based wax company (retail or vendor) and would
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Yankee American Home Scented Wax Melts (Walmart) Review - Spring 2016
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Watch video below:
This is a review of the new Yankee American Home Wax Cubes Scented Wax
Melts from Walmart, Spring 2016 scents. The Yankee "American Home" line is sold exclusively
by Walmart. You can view their products and complete scent list at http://www.ycamericanhome.com.
I also did a review of the Fall/Winter/Holiday/Christmas Yankee American Home scents back in December (http://www.scentedwaxreviews.com/2015/12/yankee-american-home-wax-cubes-walmart.html). At that link you can also read about Yankee's dishonest marketing ploy to make you think paying double the price of other Walmart wax brands makes sense because the package is larger. It's not. You're just paying for more plastic.
For the most part, these are very nice scents. But still no better than ScentSationals or Better Homes & Gardens wax melts, which sell at Walmart for $2.00 each (almost half of the Yankee price, for the same amount of wax).
Below is the scent name, scent description from the website, my review,
and my throw score (on a scale of 0 to 5, with 0 being no throw and 5
being a "scent monster" that takes over the entire house). Keep in mind that throw (how far the scent throws when it's being melted) is mostly subjective, and can be affected by room size, room temperature, breeze, traffic, your own experience and expectations, your health (if you have a cold or allergies, for instance), and even different batches of the same scent. See more information about throw at http://www.scentedwaxreviews.com/p/definitions.html.
Here are my reviews:
Classic Denim
This is a nice fresh air laundry scent, more like a dryer sheet than detergent. This smells a little similar to Mainstays Fresh Cotton, and less of the harsh detergent notes of Better Homes & Gardens Line Dried Linen. It may have a smidgeon of clean lemon but barely noticeable. This may be a dupe of the regular Yankee Candle scent "Clean Cotton", but I'm not sure. Throw is very good, around a 3 or 3.5 out of 5.
Pink Island Sunset
This is a pleasant tropical scent without any pungent tropical notes such as sourness or fake coconut. It's kind of non-descript. I do smell a little bit of coconut and a smidgeon of tropical fruit, but there's also a slight fresh air note and maybe even a smidgeon of vanilla. It's pleasant but kind of boring, and smells like a lot of other scents out there. I believe this is a dupe of the regular Yankee Candle scent "Pink Sands". Throw is around a 3 out of 5 but the scent disappeared within 3 hours.
Perfect Margarita
This is a nice fresh sweet creamy lime scent. It's not a harsh "industrial cleaner" type lime, and it might have a hint of vanilla in it to give it that creamy note. I've been told this may be a dupe of the regular Yankee Candle "Margarita Time" scent (which I've never smelled). I really like this one, a perfect summer scent! Throw is very good, around a 3.5 out of 5.
Exotic Jasmine
On cold sniff, this smells like a real flower growing in a greenhouse. This may be the most authentic greenhouse type flower scent I've ever smelled in a wax melt! I don't know if it smells like jasmine per se, maybe more like an Easter Lily, or it might actually be jasmine but just a natural version rather than the usual fake perfumey type. I can actually smell the petals! It's not very strong on cold sniff, so the throw is better than I thought it would be. Throw is around a 2 or 2.5 out of 5 which is not great, but good enough for a small room. People will be looking around the room trying to find the vase of fresh flowers!
Lovely Lavender
This is kind of a fake lavender scent with a slightly waxy chemical note on cold sniff. But it smells better when melted, like a lavender scented cleaner, a little bit like Fabuloso cleaner but not as good since it's not sweet enough. It's not very sweet, but it's not an herbal savory spa lavender either, and it has a slight soapy note. Throw wasn't very good, around a 2 or maybe a 2.5 out of 5, but would do well in a small room.
Buttercream Frosting
On cold sniff, this just smells like a sweet vanilla rather than a rich buttercream frosting. It has a little bit of a "fake vanilla" note, but when melted it does become a bit more "buttercreamy". Throw is okay, around a 2.5 or 3 out of 5.
Fresh Apple
Just like the name says, it smells like a fresh apple. It's not overly sweet, no cinnamon or bakery notes. It does have a very slight"fake apple" note. No throw when melted, or maybe barely a 1 out of 5. I don't even think it would throw well in a small bathroom!
