Yankee Candle Review: LILAC BLOSSOMS

My Review for:   Yankee Candle- Lilac Blossoms

                 

Yankee Description: "An alluring grove of lavender, white and deep purple lilacs."

                                        

Fragrance Notes: 

Top:   Dewy Greens, Water Lily, Bergamot

Mid:   Lilac Petals, Hyacinth, Tulip Bulbs
Base: Cedarleaf, Vetiver, Moss

Quite Authentic...

I grew up with a lilac bush right outside my front door. To me, Lilac's represent growing up in the country, getting ready for sunshine and warmer days.The one thing that's unfortunate about lilacs: the bees. They used to swarm all over our lilac bush, and would sometimes make their way into the house. Not fun. I'm hoping, with this candle, I'll get all of the lilac's beautiful smell, without fear of getting stung. This is a sweet floral w/ a hint of earthy green in the base notes. There are many more flowers that make up this fragrance, but the lilac is the dominant note.On cold sniff, I can't smell Lily, Hyacinth or Tulips. I think they add body to the fragrance without overpowering the Lilac. I can smell the candle just from taking the lid off the jar. It's heavenly. Lets see what happens when I Light It Up.  An authentic lilac fragrance has to smell like the bushes AND the blossoms themselves, otherwise I think of old lady perfume. Thankfully, this candle doesn't go old lady at all due to the dewy green top notes. They are very subtle and mostly blend with the floral notes, toning down the sweetness. I pick up on the earthy moss, and not so much the Bergamot, Cedarleaf & Vetiver, which tend to lean masculine. All together, these notes balance each other perfectly. They add a freshness that REALLY makes this candle smell like lilac!  The smell travels well. I'd rate the throw around a 7 for a medium sized room. It won't overpower those with sensitivities to floral notes. Though I rate the throw at a 7, my boyfriend has trouble smelling this candle. He knows there is a candle burning, and he can smell something, he just can't smell the lilac. So the fragrance itself is on the lighter side, which is a good thing when it has so many floral-heavy mid notes. I think Yankee Candle's Lilac Blossoms smells amazing on it's own, but I suppose you could mix it with other florals. I'd stick with the floral notes listed to avoid clashing with or drowning out the sweet, soft lilac. This candle is perfect for what I wanted, and I will be reordering when it's all gone. This is one of the first Yankee Candles, I know for a fact, I want on-hand at all times. This will be a floral go-to for me. I would recommend it to anyone & everyone who appreciates the smell of fresh, green, flowering lilac bushes. -Fragrance:  10/10    -Throw:        7/10    -Overall:       A Until Next Time, my Illuminating Subjects!

💗The Candle Queen

Bath & Body Works Review: CASHMERE GLOW

Bath & Body Works Review: Cashmere Glow Ultra Shea Body Cream


Bath & Body Works Description:  "Wrap yourself in Cashmere! Cashmere Glow envelops you in the warmth of vanilla & golden peach layered with luxurious cashmere musk."
Fragrance Notes: Vanilla, Golden Peach, Cashmere Musk

On cold sniff, this is nice. I'm not really sure what I'm smelling. Without looking at the fragrance notes, I smell musk, vanilla, light fruit & possibly a green floral note.

Upon application:  I can no longer smell the vanilla. It's ALL fruit & musk, This oddly reminds me of perfumes like TM Angel, which smells terrible on me. So many people love this type of fragrance but anything with "musk" in it can and will smell different on you, based on body chemistry. When I wear this, the musk turns into a new, sour soap smell, which is NOT what it smelled like on cold sniff. The vanilla is practically non-existant and the green note I thought I smelled on cold sniff is quite piercing. It's abrasive to my nose. I bought this based on it's 4.6/5 star review. Lots of people love it. Unfortunately, like Angel, this just doesn't smell good on me. I got 2 bottles because of the great reviews. I gave my extra one to my Aunt for Easter. I know it will smell good on HER. It just doesn't work on me. Still an excellent product that moisturizes well, goes on smooth, and absorbs into my skin quickly. IF the scent works with your body chemistry, it will last for approx 2 hours, or until you wash your hands again.

