CANDLE RETROSPECTIVE: Bronzeblogger's Best New Scents of 2018

Well, 2018 has certainly been interesting and I don't know about you but I for one am looking for to the oncoming new year. As per my tradition as a reviewer, I like to look back at the scents we saw throughout the year - we will never escape the constant onslaught of repackages and basic re-releases we did see a surprising number ol school scents from the vault as well as some newness..and that's what this post is about. So here is a list of my pics for the most nosegasmic newness from this year

10. Lavender Cacao

Talk about a beautiful blend! And it actually was new and not just Hot Cocoa & Cream mixed with French Lavender. The blend was just perfection - the chocolate wasn't too artificial or too savory (as BBW's chocolate scents tend to be) nor was the lavender too herbal and astringent. For me, Lavender Cacao was the star of the show; it is unfortunate that most folks didn't get to experience it as it (and this entire collection) wasn't available to a few WB store as I think most would've enjoy it.

Psst, BBW…make Lavender Cacao the official Easter candle!

9. Thai Coconut Basmati

One of the few coconut scents that I not only tolerate but actually like. And A for accuracy cuz it does smell like sweet coconut rice. The coconut wasn’t too overpowering or sweet or bodycare-ish, the rice wasn’t too savory and there was just a hint of floral that made it a nice scent for spring into summer. It proved both unique and popular enough to be repackaged/re-released in the Destinations collection as “Thailand” so hopefully that means we’ll see it again in the near future.

8. Watermelon Ice

A watermelon scent that ISN’T a repackage of Blah-termelon Lemonade..yes please! I am always here for anything melon and/or cucumber related. Such a perfectly crisp and refreshing scent for hot summer die. And luckily I didn’t get the dreaded peanut butter batch.

7. Cherry Snow Cone

While I was hoping for a Spiked Cherry Limesicle repackage, this one did end up pleasantly surprising me. It legit smelled like a snowcone with one half vanilla syrup and the other half cherry-lime. It’s one of the nostalgic scents that brought me back to my childhood summers.

6. Blueberry Maple Pancakes

Thank you BBW for not just repackaging Blueberry Pumpkin Patch and calling it a day. Although the 2 scents are similar there are enough differences to make it stand out as a new scent and just a repackage/repackage with a twist. And a deserving pat on the back for getting to like a scent with maple in it, which normally makes me sick to my stomach. And despite being an ardent and perpetual dislike of bakery scents, I’ve give props to any bakery scents that’s authentic.

5. Evening Hearth

Oh Evening Hearth you tricky bastard, confounding so many in the candle fandom with your mystery. The fact that you were a conceptual scent in a sea of bakery and gourmand was enough to catch and keep my attention. So warm and cozy and just perfect scent for mid to late autumn.

4. Blue Winter Sky

This admission on to my newness list is a bit tenuous as it really was a repackage with a twist of Beach Sage & Mint. However, the added notes made a such a lasting impression that it in my mind it was a wholly separate scent. Also BWS give me totally different vibe and mental picture than BS&M; it took me back to being in Japan and relaxing in an outdoor hot tub in the middle of winter, breathing in the cold sharp air as it snowed. Herbal scents are already high up on list of preferred blends but an herbal conceptual scent that paints a picture and brings back a memory always get high marks from me.

3.  Peppermint Brownie

This is another tenuous choice as it isn’t anything new; I fervently hold on to my humble opinion that it is indeed a repackage of the 2013 versionof Mint Chocolate which slightly different than any other incarnation.  

2. Orange Chocolate Truffle

Out of all of these scents, OCT was the biggest shock of them all. I was very much expecting to dislike it immensely but to much my surprise, I ended really loving it. And as I said in my review, I do not enjoy any chocolate orange confections, but this candle made me put my bias aside. Again, I am always here for any bakery/gourmand scent that smells authentic and legit.

1.Key Lime Pie

I was lucky to get my hands one recently and it still counts as a 2018 scent as the batch number starts with 8. I expected this to be repackage but BBW shocked us by actually giving us newness. As lover of anything lime-related, I had to grab one of these and I’m glad I did. In my opinion, KLP is not only the best scent in the Steet Shop Part 2 collection but the best one out of all of the upcoming spring candles.

Honorable mention goes to all of the throwback scents we’ve seen this year, mainly Pumpkin Patch, Summertime Soda, French Baguette and, of course, my bae Boathouse Row!

I want to wish all of my readers a very Happy New Year! Here’s hoping 2019 is a little better for us all and that BBW gives us even more fun surprises!