Sunny Sands
I bought this one the following month, in March. By the name I assumed this would be a dupe of Yankee's regular scent called Sun & Sand, but it's not. It smells like a combination of that scent, with the suntan oil notes. But there's a smigeon of a sour fruit note in there as well. It's not really sour like a sour tropical fruit though, and I think there's also a floral note. It's a nice scent, but I can't figure out the actual notes. Throw was good, around a 3 out of 5, but the scent fizzled within 2 hours.
In summary, the only one that really stands out for me is Perfect Margarita, which I will be stocking up on!
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Aldi Scented Wax Melts by Huntington Home - Spring 2016 Scents Review
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Huntington Home scented wax melts and candles are made by Hanna's Candles, the same company that makes the newer style Ashland melts at Michael's Arts & Crafts, and also the Mainstays triple melts at Walmart (which were discontinued last year). Aldi brought these new scents out in the second week of February, and they'll be available until they sell out (generally only a few weeks).
ScentSationals, Better Homes & Gardens, AmbiEscents Scented Wax Melts
DUPLICATE SCENTS
This is a list of duplicate ScentSationals, Better Homes & Gardens, AmbiEscents, CommonScents, and Metro 201 scented wax melt scents (all made by Rimports). Candle and scented wax companies often create the same scents under different names. These are duplicate scents that I have tested in the past year, and those that have also been submitted to me by other scented wax users. Most of these scents are exact dupes of each other. Some may not be exact duplicates, but very similar.
This is a long list, and it's available exclusively to our Facebook group members. I and other group members will be updating this list on an ongoing basis.
To view the entire list and participate in discussions about this
list and add your own, find out where you can find these scents, and discuss store-bought scented wax melts in general, please
join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/scentedwaxretail.
Here's just a taste...
Scent Name
Smells Like
AmbiEscents Sugar Cookies
=
AmbiEscents Frosted Sugar Cookies
AmbiEscents Santa's Sugar Cookies
AmbiEscents Sugar Pine
=
AmbiEscents Pine Wreath (2015)
Better Homes & Gardens Butterscotch Maple Cream
=
Better Homes & Gardens Golden Maple Waffles
Better Homes & Gardens Candied Mulberry Spice
=
AmbiEscents Mulberry
Better Homes & Gardens Comfy & Cozy Duo
=
Flannel (white) side is ScentSationals Southern Spanish Moss
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list and add your own, find out where you can find these scents, and discuss store-bought scented wax melts in general, please
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Mainstays Scented Wax Melts Reviews - Early Spring 2016
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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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Better Homes & Gardens Scented Wax Melts Review - Early Spring 2016
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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.
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Scentsationals Scented Wax Melts - Early Spring 2016 Scents Review
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This is a review of the new ScentSationals scented wax melts scents that came out in January-February 2016. This is an update of the review I posted on January 30, 2016, since I found other new ScentSationals scents since then. I bought Pink Velvet, Himalayan Pink Salt, Iced Lemon Sugar Cookies, Day Dream, Egyptian Cotton, Rainy Day, and Love Letters from http://www.scentsationals.com, and I found the other scents shown here the following week at Walmart. These scents may also be available at other stores such as Meijer's and Kroger stores.
Violet Sugar Notes: A blend of rich crystalized violets, laid upon light white jasmine floral notes and succulent grapefruit, all mingled in with sweet creamy vanilla
This smells a lot like ScentSationals Blackberry Cider, but with some different notes, like maybe a barely noticeable smidgeon of floral and citrus. If you're not familiar with Blackberry Cider, it doesn't smell like cider at all. It's a very warm almost ambery sweet scent with maybe a hint of blackberry, if at all. Violet Sugar is not quite as sweet and ambery. It's a fantastic fragrance! But sadly, throw isn't very good, maybe a 2 or 2.5, and the scent fizzled within 2 hours. UPDATE: I tried another one several months later, and the throw was fantastic, 3.5 or 4 out of 5, and scent lasted all day! Maybe I got one from a bad batch the first time?
Isla Bonita Notes: A blend of amber sweet mandarin, juicy orange, wild flower honey, macadamia rose and freesia. A sensual base of cedar, sandalwood and musk adds a rich depth.
This one is different. It's definitely a tropical fruit scent, but not sweet, more savory and sour, and no coconut notes that are often found in tropical scents. Mandarin smells like orange, but I don't smell any orange or citrus. And if there's a wildflower note, I don't really smell it although it may be way in the background. This one is hard to describe, I guess it's basically a sour fruit, which sounds bad, but it actually doesn't smell bad. I'm not sure if I really like it or not. I think this is one that people will either like or hate. I've heard from other people that the throw on this one is light, but for me throw was excellent, around a 4 out of 5.
