Ashland Winter 2016 Christmas Candle Collection Scented Wax Melts Review

Ashland Winter 2016 Christmas Candle Collection Scented Wax Melts Review

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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. These 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 (which were discontinued). Hanna's also makes the Aldi's Huntington Home wax melts that come out three times a year.

When new Ashland scents come out (generally seasonally... spring, fall, winter, and maybe summer), they cost $3.99, which is pricey. But within only a few weeks, they go on sale for 40% off. Michael's often has other sales, so some of these melts I was able to get for $1.19 each during a 70% off sale!

I bought all the new Christmas Candle Collection scents except Cinnamon Orange, which smells like orange pomander, a scent I don't like (soapy spicy orangey scent).

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O' Christmas Tree
Typical pine/spruce scent, but with a woodsy and slightly eucalyptus note, and maybe a smidgeon of smokiness. It's a nice Christmas Tree scent. Throw is quite good, around a 3 or 3.5 out of 5, although most pine scents have excellent throw. Scent fizzled within 2 hours.

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Glistening Snow
Mint with a slight pine note. This is not a sweet mint, and has some spearmint notes that give it a slight toothpaste quality which I don't like. But the pine note saves it. Not my favorite scent, but it definitely has a chilly snow quality! Throw is excellent, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5.

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Vanilla Frost
On cold sniff this smells like plain vanilla with a bit of a sweet liqueur note in the background. I expected to smell mint based on the name, but I don't detect any mint. Melted, it's just a nice sweet vanilla scent, nothing special. Throw is good, around a 3 out of 5.

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Winter Apple and Balsam
On cold sniff, this smells a little like mulled apple cider, but there's a slightly sour note in the background, and I think I smell a bit of a balsam note. On cold sniff it really just smells more like a fake fall type apple scent than anything. But it smells a little better melted, like sour apple and leaves. It's very similar (if not an exact dupe) of the Huntington Home Falling Leaves scent that was sold at Aldi in the fall of 2015 (Hanna's Candles, the company that makes the Ashland wax melts, also makes the Aldi wax melts). Throw is excellent, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5.

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Merry Berry Clementine
This smells like a typical cranberry scent with a smidgeon of spices. It's a nice fall scent. Throw is very good, around a 3 or 3.5 out of 5.

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Candy Land (triple melts)

red scent (picture of red & white mint candies) - This smells like peppermint candies or a candy cane. Throw is very good, around a 3 or 3.5 out of 5.

white scent (picture of white mint candies) - This is a sweet creamy mint with a vanilla note, like creamy mint candies. It smells fantastic! Melted, I don't smell as much of the mint as I do on cold sniff. Throw is very good, around a 3 or 3.5 out of 5.

orange scent (picture of gingerbread) - This smells like gingerbread and cloves on cold sniff. When melted, I just smell woodsy cloves. Throw is only fair, maybe a 2.5 out of 5.

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Country Lodge (triple melt)
All 3 scents are orange, so I'll have to go by the pictures on the front label.

picture of cinnamon sticks - On cold sniff it smells like straight cinnamon with a bit of sweetness. But when melted, more of the sweetness comes out so the cinnamon is not harsh like a Big Red type cinnamon would be. It's more like a cinnamon roll, and I think I also detect a very slight bakery note. Throw is very good, around a 3.5 out of 5.

picture of a tree - Sugary cinnamon scent with a little bit of cloves. Throw is very good, around a 3.5 out of 5.

picture of orange and pinecones - Sweet cloves with maybe just a hint of cinnamon. Throw is excellent, 3.5 or 4 out of 5.

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Shimmering Noel (triple melt)

white scent - I thought this was the same scent as Glistening Snow above because it's white, but it's not. It's a nice warm woodsy scent with a slight eucalyptus note and a smidgeon of mint. It doesn't have that sinus clearing quality that a straight eucalyptus scent would have, but it smells wonderful. Throw is very good, around a 3.5 out of 5.

light blue scent - This one is not very strong on cold sniff. I smell cloves and just a hint of mint or menthol. Up close, I can smell the sinus clearing effects of the menthol. It's a nice scent, and throw is very good, around a 3 or 3.5 out of 5.

light green scent - This is the same scent as Glistening Snow (reviewed above).

