WALK 'N' SNIFF: Post SAS Spring 2018 Candles
My bf is sick (hopefully not with the flu) so while I was out getting him some stuff to get better, I peeked in a nearby BBW to sniff some post-SAS spring newness. So without further ado, let's start at the top and werk our our down thru all of the NEW things that are currently in stores
Pomelo Citron (7334M8A1) - straightup Capri Citron without a doubt
Coconut Colada (7348K3A1) - I was really really hoping this would be the now forgotten Bahama Fizz but no such luck..though on the plus side, it's totally new. So you get a creamy blend of coconut and banana equally followed by a tiny hint of cinnamon sugar spice. The rum smells similar to the rum that's in Vanilla Spiced Pear and Cinnamon Rum Raisin. It's a cute scent and folks who love tropical coconut and/or banana scents, this bud's for you.
Rose ( - *sigh EVERYBODY is getting flimflammed and bamboozled by this scent...and I don't understand why. Everybody on social media are losing their shit strictly based on the name...hello, do you see ANY mention of "rose" in the notes?! NO! Furthermore it's not new, despite what EVERYONE is thinking, cuz we've seen this scent before and it's a repackage of a scent we've seen before. Rose is the SAME Rose that was in the Elements collection last fall...which was a repackage of Amsterdam ...which was a repackage of Flower Shop. It's a blend of heady floral notes (NO ROSE) with a crisp greenness that smells like freshly cut stems.
Pineapple Crumbcake (7341K3A1) - I'm sure everyone and their grandma is wondering if this is Pineapple Creampuff from Sweet Shop. It's not but it's quite similar. You get the same creamy sweet Dole Pineapple Whip -esque pineapple note that's in PCP but the difference is there's a bakery note; that note smells like less like a crumble or cake and more like a flaky crust - extremely similar to the crust note that's in Warm Apple Pie and Sweet Cherry Pie. And it could be my nose playing tricks on me but I get a little cinnamon sugar. Overall I like this more than PCP..but pineapple plus bakery are just not my thing.
Vanilla Bourbon Peach (7348G3A5) - this scent is just bizarre! So right off the bat, this is NOT Market Peach or especially Peach Meringue but it's equally as gross. The peach smells like straightup candy, like those sour sweet peach gummies. Then there's a gourmand creamy vanilla note that's reminiscent of Vanilla Spiced Pear. But the note that totally effs it all up is the bourbon which smells EXACTLY like the bourbon in Bowties & Bourbon . It would be fine if it were one or the other but to combine artificial peach, creamy vanilla and dark sweet boozy cologney-ness is just all kinds of wrong!
Pink Pineapple (7339A6A5) - while I applaud BBW for not repackaging Pineapple Mango or Pineapple Palm Grass or any other past pineapple scents, this feels like a wasted effort as it's new but but very basic and not very exciting. You get a pineapple note similar to Sea Salt Pineapple and raspberry and splash of lemon that adds a tartness that accentuates the pineapple's sweetness. Overall it's kinda blah and a little unnecessary.
Woodland (7347M8A1) - this scent totally surprised me in a good way. I was really hoping tt it would be a repackage of Verbena Waters /Lakeside but it isn't; not only is it new but it's actually unique and intriguing. Don't let the name fool you, there's nothing woodsy/foresty about this scent at all. It's more fresh and green, less forest/woods and more open grassy plan or banks of a lake. Woodland bark? I call BS on that; again I get more grass and greenness than wood and bark. Watermint , compared to to its minty brethren, is more mild and doesn't pack the same mentholy punch; it adds a freshness to the blend. And there's a citrusy brightness from the verbena that adds to the greenness. Tinadivalicious said this in one of his recent videos and I totally agree - overall, it smells like green/fresh cut stem note that's in lower Shop. Woodland is a surprise hit and look so many other other surprising niceness in previous WB Core iterations, it's named and marketed horribly and deserves more than be thrown unceremoniously thrown in WB Core.
Pink Prosecco (733K3AB) - you would think this would be a repackage of Pink Apple Punch/Green Apple Champagne but it isn't...however, it's soooo similar that you have to wonder "what's the point?" The difference is that PP lacks PAP's musky perfumy floral-ness and it has a more authentic apple note and a more apparent pear. I personally like PP more...but not enough to actually buy
Palo Santo (7340K3A4) - so this is a repackage of Desert Heat ill-fated Desert collection. So real palo santo (sacred/holy wood) has a citrusy piney aroma similar to frankincense and I get that in the candle; it has a dry sharp citrusy/piney wood note similar to the cedar note in Winter Cedar / The Original. It's also similar to the Frankincense candle. There's a tinge of smokiness with a feminine softness from the musk and warmth from the amber. For those you who would like to try more woodsy/fiery/smoky scents but are scared to, this would be nice scent to experiment with.
