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

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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.

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Tuscany Candle Winter Holiday Christmas 2016 Scented Wax Melts Review

Tuscany Candle Winter Holiday Christmas 2016 Scented Wax Melts Review

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This is a review of the new Tuscany Candle Winter/Holiday/Christmas 2016 Scented Wax Melts. I found these at Lowe's in the Christmas aisle, but you might also find them at Wegman's food store, Menard's, and Kroger. These were the only NEW scents I found, so there may be others. There were lots of last year's 2015 fall and winter scents mixed in, and I reviewed those scents last year. You can see those reviews at:
- http://www.scentedwaxreviews.com/2015/09/tuscany-candle-2015-fall-scents.html
- http://www.scentedwaxreviews.com/2015/11/tuscany-winter-holiday-christmas-scented-wax-melts.html

Butter Crunch Cookie
A super sweet cinnamon sugar cookie with a buttery quality. It's a nice scent, but when melted it smells like a lot of other vanilla sugar cookie scents out there and I barely smell the cinnamon. Throw is fair, around a 2.5 or 3 out of 5.

Maple Butternut
This one is very weak on cold sniff. I think I smell maple and vanilla and a hint of nuttiness. Melted, it's a non-descript vanilla scent with a hint of maple. Throw wasn't great, maybe a 2.5 out of 5.

Apple Berry Spice
Very nice fresh apple scent with a sweet berry note, maybe blueberries. And there's a smidgeon of a dirt note (in a good way) that makes the apples smell really fresh. I don't really detect spices, or they may be way in the background. This is more of summer scent than winter. Throw wasn't good, maybe a 2 or 2.5 out of 5.

Christmas Streusel
A yummy sweet rich buttery vanilla scent with a hint of something else I can't put my finger on. It smells a little like red velvet cake, but I don't detect chocolate. Or maybe there's a smidgeon of berry or apple in the background? I can't figure out the notes in this one, but it's very nice. Melted, it smells just as yummy as it does on cold sniff, throw is excellent, 3.5 or 4 out of 5, and scent lasted a long time. This is probably my favorite scent of all the new Tuscany winter scents.

Ginger Snaps
This is a dupe of last year's Gingerbread House, a yummy authentic gingerbread scent, with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and a bready note. Throw is very good.

Merry Cherry
This is a dupe of last year's Brandied Cherries, a fantastic sweet maraschino cherry scent with a hint of something rich like vanilla or sweet cream. Unlike Brandied Cherries, however, which had very light throw, Merry Cherry throw is very good, around a 3.5 out of 5. But unfortunately the scent started dissipating within an hour, and within two hours the throw was down to maybe a 2 out of 5.

Winter
This scent is from last year, and it's a confusing scent that I can't put my finger on. I thought I detected mint, but I really don't, although it might be in there way in the back. I also thought I detected vanilla, but I'm not sure that's in there either. It actually smells like an herbal body wash, not very sweet, more on the masculine side but not like men's cologne. It has an outdoorsy feel so there may be a hint of some kind of wood, and there are also some spices but herbal spices rather than bakery spices. I thought I also detected a bit of smokiness, but I really don't. Maybe a smidgeon of amber for warmth. Last year I mentioned that when I melted it, it morphed into something else, like a fresh mint plant from the backyard with a mediciney note, but I didn't notice that this time. Maybe the scent I tried last year really was old like I thought it was. Like last year's scent, throw was not very good, maybe a 2.5 or 3 out of 5. My review of this scent from last year is at http://www.scentedwaxreviews.com/2015/11/tuscany-winter-holiday-christmas-scented-wax-melts.html.

Pumpkin Pie
This is a scent from last year, but I never bought it because it's a a standard generic pumpkin pie scent with a plastic-y note. There are lots of pumpkin scents out there by other companies that smell better.

Lemon Sugar Cookie
This is their standard bakery lemon scent that they use for all of their bakery lemon melts. It's a very nice rich lemon scent with a little sweetness and just a hint of a bakery note. Throw is excellent. I didn't buy this one because I already have their Lemon Sugar Cookie scent that they put out other times of the year.

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Living Colors Fall 2016 Wax Melts from Big Lots - First Look Review

Living Colors Fall 2016 Wax Melts from Big Lots - First Look Review

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This is a first look review of Living Colors Fall 2016 Wax Melts from Big Lots. I did not buy these because in general, I haven't had good luck with throw from Living Colors wax.

