2018 Archives - Melting With Michelle

Fragrance Empties | December 2018

Michelle — Mon, 31 Dec 2018 08:00:02 +0000

Ah, December – the busiest time of the year. Between the Christmas shopping, present wrapping, rush project deadlines, and holiday travels I didn’t have much time to focus on my burning. As you can see above, that is all I was able to enjoy throughout this final month of the year. Nevertheless, let’s dive in to my thoughts.

Marshmallow Fireside

Bath & Body Works, 3-wick

Scent
10

Performance
8

Throw
8

Repurchase?
Yes

A classic fragrance that no matter the performance or throw I will always repurchase and burn.

Spiced Vanilla Embers

Wal-Mart, wax melt

Scent
8

Throw
5

Repurchase?
No

This is a knock-off version of Marshmallow fireside in every way possible and wasn’t at all impressive.

Merry Cookie

Bath & Body Works, hand soap

Scent
6

Performance
4

Repurchase?
No

If it wasn’t for a sale earlier in the season, I never would’ve picked this scent up. There is something about the fragrance that just doesn’t smell like an authentic cookie to me which isn’t enjoyable. Fairly happy that it didn’t linger after washing my hands.

Marshmallow Fireside

Bath & Body Works, wallflower

Scent
10

Throw
6

Repurchase?
Yes

Again, a favorite December scent of mine. Even though this version didn’t perform I’ll try it again next year.

White Mint Latte

Bath & Body Works, wallflower

Scent
8

Throw
6

Repurchase?
No

I adore this fragrance in candle form but wasn’t too fond of it like this. It wasn’t all that detectable in my small office area at any point in the month.

Peppermint Brownie

Bath & Body Works, wallflower

Scent
8

Throw
9

Repurchase?
No

I am SO confused by this fragrance. In this form it smelled like a bakery lavender combination. I didn’t mind it at all but wasn’t what I wanted at the time and didn’t match the scent description at all.

In 2018 I burned 46 Candles & 39 Wax Melts!

As we wrap up this year it’s sad to see that my melting has reduced 50% since 2016 yet my collection has hardly dwindled. With that being said, I think it’s time to take a break from this blog as its taken the enjoyment out of fragrances for me and made it into more of a chore. I do still plan to track my empties but on a simple spreadsheet. If you still want to keep up with what I’m burning, check it out HERE.

Hoping you all have a wonderful 2019!

The post Fragrance Empties | December 2018 appeared first on Melting With Michelle.

Fragrance Empties | August 2018

Michelle — Thu, 30 Aug 2018 08:00:32 +0000

August was a month of packing for us as we plan to move into our new house VERY soon! I was a little worried that I wouldn’t have too much time to focus on burning. However, I was pleasantly surprised with what I melted through!

Pumpkin Banana Muffin

Bath & Body Works, 3-wick

Scent
9

Performance
7

Throw
5

Repurchase?
No

A delectable fragrance that smelled identical to freshly baked muffins. It’s too bad this candle hardly threw at all, even when put on the melter

Berry Waffle Cone

Bath & Body Works, 3-wick

Scent
10

Performance
8

Throw
10

Repurchase?
Yes

One of the best bakery fragrances I’ve ever smelled – thank goodness BBW brought this back for 2018. If it weren’t for wicks randomly extinguishing themselves, this would have been a 10 star candle all-around!

Paradise Spice

Yankee Candle, 1-wick

Scent
7

Performance
2

Throw
3

Repurchase?
No

In true Yankee fashion, this hardly threw and took too long to fully pool – so it lived the majority of its life in the melter. It was a beautiful cinnamon & banana blend though!

White Chocolate Apple

Yankee Candle, 1-wick

Scent
8

Performance
5

Throw
3

Repurchase?
No

I’ve been burning through this candle for YEARS. Since its such a slow burner, I decided to just go ahead and put it in the melter where it lasted for weeks! It’s really comparable to BBW Summer Boardwalk which is why I wouldn’t bother repurchasing.

Summer Boardwalk

Bath & Body Works, 3-wick

Scent
10

Performance
7

Throw
8

Repurchase?
Yes

Summer Boardwalk is a classic transitional scent for me, but this version wasn’t the best performer.