Passion Fruit Coconut Notes: A lush passionfruit coconut, fused with cassis and sun-kissed oranges.
I smell coconut and a slight fruity note, but also a clean, fresh air note as well as a hint of amber that warms it up and gives it a bit of a foody quality. It's not a harsh coconut, and it's not a typical tropical scent either. I really like this scent, but the throw is not very good, maybe a 2 out of 5.
Petal Showers Notes: A splendid mixture of apple blossom, jasmine and gardenia, infused with light notes of citrus and plum.
This is a fruity floral but I can't pick out the individual notes. It smells a little like scented toilet paper, but that's not a bad thing. It's a nice scent, a little generic, and I don't smell citrus or plum. Throw was terrible, maybe a 1 out of 5 if that.
Tropical Fuse Notes: A blend of amber sweet mandarin, juicy orange, cassis, wild flower honey and macadamia rose. A sensual base of cedar, sandalwood and musk adds a rich depth.
This isn't nearly as tropical as the name and picture suggests. It's a sour tropical fruit scent, but the sourness is tempered by a floral background, although it's not really sweet and the floral is not really noticeable as it's more of a "green", natural type floral rather than perfumey. Melted, it's very similar to the new SS Isla Bonita, with that slightly sour fruit note. But although the throw is good, at around 2.5 or 3 out of 5, it's not as good as Isla Bonita.
Pink Velvet Notes: Sugared lemon, apple and pineapple mingled into a sweet heart of tropical punch and red currant. Sugar cane and vanilla bean in the base deliver a captivating finish.
This smells to me like ScentSationals Pretty in Pink (a light "pink sugar" type scent, like cotton candy with a hint of sweet perfume) mixed with vanilla to tone down the sweetness, plus a hint of lemon and almond, and a smidgeon of raspberry. Kind of a like a grown up, bakery version of Pretty in Pink, or a raspberry macaroon with that hint of raspberry and lemon. Throw is very good, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5.
Himalayan Pink Salt Notes: A fresh, invigorating blend as eucalyptus, lemon, lime and ginger mingle together with lavender, muguet and bergamot. Jasmine, balsam, ozone and vanilla provide the perfect finish.
This is kind of sweet masculine scent, not a floral. Any floral sweetness is tempered by the eucalyptus, which adds a clean, soapy, masculine, almost peppery note that makes it smell a little like a sweet shaving cream. But it's not a menthol scent, and there's no Vicks Vaporub or minty note at all. There is a slight "salt scrub" note, so I might classify it as a spa scent, although it's also a fresh, clean scent. I just don't know how I'd classify the scent though. It's not a floral. It's "almost" a cologne scent but not really. And it's also a clean scent, but not completely. Maybe even a spa scent, but a little too sweet. I'll put it under "spa" because it does have a very slight "salt scrub" note. Throw is excellent, close to a 4 out of 5.
Iced Lemon Sugar Cookies Notes: A blend of deliciously baked lemon and lime, blended with pure sweet coconut milk and sugar, with light notes of vanilla extract.
This is a different lemon scent than other ScentSationals lemon scents. It's like a cross between bakery lemon and kitchen lemon. Compared to Living Colors Lemon Bars, Lemon Bars is a little stronger on the lemon, saltier, and slightly more bakery.
Compared to ScentSationals Lemon Meringue, the Lemon Meringue is more bakery, and even though it's a fantastic scent, it smells more fake and waxy. Iced Lemon Sugar Cookies is a more authentic lemon "confection", like the filling of a lemon meringue pie, with a tinge of vanilla, and not a lot of crust. It smells like the lemon note in ScentSationals Lemongrass Mint. It's also sweet and has a slight "kitchen lemon" (like Lemon Pledge) note, so it should satisfy lemon scent lovers no matter what type of lemon you prefer. Excellent throw, 4 out of 5.
Day Dream Notes: Hints of vibrant greens lay upon an enticing array of amber, jasmine and rose, meshed with citrus lemon notes and soft musk.
This is a green plant type floral, not overly sweet like a flowery floral, but more like sweet green grass with a little bit of jasmine wafting in the air. It also has a hint of spicy perfume, just enough to make it "not quite" a floral, but somewhere between a floral and a perfume. Ah, I think that other note I detect is a sweet cedar wood scent, which makes this scent smell a little bit like ScentSationals White Sandalwood scent from a few years ago. Throw is excellent, 4 out of 5.
