BLAST FROM THE PAST: Marshmallow Fireside (2012)

Products: candle  and wf bulb  
Area used in:  livingroom
Time Period: mid-October - Thanksgiving

Description: Celebrate the changing season with a warm blend of marshmallows, smoldering woods and creamy vanilla reminiscent of a cozy evening 'round the bonfire

So everyone and their grandma is OBSESSED with this candle and I've never understood why. Anytime I express my indifference for this candle and say anything remotely negative about it, the Marshmallow Fireside mob comes after me with torches and pitchforks. So this year I decided that I was gonna do things differently, be open-minded and try new things. In the spirit of being open-minded, I decided I was gonna force myself try certain scents that everyone loves but I don't. That said I decided that I'd give MF a try and see what I all the hype was about. I went on Ebay and bought the "cheapest" ol school version I could find.

You may be wondering.."hmm, well Bronzeblogger, MF was available in stores in fall and winter...why didn't you save money and just get that instead?" I'll tell ya why...

So summer of 2013 there was a rustic camping by the lake themed collection called the Lakeside collection  - it was the collection that birthed that candle demonseeds of basicness  Watermelon Lemonade and Strawberry Picnic aka Strawberry Sorbet aka Happy Easter ~ Cotton Candy Marshmallow. It was also the first time Mahogany Stankwood was released as a non-fall scent. Anyway, there was a scent called Summertime Smores ...which was MF-esque but less authentic. The marshmallow note wasn't as marshmallowy, there was slightly more smoke and in the background there was a weird orange/bergamot almost cologney Oceanside-ish note that I suppose was to add a bright summery feel to the blend. I LOATHED this candle; I was already not a fan of MF but this made me strongly dislike any kind of scent like this.

Long story short, ever since that collection BBW has stopped using the original Slatkin  recipe and has been using Summetime Smores instead. Yes, all this time MF was actually Summertime Smores.....a only few people noticed the switcheroo and lately no one knows the difference. Ohhh but I do!  

So what is the difference? AUTHENTICITY!

It does smell like roasting marshmallows on a stick over a fire. The marshmallow is ooey gooey and warm heightened with sweet creamy vanilla with all the Fireside candle notes sans the leather. And while it doesn't have that were orangey/bergamot Oceanside-y aspect that the SS version of MF, there is a weird powderiness that almost comes across as fabric softener or laundry detergent; something floral maybe - like in additional to vanilla bean, maybe there's vanilla orchid flower involved too? Who knows.

So I've burned it and I'm almost done..honestly y'all, I still don't get the hype; I'm not impressed, I'm not won over, I'm still indifferent! And typically love fiery/smoldering woody scents; I LOVE Fireside as well as weird ass Summer Bonfire and even Pumpkin Fireside mananged to win me over. I think it's just the marshmallow aspect I don't like; I can't get down with straightup marshmallow/vanilla scents! And to make matters worse, the performance was less than stellar; the flames were stubby, it tunneled and the throw was surprisingly weak despite the potent notes. Even the wf bulbs were weak as hell.

So yeah, you can't say I didn't try. I wanted to love and appreciate it; I wanted to see thru the eyes of its fans...that said, I've noticed something. Many of the people who hype it allllll say the same thing...it reminds them of something - it reminds them of childhood, it reminds them of being out in the woods, it reminds them of camping, it reminds them of campfires and bonfires. Could it be the love for the scent isn't for the scent itself but rather nostalgia that it conjures? As an Southern suburban black guy from a big city, I never did the outdoors thing growing up; I never went went camping, the only outdoors action I got was in my backyard and I did witness my first campfire/bonfire as well as roast something in said fire until well into my 20s and even then I wasn't a huge fan and haven't done it sense. That said, I just don't have that scent memory/nostalgia that most MF lovers have. So yeah, I tried it and I'm glad I tried it but I won't be trying it again.