(Also, I apologize for the awful quality of this month’s photos – I’m still trying to determine where the best place is to take pictures in our new space!)

This month I burned 4 Candles & 2 Wax Melts!

As far as October goes, this has been the least exciting fragrance-wise in years. I won’t let that discourage me next month though and hope to revive my melting game before the year is over! What was your favorite fragrance of the month? Share in the comments below!

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

Pumpkin Pie (1-wick, x2) – A true to life pumpkin scent with the addition of a delicious buttery crust! These tester candles were hands down the strongest I’ve ever had, especially when finished on the melter. BBW needs to bring this back next year!
Pumpkin Pecan Waffles (3-wick) – Like usual, this was incredibly strong and threw all the way to the second floor of my house. It smells like a sweet cereal and I tended only to burn it in the morning until it got puny wicks and had to be put on the melter.
Sweater Weather (3-wick) – A Bath & Body Works classic that smells like a crisp fall day and perfect for the cooler weather. This threw around a 7, was very enjoyable, and I will definitely be picking it up again next year!
Creamy Nutmeg (3-wick) – True to it’s name this is a heavy nutmeg fragrance with a hint of cream, yet it was pretty light while burning. However, once I transferred it to the melter it threw wonderfully and the scent appeal actually improved as well. Not a favorite for me and if they ever brought it back I probably wouldn’t pick it up again.
Rustic Harvest (1-wick) – A repackage of Woodwick’s Autumn Glow from 2012 and it’s just as amazing as I remember it being! It truly smells like the epitome of fall; caramel, apples, and sugared pecans. It threw wonderfully and I would forever repurchase if this is brought back!

Autumn Leaves – A fresh Fall fragrance with undertones of apple and cinnamon that I adored last year and only just liked this year. This melt was super strong though and last well over 12 hours!
Hedwig – This was very heavy on the chai spices on cold, especially the clove. However, it transformed into the most beautiful spiced cheesecake fragrance when melting. There isn’t any crust note but it’s packed with creaminess. It’s an absolutely beautiful blend that I wasn’t expecting and will try to buy more when it’s available!
Praline Spice – On cold, this was a very spicy fragrance that I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy. Upon melting it lost all of it’s spice and ended up smelling like a salted caramel scent which I am not a fan of at all. If you are one that enjoys salted caramel though, I suggest picking this up.
Cranberry Cookie Crumble – A deliciously sweet cranberry fragrance with the perfect amount of bakery added in. A definite favorite that Wal-Mart should seriously bring back!
Cranberry Oatmeal Cookie – Another delicious cranberry fragrance that is a little less sweet than the cookie crumble version but still equally amazing.

Creamy Nutmeg (wallflower, x2) – The name really does perfectly explain this fragrance! While this was a pleasant aroma, these wallflowers weren’t strong at all. You got whiffs when walking by but that was about it.
Give Thanks (hand soap) – I am seriously kicking myself for not hoarding this back in 2016 because this is BBW’s Pumpkin Pie candle in soap form! Not only does it smell incredible but the scent really lingered!
Marshmallow Pumpkin Latte (hand soap) – A decent enough vanilla soap with a subtle hint of spice for the fall months, but nothing I’d go out of my way to purchase in the future.
Cozy Sunday Morning (body lotion) – My all-time favorite body care fragrance from Bath & Body Works! I’ve tried savoring this lotion for years but am SO thankful to have purchased some backups on eBay last year!

November may have been a bit crazy, but the transitional scents were quite enjoyable! My favorite fragrance of the entire month was hands down Hedwig from Super Tarts! I’m really looking forward to begin burning more festive scents now and hope to get through a decent part of my stash!

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

The post November 2017 Candle Empties appeared first on Melting With Michelle.

CANDLES

• Sweater Weather – “Fresh Sage, Juniper Berry, Aromatic Eucalyptus, Fresh Woods”
• Pumpkin Pecan Waffles – “Maple Syrup, Golden Waffles, Pumpkin Spice, Brown Sugar”
• Chestnut & Clove – “Warm Roasted Chestnuts, Fresh Ground Clove, Forest Pine Needles, Cedarwood”
• Rustic Harvest – “Creamy toffee, maple and raisins with subtle hints of rum”
• Creamy Nutmeg – “Grated Nutmeg, Cinnamon Stick, Sugared Almonds, Creamy Vanilla”

WAX MELTS

• Autumn Leaves – “A vibrant medley of birch and maple leaves with pomegranate, juniper berry and orange blossom.”
• Hedwig – “Chai Tea, Creamy Cheesecake, and Clove”
• Praline Spice – “Cinnamon Bark & Vanilla Cream”
• Cranberry Oatmeal Cookie – “Sweet cranberry, cinnamon sugar, caramel swirl and buttered pecan into the heart of a sugar cookie.”
• Cranberry Cookie Crumble – “Ceamy oatmeal, fresh juicy red currant berries, butterscotch, farm-fresh milk notes, nutty almond and rich vanilla.”