Egyptian Cotton Notes: A medley of light plump grape, laid upon fresh floral notes of jasmine and white floral. Sandalwood, light musk and warm vanilla give it that warm cozy yet fresh feel.
This is basically a toned down version of ScentSationals Vintage Lace (one of my favorite scents). It's a lovely warm cashmere (a lighter sweeter fabric-y amber scent) mixed with old-fashioned white musk. It's not a laundry scent, as there's no harshness and no clean detergent notes, but perhaps a slight fabric softener note. It smells like ScentSationals Vintage Lace mixed with a little bit of ScentSationals Crisp Linens to temper the sweetness. Throw is fairly good, maybe a 3 or 3.5 out of 5.
Rainy Day Notes: Delicate greens and wild springtime bluebells join notes of sugared rose, pure water lily and blushing hyacinth touched by sparkling April rains, fruit nectars and the warmth of white musk.
This smells almost exactly like ScentSationals Bali Shores (from 2014 but still available on the ScentSationals website) and ScentSationals Paradise (also from 2014 but has been discontinued), and may in fact be that exact scent. It's sweet and watery with a hint of musky perfume, but it's more of a fresh scent than a perfume scent. It may possibly have another note in it, maybe a smidgeon of salty soapy clean air. When melted though, I'm 95% sure it's a dupe of the Bali Shores and Paradise scents. Throw is very good, 3.5 out of 5.
Love Letters Notes: A delicious blend of floral notes floating upon a light and airy amber, fragrant jasmine, and fresh succulent greens
A nice cashmere/amber type scent with a perfumey note and something else kind of milky, can't put my finger on it but it's not a dupe for any other SS scents that I know of. Now that I see the scent notes, OK I guess the milkiness is the almond and I guess I can detect a smidgeon of cedar. Throw is not good, maybe a 1.5 or 2 out of 5, but would probably do okay in a small room like a bathroom.
Dazzling Sky Duo - Sky Lantern + Amethyst Sky Notes: A mixture of opulent sandalwood, oriental amber and pure incense, embracing a sweet dark plum and blackcurrant complex lifted by floral orange blossom, white cedar and milky vanilla bean. The spicy warmth of green cinnamon bark combines with black oud and pure sandalwood, enhanced by sultry amber, oriental vanilla bean, earthy patchouli and opulent musk.
Amethyst
Sky (the pink side) is a nice warm ambery scent with zero throw. Sky
Lantern (orange side) is a beautiful ambery cedar scent.
Secret Garden Duo - Rainy Day and Petal Showers
Rainy Day and Petal Showers, side by side (see reviews of each scent here).
Tropical Beauty - Passion Fruit Coconut and Isla Bonita
Passion Fruit Coconut and Isla Bonita, side by side (see reviews of each scent here).
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I always compare scented wax melts to ScentSationals and Better Homes & Gardens brands which, for the most part, are fantastic, can be found at your local Walmart, and cost $2.00 for the same 2 or 2.5 oz. sized clamshells. I had mixed results from the Candle Warmers Etc. wax melts. Granted, seven scents is not
going to be indicative of ALL their scents. But I would not
purchase these again unless they were on sale, as they're $3.49 each
from the website.