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Twisted Citrus and Spice (triple melt)

orange scent (picture of orange & cinnamon) - This smells like a combination of pomander and apple mulling spices with a hint of brown fall leaves. Definitely a fall scent! Throw is very good, around a 3.5 out of 5.

magenta scent (picture of cranberry & orange beverage) - On cold sniff this smells like very tart cranberry, but when melted it smells like red wine, with a little bit of that sour fermentation note that I don't like, but a little bit of sweetness that tempers some of that sourness. It's actually a pretty nice scent, and throw is excellent, at least a 4 out of 5.

green scent (picture of apples) - This is a sour apple scent which is similar to the Winter Apple and Balsam scent (reviewed above), but not as sweet. It's too sour or bitter or something, so I'm not a fan. Throw is good, around a 3 out of 5.

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Enchanted Fruits

red scent (picture of mulberries) - This smells like apples and berries with a woodsy note and a little bit of sourness. It's not very strong on cold sniff. Melted, it's a bit too tart for my liking. Throw is good, around a 3 out of 5.

green scent (picture of apple with cinnamon stick) - This is the same as the green scent in the Twisted Citrus and Spice triple melt. I don't care for the sour bitter note. Throw is excellent, around a 3.5 or 4 out of 5.

magenta scent (picture of cranberry beverage) - This is the same scent as the magenta scent in the Twisted Citrus and Spice triple melt.

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Winter White cookies
These three scents smell very similar, and they're my favorite scents out of all of this year's Christmas Candle Collection.

tan scent (picture of powdered sugar crescent cookies) - rich buttery shortcake cookie scent with an almond note. Throw is good, 3 out of 5.

ivory scent (picture of powdered snowball cookies) - This smells a lot like the tan scent above, although the nuttiness is pecan or walnut instead of almond, and it's more buttery. Throw is excellent, a 4 or 4.5 out of 5.

beige scent (picture of plain vanilla cookies) - Super buttery cookie with slight nutty (pecan maybe, but not almond) and milky notes. Not as nutty as the other two scents. Throw is excellent, a at least a 4 out of 5.

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Goose Creek Candle Scented Wax Melts Review - November 2016

Goose Creek Candle Scented Wax Melts Review - November 2016

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This is yet another review of Goose Creek Candle scented wax melts. These 10 scents are relatively new, from the past few months. At this poit I've pretty much reviewed every available Goose Creek wax melt scent. Although these can be found at some stores, I haven't seen them in my area so I order them from Goose Creek's website at http://www.goosecreekcandle.com.

Please also read my other Goose Creek scented wax melt reviews at:
- http://www.scentedwaxreviews.com/2016/03/goose-creek-candle-scented-wax-melts-0316.html 
- http://www.scentedwaxreviews.com/2016/04/goose-creek-candle-scented-wax-melts.html 
- http://www.scentedwaxreviews.com/2016/06/goose-creek-candle-scented-wax-melts-review.html

Goose Creek has a lot of sales, often every few weeks, and it's usually a 50% sitewide sale, or 20 wax melts for the price of 10. It's best to wait for a sale rather than buy them full price.

Mulberry
"Sun sweetened mulberries blend beautifully with light notes of cherry and an undertone of vanilla."
This smells a little like cherry but with that cherry cough syrup note, which is nice. There's also a hint of bitterness that makes it more of a wild berry type scent. It's a nice scent, although not my favorite. Throw was fair, maybe a 2.5 or 3 out of 5, but scent started dissipating within an hour and then it took on a chemical note.

Auburn Lake
"Fruity notes of black currant, Sicilian bergamot and mandarin that blend into a heart of fir balsam, peach nectar and black orchid. A warm base of patchouli, dark chocolate, tobacco leaves and Tahitian vanilla finish this serene fragrance."
On cold sniff I smell sweet wood with cloves or tobacco and just a smidgeon of smokiness. It almost has a bit of a barbecue sauce vibe. Looking at the scent notes, there's black currant which makes scents smell classy. I don't smell fir or balsam at all, although that might be the smokiness I detect. There's tobacco and patchouli. I don't smell any chocolate at all. Melted, it's definitely a woodsy tobacco clove type scent and does smell a bit like barbecue sauce. Throw is fair, maybe a 2.5 or 3 out of 5.