Aside from the prominent juniper and cloves scents this month, I always associate cranberry with November because of Thanksgiving. I can’t believe the holidays are almost here – the wedding craziness certainly made this year fly by. I’m excited to get started though and am lighting Sweater Weather up right now!

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

The post Burn List – November 2017 appeared first on Melting With Michelle.

Pumpkin Cupcake (1-wick, x2) – A delectable fall “favorite” that we all know smells like a spiced vanilla cupcake. These have been the strongest tester candles I’ve had so far throwing around a 5 and burning very evenly!
Pumpkin Spiced Cheesecake (3-wick) – This 2016 version of PSC was on the lighter side and had major burn issues. The candle corrected itself but performed much better on the melter.

Spiced Cupcakes – A dupe for BBW’s Pumpkin Cupcake but much heavier on the spice note. It was nice to melt alongside the candles, but nothing I’d purchase again.
Pumpkin Butter Cookies – On cold this pretty much smelled like a spiced cookie with hints of ginger. However, when melting a strong bakery cinnamon note was prominent that I didn’t really care for.
Spiced Pumpkin Swirl – There was very little sweetness to this scent essentially making it a straight up pumpkin bread fragrance, and I adored it. When melting, a salty note seemed to come out and it was really enjoyable. The only problem with AmbiEscents is that the wax doesn’t last very long on the melter.
Moonlit Magic Pumpkin (x2) – At first sniff, you may think this is just another cologne scent. However, when melting, a gorgeous & true pumpkin bread note comes out. It is absolutely incredible and this is coming from someone who doesn’t enjoy cologne fragrances. I highly recommend picking this up and myself have already stocked up!
Perfect Pumpkin Ale – I did not enjoy this as much as I did back in 2016. It definitely smells straight up like a pumpkin beer, but the ale note is much more prominent. Beer drinkers would probably love this but I am no longer a fan.
Pumpkin Patch Maze – This is such an authentic pumpkin fragrance with a hint of earthiness yet still some creaminess. I found that melting it by itself was a bit overwhelming, but mixed with Vanilla Cookie Crunch it was divine. I have already stocked up for next year!

Boardwalk Vanilla Cone (hand sanitizer) – This smells identical to the hand soap; delicious, buttery, and sweet! It really is the perfect scent to use all year round. I really hope BBW brings this back next Summer so I can stock up on more!
Pumpkin Cupcake (wallflower) – I was able to get whiffs of this during the first couple weeks, but it really wasn’t that strong. I probably won’t be picking anything else in the fragrance up again going forward unless it’s on a crazy good deal.
Pumpkin Spiced Cheesecake (wallflower) – There is a reason I got a ton of these wallflowers for 75% off during a past SAS – it’s very odd when plugged in. It’s not a bad fragrance, I just don’t expect to get a white chocolate note from it. This faded out over the first couple of weeks too.
Pumpkin Pie (wallflower) – This was a wonderful pumpkin background fragrance that I got whiffs of all month. I wish it was a bit stronger but would hands down repurchase if BBW brought it back again.
Golden Autumn Day (hand soap) – A fragrance that’s very reminiscent of crisp fall air; there is definitely more of a citrus note in this but overall pleasant.
Pumpkin Apple Cider (body lotion) – An incredible apple fragrance that smells like an authentic cider when applied and a pie when dried. It lingers and is worth the eBay purchase as it’s a retired scent.
Salted Caramel Pumpkin (body lotion) – Before applying, this is identical to the beloved Summer Marshmallow from 2016. Yet, when applying there is a spice note that becomes more prominent as it dries.

While it wasn’t the best burning month, it was definitely a great October otherwise. I may not have gotten through my entire burn list but I still enjoyed a plethora of pumpkin fragrances. I’m looking forward to relaxing a bit more as it gets cooler in November and digging in to some of my transitional scents soon!

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

The post October 2017 Candle Empties appeared first on Melting With Michelle.

My husband and I are currently enjoying the last couple days of our honeymoon and we should be getting home just in time to celebrate Halloween. To get in the spirit, I figured I’d share some of my decorations (that I’m currently missing here in Florida) and our traditions that we’ll hopefully be able to still enjoy in the midst of our crazy schedules!

