WALK 'N' SNIFF: French Candles

So over the weekend, the bf and I were running errands. At some point we to had to go the mall to pick up a few things and since were there, we stopped inside WB. This worked out great cuz I finally got to sniff all of the French candles, which I feel like I was the only person on the planet that hadn't sniffed them yet (plus for whatever reason, it seems this collection is a WB exclusive so no trips to the local easier to get to BBWs for me). So yeah I was already unimpressed with both sets of French candles and sniffing them left me even mpre unimpressed; I walked out of the store empty handed. On the review...

Merci Paris - this candle is one of the strangest candles I've ever smelled and one of the few candles that left me utterly perplexed as I couldn't really pinpoint any of the mentioned notes. Its sweet and creamy but I can't say that I smell vanilla. There is a vaguely powdery white floral note but I don't know if it's jasmine. And there is a dark fruity phenolic note lurking in the background but I don't know if it's blackcurrant. All I can say about this scent is that it smells like a very generic bodycare for women; I've heard people online mention Victoria Secret when referencing this candle so there ya go.

Paris Cafe - this seems to be the runaway hit of this collection as everyone is going nuts over and posting pics of it on social media...and I don't know why, I sincerely don't get the hype. Honestly, I thought it's smelled gross. Everyone on IG is all like "OMG, it's smells like Starbucks"..yeah, I'll give em that; it does smells like aroma of stale burnt coffee grounds that lingers in the air at Starbucks so A for accuracy I guess. There is an authentic coffee note, probably the most authentic coffee note that I've every smelled (so yes, this is new and NOT Espresso Bar as some people on social media have been saying). But here's what ruins it for me - the "brioche" (BREE-OSH not BREE-OH-SHAY) note. There is a bready/bakery aspect but whatever fragrance oil compound they used to make said brioche note adds a salty element that almost enhances the bitterness of the coffee note. And in the background, there's a hidden unmentioned almond note that sneaks up on you and boops you on the nose. I think I would prefer if this was two separate scents as opposed to mashing the two together. As a whole, it just smells like leftover stale coffee in/from Starbucks that someone dunked an almond croissant or biscotti into so there are bready detritus in it

White Peach - I don't really know what peach has to do with France but ok. So this was the one I was the most indifferent to but it ended up being the only one I liked..but not enough to buy it. So this is basically a repackage with a twist of Georgia Peach from the Hit Refresh collection..which does not smell like the Georgia/Market Peach of old. It's more bright and juicy with a Peach Bellini type tartness. I say repackage with a twist cuz I did notice a small difference between this and Georgia Peach. I could just be my nose playing tricks on me but in the background I smelled a very sweet white/moscato grape juice note that kinda gave the blend a tannic white wine kind of vibe. That should've been the main note with peach in the background and marketed as a white wine/champagne scent. Anyway, this scent is pleasant but not very exciting and kinda unnecessary.

St Tropez Shore - as mysterious and enigmatic as this scent was in the beginning, it sure didn't live up to the hype. Like White Peach, it's a pleasant scent but not at all necessary. First of all, the candle is soooo friggin light that you have put in the candle practically up your nose to get any fragrance so you already know you're gonna smell practically nothing once it's lit. And the scent itself is kinda blah. It basically smells like if you put the two versions of Suntan together; you get the floral powderiness from Suntan/Beachside and a bright pop of citrus from Suntan/Poolside. It's not a repackage but very similar; it's a summery beachy mature/matronly smelling suntan oil type scent. The notes are kinda bs; like Merci Paris, I couldn't really pinpoint the notes. The coconut is soooo faint to the point of being nearly non-existent. I get floral but I'm hardpressed to say that it's lily. And I get a citrus but I don't know if it's bergamot; if it is, it's different from the usual bergamot oil used in other scents. And there's an unexplained unmentioned wateriness, like a sea air/seawater note so perhaps a bit of ozone and/or cucumber/melon. Again, this is pleasant but not exciting. If you are interested in this scent, I would recommend getting the wf bulb and not the candle.

White Jasmine - oh boy, this sucker is INTENSE. Like Rainforest/White Gardenia-esque punch you in the nose and Riverdance on your sinuses intense. The smell is pretty straight forward, just straight up jasmine with a hint of orange blossom and musk. If you like super heady powdery perfumey indolic white floral scents a la White Gardenia, this bud's for you

Creme Caramel - scents like this truly pisses me off. I do not know what is going with BBW lately with throwing in seasonal scents in seasons where they don't belong - we had Bergamot Waters and Midnight Citrus and Shit Cinnamon Poopkin for winter, we had Leaves and Fresh Balsam with a twist in spring and now this crap. So yes, this ladies and gentlemen is..wait for it...PUMPKIN CARAMEL LATTE! I knew it as soon as I smelled it...WTF?! WTF is this scent doing in late spring heading towards summer?! Even if it was PCL, wtf does caramel have to do with the French Riviera?! I mean maybe it would've worked if you repackaged Twisted Caramel Gelato from Poptails...or Lavender Caramel/Macaron from the Slatkin days, maybe. But Pumpkin f***in Caramel f***in Latte. I can't, I just cant and I won't! Kindly GTFOH with this nonsense BBW!