SHOP 'N' GO/SIT 'N' SNIFF: $11.95 Online Haul (& Cold Sniff Reviews)
I know I'm preachin' to the choir here but it's been a rough couple of months with very little to nothing to look forward to and bring a much needed smile to your face. But, at the risk of sound of sounding saccharine and cliche, behind every dark cloud is a golden ray of light. After months of giving us nothing sale wise, BBW finally offered everyone a reprieve - all 3wicks being 11.95!
You bet your sweet ass I took advantage of it! My bf as well!
Here's the thing...so stores in my area are finally opening so my bf and I could've gone to shop in person however I'm feeling a bit anxious; the prospect of being in an enclosed space with other people and not knowing what candles have been touched or huffed would stress me out; especially if I saw anyone without a mask or pulling masks down to sniff things. So staying safely and stalwartly planted on side of caution, we both ordered online. Under normal circumstances, I'd be ranting and raving about online codes and not being able to use another coupon but in these troubling/unprecedented times, beggars literally can't be choosers.
Both of our boxes of candles of candles came in yesterday...and shipped properly with actual packing air balloon thingies (I've noticed since the start of this pandemic, BBW has made more of an effort to pack candles and things properly and not just putting things in a box and calling it a day. I imagine they wouldn't wanted returned broken candles from potentially symptomatic/asymptomatic people; it all took a pandemic crisis to make them get their shit together).
At any rate, here are the hauls...
my haul my bf's haul
Now let's about the scents. I'm not gonna bother talking about Lemon Lavender Shortbread and Vanilla Sage as I have already talked about them in depth.
Palo Santo (0169K3A6/A8) - so my bf LOVES smoky scents - anything smoked/smoky, incense-y, fireside/bonfire-y, he is all about it. He says smoky scents remind him of his childhood days of being in the Boy's Scouts and campfires. Anyhoo,I remember pre-pandemic telling him about this candle and we were both on the hunt for it during SAS but to no avail. After the pandemic started, he bought some online and it was love at first sniff. For the rest of the summer, he would make it a point to stock up and we burned them with reckless abandon. He became distraught when it disappeared online once all the fall stuff came out...until one day I noticed Palo Santo as an online exclusive (not quite sure what Palo Santo has to do with fall but whatevs. I bought him 2 to surprise him and he ended up getting himself one.
So Palo Santo (Spanish for "holy wood stick") (also known as lignum vitae or "wood of life) is tree commonly grown in Central/South America and in the same tree family as frankincense and myrrh. Like frankincense and myrrh, palo santo's wood and essential oils are used for medicinal and religious purposes as well as natural fragrance. Like sage, palo santo as burned as a smudge to cleanse energy and get rid of bad vibes/juju. Unfortunately I've never smelled palo santo, so I'm snot sure if the candle is authentic.
If you've never smelled PS before, it's basically a sweet wood scent... (giggles, sweet wood). The wood base smells very rich, warm, smooth and polished. There is a smokiness but it leans more towards lit incense than fireside. The amber is very warm and drippy feeling and reminds a lot of the amber note in Golden Amber Oak aka Black Tea Rose . The musk holds all of the notes together in a tight embrace; it also adds a distinct soft femininity as well as an exotic mystic Eastern/Oriental vibe. This is very much a year long aromatherapy type of scent that feels both welcoming and uplifting.