Cherry Blossom "Elegant blend of cherry blossoms and white cashmere"
Light floral and vanilla with a light amber note and a hint of cherry. I find that Cherry Blossom scents from almost all companies tend to be weak. The throw on this one was actually fairly good. Throw: 3
French Currant "Bold red currant, blood orange, and fresh fig"
An orangey almost satsuma (a small orange with a pungent lemony citrus scent) type scent with a soapy note and a hint of woods. The other notes temper the pungency of the citrus. I don't know what a currant smells like, but I'm sure that's one of the other notes I'm smelling. This is not a sweet scent, and not very fruity. If I "had" to pick out a main note I'd probably say orange, although it's much more complex than that. It's elegant and classy, like most fig-based fragrances. Throw: 4.5
Pepperberry Wreath "Fresh cut pine, winter berries, and a spicy blend of clove and cinnamon"
Strong Christmas tree scent with a slight bayberry note. I don't smell clove or cinnamon. This is similar to Woodland Pine, but more piney, not as sprucey/smoky, and less berry. They smell very similar when melted. Throw: 4
Vanilla Pear "Anjou pears and french vanilla cream"
Pear and vanilla with a hint of amber, but it smells very cheap and artificial, like something you would spray in your car. It's not awful, but I don't care for it. Throw: 1.5
Woodland Pine "Fresh pine, cassis, and tonka with vine-ripened blackberry highlights"
I smell pine/balsam, fig, cedar I think, and a slight bayberry type note (there's no bayberry in this scent, so it's probably the blackberry/cassis combination). There's also a slight zestiness. I don't smell vanilla (tonka). Cassis is a type of currant, similar to fig, with slight cedar, clove and patchouli notes, so that explains the cedar and fig notes in this scent. I don't smell clove or patchouli. I'd say the main notes in this scent are pine and bayberry, and this is a more complex fragrance than Pepperberry Wreath. Throw: 3
Serene Woods "Blonde woods, weathering pine, a hint of spice, and lime zest"
I smell light woods, spruce, and sage that almost smells slightly minty. There's a very slight zestiness which may be the lime, although I don't actually smell lime. I don't smell any spices either. This is not a strong woodsy scent, or a Christmas tree pine type scent, and none of the notes are overpowering. This is more of a spa scent than a woodsy scent. When melted, it has a fresh air quality. But unfortunately throw is very weak so it's hard to tell. Throw: 1
Sea Spa "Dew-misted clover, tranquil ocean water, and lemon zest"
Salty fresh air scent with a very slight herbal note and maybe a barely noticeable hint of lemon. A little boring, and nothing really stands out. Melted, it smells like there's a hint of mint although it's not in the description. I don't like this scent, and throw is weak too. Throw: 2
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Sonoma Scented Wax Cubes from Kohl's - Spring 2016 Review
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This is a review of the early spring 2016 Sonoma scented wax melts from Kohl's. Most of these scents are from last year, but have been repackaged with an updated label design. Only two of these scents may be new 2016 scents (Be Loved and Be Mine).
Be Loved - Rose & Currant I think this is a new 2016 scent. I smell sweet and slightly bitter currant fruit, but I also detect rose in the background. This is a nice relaxing bedroom type scent. When melted, it smells like an earthy rose. Throw is fair, around a 2 or 2.5 out of 5, so best for a small room.
Be Mine - Lilly & Vanilla I think this is a new 2016 scent. Yes, this is spelled "Lilly" on the label, instead of the correct spelling of the flower name, "Lily". And the description is spot on; it smells like a combination of lily and vanilla. It's a nice gentle almost baby powder floral, combined with vanilla. It also has a very slight cashmere/amber note that gives it warmth, and for some reason I detect a smidgeon of citrus? Throw is fair to good, about a 2.5 or 3 out of 5.
Be Relaxed - Lavender Blossom "The natural appeal of fresh lavender balanced with crisp elements of aromatic thyme, balsam fir needle and dew-covered herbs." This is a savory spa type lavender, not a sweet air freshener type lavender. It has a very slight industrial soap note, and there's a musty "off" note. Now looking at the scent notes, is may be the fir/pine that I'm smelling. Throw was non-existent, which is interesting because I have this same scent in the older packaging which I bought last year, and the throw on that one is fairly good. This goes to show that there can be differences in throw among different batches.
Be Rejuvenated - Citrus Mist "Uplifting notes of ripe Tarocco orange, sugared clementine and zesty tangerine combine with juicy mandarin splashed over earthy hints of warm patchouli, soft amber and white woods" This smells like fake grapefruit with an orangey note, so it's not one of my favorites. I don't detect any patchouli, amber or woodsy notes at all. Throw was "okay", maybe a 2.5 out of 5.
Be Revitalized - Eucalyptus & Mint "Bright herbal greens, white eucalyptus and smooth sandalwood gleam with budding lavender blossoms, effervescent bergamot and cool whispers of frosted mint" This is a spa mint scent, like sea salt scrub mixed with mint. It's very similar to ScentSationals Zen scent, but with a slightly saltier note. Although when melted, the salt dissipates and it takes on a slight laundry note. It's not a spearmint or "toothpaste" mint, but a nice relaxing spa mint. Very nice if you like mint and spa scents. Compared to ScentSationals Zen, Be Revitalized is slightly more minty. Throw is very good, around a 3 out of 5. (I should note that when I tried this scent last summer, it had no throw. But it may have been old, possibly from the year before. And Kohl's wax melts tend to get picked over, left open, etc., especially at the end of the season when they go on sale.)