White Coral
"This beautiful rich aroma combines black currant, peach and orange. The heart blends light notes of rose, orange blossom, jasmine and freesia. The bottom is a warming vanilla, sandalwood and light musk."
This is a very sweet perfumey scent with maybe a hint of coconut and perhaps a smidgeon of some kind of fruit, and maybe a little amber for warmth. It's similar to Scentsy Luna and ScentSationals Blackberry Cider. Looking at the scent notes, there's black currant which gives this scent a rich classy feel. I guess I do smell peach just a little, but not orange at all. I don't smell rose, but I think I smell jasmine, and the musk gives it that warm perfumey note. Throw is good, around a 3 or maybe 3.5 out of 4.

Sweet Banana Bread
"This scrumptious homemade treat folds bananas, sugared pralines and buttered pecans into a sweet mix of whipped honey, caramel swirl, cinnamon and brown sugar. Vanilla creme adds the perfect finishing touch."
This is very rich, more like a sweet banana cake with brown sugar crumbles on top. It smells fantastic! Now that I've read the scent notes, I guess I do detect a nuttiness from the pecans. I don't smell cinnamon, which is good, because too many bakery scents add cinnamon. This smells better than Mainstays Banana Nut Bread and Better Homes & Gardens Banana Bread Pudding (both from Walmart, although the pudding scent has been discontinued). And throw is fantastic, at least a 4 or 4.5 out of 5.

Dark Vanilla Bean
"Classic rich French vanilla cream. A bit of toasted coconut & caramel butter brings warmth & longevity."
On cold sniff this is just a plain milky vanilla, and not very strong. I expected it to be much richer or more exotic or just "different" somehow. Looking at the scent notes, I might detect a smidgeon of coconut, but no caramel or buttery notes. Throw is not good, maybe a 2.5 out of 5.

Cherry Cheesecake
"Sweet notes of vanilla cream cheese, a juicy cherry topping and sugared vanilla."
This one is disappointing on cold sniff. I just smell a fake sweet non-descript berry and it doesn't even smell foodie like candy or cake. However, it does smell better melted. I do smell the cherry (although it still smells fake), and I guess what they're trying to pass off as cheese but kind of smells like white bread or old milk. If it weren't for that note, I would probably like it even with the fake fruit note. Throw is excellent, around a 4 out of 5.

Beach Party
"Fruity blend of lemon, lime, orange, mango, black currant and peach. Sugar, musk and vanilla adds the perfect finishing touch."
This smells fantastic, like sweet lemon and maybe plum. It smells similar to Scentsy Summer Sunset, but more lemony. Throw is excellent, 4 out of 5.

Under the Oaks
"Warm and rustic woods blend beautifully with fresh bergamot, neroli, and oakmoss. A fresh breeze brings warming notes of mahogany, jasmine, and sandalwood."
I smell raw wood but I can't figure out the other notes, maybe a smidgeon of pine. Looking at the scent notes, I don't smell neroli or jasmine, although there is just a smidgeon of sweetness which could be one of those notes. When melted, however, I don't smell any sweetness, just a very woodsy scent with a hint of pine. Throw is excellent, 3.5 or 4 out of 5.

Wildest Dreams
"A fruity mix of bergamot, pear, orange and cassis wraps around a floral bouquet of jasmine, muguet and apple blossom while a sensual base of musk, sandalwood, cedarwood, vanilla, amber and tonka leaves a lasting impression."
On cold sniff it smells like sandalwood and men's cologne. I don't smell fruit, but now that I know it's in there, I might detect a very slight peachy note, but no orange or apple. When melted though, it took on a slight cat pee vibe that I didn't like. Throw is quite good, around a 3 or 3.5 out of 5.

Day in the Sun
"Enjoy the sunshine with this fruity floral fragrance blending sparkling bergamot, lemon zest, petitgrain and neroli with orange blossom, tuberose and Tahitian tiare. Coconut and musk add warmth and a sense of calm."
This smells just like Coppertone Suntan Oil, like Yankee Candle Sun & Sand. Throw is excellent, 3.5 to 4 out of 5.


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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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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

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