Orange Clove
This smells like Orange Pomander, a scent I've never liked. It's hard to describe, kind of like a savory nauseating citrus scent with some kind of spices. A lot of people love this scent, but I don't care for it.

Ginger Pumpkin
Typical pumpkiny scent, and I don't smell ginger.

Molasses Gingerbread
This does smell like gingerbread, although I don't smell molasses per se. It's a nice gingerbread scent if you don't already have several gingerbread scents like I do.

Pumpkin Cheesecake
Nice sweet milky creamy rich pumpkin scent with a little bit of cinnamon and nutmeg. Again, a nice one if you don't already have similar scents.

Cranapple Cider
This does smell like apple cider, but again, similar to a lot of other apple cider scents out there.

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Sonoma Winter Holiday 2016 Wax Melts from Kohl's - Review

Sonoma Winter Holiday 2016 Wax Melts from Kohl's

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Watch video below, or read text review below:

You can view close-ups of each wax melt label at https://www.pinterest.com/scentedwax/sonoma-scented-wax-melts-kohls/.

Lakeside Campfire
"Feel like you are back at camp with the scents of lakeside air, mulled apples, smoky cinnamon and birch wood"
Smells like part men's cologne and part industrial soap, with a nice salty water or fresh air note, and a slight smoky note. I don't smell apples or cinnamon at all. It's an "okay" scent. Throw was not great, maybe a 2.5 or 3 out of 5.

Autumn Breeze
"Orange, star anise and peppermint mixed with warm cognac and sandalwood"
Sonoma put out an Autumn Breeze scent last year with the same light aqua color, so I assumed it was a dupe. But it smells completely different. Last year's Autumn Breeze was a nice sweet cedar wood type scent. But this year's Autumn Breeze is more of a non-descript sweet scent, a little like syrup, and I don't really smell the woodsy notes that I did last year. I don't smell orange, anise, or peppermint either. It's not a bad scent, but I like last year's better. Throw was okay, around a 3 out of 5.

Harvest Sunrise
"A bouquet of spices wrapped around a rich blend of citrus, musk and vanilla"
This smells like fall leaves, that slightly woodsy scent with a smidgeon of old apples. It's very similar to the Falling Leaves scent, but more sour and woodsy and with less of the apple note. I don't smell citrus or musk, and it's not a spicy scent either. It's a nice fall scent. Throw is pretty good, around a 3.5 out of 5, but the scent started dissipating within an hour.

Snow Days
"Let this joyful scent bring back memories of childhood winters through juicy apples and soft florals coupled with warm vanilla and amber"
This is definitely not a winter or holiday scent, but it's fantastic anyway. It's pretty much a dead on dupe of ScentSationals Blackberry Cider (even though they're made by different companies), which also smells a lot like Goose Creek Blackberry Parfait and Scentsy Luna. It's a deep rich warm sweet ambery scent. I don't smell apples at all. Throw is excellent, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5.

Holiday Eggnog
"Eggnog, warm milk and vanilla cream mixes with ground cinnamon, clove, orange peel and nutmeg"
This is a bit different from last year's Holiday Eggnog scent. While last year's scent was more of a salty milky vanilla with a bakery note and just a hint of nutmeg (not enough nutmeg), that turned into sweet warm buttery rolls when melted, this year's scent is more milky and less salty, still with very little nutmeg. It smells more like vanilla shortbread cookies, and although neither scent really smells like eggnog, I think this year's scent captures it a bit more due to the milkiness and less saltiness. When melted, there's also a slight smokiness, like slightly burned milk, but not in a bad way. Throw is pretty good, around a 3 or 3.5 out of 5.

Vanilla & Evergreen
"A creamy winter mix of fresh evergreen, chilled spearmint, cinnamon-rum and candied vanilla"
On cold sniff I smell spruce with a little bit of vanilla in the background. I don't smell mint, cinnamon, or rum. Melted, it just smells like a nice spruce scent and I don't really smell the vanilla in the background. Throw is pretty good, around a 3 or maybe 3.5 out of 5.

Winter Berry Spruce
"Frozen berries and holiday spruce mingle with sweet notes of delectable caramel"
I thought this was a dupe of last year's Winterberry & Pine, but although it's very similar, this one is sweeter with more of the berry note, so I like it more. Melted, I don't smell berry but it's a nice pine scent with a sweetness in the background. Throw is excellent.