Be Soothed - Green Tea & Cedar "Calming green tea leaves, steeped black tea and gentle white tea blossom fuse with fresh citrus accents over herbaceous garden sage, ambered cedarwood and smooth vanilla bourbon" I can't figure out this scent, or if I like it or not. I don't smell cedar, and I'm not sure I smell tea either. There's a green herbal note, and maybe a hint of savory sage and a smidgeon of vanilla and maybe a barely undetectable nuttiness. It also smells like a green plant of some kind. I really can't describe this one. Throw is "okay", about a 2.5 out of 5, so this scent is best suited for a small room.
Be Tranquil - Sea Minerals & Citrus "Luminous notes of aquatic marine minerals blend with bursts of lively green sea grass, salty seam foam and smooth coastal driftwood touched by sun-warmed accents of ambered sand." This is a fresh watery sweet and slightly salty ocean type scent. I don't smell any citrus; in fact, no citrus is mentioned in the scent notes. I think there's a smidgeon of fruity floral, or maybe apple, or actually there might be a barely noticeable hint of lemon or orange, but I can't tell for sure. This is a nice fresh bathroom scent. Unfortunately barely any throw.
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This is a review of Burt's Bees Soy Wax Melts. In general, the throw on these is not very good. And the wax is creamy, messy, and hard to get out of the package. A few have decent throw, but in general, there are better deals out there. These are $2.99 each for 2.5 oz. at Target, Walmart, and some other stores. But you can get ScentSationals and Better Homes & Gardens wax melts at Walmart for $2 for the same size, and in general they have better throw, scent quality, duration, and wax consistency.
Creamy messy wax that's hard to get out of the package
My Scent and Throw scores are on a scale of 0 to 5 with 0 being the
absolute worst and 5 being the absolute best. Scent score is VERY
subjective; you may love a scent I hate, and vice versa. Throw score is
not as subjective, although there are a lot of variables that can affect
the throw (see the Definitions page). 0 throw means I couldn't
smell anything when melted, even with my nose right on top of the wax. 1
is poor throw, 2 is very light throw, 2.5 is light/fair, 3 is good, 3.5
is very good, 4 is excellent, and 5 is a "scent monster" (I can smell
it throughout the house and even outside the house).
Fresh Cut Fern
This smells a little like basil, with a tangy slightly green note, but also with maybe a eucalyptus "spa" quality. It has a slight industrial cleaner note. Throw was okay, maybe a 2.5, for about 20 minutes, but quickly disappeared. Scent: 3 Throw: 1
Lavender Fields
This is the most realistic lavender scent I think I've ever smelled in a wax melt. It's not a sweet perfumey lavender, but more of a slightly eucalyptus "spa" lavender. Very fresh and realistic. Scent only lasted about 2.5 hours. Scent: 5 Throw: 3.5
Toasted Almond
Scent: This kind of smells like a glazed donut to me. I don't smell almond at all, and there's also a slight chemical note. Scent: 3.5 Throw: 1
Papaya Guava
Tropical fruit scent but not pineapple and no coconut. Tangy and sour, a little like satsuma (a small orange type fruit with a tart lemony grapefruit scent), but not enough to justify the sourness. Very slightly sweet on cold sniff, but the sweetness disappeared when melted, and it turned into a sour tropical chemical scent. Scent: 3 on cold sniff, 1 when melted Throw: 3
Eucalyptus Mint
This smells like a combination of peppermint candy and Vicks Vaporub. It's a nice authentic peppermint scent, with no spearmint or wintergreen notes that would make it smell like toothpaste. Also has a sinus-clearing effect, so would be great if you have a cold! Melted, it did have a very slight "toothpaste" mint scent. Scent dissipated within 2 hours. Scent: 3.5 on cold sniff, 3 when melted Throw: 3
Sweet Lemon
Just like the scent name, this smells like sweetened lemon. It has a slight bakery note but also a very slight soapy note that makes it smell a little like lemon-scented skin cream. Melted, I don't smell the bakery note and it smells a little like kitchen lemon and lemonade. Scent: 4 Throw: 3.5
Raspberry Lemon
Fake raspberry with a sour note and a little bit of zestiness, but not really lemon. This smells weird to me on cold sniff, but I have a feeling it's one of those scents that will improve when melted. I was wrong. Smelled the same when melted, but even less raspberry and more sourness. Scent: 2 on cold sniff, 1 when melted Throw: 2
Sweet Pumpkin
I don't smell any pumpkin in this scent. It smells like vanilla ice cream, very sweet and creamy. Maybe a hint of caramel. OK perhaps a smidgeon of pumpkin, but if I didn't know it's supposed to be in there, I wouldn't smell pumpkin. It's a really nice scent. Scent: 3 Throw: 3
Vanilla Honey
I didn't buy this one, as it was weak on cold sniff. I smelled vanilla and a little bit of honey, but nothing that really blew me away. Scent: 3 on cold sniff Throw: Didn't melt
Tropical Mango
I didn't buy this one, as I didn't like the scent. It was an artificial tropical scent. Scent: 1 on cold sniff Throw: Didn't melt
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Crafters & Co. Wax Melts from Hallmark Gold Crown card store
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This is a quick review of Crafters & Co. wax melts from Hallmark Gold Crown card store. I only purchased 4 scents because they're $3.95 each, which is pricey.