White Opal (7348AGA3) - this is not at all would I expected and is seriously throwing me for a loop. Just based on the name and the notes, you would think this would be a soft, powdery, matronly old lady perfume kinda scent but nope; it smells oddly manly with an intense piney/woodsy note. And that pine note has my nose trippin' cuz it smells sooooo familiar. The piney/woodsy basenotes smells like a scent that we saw recently this past winter - Frankincense maybe or Spruce? On top of that is a feminine soft powderiness, a white floralness and musk. Yeah I don't understand this scent at all!
Mint (7346AGA1) - if any of you remember Lavender Market from the Slatkin days, this is sooooo close to it; not a repackage but extremely similar. In a nutshell, this is essentially Eucalyptus Mint mixed with lavender. The notes don't mention eucalyptus but I do get whiffs of it..though it could just be my nose trippin on me. The mint blend smells exactly like "mint" in Eucalyptus Mint. And there is a very apparent crisp and astringent lavender note that adds to the mint...makes sense as lavender is a member of the mint family. It's a really nice blend overall and great for baths or if your feeling icky. If it were in a proper 3wick form, I would have bought it.
Lemon - this is NOT Limoncello or Lemon Drops or Sweet Lemon Zest. It's a straightup tart zesty lemon, similar the old Slatkin/WB Core Lemon candle
Avocado Coconut - I don't really know what I was expecting with this scent. I found it peculiar that BBW was going with avocado as avocado doesn't really have much of a scent. That said, what little aroma you get from actual avocado, you do not get at all in this candle. There is a green aspect but it smells like green tea/matcha. The coconut smells like the coconut in Lavender Coconut and I get a hint of something sharp and citrusy, like lemon zest. This really should've been called Green Tea and Coconut; it may not sound as exotic and intriguing as "Avocado Coconut" but it's truthful. I want to like this scent; I may experiment with the wf bulb.
Carrot Nectarine (7346M8A2) - this ladies and gentlemen is the clear winner in this bunch! Not only is it new (as far as I know) but it's actually good. It smells like legit carrot juice/ detox cleansing drink. You get authentic genuine carrot with an undertone of bright sweet orange. And there's something earthy in the mix not mentioned in the notes, beets maybe or something like that. Anyhoo, it smells absolutely delicious. If it wasn't in a crappy burn inducing low profile form, I would totally buy on board and buy a few.
Yuzu (7352A3A2) - Capri Citron/Pomelo Citron...yawn
Lilac (7354A3A2) - straightup Fresh Cut Lilac. Did a comparison to make sure. Again, yawn
Sweet Tobacco (7347A3A3) - I thought for sure this would be Havana/Havana Heat/Ski Den but no. Once again, a new scent that's actually good! Out of all the tobacco scents we've seen in recent years, this actual smells like real tobacco. It reminds me of the cherry pipe tobacco my stepdad used to smoke in his pipe.
Almond Matcha (7348A3A2) - No this isn't Nectarine Green Tea nor is it Green Tea White Pear or White Tea & Pear. And no, this doesn't smells like like Almond/Creamy Nutmeg. This completely new...and a little strange. This smells like legit matcha powder -green, bitter and astringent. And the almond is not sweet and amaretto-ish; it actually smells nutty. I'm picking up other notes that aren't mentioned in the description and are a little hard to describe.
ADDENDUM - I was talking with my buddy Touchthefiretwice and he thinks this is a repackage of the old aromatherapy scent, Lemongrass Cardamom
Iris (7352A3A1) - this scent is straightup bizarre! With a name like "Iris", you would think this would be intensely floral and powdery; I thought for sure it would be a repackage of the failed test scent Mediterranean Iris from 2014's Provence collection, which was a punch to the face of intense powdery perfuminess. Nope, not so much..quite the opposite. This smells...cologney...not just cologney but similar to one of my all time favorite cologney candles...wait for it...BOATHOUSE ROW! How f***king RANDOM is that?!!! It's a watered down, more mild Boathouse Row with the aquatic aspect and that lemon pepper-like note toned down with a white floral jasmine-like note on top. BI-FRIGGIN-ZARE!!!!