Fragrance    C  (on me... cold sniff gets a better grade but it changes too much on me😞)
Cream      A 

Until Next Time, my Illuminating Subjects!

💗The Candle Queen

Bath & Body Works Review: SWEET MAGNOLIA & CLEMENTINE

Bath & Body Works Review: Sweet Magnolia & Clementine Ultra Shea Body Cream


Bath & Body Works Description:  "Take a stroll through charming tree-lined streets and enjoy a warm breeze on the veranda as you savor our collection of delightful spring fragrances, fit for a beautiful belle."
Fragrance Notes: Sweet Magnolia, Fresh Clementine, Blooming Gardenia, Spring Sandalwood, Golden Honey

Cold sniff: I expected a fruity floral based on the fragrance notes listed. This is sweet & fresh. The scent is rather mild compared to the other B&BW creams I own. Going off the initial impression, I like this type of fragrance.

Do I detect some Vanilla or Amber in the background?

Based on the notes, I think what I'm smelling is the Sandalwood & Honey. There is an indescriminate floral weaving in and out of the other notes. I DO eventually smell the Clementine. It's not your regular "orange" note. It's much sweeter than your everyday friendly orange. This is more orange peel, or it's orange juice.

Upon application: The boyfriend says, it smells "pretty", and pretty is a good word for this. There isn't a note here I don't like. It lives up to it's name. The magnolia dominates w/ Clementine shining in the background. I can smell the Honey & Sandalwood after the lotion has had a few minutes to settle. Gardenia lives in the middle notes, combining w/ the Magnolia, completely opening up the fragrance without overpowering any of the other notes. It's a beautiful combination on me. This one's a keeper and I'm so happy I bought it

Good Job Bath & Body Works... Now please UNRETIRE it, so I can buy the Shower Gel!

Fragrance    A
Cream      A

Until Next Time, my Illuminating Subjects!

💗The Candle Queen

Yanee Candle Review: EDELWEISS Easy Melt Cup

My Review for:   Yankee Candle- Edelweiss

                 

Yankee Description: "Experience the unspoiled beauty of an alpine meadow in the refreshing scent of delicate white flowers."

                                        

Fragrance Notes: 

Top:   Lily of the Valley, Green Watery

Mid:   Rose, Muguet
Base: Musk

Soft & White, Clean & Bright...

There is a strong floral presence upon taking off it's lid. I expected that, since my only real exposure to Edelweiss is the song from The Sound of Music. I knew it was a flower, and it doesn't grow in America. Hence, my curiosity on what it actually smelled like.  This is Yankee's version of Edelweiss. No Edelweiss is listed, but there is Lily of the Valley, Muguet & Rose in the notes. All together, the scent is a lovely, soft floral. No powder! That's so important to me when Rose is listed as a fragrance note. The best way I can describe it: a gentle floral w/ some green & soapy undertones. That's the Watery Green and the Musk. It's a great blend that doesn't lean "bathroom candle". It reminds me of expensive bubble bath or some type of spa-like Masseus's floral. I'd melt this while giving or recieving a massage. It's perfect for that. I can't imagine it offending anyone. It's also comforting & somehow familiar. I can't pinpoint why. Maybe it will come to me later. Melting Time!. It's more soapy on cold sniff, but it still reminds me of some type of higher end floral bubble bath. Something I would never buy for myself but would gladly receive as a gift. I wish it had a stronger throw. It's only really noticed w/ a more discerning nose. You know who you are...😉👃 I've used this a couple of times now. I really like it but my boyfriend's reaction has been consistently indifferent. I put this on the Scenterpiece, he walks in and asks me to light a candle. This has happened every time I've used Edelweiss. Mike doesn't have a sensitive nose, so he can't appreciate it's soft, subtle smell. Unless you have a super sniffer, this melt cup isn't strong enough to hold any sort of presence.   I wouldn't buy this again, at least not in melt cup form. I am interested in getting the candle. I would get it to mix w/ other floral or spa fragrances. I would just have to be careful the candle I mix it with doesn't drown out this pretty scent. If you have a nose like mine, and like light, clean smelling florals, you will like this. I recommend trying it, or at least, give it a sniff the next time your browsing the Yankee Candle store. -Fragrance:  8/10    -Throw:        4/10    -Overall:       C+ Until Next Time, my Illuminating Subjects!