Pumpkin Berry Tart

Better Homes & Gardens, wax melt

Scent
8

Throw
4

Repurchase?
No

On cold, this smelled identical to a fresh berry pie! When melting though, you really only detected the berry note when you could smell it at all.

Corpsman

Super Tarts, wax melt

Scent
10

Throw
8

Repurchase?
Yes

This still remains one of my favorite fragrances of all time! It’s truly a graham cracker scent that is the perfect blend of salty & sweet and really throws!

Pumpkin Cranberry Cider

Bath & Body Works, hand soap

Scent
6

Performance
4

Repurchase?
No

Honestly, I’ve been working on this soap since LAST SEPTEMBER! The fragrance is straight up cranberry with an undertone of cider which really isn’t my preferred notes.

Fresh Rain & Spearmint

Bath & Body Works, hand soap

Scent
7

Performance
8

Repurchase?
Yes

This was gifted to me on my wedding weekend last October and we’ve been slowly using it ever since. It’s a really nice fresh fragrance that lingered long after using it!

Pumpkin Berry Tart

Bath & Body Works, hand sanitizer

Scent
10

Performance
10

Repurchase?
Yes

Wow, this was incredible. A beautiful berry & bakery blend that I couldn’t get enough of. Really wishing I had more!

This month I burned 5 Candles & 2 Wax Melts!

Even though I didn’t necessarily discover any new fragrances in August, this was still a great transitional month for me! What was your favorite candle of the month? Share in the comments below!

The post Fragrance Empties | August 2018 appeared first on Melting With Michelle.

Fragrance Empties | July 2018

Michelle — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 08:00:28 +0000

Can this year just slow down please? July came and went in the blink of an eye and I hardly got to melt a majority of my favorite fragrances. Don’t get me wrong, I’m ecstatic that Fall is right around the corner, but I just haven’t been melting as much as I’d like to lately because of my busy schedule. Hopefully I’ll have a bit more burning time during my favorite upcoming melting season! Let’s take a look at July’s empties before we get any farther ahead of ourselves.

Funnel Cake

Bath & Body Works, 1-wick

Scent
9

Throw
7

Repurchase?
No

I didn’t even bother trying to burn this candle and put it straight in the melter where it fragranced the surrounding area beautifully.

Salted Oak Bonfire

Bath & Body Works, 3-wick

Scent
8

Performance
6

Throw
5

Repurchase?
No

This scent truly reminds me of being on the beach. It didn’t throw that great when burning so lived the majority of it’s life in the melter. There it performed amazing!

Banana Split Milkshake

Bath & Body Works, 3-wick

Scent
8

Performance
5

Throw
3

Repurchase?
No

On cold, this smelled EXACTLY like a chocolate dipped banana. It turned into a truly disappointing burn though and smelled like melted wax. Putting it in the melter really saved the fragrance though and scented my entire home.

Salted Pistachio Sorbet

Better Homes & Gardens, wax melt

Scent
8

Throw
7

Repurchase?
No

A beautiful pistachio blend that didn’t last for too long melting.

Bonfire Beach

Scentsy, wax melt

Scent
9

Throw
6

Repurchase?
Yes

This is an exact dupe of the former BBW hit Summer Bonfire. Think of Marshmallow Fireside with a different wood-note and hint of citrus. I don’t necessarily think this threw poorly because of the wax itself, but because of the circulation in my home.

Boardwalk Vanilla Cone

Bath & Body Works, hand soap

Scent
10

Performance
5

Repurchase?
Yes

One of the best fragrances that BBW has ever released and I will always repurchase no matter the performance. Think of vanilla ice cream inside a freshly baked waffle cone.

Boardwalk Vanilla Cone

Bath & Body Works, hand sanitizer

Scent
10

Performance
10

Repurchase?
Yes

Again, this scent is incredible and I will purchase it in every form.

Summertime Soda Pop

Bath & Body Works, wallflower

Scent
6

Throw
7

Repurchase?
No

A citrus fizzy fragrance that faintly lasted all month long but just wasn’t all that successful in wallflower form – it lost all it’s sweetness.