In From The Cold
"Warm cedar, aromatic oak, spiced herbs, rich autumn leaves and a hint of crisp harvest apple"
This is a dupe for last year's Winter Hearth, a fantastic scent! This smells like sweet tobacco with caramel and a bit of clove and just a hint of smokiness, and possibly a smidgeon of fig. It's a rich warm fragrance, sweet but not candy type sweet. Throw is pretty much the same as last year's Winter Hearth, around a 3 out of 5.

Cinnamon Sugar Donut
"Cinnamon and almond mix with vanilla bean, maple and sugar cane"
On cold sniff I smell cinnamon sugar and the almond note, a nice interesting combination. But I don't smell the almond at all when melted, just the sweet rich cinnamon sugar scent with a doughy note which really makes it smell like a cinnamon sugar donut. It smells fantastic, and throw is very good, around a 3.5 out of 5.


I DID NOT GET THE FOLLOWING SCENTS (either they're dupes from last year, or I did not like the scent):

Silent Night
"Amber pairs with aromatic notes of pine and lavender layered on top of sweet sandalwood"
This smells a lot like last year's Harvest Moon and Autumn Hayride scents. I don't think it's a dupe, but it's so similar that it didn't make sense for me to get something that smells so much like other scents I already have. I smell pine first, with a smoky background and a very slight sweetness which might be the lavender, although I don't actually smell lavender.

Let It Snow
"Sparkling sweet peppermint, frosted snowflakes and spun sugar wrap sheer vanilla"
I looked for this one but couldn't find it in the store. If I do, I'll update this review. I wonder if it's the same scent as last year's Falling Snow, which was a nice pure mint scent. Although I suspect that Let It Snow will be sweeter due to the "spun sugar" note, whereas Falling Snow was just a pure chilly mint.

Woodland Pine
"Sparkling icicles and frozen eucalyptus combine with white clove bud, balsam fir, cedarwood, amber and cool musk"
This is a dupe from last year. Pine or spruce with a slight hint of eucalyptus. It has a slight sinus-clearing menthol effect, but not much. Throw was very good.

Apple Cider
"Warm apple cider sweetened with brown sugar and a hint of cinnamon"
Generic fake apple scent

Tree Farm
"Bright scent of fresh-cut Aspen cedar, frosted Fraser and Italian cypress enhanced with citrus-splashed sage, birchwood, a touch of crisp winter holly and wild thyme"
Plain old pine scent

Balsam Fir
"Crisp fir, pine and fresh balsam are enriched with cedarwood and oak moss to complement notes of winter musk and silver birch"
This is a dupe from last year, a pine scent with a hint of something else I can't put my finger on, maybe a slight woodsy note or something that smells a little "old"? Very strong on cold sniff. Melted, I don't detect that "old" note, just an authentic rich smoky spruce, like the sap of a spruce tree. Last year's had an excellent throw, so I assume this year's would as well.

Falling Leaves
"Crisp green apple, orchard pear, oakwood and harvest acorn"
This is a dupe from last year. It smells like apples on the ground in October, at the end of the apple season, mixed with brown leaves. Almost like old apples, but not in a bad way. It smells like apple cider with a mossy note, not very sweet, and very little spice if any. Definitely a fall scent. Last year's had an excellent throw, so I assume this year's would as well.

Holiday Cookies
"Freshly baked sugar cookies topped with decadent buttercream frosting"
This is a dupe from last year, a yummy rich vanilla cookie bakery scent, like cookies right out of the oven. Sweet, but not overly sweet. And there may be just a smidgeon of nut? Last year's had an excellent throw, so I assume this year's would as well.

Autumn Hayride
"Orange, white clove, and cinnamon bark mix with cedar wood, oak moss and vanilla bean"
This is a dupe from last year, a fantastic smoky woodsy scent that smells like burning leaves. I don't smell any of the notes mentioned; maybe the Kohl's website put the wrong scent notes with the wrong scent. Last year's had an excellent throw, so I assume this year's would as well.

Pumpkin Cranberry Muffin
"Pumpkin infuses with cranberry, cinnamon and clove with a hint of buttery vanilla and brown sugar"
I didn't like this one. I don't smell any of the notes shown above, but maybe a touch of a sweet bready note, but it smells like a chemical.  Very light on cold sniff.

Brown Sugar Peaches
"Sweet peaches drizzled in warm salted caramel, brown sugar, and creamy vanilla"
I didn't like this one. It doesn't smell like peaches or brown sugar. I can't put my finger on it, but I think it has a chemical note as well.

