CANDLE RETROSPECTIVE: Brozeblogger's Top 20 Candles OF ALL TIME

Well dear readers, today's New Year's Eve - we're almost at the finish line and soon we'll be able to wave goodbye and not so fond farewell to the dumpster fire that was 2020.

Normally, as per my own tradition, in honor of New Year's I would write a retrospective look back on the past year and list what I thought were the best new scents that were released. Obviously I couldn't do that this year - with the pandemic, I've been avoiding stores thus couldn't do my usual WALK N SNIFFs nor did I particularly buy very much as I'm not about that shipping/handling plus tax life. But as this this New Years hits a bit differently than past ones and is the beginning of a new decade, I thought I do something different. I thought I'd do a real retrospective and look back at some of my favorite scents spanning from my time as a review and as Bronzeblogger - some from now till back in 2013 when I started this blog. I'm gonna avoid seasonal rideordie loves like Leaves, Sweater Weather, Tis the Season, Winter, Chestnut & Clove, Island Marg, etc and focus more a newer (at the time) scents that really made an impact on me - newness, test scents, one hit wonders, etc. So without further ago, let's get started!

Apple Crumble

I will go on record for saying this is by far the best fall appley scent that BBW has ever released. They really did this scent dirty, AC really doesn't deserve it. A nice crisp (but not too tart) green apple note, a tiny hint of baking spice and swert comfy feeling vanilla - what more can you ask for in a fall scent?!

Beach Sage & Mint

A surprisingly (in most humble of opinions) upscale and high end beachy scent from BBW...with not a hint of coconut, mango, pineapple or driftwood no less. It really made you feel like you're chillin in your beachhouse looking at the grassy sanddunes and crashing waves.

Black Pepper Bergamot

Excuse me one sec *orgasmic shudder My all time fav, my number one, my true love, my rideordie bae. It just doesnt get more sophisticated and sensual than BPB. One of many Golden Era scents that BBW just didn't know what to do with. The fact that they let this treasure disappear in favor of MaBLAHgony Stankwood...sacrilege!

Black Tea Rose

This was a weird one...but in a good way. Ever so often BBW creates a blend that's just a little too upscale for the current demographic. They played around with names and scent formulations but just couldn't make it stick. They even gave it the dreaded mesassging packaging/labels to appeal to the basics, still didn't work out. And, like most unique scents at BBW, it disappeared never to be heard from again.

Blueberry Pumpkin Patch

A minor success story having gone from a failed test scent but, with some hype from some of the popular YouTubers of the time, garnered enough underground popularity that it was released the following year. It's an odd mix - you wouldn't think blueberry and pumpkin would work together but they did. Alas, like so many Golden Era scent, it went the way of dodo.

Boathouse Row

Ugh...just sexiness in a jar. Because it was...*eyeroll...cologney...it really was only popular amongst the mandle lovers. Because of that, it didnt come back and wouldn't return until 5 years later. You can bet that unlike the first time, I stocked up the second cuz who knows when/if it'll appear again. 

Chocolate Bacon Cupcake

Oh man - the king, the emperor, the grand poobah of unicorn scents - quite possibly the first unicorn candle before the word "unicorn candle" was even invited. You were not considered a true candle connoisseur as well as candle reviewer worth your salt unless you had this candle in your collection. This candle was also kinda the start of test store/candle mania during the Golden era. And to the naysayers who think bacon and chocolate is a weird or gross combo...it's not, don't @ me!

Cranberry Pumpkin

I'm not sure why this hasn't made a return, especially as it became a fan fav upon its release. It's one of those scents that's very basic and straightforward without much bells or whistles but it worked. I mean cranberry and pumpkin - it doesn't much more autumnal than that - it was late fall/Thanksgiving in a jar. You mean to tell me yall are ok letting this go by the wayside, but The Perfect Autumn continues to get re-released- make it make sense please?

Garden Party

Now you guys know that I don't mess with florals very often and when/if I do, it must be a really good one. Well this was a good one, a damn good one. I would even go so far as to say it was one of the best. And the fact that this was a rose-based blend and I still really liked it speaks volumes. Alas it would be one of many Golden Era one hit wonders never to be seen again

Lavender Cacao

This was one of few Test Labs I actually liked and liked enough to stock up, especially since so many of those candles would never come back as they were really unique and out-there blends.  Also (and I say this all the time), why isn't this an Easter candle - it would be PERFECT!

Lavender Marshmallow

Oh boy, did this candle cause quite the scandal. When the original Sweet Shop collection was testing, everybody (myself included) was going nuts over this and praying to the candle gods for a nationwide release....which fell on deaf ears as it failed. People lost their proverbial shit- folks were driving across state lines to get to test stores, buying them at exorbitant prices on Ebay, writing angry email after email demanding why it didn't go wide. Several years later, the whole collection (including Lavender Marshmallow) was released for SAS and then it was released again in another Sweet Shop-esque collection. Us ol schoolers were excited beyond belief whilst newbies were dumbfounded not know what all the buzz was about.