Fall Farmhouse (0175AGA4) - as you may (or may not) know, this is a new scent that made it's a debut last year. In my review, I sorta dismissed as a repackage with a twist of one hit wonder Pumpkin Woods but having it on my person to sniff at my leisure, I can say with accuracy that while having a similar vibe, they 2 are not the same. Like PW, I would describe FFH as a "craftstore" "trip to Michael's/Hobby Lobby in the fall" kind of scent. Also like PW, I would conjecture that there's a cedarwood base with accents of resinous and crisp pine needle notes (I kinda wish there was more piney notes). Now here's where Fall Farmhouse and PW diverge. There's an outdoorsiness that I don't remember being in PW; it's sorta of a wet ozonic note that makes me think of early morning dew or frost on ripe pumpkins. And speaking of pumpkin, I get more of a spiced pumpkin as opposed to pumpkin spice; there's an earthiness that makes me think of actual pumpkin as opposed to just cinnamon/nutmeg/ginger on their own. Ok, for this next part just bear with me. Last year when Tinadivalicious reviewed this candle, he said something that me think he was nuts. Having smelled this candle, I absolutely wholeheartedly agree - there's a note that makes me think of breakfast sausages. He thought it might be caraway seed....I'm not sure about that as that's a random note to just throw in a candle. I think it's sage (an herb commonly used in breakfast sausage). It kinda reminds me of Lavender Caramel/Macaroon that had a sage note that combined with the sweetness made it both savory and sausage-y. I'm not sure I like it. If the bf approves it, we'll keep and burn it. If not, it's going back to the store..when it's safe.
Fresh Fall Morning (0174AGB6) - Like the aforementioned Fall Farmhouse, this made its debut last year. While I really liked it, there was something about it that made me a bit indecisive and I couldn't commit to buying a 3wick so I settled for wf refills. So let's just pull the bandaid off - it's a....cologney scent, a total mandle...which I love. It does kinda annoy me that sooooo many of BBW's "fresh air" scents smell like cologne; an ozone based scent home fragrance that doesn't necessarily have to smell like cologne. Fast forward to this year; I'm glad my bf bought it cuz I'm kinda into it. First off, it feels very autumnal without the obligatory cinnamon/nutmeg/ginger. And I do generate towards cologney mandles..and this is a cologney mandle but it feels very autumnal; like if this were a men's bodycare for fall, I'd wear it. So there is apple but it's not a an apple pie apple or cider-y apple but more like smelling the skin of a fresh apple in an orchard. There's also an outdoorsy and wet ozone note conjuring images of misty fog rolling across a field on an early autumn morning. There's a bit of citrus zest that adds a bit of brightness; lemon perhaps, maybe mandarin. And there's a hint of sage that adds a manly-like earthiness. I also got something woody lurking in the background. I do like this one; I think it would make for a nice boudoir, bathroom or mancave scent. If you like unspiced autumnal scents with an outdoors manly vibe like Sweater Weather or Mountain Leaves or Crisp Morning Air, then this bud's for you.
And now for the 2 new scents...
Blackberries & Basil (0181AGA1) - Neither me or my bf cares for bodycare based/inspired candles so I was surprised when he bought this. Now I've made it known before that besides certain handsoaps, I don't pay attention to bodycare and I've never smelled the soap/bodycare this candle is inspired by so I don't know if the two smells the same BUT I can tell just by cold sniff that it's a bodycare scent - a)it smells very feminine and b)the notes smell extremely artificial. I get what could be an blackberry accord note - a sweet, dark berry note with a little bit of tang and a hint of vanilla. The basil is there and adds and an herbal and slightly citrusy brightness. I also get an Sparkling Pear Riesling-esque white grape "Welch's Juice"-esque sweetness and bit of nose tingling effervescence ie the "champagne". My issue is that this just doesn't feel very autumnal and by nature, it isn't. Blackberries are a summer produce with its season ending in August and the basil makes it feel very spring-ish; maybe if there was mint or rosemary or sage instead of basil, I could get into this. I actually don't mind this scent as a whole...just not as a fall scent; I don't see myself wanting to burn this until spring/early summer.
