Real Talk About Bath and Body Works Candles

As per tradition, right before New Years, I'll post a retrospective looking at my favorite new scents of the past year from SAS/spring to winter. Without further ado, let's get started! Key Lime Pie - I love anything lime related, including key lime pie which is one of my all time favorite desserts. Naturally, I was excited when BBW finally gave us a key lime inspired (emphasis on "inspired") candle...AND it wasn't a repackage of Tequila Lime Cupcake which would later be repackaged (tested and failed) as Key Lime Pie. Now does the candle actually smell like Key Lime Pie? Mmm, not particularly; BBW has never been the best at actually capturing bakery scents, especially after 2012. That said, I think it is a really nice interpretation. In my most humble of opinions, KLP was the absolute star of the Sweet Shop 2.0 collection! Cucumber & Lily - not many people talked about this one and I think it was most undeserving of the total indifference it received. Gr...

= direct repackage =+ repackage with a twist/added notes =? possible repackage Spring/Summer Mermaid Wishes  =?  Blue Bungalow Wisteria Garden = Merci Paris Sun-drenched Linen =? Fresh Linen Sea Salt & Sandalwood =? Sand & Sea Coastal Morning   =  Ocean Mist & Citrus White Sage & Aloe = Wild Sage & Aloe Happy Easter ~ Chocolate Bunny =+ Hot Cocoa & Cream Happy Easter = Casablanca Lily Beachscape =? Beach Blossom The Perfect Summer = Suntan "Love is Here"= Suntan Firecracker Pop =Cherry Frost  Fall Nature Walk =? Sandalwood Citrus/Citron Cedarwood Spiced Chestnut (batch A15) = Evening Hearth Winter Calm ~ Cedarwood + Orange = Nighttime Tea Peaceful ~ Tea Tree + Peppermint  =?  Blue Winter Sky Chocolate Peppermint Cream = Mint Chip Shake Cereal Marshmallow Bar  =+  Key Lime Pie Citrus & Spice = Holiday Pomander Cranberry Peach = Cranberry Peach P...

So, I fully intended on writing two separate reviews as I ended up burning and enjoying both candles. However I've been really busy and getting ready for my upcoming flight to the UK to spend the holidays with the in laws so I just haven't had enough time. I had thought about not writing a review at all however both of this scents warranted and deserved one so for the sake of brevity, I decided to combine both reviews. Without further ado, let's get started! Products: candle Area used in: living room Time Period: throughout December This candle has completely overlooked, underappreciated and slept on by the candle community. And I'll admit, the name, notes, and look of this candle didn't initially draw me in. When I saw it in stores, I was prepared to sniff solely for a review and move on however once I did sniff it, my initial indifference immediately became joy and rapture. I immediately recognized as a repackage of a scent that's near and dear t...

Winter Aromatherapy Thankful ~ Frankincense + Myrrh Calm ~ Cedarwood + Orange (repackage of Nighttime Tea) Passion ~ Tuberose + Ylang ylang Clarity ~ Peppermint + Rosemary Tranquil ~ Cinnamon + Bergamot Awake ~ Coffee + Cardamom Rejuvenate ~ Mandarin + Black Pepper Peaceful ~ Tea Tree + Peppermint (possible repackage of Blue Winter Sky) Joyful ~ Black Currant + Pine "Nordic Home" Collection Returning scents: Fresh Ballsack Flannel  Hot Cocoa & Cream  Spiced Apple Toddy  Frosted Cranberry  Maple Cinnamon Pancakes (repackage of  Pumpkin Caramel Latte Snowflakes & Citrus (repackage of Midnight Blue Citrus) Frozen Lake  New scents: White Winter Woods Late Additions: Holiday Cinnamon Caramel Swirl Tree Farm (from failed Woodland Evergreen collection) ? Collection Returning scents :Black Cherry MerNO MaBLAHgony STANKwood Winter Marshmallow Fireside Iced Cranapple New scents: Grateful~ Apple Cardamom  & Crisp...

We're barely into December, Candle Day wasn't that long ago, we're still a ways away from both the first day of winter and Christmas and there's already spring newness testing. While on the one hand, it was interesting to see what's possibly heading our way for SAS and spring, it just too early to wrap my brain around it all; it's hard to focus on and get excited about Spring when I'm in full on Christmas mode. So I have to ask dear reader for you to step away from all of the holiday cheer and check out the upcoming newness and then go back to your regular Yuletide schedule. So there are some new newness that's available now. There's a Christmasy collection with wraparound labels. There's only one new scent Winter Snowfall -  Crisp Blue Sage, Iced Rosemary, Dried Cedarwood (said to be a possible repackage of the 2018 version of Sparkling Woods ) Returning scents include Fresh Ballsack, Fireside, Flannel, Cinnamon Caramel Swirl and Spiced ...

* I did mean to write this yesterday but I was absolutely exhausted and just didn't have the energy to write a post. As you may (or may not know), this past Saturday was the infamous Candle Day - for those of you who don't know what that is, Candle Day is a day always at the beginning of December where candles are sold at their most lowest discounted sale price; it used to be $8.50, then eventually $8.95 and now $9.50...which don't get me started on how unwarranted and undeserving BBW's currant quality of candles are for a price increase but that's a rant for another day. So all of the stores in my area opened at 7:00. My bf and I planned on getting to the mall at around 8:00 or 9:00; sure the store would be crowded but nothing we couldn't handle. Well we both endured a night unending restlessness (we both get constant insomnia) we were already up at the crack of dawn so we decided to get ourselves together and just go. We arrived at a smaller mall (thin...