Gingerbread House
"Ginger and sparkling sugar blend with cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, butter & bourbon vanilla"
This is a dupe from last year. It really smells like gingerbread, a rich bakery scent with spices. On cold sniff I detect nutmeg and ginger, with just a hint of cinnamon. This really smells like bread, and it's not very sweet. When I melted last year's, the cinnamon took over and became a bit overwhelming. But if you like cinnamon, you'll probably love this one. Last year's had very good throw, so I assume this year's would as well.

Caramel Toffee
"Creamy caramel, butterscotch and fudge mixed with cinnamon and clove"
This is a dupe from last year or the previous year, a fantastic sweet rich buttery caramel with excellent throw.

Under the Mistletoe
"Black currant, lemon and rosemary blend effortlessly with lavender, mint and cedar leaf"
This has slight pine and berry notes, with a slight chemical note but it smells pretty nice. I believe it's a dupe of another scent from last year, or maybe the previous year. I'm not sure why I didn't get this one. Maybe I thought I already had it. I think I do smell the currant, but not sure about the lemon or mint.

Deck the Halls
"Freshly ground cinnamon sticks, a dash of crushed clove bud, sweet toasted nutmeg and warm brown sugar"
This is a dupe from last year, and I didn't buy it then either because it's straight cinnamon.

Pumpkin Pecan Pie
"Harvest pumpkin, maple, cinnamon and toasted pecan"
This is a dupe from last year, a nice caramel scent. Last year's throw was just "okay", and the scent only lasted 2 to 3 hours.

Pumpkin Latte
"Creamy brown sugar and sweet pumpkin mixed with clove and cinnamon"
This is a dupe from last year, a very strong coffee scent with a lot of cream, a little sweetness, and maybe a hint of nutmeg. Throw is excellent. Description on Kohl's website must be incorrect, because it doesn't list coffee at all.

Pumpkin Harvest
This is a dupe from last year, a sweet juicy fresh apple scent with fall spices mixed in. Not too much spice to be overwhelming though. I don't smell much pumpkin in this one, and that's a good thing. Throw was "okay". I couldn't find this one on the Kohl's website, so I don't have an official scent description.

Pumpkin Spice
"Creamy pumpkin, rich brown sugar, and gingered vanilla"
Just a typical pumpkin spice scent.


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AmbiEscents Halloween 2016 Scented Wax Melts - Scent Reviews

AmbiEscents Halloween 2016 Scented Wax Melts - Scent Reviews

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This scent review video of AmbiEscents Halloween 2016 wax melts from BBB (Bed Bath & Beyond) is exclusive to our Facebook Group members. This is just a "scent review" of most of these since I only bought two (so I cannot comment on the throw for any of the others): Purple People Eater didn't smell as good to me when melted as it did cold, and throw was just "okay". I do think there's some kind of fruit in there, like a sweet candy cranberry, mixed with a little bit of cloves I think, and some other spices although I don't detect cinnamon or nutmeg. Thankful Harvest is fantastic when melted, with excellent throw.
 
In addition to these scents, BBB also brought back Ginger Pumpkin, Pumpkin Pickin', Apple Cinnamon Swirl, and Cranberry Spice from last year, and may be bringing others back as well.

To see the video, and comment on this review and others, please join our Scented Wax Melts Retail Store Bought Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/scentedwaxretail, where we discuss all store-bought scented wax melts (no vendor wax, no direct sales wax like Scentsy, and no candles).

Once your membership request has been accepted, you can view the video at https://www.facebook.com/groups/scentedwaxretail/permalink/1019718184812677.

Aldi Huntington Home Wax Melts Scent Review - September 2016

Aldi Huntington Home Wax Melts Scent Review - September 2016

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This is a scent review of the four Fall 2016 Aldi Huntington Home Wax Melt scents that came out the second week of September 2016. Aldi puts out 4 wax melt scents in the spring, 4 in the summer, and 4 in the fall (but only candles in December for the holidays, no melts).

This is a video review of the scents only. I did not buy these because they're very similar to other wax melt scents I already have. So I cannot comment on the throw.

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.