💗The Candle Queen

Yankee Candle Review: HONEY CLEMENTINE Easy Melt Cup

My Review for:   Yankee Candle- Honey Clementine

                 

Yankee Description: "Refreshing orange takes a sweet turn in this honey-dipped citrus delight."

                                        

Fragrance Notes: 

Top:  Orange Peel 

Mid:  Clementine
Base: Honey

Sensory Overload...

Wow. The cold sniff is INTENSE. The citrus goes right up your nose.The fragrance is very strong. This is definitely the strongest melt cup I own, at least on cold sniff. This is not a fragrance I would recommend for people bothered by extreme citrus smells, at least, not in Easy Melt Cup form. Maybe the candle is more palatable. It saddens me I don't like this scent more. I like the idea of all it's notes. It's a direct & uncomplicated fragrance on paper. Citrus Peel, Sweet Orange and Honey. That's it. Unfortunately, the astringent quality to the citrus notes, that's so dominant, overshadows everything positive about this smell. It goes into kitchen degreaser territory, also reminding me of the gritty orange cleaner mechanics use to clean their hands. If you like citrus smells that punch you in the face with their assertiveness, or you have a giant room you need to fill w/ fragrance, this melt cup's for you.  Let's see what happens when we Melt This Baby. It smells less like cleaner, It now takes on the "refreshing" part of it's description. This might be because I've already melted it a couple of times. The scent is less powerful, and I much prefer this version. I can smell this all throughout my living room and down to the bottom of my stairs. That gives you an idea of just how strong this fragrance was when I melted it the first time.  I think the honey base finally comes through when you melt it. It softens the citrus cleaner smell, Coupled with the Clementine, the scent is sweeter, more gentle, and guest friendly. I still don't think I would buy it again, unless I REALLY needed something to clear/freshen the air. It might be good to have on hand for such an occasion. -Fragrance: 7/10     -Throw:       10/10    -Overall:       B Update: I burned my White Sage candle with this fragrance, originally thinking Honey Clementine was the type of scent that plays well with others. I can't recommend this mix. The citrus overpowers White Sage's relaxing spa scent. I guess I should have known better because citrus is energizing, while sage is relaxing. I don't know what else I could mix this with where the orange won't completely dominate. If YOU figure out a good mix, please let me know!  Click HERE for a Honey Clementine Second Opinion by Candleflavors.com Until Next Time, my Illuminating Subjects!

💗The Candle Queen

Yankee Candle Review: COCONUT BEACH Easy Melt Cup

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My Review for:   Yankee Candle- Coconut Beach

                 

Yankee Description: "A taste of the tropics—warm coconut blended with pineapple and Tahitian vanilla."

                                        

               Fragrance Notes: 

Top:  Salty Air, Pineapple 

Mid:  Fresh Coconut, Lei Blossom 

Base: Airy Musk, Tahitian Vanilla

This Is Not A Scent I Would Choose For Myself...

