WALK 'N' SNIFF: Fall 2019 Scents ~ Fall Preview Part 2 (Botanimals)
Part 2 of my Fall Preview WALK N SNIFF will be focusing on the "Botanimals" collection, also known affectionately as the "critters" collections.
So let's just get to the obvious - the packaging of this collection is cute, like ridiculously cute; like something out of a Beatrix Potter children's book. But cuteness aside, what is the point of this collection? What is the overall theme, what is the picture this collection trying to convey? What do the scents in this collection have to do with one another?
I can write a whole essay/dissertation about how random the scents are in this collection and what other scents would've made more sense but that's not why you're here. That being said, let's get on with the review.
Autumn - Autumn is a classic that's been around for years and continues to stand the test of time..which is why I'm not sure why it's in this collection as opposed to the Fall Traditions collection with the rest of the ol school classics but whatevs. I've always said that Autumn reminds me of walking through an apple orchard on a crisp fall morning. You get an immediate predominant apple note, not fake and artificial; not a Jolly Rancher apple but real juicy crisp red and green apple picked right off of the tree. It seems to me that this version of Autumn in this collection seems even heavier on the apple; like most of the tweaked returning classics, I don't know if that was deliberate or a mistake. There are other fruit notes in Autumn - there's pomegranate that adds to the tartness o the apple and there's also figs that adds a creaminess and well as an earthiness. Lastly you get some piney notes - fir balsam and cedar; those notes bring the blend down as well as gives a feel of the outdoors and adds a coolness. All those notes combined paints an image of apple trees, dew studded fallen leaves, foggy cool mornings and crisp afternoons; truly early fall/September in a jar. And while Autumn isn't exactly one of my favorites (the candle sets off my sinuses), I love that it captures the feel of...autumn..without any use of pumpkin or cider or cinnamon
Pumpkin Apple - I've never really understood the popularity of this candle. Combining pumpkin and apple isn't a novel idea as most candle companies have this blend in their autumn arsenal. With all of the apple-cinnamon and pumpkin spice candles readily available (especially around the time this candle first came out back 2013), I didn't think this candle was particularly necessary but folks seemed to really enjoy it. So every year I sniff it just to see if maybe I'm missing something...I'm not. To me, PA smells really waxy - like a scented crayon. The main note you get is red apples. Pumpkin...that's debatable. I mean, there is a hint of something earthy like actual pumpkins/gourds but it could just be that sneaky power of suggestion. Then you get the typical innocuous blend of autumn spices - a bit of cinnamon, maybe a tiny dash of nutmeg but mainly a handful of clove. Overall, is PA warm and cozy? Yes. Is it autumnal? Yes Is it a bit boring? Yes.
Flannel - for a non-bakery cologne scent with no pumpkin or cider or cinnamon, Flannel is surprisingly popular. When it first came out back in 2013, I thought for sure Flannel was gonna be one and done; conceptual scents, especially cologney ones, tend not to last very long. However Flannel has became a staple and a fan fav year after year. Now obviously Flannel isn't supposed to smell like actual flannel but rather (I think) the man underneath the flannel. Flannel has always mande think of lumberjacks and Paul Bunyan etc...which is why I think the blend smells more woodsy and manly as opposed to warm cotton-y/cashmere-y. So the main note you get is a smooth, polished, slightly sweet mahogany note. I don't think that's the only wood note in this blend - maybe some sandalwood, some oak, maybe a little bit of blond woods/cashmere (that actually might be what the "musk" in the description is). Then you get the bergamot which isn't as acrid as it tends to be but it does (as per usual with BBW candles) adds to the cologney-ness. And they've never mentioned, explained or addressed it, but there's an odd sweet sap/resin note (which gets a bit sweeter every year), which goes back to my lumberjack reference - it's like a man back home from a day of chopping wood and there's wood chips, tree sap and man sweat on his flannel shirt. Now normally, I love a good mandle and I did try this one when it first came out but it messed with my sinuses so I haven't tried it since; one day I might give it a 2nd chance. At any rate, if you enjoy conceptual mandles, then this bud's for you.
Autumn Woods - another cologney scent that became a surprise hit. Much like with the aforementioned Flannel, I truly thought this would be a quickly forgotten one hit wonder but it has been returning consistently since its debut. And, much like Flannel, seems to be quite popular with the ladies more so than men. As with most cologney/conceptual scents, the blend is more complex than what the note description suggests. It's a wood based scent; the notes mention walnut...mmm, possibly. It's smooth, a little sweet and has a slight tinge of nuttiness, more natural than gourmand. I would venture to guess that there are more wood notes involved - some mahogany perhaps or maybe hickory. There's a small hint of something citrus; the notes don't mention anything citrusy and I don't really know what it could actually be...although it could just walnut leaf essential oil which has a bit of spicy-citrusy vibe to it. And then there's the lavender, not too herbal, not too astringent and sorta gives the blend a softness which lightens and sweetens the wood notes. It's a nice enough scent but it doesn't really scream "fall" to me.