Yankee American Home Scented Wax Cubes from Walmart - Fall 2016 Scent Review

Yankee American Home Scented Wax Cubes from Walmart - Fall 2016 First Look

This is a "first look" at Walmart's Yankee American Home Scented Wax Cubes for Fall 2016. These are just my scent descriptions, as I did not buy these so I cannot comment on the throw. I did full reviews on other Yankee American Home scents this past Spring and last winter (http://www.scentedwaxreviews.com/search?q=yankee+american+home). I did not buy these because at $3.93 they're expensive (compared to $2 for ScentSationals and Better Homes & Gardens wax melts at Walmart). Even though the packages are larger, you're getting the same amount of wax (look at the weight), so you're just paying for more packaging. For the most part, I'm not crazy about the Yankee American Home melts because for most of the scents, the throw isn't as good as other Walmart wax brands, and the scents aren't fantastic enough to justify paying double the price.

Peaceful Beach
Kind of weak on cold sniff. A standard salty sweet water ocean type scent. This one may have come out in the summer, but I only saw it for the first time in September.

Spiced Orange & Clove
This is a typical orange pomander scent, kind of like cloves plus a note of orange, a bit more savory than sweet, but there's also a waxy note in there. I'm not a fan of orange pomander in general, so I don't like this one.

Shades of Fall
Very weak on cold sniff. Typical cinnamon pumpkiny scent but with a slight perfumey note. Hard to tell because it's so weak.

Spiced Apple Berries
Generic cinnamon apple scent with a fake waxy note.

Warm & Happy Home
This is a scent from last year that returned this year, but I did not review it last year. Nice but typical sweet cinnamon nutmeg spice fall scent.

Cozy Corner
Nice warm cashmere scent with a hint of laundry, and just a little sweet floral (gardenia?) perfume note.

Fall Morning
I don't like this one. It smells like pear or apple mixed with something bitter that maybe is supposed to be fall leaves. I just can't figure out that bitter note.

Bountiful Harvest
A nice but typical sweet cinnamon bakery scent.

Homemade Pumpkin Pie
Typical generic pumpkin pie scent with the nutmeg and a little cinnamon and a slight pie crust note.

Creamy Pumpkin Cupcake
Nice creamy milky caramely buttery scent with a little bit of a pumpkin spice note. Very nice, but there are other Walmart wax melts that smell very similar and at half the cost.


Delicious Cranberry, Fresh Balsam Fir, and Sparkling Cinnamon Spice scents are back from last year, and I did full reviews on them at http://www.scentedwaxreviews.com/2015/12/yankee-american-home-wax-cubes-walmart.html

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.

Walmart Scented Wax Melts Fall 2016 - ScentSationals and Better Homes & Gardens

Walmart Scented Wax Melts Fall 2016 - ScentSationals and Better Homes & Gardens

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This is a review of the new Walmart Scented Wax Melts for Fall 2016 (ScentSationals and Better Homes & Gardens). Fall scents generally appear at Walmart from late-July to mid-September, depending on your Walmart. I believe there are other fall and winter scents on the way, although I haven't found them yet but will update this page when I do.

Please also see Part 2 of this review, 9 additional scents that I purchased in December, at  http://www.scentedwaxreviews.com/2016/12/walmart-scented-wax-melts-fall-2016-scentsationals-better-homes-gardens.html

If you want to view a close-up image of each particular wax melt, check out my Pinterest boards for ScentSationals (https://www.pinterest.com/scentedwax/scentsationals-scented-wax-melts/), Better Homes & Gardens (https://www.pinterest.com/scentedwax/better-homes-gardens-walmart-scented-wax-melts/), and MainStays (https://www.pinterest.com/scentedwax/mainstays-walmart-scented-wax-melts/).

And of course, if you want to participate in discussions about this review and other scented wax melts in the U.S., please join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/scentedwaxretail. We're a fun, active discussion group with over 1,000 members!

ScentSationals Sunflower Fields
This is a nice spicy floral. Even if you don't like florals, you may like this one due to the spiciness, but it's not a foodie spice like cinnamon, more like a perfume type spice, but not overly sweet. Hard to describe, but very nice. It doesn't smell like sunflowers though. Throw was good, around a 3 out of 5.

Better Homes & Gardens Golden Harvest Sunset
Walmart description "This is very bright and crisp. This spicy, fruity scent is the perfect autumn blend featuring notes of golden bergamot, crushed ginger, juicy orange, warm cardamom, white violet and nutmeg.  A mix of sandalwood, vanilla bean and amber crystals adds a touch of comfort completing this enchanting fragrance experience."
This is probably my favorite of all the new scents. It's a lemon scent with kind of a clean floral note and maybe a touch of orange. Looking at the scent notes, that other note I can't figure out is probably the cardamom. It's not a foodie scent, more of a calming, happy atmospheric scent. Disappointingly, throw was only fair, maybe a 2.5 out of 5, but would probably do well in a very small room.