Pumpkin Bonfire (0171M8AB/AN) - Saving the best for last for this is the star of the show. I was intrigued since day one and had to sniff it. One word - FALLGASM. So when I first saw this candle and its notes, I thought maybe it was Pumpkin Fireside/Campfire Pumpkin...after sniffing, I can say with utmost accuracy that it absolutely is NOT! Not even close! I also thought maybe it could be overshadowed failed test/one hit wonder Porchside Pumpkin ..again, no! I do believe this is...gasp...NEWNESS. So if I had to describe this on a simple basic level, I would say think Pumpkin Clove mixed with Palo Santo. You get a spiced pumpkin as opposed to pumpkin spice - there's an earthy gourd-y note mixed with an autumnal spice blend with an emphasis on clove as well as a bit of vanilla. There's a woody base - cedarwood probably, maybe some sandalwood. I also get a warmth that I think could amber - amber is a common note in BBW's fireside scents. Lastly there is a smokiness but like Palo Santo, it leans more towards lit incense as to roaring fire. This candle just gave me all of the fall feels and is the kind of smoky fiery scent that I could get into for fall. And it feels very comfy cozy and could possibly have the "warm blanket" throw that I love, especially for fall. Definitely looking forward to burning this badboi. If you're into pumpkin scents and/or unsure about fiery/smoky/fireside-y scents, this could be a good candle for you to try.
ADDENDUM: The "AN" version smells a bit drier and not as warm as the "AB" version
You bet your sweet ass I took advantage of it! My bf as well!
Here's the thing...so stores in my area are finally opening so my bf and I could've gone to shop in person however I'm feeling a bit anxious; the prospect of being in an enclosed space with other people and not knowing what candles have been touched or huffed would stress me out; especially if I saw anyone without a mask or pulling masks down to sniff things. So staying safely and stalwartly planted on side of caution, we both ordered online. Under normal circumstances, I'd be ranting and raving about online codes and not being able to use another coupon but in these troubling/unprecedented times, beggars literally can't be choosers.
Both of our boxes of candles of candles came in yesterday...and shipped properly with actual packing air balloon thingies (I've noticed since the start of this pandemic, BBW has made more of an effort to pack candles and things properly and not just putting things in a box and calling it a day. I imagine they wouldn't wanted returned broken candles from potentially symptomatic/asymptomatic people; it all took a pandemic crisis to make them get their shit together).
At any rate, here are the hauls...
my haul my bf's haul
Now let's about the scents. I'm not gonna bother talking about Lemon Lavender Shortbread and Vanilla Sage as I have already talked about them in depth.
Palo Santo (0169K3A6/A8) - so my bf LOVES smoky scents - anything smoked/smoky, incense-y, fireside/bonfire-y, he is all about it. He says smoky scents remind him of his childhood days of being in the Boy's Scouts and campfires. Anyhoo,I remember pre-pandemic telling him about this candle and we were both on the hunt for it during SAS but to no avail. After the pandemic started, he bought some online and it was love at first sniff. For the rest of the summer, he would make it a point to stock up and we burned them with reckless abandon. He became distraught when it disappeared online once all the fall stuff came out...until one day I noticed Palo Santo as an online exclusive (not quite sure what Palo Santo has to do with fall but whatevs. I bought him 2 to surprise him and he ended up getting himself one.
So Palo Santo (Spanish for "holy wood stick") (also known as lignum vitae or "wood of life) is tree commonly grown in Central/South America and in the same tree family as frankincense and myrrh. Like frankincense and myrrh, palo santo's wood and essential oils are used for medicinal and religious purposes as well as natural fragrance. Like sage, palo santo as burned as a smudge to cleanse energy and get rid of bad vibes/juju. Unfortunately I've never smelled palo santo, so I'm snot sure if the candle is authentic.
If you've never smelled PS before, it's basically a sweet wood scent... (giggles, sweet wood). The wood base smells very rich, warm, smooth and polished. There is a smokiness but it leans more towards lit incense than fireside. The amber is very warm and drippy feeling and reminds a lot of the amber note in Golden Amber Oak aka Black Tea Rose . The musk holds all of the notes together in a tight embrace; it also adds a distinct soft femininity as well as an exotic mystic Eastern/Oriental vibe. This is very much a year long aromatherapy type of scent that feels both welcoming and uplifting.