Funnel Cake

Bath & Body Works, wallflower

Scent
9

Throw
8

Repurchase?
No

This wallflower was consistently strong ALL month long – probably one of the best BBW has ever released.

This month I burned 3 Candles & 2 Wax Melts!

You may have noticed that the majority of my candles over the past few months have been put in the melter; I think this is a big discouragement to my burning frequency as of late. Maybe it’s just our current living space? I think I’ll start trying to experiment with different burn locations in August to help motivate me to get through more of my stash!

What was your favorite candle of the month? Share in the comments below!

The post Fragrance Empties | July 2018 appeared first on Melting With Michelle.

Fragrance Empties | January 2018

Michelle — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 08:00:42 +0000

January certainly was an interesting start to the year; when I wasn’t sick I was under an enormous amount of stress at work. Coming home every day and lighting up a cozy candle was one of the only things that kept me sane this month. I definitely was able to melt much more than I had in the last few months of 2017, which is great! I’m really trying to reduce my stash this year, and if this month’s empties is any indication, I don’t think I’ll have a problem doing so!

Winter

Bath & Body Works, 3-wick

Scent
10

Performance
3

Throw
5

Repurchase?
Yes

Awful version of one of my favorite scents from the very first burn.

Smoked Vanilla

Bath & Body Works, 1-wick

Scent
8

Performance
8

Throw
7

Repurchase?
Yes

A great smoky yet sweet fragrance that almost reminded me of freshly cooked bacon – definitely a kitchen scent!

Crunchy Pistachio Vanilla

Yankee Candle, 1-wick

Scent
8

Performance
7

Throw
5

Repurchase?
No

Lightly salted pistachios meets a baked cookie in this delicious scent – just wish it threw a little more!

Chestnut & Birch

Bath & Body Works, 1-wick

Scent
6

Performance
7

Throw
1

Repurchase?
No

Fans of Creamy Nutmeg would go crazy for this fragrance as it’s 75% that with an added woodsy note.

Fireside Comfort

Bath & Body Works, 3-wick

Scent
8

Performance
7

Throw
7

Repurchase?
Yes

A cozy fireside fragrance for the snowy month that was very reminiscent of 2016’s Smoked Vanilla.

Macaron Treats

Yankee Candle, 1-wick

Scent
7

Performance
9

Throw
2

Repurchase?
No

A light gourmand vanilla fragrance with perfume notes; wishing it smelled more like an actual macaron.

Firewood & Fir Balsam

Better Homes & Gardens, wax melt

Scent
8

Throw
8

Repurchase?
Yes

A great fragrance to melt along-side Winter as it’s very reminiscent of the fragrance with more of a fireside note.

Around the Campfire

Better Homes & Gardens, wax melt

Scent
9

Throw
10

Repurchase?
Yes

Contrary to popular belief, this is not Marshmallow Fireside but actually the perfect cozy cabin/fireside fragrance!

Vanilla Cookie Crunch

Better Homes & Gardens, value wax melt

Scent
10

Throw
10

Repurchase?
Yes

The absolute perfect vanilla bakery fragrance for mixing or by itself!

Crunchy Pistachio Vanilla

Yankee Candle, melt cup, x2

Scent
8

Throw
8

Repurchase?
Yes

The candle & wax smell identical, but this form actually throws! Also, try mixing this with Vanilla Cookie Crunch to amp up the bakery note.

Hagrid

Super Tarts, wax sample

Scent
2

Throw
8

Repurchase?
No

A minty shaving cream scent; happy to have tried it, but not my type of fragrance.

Carrot Cake

Goose Creek, wax melt

Scent
10

Throw
10

Repurchase?
Yes

This was absolute perfection; it truly smells like an authentic carrot cake.

Winter

Bath & Body Works, wallflower

Scent
10

Throw
2

Repurchase?
Yes

Unfortunately another awful version of one of my favorite scents.

Chestnut & Birch

Bath & Body Works, wallflower

Scent
6

Throw
3

Repurchase?
No

For some odd reason, when warmed this smelled identical to Creamy Nutmeg which was not at all what I wanted.