ScentSationals Crimson
"Cranberry & Oak"
This smells a little like ScentSationals Vanilla Woods, a woodsy vanilla type scent. It smells a bit like men's cologne or body wash. I don't smell cranberry at all, although there could be a smidgeon of some kind of fruit. This is a sexy fragrance, similar to ScentSationals Simple Romance. The woodsy note almost has a slight balsam or pine or even patchouli vibe, but barely noticeable. Melted, it smells like a spicy warm snuggly winter type men's cologne scent, and throw is excellent, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5.

Better Homes & Gardens Fragrant Woodland Walk
Walmart description "This has woodland fir needle sparkling with citrus splashed aldehydes that rests upon smooth balsam, warm tree moss and black amber touched by sweet sandalwood and hints of green cedar."
This is a woodsy scent with a balsam note and a smidgeon of pine, and maybe an earthy floral way in the background. Looking at the scent notes, okay the floral is probably the amber, and I do smell the woodsiness of the sandalwood. Melted, I think I detect a slightly eucalyptus note, and it smells like a winter scent. Throw is excellent, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5.

ScentSationals Dusk Till Dawn
"Orange Blossom over Sandalwood & Musk"
I can't figure this one out. On cold sniff, I don't smell orange blossom because there's a slightly sour note in the background, maybe like sour apple, but not really in a bad way. I do detect a light woodsy note and the perfumey musk. Melted, this has a fresh, natural scent, not sour at all. I definitely smell the wood, and I think there's a very slight apple note like old apples scattered among fallen leaves, and maybe even a smidgeon of lemon. The freshness almost gives it a slight parsley vibe, although it's not a green or herbal scent at all. And it's not necessarily a fall scent and it doesn't have that smoky woodsiness that's typical of fall scents. This is different from any wax scent I've ever smelled, and I like it. Throw is excellent, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5, but the scent fizzled within an hour.

ScentSationals Fall 'n For Fall
"Crisp Autumn Leaves"
This says "Crisp Autumn Leaves" on the package, and ScentSationals has a scent called Crisp Autumn Leaves, but this scent is completely different. It's a woodsy men's cologne type scent but there's some other note I can't put my finger on that makes it not overly cologney. It smells a little bit like the new ScentSationals Dusk Till Dawn, but more cologney. Nice scent, but almost zero throw. I couldn't even smell it from a foot away.

Better Homes & Gardens Sunflower & Chrysanthemum
This sweet floral has a slightly bitter note and on cold sniff I'm getting a slight chemical note like nailpolish remover. Melted, it's just awful! All I smell is a slightly sweet bitter sour scent like fermented wine but worse. Throw was very good, around a 3.5 out of 5.

Better Homes & Gardens Candied Citrus Pumpkin
Walmart description: "This has candied pumpkin fruit swirled with cinnamon, clove and nutmeg splashed with sweet orange and a touch of butter caramel with sweet pastry undertones."
This smells like a combination of Better Homes & Gardens Orange Buttercream Cupcake (an orangey Fruit Loops cereal type scent) mixed with a slightly salty cinnamon pumpkin scent. But the more I smell it, the more I realize it's a dupe of an older pumpkiny scent whose name I don't remember. And when melted, it's quite cinnamony. It's a nice scent, but not my favorite, as it's very rich and cinnamony (I do really like the Orange Buttercream Cupcake scent by itself though). Throw is excellent, at least a 4 out of 5.

Better Homes & Gardens Roasted Coconut Pumpkin
I immediately though of Scentsy Coconut Pumpkin Pie when I saw this scent. Although they're slightly similar, the Scentsy version is more coconutty and pumpkiny, whereas this BHG scent has a sweeter more whipped cream note. On cold sniff I smell the nutmeggy pumpkin note, but not really the coconut although it may be way in the background. When melted, nope, no coconut. This is a dupe of an older cookie type scent whose name I don't remember. It's a very nice, rich scent though, but similar to other scents I have. Throw was only fair to good, maybe a 2.5 or 3 out of 5.

Better Homes & Gardens Brandied Peach Cobbler
This smells like pears more than peach, and with a very sugary sweet and slightly caramel note. I don't really detect a bakery note. It's a nice scent but extremely sweet. Throw is fairly good, around a 3 or 3.5 out of 5.