And now, the new scents...
Coconut Macaroon (9162M8V1E) - so first, let's address the fact that "macaROONS" and "macaRONS" are TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. Macaroons/coconut macaroons are basically baked glops of shredded coconut whereas a macaron is a cookie (made from almond flour) sandwich with some kind of either frosting or jelly/jam filling. Now that that is out of the way, let's talk about the candle. So many of us, myself included, assumed it would be a repackage of the very odd Coconut Pumpkin..which I always said should've been renamed "Coconut Macaroon". It's not..although the 2 scents are quite similar, they are not the same. It is also not Toasted Coconut/Toffee Brittle. Plot twist, it's actually (as far as I know) a new scent. You definitely get an authentic sweet toasted shredded coconut note..which I LOATHE coconut scents, especially bakery/gourmand coconut scents HOWEVER this is probably the best and most truest interpretation of a bakery coconut note I've ever ever sniffed at BBW. There some vanilla action that adds some bakery sweetness. The notes mention a "touch of spice"... the only spice I get is ginger. To me it smells less like a coconut macaroon and more like a ginger cookie or gingersnap with shredded coconut. It's nice, not nearly as gross as I thought it would be but I just don't get a fall vibe from this at all.
Cinnamon Irish Cream (9171M8S1B) - this one has been getting quite a bit of hype on social media and, as is always the case, I don't know why. I sniffed this one twice in 2 different stores ready to be blown away, drowned in a sea of creamy, cinnamony, boozy goodness... it didn't happen. As always with overhyped candles, I felt let down and disappointed. So much like Coconut Macaroon, CIC is not a repackage of anything and is actual newness however there are there are 2 scents that this reminds me off. The first one is Butterrum Eggnog, which you all know what that one smells like. The second is a long forgotten former Christmas staple called Cinnamon Frosting, which was basically vanilla buttercream frosting spicy red hot cinnamon. If the 2 of those had a baby, it would CIC. So you get a creamy milky frothy vanilla accented with cinnamon that's somewhere between redhot cinnamon and cinnamon sugar. It kinda has a Kitchen Spice, Nutmeg & Spice, Butterum Eggnog vibe to it. And there is a definite booziness that gives the illusion of Irish Cream. Yeah, that's it; there's really not much else to say. As with Coconut Macaroon, it's very nice to see some newness and while both scents are nice in their own way, they aren't great. Both new scents feel kinda flat and missing something. And this seems to be a theme with some scents in the collection, it doesn't feel autumnal/fall-ish. CIC should've come out in the winter in a winter cabin themed collection or around St Patrick's Day. I dunno why BBW feel the need to release CIC (and CM for that matter) now and in this particular collection.
Here's PART 1 of the Fall Preview WALK N SNIFF
So let's just get to the obvious - the packaging of this collection is cute, like ridiculously cute; like something out of a Beatrix Potter children's book. But cuteness aside, what is the point of this collection? What is the overall theme, what is the picture this collection trying to convey? What do the scents in this collection have to do with one another?
I can write a whole essay/dissertation about how random the scents are in this collection and what other scents would've made more sense but that's not why you're here. That being said, let's get on with the review.
Pumpkin Apple - I've never really understood the popularity of this candle. Combining pumpkin and apple isn't a novel idea as most candle companies have this blend in their autumn arsenal. With all of the apple-cinnamon and pumpkin spice candles readily available (especially around the time this candle first came out back 2013), I didn't think this candle was particularly necessary but folks seemed to really enjoy it. So every year I sniff it just to see if maybe I'm missing something...I'm not. To me, PA smells really waxy - like a scented crayon. The main note you get is red apples. Pumpkin...that's debatable. I mean, there is a hint of something earthy like actual pumpkins/gourds but it could just be that sneaky power of suggestion. Then you get the typical innocuous blend of autumn spices - a bit of cinnamon, maybe a tiny dash of nutmeg but mainly a handful of clove. Overall, is PA warm and cozy? Yes. Is it autumnal? Yes Is it a bit boring? Yes.