Fall Farmhouse (0175AGA4) - as you may (or may not) know, this is a new scent that made it's a debut last year. In my review, I sorta dismissed as a repackage with a twist of one hit wonder Pumpkin Woods but having it on my person to sniff at my leisure, I can say with accuracy that while having a similar vibe, they 2 are not the same. Like PW, I would describe FFH as a "craftstore" "trip to Michael's/Hobby Lobby in the fall" kind of scent. Also like PW, I would conjecture that there's a cedarwood base with accents of resinous and crisp pine needle notes (I kinda wish there was more piney notes). Now here's where Fall Farmhouse and PW diverge. There's an outdoorsiness that I don't remember being in PW; it's sorta of a wet ozonic note that makes me think of early morning dew or frost on ripe pumpkins. And speaking of pumpkin, I get more of a spiced pumpkin as opposed to pumpkin spice; there's an earthiness that makes me think of actual pumpkin as opposed to just cinnamon/nutmeg/ginger on their own. Ok, for this next part just bear with me. Last year when Tinadivalicious reviewed this candle, he said something that me think he was nuts. Having smelled this candle, I absolutely wholeheartedly agree - there's a note that makes me think of breakfast sausages. He thought it might be caraway seed....I'm not sure about that as that's a random note to just throw in a candle. I think it's sage (an herb commonly used in breakfast sausage). It kinda reminds me of Lavender Caramel/Macaroon that had a sage note that combined with the sweetness made it both savory and sausage-y. I'm not sure I like it. If the bf approves it, we'll keep and burn it. If not, it's going back to the store..when it's safe.
Fresh Fall Morning (0174AGB6) - Like the aforementioned Fall Farmhouse, this made its debut last year. While I really liked it, there was something about it that made me a bit indecisive and I couldn't commit to buying a 3wick so I settled for wf refills. So let's just pull the bandaid off - it's a....cologney scent, a total mandle...which I love. It does kinda annoy me that sooooo many of BBW's "fresh air" scents smell like cologne; an ozone based scent home fragrance that doesn't necessarily have to smell like cologne. Fast forward to this year; I'm glad my bf bought it cuz I'm kinda into it. First off, it feels very autumnal without the obligatory cinnamon/nutmeg/ginger. And I do generate towards cologney mandles..and this is a cologney mandle but it feels very autumnal; like if this were a men's bodycare for fall, I'd wear it. So there is apple but it's not a an apple pie apple or cider-y apple but more like smelling the skin of a fresh apple in an orchard. There's also an outdoorsy and wet ozone note conjuring images of misty fog rolling across a field on an early autumn morning. There's a bit of citrus zest that adds a bit of brightness; lemon perhaps, maybe mandarin. And there's a hint of sage that adds a manly-like earthiness. I also got something woody lurking in the background. I do like this one; I think it would make for a nice boudoir, bathroom or mancave scent. If you like unspiced autumnal scents with an outdoors manly vibe like Sweater Weather or Mountain Leaves or Crisp Morning Air, then this bud's for you.
And now for the 2 new scents...
Blackberries & Basil (0181AGA1) - Neither me or my bf cares for bodycare based/inspired candles so I was surprised when he bought this. Now I've made it known before that besides certain handsoaps, I don't pay attention to bodycare and I've never smelled the soap/bodycare this candle is inspired by so I don't know if the two smells the same BUT I can tell just by cold sniff that it's a bodycare scent - a)it smells very feminine and b)the notes smell extremely artificial. I get what could be an blackberry accord note - a sweet, dark berry note with a little bit of tang and a hint of vanilla. The basil is there and adds and an herbal and slightly citrusy brightness. I also get an Sparkling Pear Riesling-esque white grape "Welch's Juice"-esque sweetness and bit of nose tingling effervescence ie the "champagne". My issue is that this just doesn't feel very autumnal and by nature, it isn't. Blackberries are a summer produce with its season ending in August and the basil makes it feel very spring-ish; maybe if there was mint or rosemary or sage instead of basil, I could get into this. I actually don't mind this scent as a whole...just not as a fall scent; I don't see myself wanting to burn this until spring/early summer.