ScentSationals Peppermint Vanilla Macaroon
"Life is Sweet"
Everyone is looking forward to this scent, and with good reason. It's yummy! Just like the description, it smells like a sweet minty vanilla cookie. It's sugary sweet, and the peppermint is not overwhelming. Melted, it doesn't really smell like a cookie, but more like the inside of a peppermint patty, but not as minty, and very sweet. It's a nice scent, but not as fantastic as I expected it would be. I would have liked a stronger peppermint note. Throw is very good, around a 3.5 out of 5.

ScentSationals Nag Champa Incense
"A Space for Peace"
ScentSationals description: "Warm woody patchouli swirled with hints of golden amber, rich musk and oriental spices balanced by undertones of orange blossom and jasmine"
Finally ScentSationals has come out with a Nag Champa scent, which is one of my favorite scents. This is very strong on cold sniff, a beautiful Nag Champa scent with a soapy note. Nag Champa is a sweet, woodsy earthy scent with patchouli, musk, amber and baby powder notes. Oh, I will be stocking up on this one for sure. It's fantastic, and the throw is excellent, easily a 4 or even 4.5 out of 5. And the scent lasted for over 24 hours! My favorite scent out of the bunch! This one is also available on the ScentSationals website as of 9/3/16.

ScentSationals Cashmere Cream
"Luxury Must Be Comfy"
This just smells like milky vanilla. I don't smell cashmere or any type of amber or laundry notes. This might actually be a dupe of an older vanilla scent. When melted, yes I believe it's a dupe of an older ScentSationals vanilla scent like Vanilla Bean or Old-Fashioned Vanilla. And like a lot of vanilla scents, the throw isn't very good, maybe a 2.5 out of 5.

ScentSationals Blackberry Cognac
ScentSationals description: "Crushed autumn blackberry and intoxicating dark cassis infused with the aroma of aged oak and vanilla scented tobacco"
This smells like a cross between last year's ScentSationals Blackberry Cider and Better Homes & Gardens Sunflower & Chrysanthemum (review above). There's a very slight dark berry note, but also a bitter note which I guess is supposed to be the cognac but smells a little like fermented wine. There's also a slight cedar type note that makes this scent a little more tolerable, although it's not one of my favorites. This one is also available on the ScentSationals website as of 9/3/16.

ScentsSationals Pumpkin Apple Muffins
ScentSationals description: "Freshly baked, brown sugar muffins full with ripe golden apple, spiced pumpkin, fresh ground cinnamon and sweet hints of pure vanilla"
This is a dupe of the yummy Spiced Caramel Corn side of Better Homes & Gardens "At the Fair" duo that was discontinued last year (although you can still find old stock on Walmart's shelves). This is one of my favorite scents of all time, and I'm so glad it came back. It's a super rich butter caramel corn scent with a hint of apple. And the throw is fantastic!

ScentSationals Scarlet Cypress Wreath
It's a little early for Walmart to start putting out winter and holiday scents, but I don't mind. I love pine scents! This one is pine with an orangey fruity note. It's not the same scent as the old ScentSationals Citrus Wreath though, which was more orange than fruity. This one smells like it has some kind of red berry in it as well, but it's mostly a pine/spruce scent. Throw is good, but probably better than I think because I have all the windows open and it's quite windy in here right now!

Mainstays Pecan Pumpkin Cake
Walmart description: "This is a decadent fall time treat with brown sugar, indulgent butter cream and sweet lemon mingle with an aromatic blend of ginger, nutmeg and a scrumptious pumpkin accord at the heart."
This smells like sweet rich milky cream with a nutty note and the slight saltiness of the pumpkin. It's very rich. Looking at the scent notes, I don't smell any lemon. This is yummy and rich, and throw is very good, around a 3.5 out of 5.

ScentSationals Cinnamon Apples
On cold sniff, I thought this was a typical generic cinnamon apple scent, but I was wrong! This is one of my favorite scents now. Melted, it smells like sweet apple juice, or maybe a light apple cider with just a hint of cinnamon but none of those harsh mulling spices. It smells like walking into a Michael's Arts & Crafts store full of fall potpourri. It's a "scent monster", throw is 5 out of 5, and it takes over the entire house. The scent lasted for an entire day, and even after I turned the warmer off overnight, the next morning it still smelled strong in the house. This is in absolute winner!