Flannel - for a non-bakery cologne scent with no pumpkin or cider or cinnamon, Flannel is surprisingly popular. When it first came out back in 2013, I thought for sure Flannel was gonna be one and done; conceptual scents, especially cologney ones, tend not to last very long. However Flannel has became a staple and a fan fav year after year. Now obviously Flannel isn't supposed to smell like actual flannel but rather (I think) the man underneath the flannel. Flannel has always mande think of lumberjacks and Paul Bunyan etc...which is why I think the blend smells more woodsy and manly as opposed to warm cotton-y/cashmere-y. So the main note you get is a smooth, polished, slightly sweet mahogany note. I don't think that's the only wood note in this blend - maybe some sandalwood, some oak, maybe a little bit of blond woods/cashmere (that actually might be what the "musk" in the description is). Then you get the bergamot which isn't as acrid as it tends to be but it does (as per usual with BBW candles) adds to the cologney-ness. And they've never mentioned, explained or addressed it, but there's an odd sweet sap/resin note (which gets a bit sweeter every year), which goes back to my lumberjack reference - it's like a man back home from a day of chopping wood and there's wood chips, tree sap and man sweat on his flannel shirt. Now normally, I love a good mandle and I did try this one when it first came out but it messed with my sinuses so I haven't tried it since; one day I might give it a 2nd chance. At any rate, if you enjoy conceptual mandles, then this bud's for you.
Autumn Woods - another cologney scent that became a surprise hit. Much like with the aforementioned Flannel, I truly thought this would be a quickly forgotten one hit wonder but it has been returning consistently since its debut. And, much like Flannel, seems to be quite popular with the ladies more so than men. As with most cologney/conceptual scents, the blend is more complex than what the note description suggests. It's a wood based scent; the notes mention walnut...mmm, possibly. It's smooth, a little sweet and has a slight tinge of nuttiness, more natural than gourmand. I would venture to guess that there are more wood notes involved - some mahogany perhaps or maybe hickory. There's a small hint of something citrus; the notes don't mention anything citrusy and I don't really know what it could actually be...although it could just walnut leaf essential oil which has a bit of spicy-citrusy vibe to it. And then there's the lavender, not too herbal, not too astringent and sorta gives the blend a softness which lightens and sweetens the wood notes. It's a nice enough scent but it doesn't really scream "fall" to me.
And now, the new scents...
Coconut Macaroon (9162M8V1E) - so first, let's address the fact that "macaROONS" and "macaRONS" are TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. Macaroons/coconut macaroons are basically baked glops of shredded coconut whereas a macaron is a cookie (made from almond flour) sandwich with some kind of either frosting or jelly/jam filling. Now that that is out of the way, let's talk about the candle. So many of us, myself included, assumed it would be a repackage of the very odd Coconut Pumpkin..which I always said should've been renamed "Coconut Macaroon". It's not..although the 2 scents are quite similar, they are not the same. It is also not Toasted Coconut/Toffee Brittle. Plot twist, it's actually (as far as I know) a new scent. You definitely get an authentic sweet toasted shredded coconut note..which I LOATHE coconut scents, especially bakery/gourmand coconut scents HOWEVER this is probably the best and most truest interpretation of a bakery coconut note I've ever ever sniffed at BBW. There some vanilla action that adds some bakery sweetness. The notes mention a "touch of spice"... the only spice I get is ginger. To me it smells less like a coconut macaroon and more like a ginger cookie or gingersnap with shredded coconut. It's nice, not nearly as gross as I thought it would be but I just don't get a fall vibe from this at all.
Cinnamon Irish Cream (9171M8S1B) - this one has been getting quite a bit of hype on social media and, as is always the case, I don't know why. I sniffed this one twice in 2 different stores ready to be blown away, drowned in a sea of creamy, cinnamony, boozy goodness... it didn't happen. As always with overhyped candles, I felt let down and disappointed. So much like Coconut Macaroon, CIC is not a repackage of anything and is actual newness however there are there are 2 scents that this reminds me off. The first one is Butterrum Eggnog, which you all know what that one smells like. The second is a long forgotten former Christmas staple called Cinnamon Frosting, which was basically vanilla buttercream frosting spicy red hot cinnamon. If the 2 of those had a baby, it would CIC. So you get a creamy milky frothy vanilla accented with cinnamon that's somewhere between redhot cinnamon and cinnamon sugar. It kinda has a Kitchen Spice, Nutmeg & Spice, Butterum Eggnog vibe to it. And there is a definite booziness that gives the illusion of Irish Cream. Yeah, that's it; there's really not much else to say. As with Coconut Macaroon, it's very nice to see some newness and while both scents are nice in their own way, they aren't great. Both new scents feel kinda flat and missing something. And this seems to be a theme with some scents in the collection, it doesn't feel autumnal/fall-ish. CIC should've come out in the winter in a winter cabin themed collection or around St Patrick's Day. I dunno why BBW feel the need to release CIC (and CM for that matter) now and in this particular collection.
Here's PART 1 of the Fall Preview WALK N SNIFF
It's probably just based on two things for me, one, the name and two, the fact that I had just been talking about it with family, but I swear that Cinnamon Irish Cream smells like Irish potatoes, like the candy that comes out around St. Patrick's Day.
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