They had 17 scents, and were all sweet "pretty" scents that would be good for a bedroom or bathroom. The scents are rather basic, nothing unique or unusual, and no dark or woodsy scents. The 4 scents I got were probably the most unique out of all the scents they had.
The scents they had are:
Cinnamon Bark, Baked Apple, Dragon Fruit, Sea Salt Blossom, Tranquil Waters, Seaglass Orchid, Eucalyptus Spa, Refreshing Sage, Lemongrass Ginger, Lime & Basil, Wild Sunflowers, White Tea Ginger, Warm Vanilla, Sugar Magnolia, Linen Breeze, Lilac Blossom, and Patchouli & Vetiver
These wax melts are soy based, so I was hesitant to buy them as I don't have good luck with throw from soy melts. However, the wax is hard like paraffin, rather than soft and creamy like pure soy. When melted, two of these had very good throw, and two had almost no throw. Of course a sample of only 4 scents out of 17 is not indicative of the quality of the rest of the scents.
I will not buy the Crafters & Co. wax melts again. At $3.95 each, they are almost double the price of the same sized 2.5 oz. scented wax melts at Walmart (ScentSationals and Better Homes & Gardens), which are $2.00 each. Although the scents are very nice, they're not fantastic enough to warrant the high price tag.
Here are the 4 scents I bought:
White Tea Ginger Tea with a slight floral note and maybe a hint of lemon verbena. Melted, the floral is a little more pronounced than the tea. It smells a bit like soap or bubble bath, in a good way. Nice relaxing bedroom or bathroom scent. Throw is pretty good, around a 3 out of 5.
Wild Sunflowers A bright, pleasant sunflower type floral with a hint of honey. Throw is pretty good, around a 3 out of 5.
Seaglass Orchid Vanilla with a floral note, with maybe a hint of amber. Barely any throw, maybe a 1 out of 5.
Lime & Basil I definitely smell the lime but it's not an annoying overly citrusy lime, more like a very slightly floral lime with a very slight laundry note. I don't smell basil. On cold sniff this smells fairly strong, but I can barely smell it when melted, maybe a 1 out of 5.
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This is a review of AmbiEscents wax melts from Bed Bath & Beyond (they are also available at other stores). These are mostly new scents from December 2015, although some are older scents. AmbiEscents is made by ScentSationals (which can be found at many stores, including Walmart, and also on their website at http://www.scentsationals.com).
My Scent and Throw scores are on a scale of 0 to 5 with 0 being the
absolute worst and 5 being the absolute best. Scent score is VERY
subjective; you may love a scent I hate, and vice versa. Throw score is
not as subjective, although there are a lot of variables that can affect
the throw (again, see the Definitions page). 0 throw means I couldn't
smell anything when melted, even with my nose right on top of the wax. 1
is poor throw, 2 is very light throw, 2.5 is light/fair, 3 is good, 3.5
is very good, 4 is excellent, and 5 is a "scent monster" (I can smell
it throughout the house and even outside the house).