ScentSationals Baked Orchard Apple
Apple pie type scent with fresh apples and maybe a little bit of caramel and cinnamon. It's a very nice apple scent, but similar to other scents I have. Throw is very good, around a 3.5 out of 5.

Better Homes & Gardens Rustic Country Home
Walmart description: "Country apple, sweet cinnamon sticks, sugar & spice, warm nutmeg and clove bud. Sugared woods and sueded vanilla add additional warmth"
I expected this to have a woodsy note based on the name, but it just smells like cinnamon and maybe cloves, so I wasn't going to buy it. But when I went back a few days later and smelled it again, I swear I detected a hint of chocolate, and maybe a smidgeon of nut, and the cinnamon is not overly strong, so I decided to give it a try. It really is a nice scent, similar to ScentSationals No Place Like Home and AmbiEscents Home Sweet Home, with that warm homey feel, but with slightly different notes. Throw is excellent, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5.

ScentSationals Perfectly Pine
ScentSationals description: "Balsamic evergreen, brisk pine, and lush fir needle gleam with sparkling citrus aldehydes, lustrous greens, and earthy patchouli infused with warm spice and dew-covered moss." but when I checked the site later, the description changed to "The warmth of pine with a hint of crisp eucalyptus and sweet raspberry"
A typical pine scent, most likely a dupe for a previous pine scent. It has a nice authentic Christmas tree smell though, and not that "biting" pine note that a lot of similar scents have. I think the first ScentSationals description is accurate, since I don't smell raspberry or any type of berry or sweetness. Even though it's not a sweet scent at all, it IS sweeter than Better Homes & Gardens Fresh Cut Frasier (which is a harsher pine scent with more of a eucalyptus note). Throw is fantastic, a scent monster that took over the house, 5 out of 5.

ScentSationals Balsam & Birch
A strong biting pine and eucalyptus type scent. I believe this is a dupe for other similar scents in the past. Throw is excellent, around a 4 out of 5.


I did not buy the following scents, because I either wasn't fond of them or they were dupes of other scents I already have, or just general fall type scents that come out every year (I have more than enough of those!). But I did make notes on cold sniff while I was at the store:


Better Homes & Gardens Bundled in Blankets Duo (Cozy Winter Coat & Plush Fleece Mittens)
I didn't care for either scent, smells a lot like other scents I have, kind of generic. Couldn't put my finger on the scents themselves, but they're not laundry cotton type scents.

ScentSationals Pumpkin S'Mores Duo (Pumpkin Spice & Pumpkin Marshmallow Cream)
Another typical pumpkin scent. I believe Pumpkin Spice is the same Pumpkin Spice scent from last year, and see my review of Pumpkin Marshmallow Cream above.

Better Homes & Gardens Perfect Pumpkin Ale
This is a pumpkiny apple scent similar to a lot of other fall scents.

Better Homes & Gardens Fall Into Autumn
Walmart description: "This has golden acorns and crisp green apple that combine with warm notes of smooth applewood and red cedar nestled with aromatic leaves, white orchard pear and gently spiced harvest berry."
Even though the picture shows apples and grapes, and the description mentions apples, I don't detect fruit in this scent. It smells a lot like Better Homes & Gardens Crisp Fall Leaves which most people love but I don't. It's a little woodsy and smoky but with a weird sage type note in the background that I don't like, similar to ScentSationals Mountain Twilight (which I also don't like).

ScentSationals Vineyard Sunset
ScentSationals description: "Soft red berries envelope the warmth of velvet fig, brightened with hints of sugared peach and grape blossom resting on soft oakmoss and luminous white musk."
This doesn't really smell like grape, but more of an earthy berry. But it has a slight sour wine fermentation note in the background that I don't like. This one is also available on the ScentSationals website as of 9/3/16.

ScentSationals Incense & Wine Duo (Nag Champa Incense & Vineyard Sunset)
I already bought Nag Champa Incense in a single pack, and I don't like the Vineyard Sunset scent (see above).

Better Homes & Gardens Candied Caramel Apple
I didn't even see this one, but include it here because some of the people in our group (see link below) have tried it. This may actually be an older scent that's still on the shelves. Those who tried it didn't care for it, and said the throw wasn't very good (which is surprising for an apple scent).

ScentSationals Spice It Up
"Citrus and Spice"
This was weak on cold sniff, which is susprising for a spicy scent. I smelled cinnamon and maybe some other spices, but I wasn't wowed by this scent, and I didn't smell any citrus. It smells a bit like Big Red chewing gum.


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