Pomelo Citron (7334M8A1) - straightup Capri Citron without a doubt
Coconut Colada (7348K3A1) - I was really really hoping this would be the now forgotten Bahama Fizz but no such luck..though on the plus side, it's totally new. So you get a creamy blend of coconut and banana equally followed by a tiny hint of cinnamon sugar spice. The rum smells similar to the rum that's in Vanilla Spiced Pear and Cinnamon Rum Raisin. It's a cute scent and folks who love tropical coconut and/or banana scents, this bud's for you.
Rose ( - *sigh EVERYBODY is getting flimflammed and bamboozled by this scent...and I don't understand why. Everybody on social media are losing their shit strictly based on the name...hello, do you see ANY mention of "rose" in the notes?! NO! Furthermore it's not new, despite what EVERYONE is thinking, cuz we've seen this scent before and it's a repackage of a scent we've seen before. Rose is the SAME Rose that was in the Elements collection last fall...which was a repackage of Amsterdam ...which was a repackage of Flower Shop. It's a blend of heady floral notes (NO ROSE) with a crisp greenness that smells like freshly cut stems.
Pineapple Crumbcake (7341K3A1) - I'm sure everyone and their grandma is wondering if this is Pineapple Creampuff from Sweet Shop. It's not but it's quite similar. You get the same creamy sweet Dole Pineapple Whip -esque pineapple note that's in PCP but the difference is there's a bakery note; that note smells like less like a crumble or cake and more like a flaky crust - extremely similar to the crust note that's in Warm Apple Pie and Sweet Cherry Pie. And it could be my nose playing tricks on me but I get a little cinnamon sugar. Overall I like this more than PCP..but pineapple plus bakery are just not my thing.
Vanilla Bourbon Peach (7348G3A5) - this scent is just bizarre! So right off the bat, this is NOT Market Peach or especially Peach Meringue but it's equally as gross. The peach smells like straightup candy, like those sour sweet peach gummies. Then there's a gourmand creamy vanilla note that's reminiscent of Vanilla Spiced Pear. But the note that totally effs it all up is the bourbon which smells EXACTLY like the bourbon in Bowties & Bourbon . It would be fine if it were one or the other but to combine artificial peach, creamy vanilla and dark sweet boozy cologney-ness is just all kinds of wrong!
Pink Pineapple (7339A6A5) - while I applaud BBW for not repackaging Pineapple Mango or Pineapple Palm Grass or any other past pineapple scents, this feels like a wasted effort as it's new but but very basic and not very exciting. You get a pineapple note similar to Sea Salt Pineapple and raspberry and splash of lemon that adds a tartness that accentuates the pineapple's sweetness. Overall it's kinda blah and a little unnecessary.
Woodland (7347M8A1) - this scent totally surprised me in a good way. I was really hoping tt it would be a repackage of Verbena Waters /Lakeside but it isn't; not only is it new but it's actually unique and intriguing. Don't let the name fool you, there's nothing woodsy/foresty about this scent at all. It's more fresh and green, less forest/woods and more open grassy plan or banks of a lake. Woodland bark? I call BS on that; again I get more grass and greenness than wood and bark. Watermint , compared to to its minty brethren, is more mild and doesn't pack the same mentholy punch; it adds a freshness to the blend. And there's a citrusy brightness from the verbena that adds to the greenness. Tinadivalicious said this in one of his recent videos and I totally agree - overall, it smells like green/fresh cut stem note that's in lower Shop. Woodland is a surprise hit and look so many other other surprising niceness in previous WB Core iterations, it's named and marketed horribly and deserves more than be thrown unceremoniously thrown in WB Core.
Pink Prosecco (733K3AB) - you would think this would be a repackage of Pink Apple Punch/Green Apple Champagne but it isn't...however, it's soooo similar that you have to wonder "what's the point?" The difference is that PP lacks PAP's musky perfumy floral-ness and it has a more authentic apple note and a more apparent pear. I personally like PP more...but not enough to actually buy
Palo Santo (7340K3A4) - so this is a repackage of Desert Heat ill-fated Desert collection. So real palo santo (sacred/holy wood) has a citrusy piney aroma similar to frankincense and I get that in the candle; it has a dry sharp citrusy/piney wood note similar to the cedar note in Winter Cedar / The Original. It's also similar to the Frankincense candle. There's a tinge of smokiness with a feminine softness from the musk and warmth from the amber. For those you who would like to try more woodsy/fiery/smoky scents but are scared to, this would be nice scent to experiment with.