Orchid Dreams Generic flowery baby powder. This smells like scented toilet paper, which sounds bad, but it's actually a very nice scent. Perfect for bathroom or bedroom. The scent lasted about 2.5 hours. Scent: 4 Throw: 3.5
Pomegranate Sangria Slightly tangy waxy non-descript berry scent, not overly sweet, almost like there might be a hint of sage mixed in (although it doesn't smell anything like Pomegranate & Sage). Smells like a lot of other pomegranate-y wax I have. Scent: 3 Throw: 3
Cottage Window I love this scent! It's a soft jasmine/gardenia floral with a slight baby powder note, I believe. But I think I also smell a smidgeon of vanilla that warms up the scent and keeps it from being "too" floral. This is the same scent as ScentSationals Cottage Window, which I ordered from the ScentSationals website about two months ago. I loved the scent then, but the throw was poor. I'm glad the AmbiEscents version has a better throw. Scent: 5 Throw: 3
Pink Citrus
This is a fresh scent with a fake pink grapefruit note. Even though it's not an "authentic" grapefruit, it's not bad. Pink grapefruit is a little sweeter and not as "intense" as regular grapefruit. I have dish soap that smells like this. Scent: 3 Throw: 3
Antique Vanilla
I can't figure out the notes in this. I definitely smell vanilla, but there's something else very strong that smells like burnt sugar or burnt maple. It's like a really intense vanilla liquid with a chemical note, almost like almond extract with that slightly bitter quality. On cold sniff, it has a slight latex note. I've never smelled anything like this before. When melted, more of the sweet rich burnt sugar notes come out. Scent: 3.5 on cold sniff, 5 when melted Throw: 4
Sophisticated Spice This is an ambery scent with a hint of wood and cologne, but it's different from other amber scents I've smelled as it doesn't have that soft "cashmere" quality, and there are some other notes I can't figure out. It's like Turkish Spice Market mixed with an ambery cologney perfume note, and like Better Homes & Gardens Warm Rustic Woods but without as much wood. This is not a spicy food scent, and I don't smell any of the typical spices like cinnamon or nutmeg. It's a classy, well, "sophisticated" scent. I believe ScentSationals Fusion has the same scent with the same name. Scent: 5 Throw: 3.5
Pomegranate Mist Scent description is "pomegranate fruit with a hint of mint". I smell fruit first, a slightly tart, slightly tropical fruit scent, with a slight eucalyptus note (which I guess is actually the mint). It doesn't seem like fruit and eucalyptus would work together, but it kind of does. It has a slight sinus clearing effect of the mint. The mint is more in the background so it's not overwhelming, and it's not spearmint or peppermint, but more of a non-sweet eucalyptus type mint. I'm not sure if I really like this one or not. Scent: 3 Throw: 3.5
Lemon Mint Blossom This doesn't smell as refreshing as it sounds. I definitely smell the lemon first, but there's a strong sage type note that makes this smell more like a spa scent than a fresh summer scent. It's not a bakery or lemonade type lemon, nor is it a kitchen or clean lemon scent, since it's not very sweet. It's smells more like the rind of the lemon, with that very slight bitterness. Barely any throw though. This may be a dupe of ScentSationals Lemon Basil, which I no longer have; that one had no throw either. Scent: 3 Throw: 1
Raspberry Vanilla Raspberry and sweet vanilla, just like the name. It's not an authentic raspberry, but that doesn't detract from the scent. It's almost more like a slightly tart strawberry, so the vanilla is probably tempering the tartness of the raspberry. Scent: 4 Throw: 3
Warm Maple Butter This smells just like pancakes with butter and maple syrup! Scent: 4 Throw: 4
Brazilian Sunset
Scent description on package is "A bouquet of passion fruit, guava and fig". This is definitely a tropical scent with tart fruit. There's no coconut, and I don't think I smell pineapple either. I'm not a fan of tropical scents, but I love this one. Scent: 3.5 on cold sniff, but 5 when melted. Throw: 4
Passion Fruit Love This smells almost exactly like Brazilian Sunset (above), although I think there's more tartness with a slight satsuma note (satsuma is a small orange with a very tart almost sour orange-like scent) Scent: 4 Throw: 4
Tumbled Sea Glass This is the same scent as ScentSationals Fusion "Sea Glass" scent, a fresh air watery scent with a slightly salty note. Maybe a smidgeon of floral and a very slight barely noticeable hint of lemon? This is a good bathroom scent. Scent: 4 Throw: 4
Oatmeal Cookies
This is a duplicate of an older AmbiEscents scent called "Oatmeal Raisin" cookie. It's a sweet bakery scent with an authentic raisin note and a hint of cinnamon. Smells like the real thing! Scent: 4 Throw: 4
Aspen Birch This is a duplicate of ScentSationals Smoked Birch, one of my favorite scents. It's an intense smoky scent, like liquid smoke, but a mesquite type smoky scent with almost a bacon note. Different from any other scent. Scent: 5 Throw: 5
Snickerdoodle A sweet slightly cinnamony bakery scent. This is a dupe of many other similar scents I have, so I didn't melt it. This one is a little weak on cold sniff, so I'm not sure how the throw would be. Scent: 4 Throw: n/a
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