Peach Cilantro Twist & Nectarine Green Tea

I'm lumping these 2 together as they were in the same collection. These 2 will have a little special place in my heart as they were the first test scents I ever sniffed and bought in an actual test store...months before it stopped being one. PCT was exciting as it was repackage of a ol school scent that I never tried before and NGT was a)total newness that was actually good and b)the first green tea scent since the ancient and long forgotten Green Tea & White Pear of the Before Times. Both scents were so good..why oh why didnt I stock up; I had I known then what I know now, I would have bought as many test candles as I possibly and realistically could.

Peppered Plum

Again...another scent that was too upscale for BBW to market for the Basic Bs of America. Dark, lush, sensual, sophisticated, high end - I can't gush enough about this scent. Shame on BBW for catering to the basics and letting this gem go in the process.

Prickly Pear Sugarcane

As you know, BBW is not the most culturally sensitive institution. Case in point, back when they were obsessed "international vacation" themed collections in the spring, they created a Mexican-ish themed collection (which I unaffectionally called the Taco Bell collection) In this collection, PPS was testing and it was exciting as it was a new scent based on a fragrance note we never saw before. Of course it failed. I had to get my hands on one; I managed to snag one of the black market eventually buying another as I just couldn't help burning the first. Once again, everyone once in awhile BBW creates newness that's actually good and they let it go in favor of basic crap.

Pumpkin Carving

The proverbial perpetual red-headed stepchild. For the life of me, I will never understand BBW's indifference to this damn scent and their never-ending insistence of perpetually pushing Shit Cinnamon Poopkin in our faces at ever given moment.

Snow Day

Man, sometimes you don't appreciate what you have and you truly don't know what you have til it's gone. I did really like SD but I did think it was a bit on the simplistic and basic side. I bought 2 and kept it moving with the optimistic notion that because it was popular that it would return, perhaps become a holiday staple. NOPE, not so much. It's been 7-8 years and BBW still refuses to bring this back.

Spring

It's so random and often bizarre how scents that were once seasonal staples in the Golden Era just start dropping like flies in for badic crap. Spring was my jam; it really smelled like..well...Spring - more so than any other spring scent. Then it just disappeared never to be seen again. It's odd because in recent years, BBW has become OBSESSED with spring, with spring creeping earlier and earlier in December pre-Christmas; it would be the perfect time to bring it back but theyd rather similar smelling new but not good blends *cough cough The Perfect Spring

Summertime Soda

I blame Touchthefiretwice, he had everyone's mouth watering for this candle when it was testing. Of course (say it with me) it failed. I somehow managed to snag 4oz of it and silly naive little me burned it down with reckless abandon. It thought for sure it would come back...and it did, 5 long years later. Needless to say I stocked up, making up for lost time.

Tailgate

So I am a stereotypical introvert in the sense that I HATE LOATHE DESPISE talking on the phone and put it completely off if I can. So back when you could actually call test stores to place an order for test candles, I avoided it despite the aspect of finally getting my hands on test candles. When Tailgate came out, I had to get it introversion and anxiety be damned. So during a 2for20 sale (sigh, those were the days), I ordered one Tailgate and foolishly one Applewood Bonfire which wad such a disappointment. Why oh why did I buy 2 Tailgates. Then a couple of years later Tailgate returned and was going wide; I was soooo excited....only to find it wasn't the same but a repackage of a totally different scent. CURSE YOU BBW!!!!

Winter Mint & Spruce

I thought for sure this was not gonna go wide. A pine scent with herbal notes, especially lavender...aint gonna happen cap'n! My gurl @theshow78 hooked me up with one I loved it. Perhaps that was a jinx that needed to happen as sure enough, it went wide. And of course, we havent seen it since. Thankfully I bought enough to tide me over; in fact I was burning one as I wrote this post!

And now...

Honorable Mentions - Autumn Night, Beach Day, Bloom/First Bloom, Cherry Blossom Sangria, Citrus & Spice, Coastal Sun, Espresso Bar, Fleur de Provence, Frankincense, Grapefruit Gin Fizz, Key Lime Pie, Lemon Cucumber LUCK, Oakmoss & Vetiver, Orange Chocolate Truffle, Peppermint Rosemary, Pink Petal Tea Cake, Porchside Pumpkin, Provence Garden, Pumpkin Clove, Smoked Birch, Sparkling Waves, Spiced Pumpkin Cider, Strawberry Rhubarb Marmalade, Summer Bonfire, The Perfect Christmas, Vanilla Sage, White Winter Woods

And finally...

Bronzeblogger's Favorite New Scents of 2020 - Lemon Lavender Shortbread, Salted Caramel Chocolate, Pumpkin Bonfire and Peppermint Sugar Cookie