Summer Marshmallow

Bath & Body Works, body wash

Scent
9

Performance
4

Repurchase?
Yes

Winter

Bath & Body Works, hand soap

Scent
10

Performance
8

Repurchase?
Yes

Finally a version of Winter that actually performed! This was highly fragranced but didn’t linger as long as I would’ve liked.

This month I burned 6 Candles & 7 Wax Melts!

As you can see, I wasn’t just busy melting this month but also updating my empties format. I’m really hoping you like the new easy-to-read review format! The fragrances that were melted in January were certainly great overall, but my favorite hands down was Around the Campfire. I’m certainly done with these cozier scents and moving on to something much sweeter!

What did you burn in January? Share in the comments!

The post Fragrance Empties | January 2018 appeared first on Melting With Michelle.

Burn List | January 2018

Michelle — Mon, 01 Jan 2018 08:00:51 +0000

Happy New Year – I hope you all rang in 2018 with positive vibes! We’ve recently been experiencing single-digit weather in Rhode Island, leaving me wanting to burn cozier fragrances. Hopefully I’ll start off the new year by burning much more than I did during the last few months of 2017. Without further ado, here is my reasonable January 2018 burn list!

CANDLES

• Chestnut & Birch – “Roasted chestnut, caramel sea salt, birch bark”
• Crunchy Pistachio Vanilla – “A sweet, nutty treat of pistachio, almond and lots of rich vanilla”
• Fireside Comfort – “Rich vanilla, smoked leather, and cedar wood”
• Ski Lodge – “Smoky vanilla, deep green cypress, and rich agar wood”
• Smoked Vanilla – “Smoked tahitian vanilla, sandalwood, southern bourbon”
• Sunday Morning Pancakes – “A mouth-watering combination of warm fluffy pancakes and sweet maple syrup. It will leave your house smelling like a cozy bed-and-breakfast”
• Winter – “Pine needles, icy mandarin, and winter woods”

WAX MELTS

• Around the Campfire – “Caramelized marshmallows joins the scent of gently smoked hickory, birch and oak wood wrapped with ambered myrrh and olibanum”
• Crunchy Pistachio Vanilla – “A sweet, nutty treat of pistachio, almond and lots of rich vanilla”
• Firewood & Fir Balsam – “Smoky firewood and fir balsam with forest pine, warm eucalyptus, burning embers and white cedar”

One of my major goals this year is to decrease the amount of candles I have in my stash, so I’m going to really try sticking to this burn list. Hopefully I’ll be able to add a few other fragrances into the mix too!

What are you planning on burning this month? Share in the comments!

The post Burn List | January 2018 appeared first on Melting With Michelle.

Year In Candles | 2017

Michelle — Sun, 31 Dec 2017 08:00:14 +0000

Just like that, 2017 has come and gone. This year was full of both happy memories and many challenges. But through it all, I always had the wax community to turn to. This blog has remained a positive space where I can just be myself and that’s more than I could ever ask for. Before we completely say goodbye to the year, let’s take a quick look back at all the candles & wax I melted in 2017!

In 2017 I burned 55 Candles & 91 Wax Melts!

After having so many poor experiences in 2016 with new-to-me candle companies, I was only brave enough to try 2 “new” ones this year; Super Tarts & Sonoma. I’m happy to report that I would gladly purchase from both of them again! The majority of my melting though was with Bath & Body Works candles & Wal-Mart wax.

Favorite Scents of 2016

Chocolate Pistachio // Bath & Body Works
Umbridge // Super Tarts
Key Lime Pie // Sonoma
Berry Waffle Cone // Bath & Body Works
Corpsman // Super Tarts
Moonlit Magic Pumpkin // Better Homes & Garden

Aside from discovering a handful of new favorite fragrances this past year, I’m so happy to have also met several other lovely bloggers who totally get this crazy obsession of mine. My main wax-related goal for the new year is to melt through so much of my stash that I have less than 100 candles in storage. I’d also really like to be able to share the inventory website that my husband and I created too, but that needs a little more work! Enjoy the remainder of your 2017 and have a happy new year!

How many candles did you burn this year & what are your melting goals for 2018? Share in the comments!

The post Year In Candles | 2017 appeared first on Melting With Michelle.