Being the first year in our new home, we haven’t fully furnished the space and just decorated where we could. Using little knick-knacks and pumpkins that I’ve collected over the years, I tend to put together little vignettes as feature pieces. I’m also a huge fan of decorating with candles (obviously) and am obsessed with the dreadful drips from Yankee Candle; such a creepy addition to your decor! Finally, I enjoy sprinkling little statement pieces around the house like the towels seen above.

We’ve unfortunately never lived in a community that has any trick-or-treaters, so we’ve had to make some of our own traditions. Usually the weekend leading up to the holiday, we put on our favorite Halloween movies, have a marathon, and carve pumpkins in front of the TV. It’s so simple yet we look forward to it during the entire month of October.

I’m excited to expand our Halloween traditions in years to come so we have something in place to share with our future kids when the time arrives. I know when I was a child, I always looked forward to my mom getting out her decorations and feeling the spooky vibes in the weeks leading up to the big day!

What are some of your Halloween traditions? Share in the comments!

The post Fall Fun Series | Halloween Vibes appeared first on Melting With Michelle.

I’ve gone through many phases of pumpkin candles; my original favorite was Pumpkin Cupcake which is just a vanilla scent with a hint of spice. As I’ve refined my palette and discovered what true pumpkin smells like, the only fragrance that I can appreciate now is Pumpkin Pie from Bath & Body Works. You get a realistic pumpkin note, mellow spices, and a pie crust. It’s divine and BBW is crazy for not brining it back this year!

While most people love the PSL, my pumpkin drink of choice is Maine Root’s delicious Pumpkin Pie Soda. You may think this is strange, but let me assure you, if you enjoy pumpkin pie you will love this. Upon first sip you get an authentic pumpkin flavor and then after a moment you get the pie spices; it’s delicious. I discovered this soda six years ago and now fall officially begins for me once it’s back in stock at Whole Foods.

If you asked me five years ago what my favorite pumpkin items were, I would have given you a list longer than my wedding vows. I still enjoy pumpkin things, but only when they’re done right. I predict in the next several years, pumpkin spice everything will begin going out of style – Bath & Body works is proving that this by not even doing a pumpkin collection for the first time in over six years!

What are your favorite pumpkin items? Share in the comments!

The post Fall Fun Series | Plethora of Pumpkin appeared first on Melting With Michelle.

I am not one for seriously frightening movies. Come to think of it, my favorite Halloween films are all made for kids. I really enjoy the spooky vibes of The Little Vampire and the magical feel of the first 3 Harry Potter movies. However, Halloweentown and Hocus Pocus are my absolute favorite holiday movies. Like most people, I could watch Hocus Pocus all month long without getting sick of it. Have you heard Freeform is going to have it playing ALL DAY on October 31st?!

When it comes to TV shows, I tend to really enjoy the specially made Halloween specials of all my favorites. Grey’s Anatomy and Pretty Little Liars are just a couple that had really well done episodes. Otherwise, the only spooky series I watch is Ghost Adventures because I find it absolutely fascinating, even if I have to watch it in the daytime.

In terms of books, my mind immediately goes to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone & Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. I first read both of these books in late September/early October, so I’ll always correlate them to this time of year. Two other extremely atmospheric books that I highly recommend are The Raven Boys and The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding.

Just like I am a seasonal burner, I am also a seasonal reader. Considering I am getting married and going on my honeymoon in the next few weeks, I have a pretty decent sized TBR for the month. Spooky books that I’m hoping to read before Halloween are The Merciless, Our Dark Duet, Through the Woods, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, and The Wood.

No matter what form of entertainment I am enjoying during the Halloween season, I always like to have some sort of pumpkin candle burning. Pumpkin Spiced Cheesecake especially makes me nostalgic for the Harry Potter series in both it’s forms. I’m definitely excited to check off some of these spooky books from my TBR and re-watch my favorite movies this month as I finish getting everything ready for my wedding!

What are your favorite Halloween movies & books? Share in the comments!

The post Fall Fun Series | Let’s Get Spooky appeared first on Melting With Michelle.