White Opal (7348AGA3) - this is not at all would I expected and is seriously throwing me for a loop. Just based on the name and the notes, you would think this would be a soft, powdery, matronly old lady perfume kinda scent but nope; it smells oddly manly with an intense piney/woodsy note. And that pine note has my nose trippin' cuz it smells sooooo familiar. The piney/woodsy basenotes smells like a scent that we saw recently this past winter - Frankincense maybe or Spruce? On top of that is a feminine soft powderiness, a white floralness and musk. Yeah I don't understand this scent at all!
Mint (7346AGA1) - if any of you remember Lavender Market from the Slatkin days, this is sooooo close to it; not a repackage but extremely similar. In a nutshell, this is essentially Eucalyptus Mint mixed with lavender. The notes don't mention eucalyptus but I do get whiffs of it..though it could just be my nose trippin on me. The mint blend smells exactly like "mint" in Eucalyptus Mint. And there is a very apparent crisp and astringent lavender note that adds to the mint...makes sense as lavender is a member of the mint family. It's a really nice blend overall and great for baths or if your feeling icky. If it were in a proper 3wick form, I would have bought it.
Lemon - this is NOT Limoncello or Lemon Drops or Sweet Lemon Zest. It's a straightup tart zesty lemon, similar the old Slatkin/WB Core Lemon candle
Avocado Coconut - I don't really know what I was expecting with this scent. I found it peculiar that BBW was going with avocado as avocado doesn't really have much of a scent. That said, what little aroma you get from actual avocado, you do not get at all in this candle. There is a green aspect but it smells like green tea/matcha. The coconut smells like the coconut in Lavender Coconut and I get a hint of something sharp and citrusy, like lemon zest. This really should've been called Green Tea and Coconut; it may not sound as exotic and intriguing as "Avocado Coconut" but it's truthful. I want to like this scent; I may experiment with the wf bulb.
Carrot Nectarine (7346M8A2) - this ladies and gentlemen is the clear winner in this bunch! Not only is it new (as far as I know) but it's actually good. It smells like legit carrot juice/ detox cleansing drink. You get authentic genuine carrot with an undertone of bright sweet orange. And there's something earthy in the mix not mentioned in the notes, beets maybe or something like that. Anyhoo, it smells absolutely delicious. If it wasn't in a crappy burn inducing low profile form, I would totally buy on board and buy a few.
Yuzu (7352A3A2) - Capri Citron/Pomelo Citron...yawn
Lilac (7354A3A2) - straightup Fresh Cut Lilac. Did a comparison to make sure. Again, yawn
Sweet Tobacco (7347A3A3) - I thought for sure this would be Havana/Havana Heat/Ski Den but no. Once again, a new scent that's actually good! Out of all the tobacco scents we've seen in recent years, this actual smells like real tobacco. It reminds me of the cherry pipe tobacco my stepdad used to smoke in his pipe.
Almond Matcha (7348A3A2) - No this isn't Nectarine Green Tea nor is it Green Tea White Pear or White Tea & Pear. And no, this doesn't smells like like Almond/Creamy Nutmeg. This completely new...and a little strange. This smells like legit matcha powder -green, bitter and astringent. And the almond is not sweet and amaretto-ish; it actually smells nutty. I'm picking up other notes that aren't mentioned in the description and are a little hard to describe.
ADDENDUM - I was talking with my buddy Touchthefiretwice and he thinks this is a repackage of the old aromatherapy scent, Lemongrass Cardamom
Iris (7352A3A1) - this scent is straightup bizarre! With a name like "Iris", you would think this would be intensely floral and powdery; I thought for sure it would be a repackage of the failed test scent Mediterranean Iris from 2014's Provence collection, which was a punch to the face of intense powdery perfuminess. Nope, not so much..quite the opposite. This smells...cologney...not just cologney but similar to one of my all time favorite cologney candles...wait for it...BOATHOUSE ROW! How f***king RANDOM is that?!!! It's a watered down, more mild Boathouse Row with the aquatic aspect and that lemon pepper-like note toned down with a white floral jasmine-like note on top. BI-FRIGGIN-ZARE!!!!
I am really hoping you are right about Iris being similar to Boathouse Row! I still have half of one left. It will be a major celebration for both of us I sure !
ReplyDeleteThat's so funny, I thought that Almond Matcha literally smelled like feet, lol. I thought it was so disgusting. I even asked the sales girl I knew to smell it and she said the same thing. I was so disappointed. Carrot Nectarine was interesting, but just not my kinda candle. Woodland was a really nice surprise! It's an instant favourite to me. I want to go back and get that and the Lemon candle (which I didn't get to smell, my store didn't have it) if they have a 2 for 24 sale soon.
ReplyDelete