Pumpkin Bonfire (0171M8AB/AN) - Saving the best for last for this is the star of the show. I was intrigued since day one and had to sniff it. One word - FALLGASM. So when I first saw this candle and its notes, I thought maybe it was Pumpkin Fireside/Campfire Pumpkin...after sniffing, I can say with utmost accuracy that it absolutely is NOT! Not even close! I also thought maybe it could be overshadowed failed test/one hit wonder Porchside Pumpkin ..again, no! I do believe this is...gasp...NEWNESS. So if I had to describe this on a simple basic level, I would say think Pumpkin Clove mixed with Palo Santo. You get a spiced pumpkin as opposed to pumpkin spice - there's an earthy gourd-y note mixed with an autumnal spice blend with an emphasis on clove as well as a bit of vanilla. There's a woody base - cedarwood probably, maybe some sandalwood. I also get a warmth that I think could amber - amber is a common note in BBW's fireside scents. Lastly there is a smokiness but like Palo Santo, it leans more towards lit incense as to roaring fire. This candle just gave me all of the fall feels and is the kind of smoky fiery scent that I could get into for fall. And it feels very comfy cozy and could possibly have the "warm blanket" throw that I love, especially for fall. Definitely looking forward to burning this badboi. If you're into pumpkin scents and/or unsure about fiery/smoky/fireside-y scents, this could be a good candle for you to try.
ADDENDUM: The "AN" version smells a bit drier and not as warm as the "AB" version
Dangit, I didn't have any interest in buying new fall candles because I have so many from last year that I haven't even burned yet, but that Pumpkin Bonfire sounds SO intriguing! Also last year when I was still working at BBW, I'm wondering if there was some kind of batch variation because the Fall Farmhouse candles that we had in store smelled god awful, I described them as dirty pennies. They smelled like when you've been handling a lot of coins or cheap metal jewelry and you get that nasty, dirty metal smell on your hands. I couldn't even believe that it was made into a candle, and then I couldn't believe it came back this year too, but your scent description is completely different from what I remember. So I'm not sure if a.) the ones from last year had a batch variation or b.) they changed the scent since last year and now it's better.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I was feeling the same way about fall candles this year...that is until I saw Pumpkin Bonfire and even then I needed convincing. A candlebuddy of mine (whose nose is one of the few that I trust) recommended it and well, here we are.
DeleteAs for Farm Fallhouse, I'm sure there were some variances. I didn't really investigate cuz I didn't think I had to; all the candles I sniffed were consistent. I didn't get the metallic version you got but I also don't remember it smelling sausagey. That said, this year's version definitely smells how Tinadivalicious described it last year.
I loved Fall Farmhouse last year. It truly reminded me of our chilly days at a pumpkin patch. The earthiness mimics the damp fields as you walk around picking pumpkins. I even smell hay in the candle. I only burn it in October, which is my pumpkin picking/carving month.
DeleteAnd Pumpkin Bonfire? Yes, please! I bought two right away. Definitely going for a third, but I just saw that my beloved White Pumpkin has returned, so decisions need to be made.
Just wanted to come back and say that I wound up buying Fall Farmhouse on a whim during the BOGO candle sale and it's WAY different! It smells incredible, everyone in my house likes it. It definitely smells nothing like it did last year.
DeleteI'm so glad you're still around with this blog. I really enjoy your candle reviews. I'm glad BBW is giving us all new things to enjoy.
ReplyDeletePumpkin Bonfire is SO YUMMY smelling. Luckily I got 3 of them, but man they burn fast.. haven’t seen them in stock online or in stores in a while. I agree that it does smell like palo santo (which is also one of my faves).
ReplyDelete