CANDLES

• Pumpkin Cupcake – “Whipped Buttercream, Madagascar Vanilla, Pumpkin Spice, Freshly Baked Cupcake”
• Pumpkin Spiced Cheesecake – “Spiced Pumpkin, Graham Cracker Crust, Whipped Cream Cheese”
• Pumpkin Pie – “Creamy Pumpkin, Vanilla Creme, Fresh Ground Nutmeg, Graham Cracker Crust”

WAX MELTS

• Pumpkin Butter Cookies – “A delectable harvest pumpkin medley interwoven with spicy nutmeg, powdered cinnamon and pure vanilla cream cookie dough sweetened with a sprinkle of rich brown sugar”
• Spiced Cupcakes – “Fresh from-the-oven cake spiced with sugared cinnamon, crushed clove, and bright ginger topped with cream cheese frosting and candied orange zest”
• Spiced Pumpkin Swirl – “Bring the comforting aroma of autumn spices to your home”
• Perfect Pumpkin Ale – A blend of fresh pumpkin and effervescent ale with a hint of fall spices
• Pumpkin Patch Maze – “Fresh harvest pumpkin gently lifted by the woody aroma of turning leaves and woodland bark infused with the earthy evergreen scent of pinecones”
• Moonlit Magic Pumpkin –  “Brilliant bergamot spun with moonlit woods and luminous greens float above clove spiced pumpkin fruit, floriental pumpkin flower, hints of incense and rich wood smoked embers”

Even though I’ll only be around two weeks out of the entire month, I think this is still a reasonable burn list. I’m seriously thinking of bringing wax on our honeymoon just in case the hotel room smells weird. Does anyone else do this? Hopefully I’m not the only wax crazed person out there!

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

The post Burn List – October 2017 appeared first on Melting With Michelle.

As the temperature drops I always seem to gravitate towards the same items which I consider to be my fall staples. First, we of course have cozy sweaters and flannels in every warm color you can imagine. Then we have riding boots in multiple colors to compliment any outfit and to keep your legs toasty. We also can’t forget accessories such as scarves and fuzzy socks to finish off any look!

Now that you’ve seen some of my personal fashion favorites, it’s time to give you a quick glimpse of some of my OOTD’s using these pieces. I usually dress up my sweaters with a chunky necklace and some sort of booties to go for that casual chic look. If it’s really cold outside, usually in the morning, it’s always great to have a go-to jacket. My hunter green one is the perfect weight for fall and has the cutest gold accents. My personal style is definitely more about comfort though which is pretty obvious by my last outfit. I am sort of a graphic tee hoarder and love pairing them with cute plaids!

While I have many reasons to adore Autumn, the comfy clothing makes it even more special. There’s nothing better than putting an extra-large sweater on, lighting a candle, and cuddling up with a book. I may not be the most fashionable but I like to think I have a decent style, even if it is super casual!

What is your favorite item to wear in the fall? Share in the comments!

The post Fall Fun Series | Sweater Weather appeared first on Melting With Michelle.

Let’s start out with my Fall wax stash. All together I have 47 clamshells ready to be melted. Granted 16 of those wax melts are Scenty’s Apple S’mores but that is due to them discontinuing the fragrance. Aside from those, would you believe I only had about 12 other Autumnal wax melts prior to this August? When Wal-Mart releases their new collections I tend to go a little crazy.

Moving on to the entirety of my Bath & Body Works collection, I only have 8 mini candles tucked away. I’ll probably try to burn these versions of Pumpkin Pie before moving on to my 3-wicks since it did not return this year. On the other hand I’ll probably never burn Spiced Pumpkin Cider from 2013. I really wish BBW still carried these miniature guys alongside all their scents rather than just the Halloween line.

Next up, I have 9 tester candles from Bath & Body Works. These are the medium jars that you sniff when deciding on which wallflowers to pick up. You normally can’t purchase these until SAS and even then it’s hit or miss. If you are able to get your hands on these, sometimes they’ll throw even better than a 3-wick while other times they’re practically unscented. I typically just use these to amp up whatever else I’m burning.

Now, what you’ve all been waiting for – the entirety of my fall large jar collection! All together I (only) have 20, 3-wick candles from Bath & Body Works. Out of these 20 candles, there are only 9 individual fragrances. It comes down to me knowing exactly what I like, being a seasonal burner, and certain candles bringing me nostalgia. Not only that, but several of these candles seem to return almost every year so I don’t necessarily hoard them. Except Cider Lane, obviously. Traditionally I burn apple fragrances in September, pumpkin in October, and November tends to be a transitional month.

Judging by my entire candle & wax collection, it’s pretty obvious Autumn is my favorite time of the year. I know exactly what I want to burn at every point in the season and look forward to it the rest of the year. While some might see this as excessive, I see this as a practical hobby. It’s also pretty great when someone enters my home and the first thing they say to me is that “it smells so good in here!” Happy fall everyone and enjoy it while it lasts!

How many fall candles do you have? Share in the comments!

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