* exasperated sigh * throws hands in utter defeat Well, it got me... the social media overhype. Honestly, when will I ever learn - stop listening to the "public opinion" of social media cuz anything that gets overhyped will inevitably dissapoint. It has happened to me far too many times that I care to admit. And sad thing is that I know better but every so often I find myself falling prey to curiosity and intrigue only to find myself let down. And it has happened to me again with Tree Farm. Now as you know, Tree Farm was originally in the ill-fated Woodland Evergreen collection , with very different notes -  " Citrus. Winter Air, Frosted Pine" as opposed to the more customer friendly "Crisp Pine Needle, Warm Cedar, Spiced Apple"... not that the changing of notes in the description means anything...cuz it doesn't. Anyway, I'm guessing that the higher-ups felt that Tree Farm had the most appeal compared to the others in the collection and th...

Products: candle & wf bulbs Area used in: living room Time Period: mid- October - Thanksgiving Description:  Clove Buds, Ground Cinnamon, Pinch of Nutmeg, Fresh Pumpkin I know it's super late to talk about this candle seeing as though it's not really available and my bad for not talking about this badboi sooner but I'd be remiss if I didn't a give a shoutout to what I consider one of the best new scents of the year, especially with Thanksgiving approaching soon heralding the unofficial end of fall. I've spoken about this before, but me and pumpkin scents have never been the bestest of friends. While I'm certainly a bit more open-minded than I was a few years due to my run-in with Shit Cinnamon Poopkin, pumpkin scents still don't really excite me. When it comes to fall scents, gimme apple or cranberry; pumpkin I can take or leave with Pumpkin Carving /Patch, Pumpkin Pie and Porchside Pumpkin being the rare exceptions. When I first heard abou...

This past weekend, my bf and I decided to take a trip to a mall a bit further out from us that we hadn't been to awhile. While we were there, we went into a WB/BBW store to take advantage of their recent handsoap sale. As I was looking around and making my mental notes for Candle Day, out of the corner of my eye I noticed the Land of Sweets collection. I figured since I was there, I might as well as give em a sniff for the sake of writing a review. *sigh So I am not one to oh and ah over packaging; for me, the look of the labels is irrelevant and the scent itself is far more important. But even I have to admit the look of this collection is ridonkulously cute. However, unlike most in the candle community, the labels are not cute enough for me to consider buying any of them or distract me from the fact the scents themselves are basic AF! Once a-goddamn-gain, here's BBW choosing style over substance! It is beyond frustrating to me as a longtime fan to see BBW continue to...

" Pumpkin " Collection Returning Scents: Caramel Apple Hot Cocoa and Cream Pumpkin Apple Pumpkin Cupcake Sugared Snickerdoodle Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin Vanilla Pumpkin Marshmallow  Blueberry Maple Pancakes Caramel Pumpkin Swirl Pumpkin Pecan Waffles Pumpkin Peanut Brittle Pumpkin Pie Warm Apple Pie New Scents: Peach Cobbler Banana Cream Pie PB & J Salted Butterscotch " Botanimals " Collection Returning Scents: Autumn Autumn Woods Flannel Harvest Gathering (white label) Leaves (frosted, white tumblers) Pumpkin Apple New Scents: Cinnamon Irish Cream Coconut Macaroon " Fall Traditions " Collection Returning Scents: Crisp Morning Air Leaves Mahogany Apple Maple Cinnamon Pancakes Marshmallow Fireside Sweater Weather The Perfect Autumn New Scent: Pumpkin Clove " Shimmering Woods " Collection Returning Scents: Cinnamon Bark - Cranberry Woods  MaBLAHgany STANKkood  Vanilla Birch  New Scent...

So umm yeah... BBW isn't done for winter. We have a bunch of stuff heading our way in time for Christmastime. The first thing we're getting is for the bakery lovers out there - the Land of Sweets collection. Basically think Sweet Shop meets Destinations; it's a bunch of bakery inspired inspired by/associated with various vacation spots and locales. The look of the candles are kinda cute; illustrated Christmas villages, some looking the city they're inspired with some having white lids that look like dripping ice or frosting. *sigh here's the problem. The scents are boring! Once again, style over substance a lazy and uninspired marketing tactic to get money from folks who buy candles "just for the labels". Most of the scents are returning rereleases we see allllllll the time. There are only 2 new candles... New York ~ Cherry Cheesecake -  Creamy Vanilla, Juicy Red Cherries, Graham Cracker Crust (confirmed to be a repackage of  Frosted Cake Pop ) Lon...

So yesterday I'm in Manhattan heading to the subway to go home when I realized that I was near a BBW that was formerly closed for construction and I thought I'd check out. Much to my surprise, it had become a WB/BBW sidebyside store. I mean I should've known, the only reason a BBW store would close for construction is to make it a WB store. So umm yeah, for my fellow NYC'ers and Manhattan adjacent candle enthusiasts or out of towners make a trip to NYC, the BBW store in Midtown near Grand Central Station is now a WB store! Even better, the store was fully stocked (I guess they were trying to get that high traffic area/ Grand Central Station commuter/ out of town tourist money) with all of the newness so I got to smell everything; very convenient as that meant I didn't have to go to other WB store another day and I would get to write this review sooner. Without further ado, let's get this WALK N SNIFF show on the road! We'll start with the "Hol...