Mike got me this fragrance, back when he bought me my Scenterpiece. Had I smelled it in the store, I wouldn't have gone home with it. Coconut candles are severely lacking in my current stash. Coconut is tricky because I'm  picky. I look for authenticity & freshness. I don't want body care. I abhor candied shaved coconut as food AND fragrance.The notes seem perfect for what I want. FRESH coconut. Pineapple. Vanilla. What could go wrong? Cold Sniff: It's a pleasant & rather mild body care/suntan lotion type of coconut note. Not my favorite, but it's an inoffensive beach scent. It smells more watery coconut than fresh coconut, The coconut note lacks depth & creaminess. I wouldn't cook w/ this coconut. I would wear it to moisturize or prevent sunburn. The musk in the base notes comes through, in what I call, the Aftersniff. THAT is what sends this fragrance into "body care/suntan lotion" territory. To be honest, I find this to be a little boring. I've smelled it before, and I've smelled it done better. Oh Well...Lets Melt This Sucker! First off, the throw isn't great. I can barely smell it in my hallway after half an hour. It fills up my mid-sized living room "okay." It's another one of those scents you can get used to after 10 minutes. Despite all the notes listed, there isn't a lot going on, as far as fragrance complexity. I pick up the musk, which is no longer an Aftersniff. It's front row center. It's so strong, I can't find the vanilla at all. There's nothing there to sweeten it. The musk overpowers everything, especially the pineapple, which I never would have guessed was in there. I think more "swimming pool locker room" than day at the beach. I do seem to pick up a hint of something green, maybe floral. This must be the Lei Blossom peeking through.  When you hover above the melt cup, the floral note is much more prominent. It comes through stronger than the musk. With my nose above the wax, I am reminded of Designer Impostor Perfume. This is more like a Designer Impostor Beach Candle. The closer you are, the less you can smell the coconut. The floral note doesn't carry due to it's weak throw and fragrance strength. My dollar store candle is better than this melt cup. IF the floral note carried, it would have saved the scent, despite lack of pineapple. I'm disappointed by Coconut Beach. If you like musky, coconut tinged suntan lotion, you might like this. Just be aware both the throw & fragrance itself are weak. This will probably NOT fill your room with scent, unless you put it in a small bathroom. Maybe the candle performs better, but I don't like this scent enough to find out. -Fragrance: 5/10       (less musk, more floral & pineapple needed!) -Throw:       5/10        (good for small rooms) -Overall:       C- (My Perfect Beach Combo!) Update: I burned my Warm Pineapple Upside Down Cake candle w/ Coconut Beach and the scent was perfect. The musk from Coconut Beach was softened and sweetened by Pineapple and Brown Sugar. Even though both candles have relatively weak fragrance strength, they worked beautifully together. My living room smelled like a bright, playful, blue-skied beach day. If only there was a Coconut, Pineapple & Brown Sugar candle out there... Yankee, get on it! Until Next Time, my Illuminating Subjects!

💗The Candle Queen

Bath & Body Works Review: Be Enchanted

Bath & Body Works Review: Be Enchanted is berries for sure...
Fragrance Notes: Frosted Florals, Sparkling Sugared Pomegranate

On cold sniff, I get berries for sure, but I can't make out what berries/fruit I am smelling. It smells very pretty, looks pretty and softens my hands & elbows. I bought a few B&BW body creams and this was one of my favorites. It's a keeper! This is a nice blend, if a little sweet. There is a citrus-tinged floral here that keeps this from just being sweet & fruity. Something warm and feminine but unfortunately B&BW were extremely vague on the actual fragrance notes. What is the "sparkling sugared" part of the pomegranate? What kind of flowers are the "frosted petals?" I can only guess. I would like to know more so I can find more scents like this in the future. Especially since this is listed online as a "retired fragrance", so it could go away at any minute. That would be a shame because I like this. I don't have a lot of fragrances that run this sweet & don't give me a headache. Brittany Spears' Fantasy comes to mind. This is that without the cotton candy/vanilla notes.
If you like sweet berries w/ a lighter, citrus-leaning mystery floral, you will like this. A++

Fragrance    A+
Cream      A

Until Next Time, my Candle Subjects!

💗The Candle Queen