This month I burned 4 Candles & 2 Wax Melts!

As much as I’d like for things to slow down so I can start to enjoy this portion of my life a bit more again, I know July will be just as busy. I can’t wait to share with you some of the crazy changes that have been going on so you can all understand why burning as been put on the back burner lately!

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This month I burned 3 Candles & 2 Wax Melts!

My only stand-out fragrance of April was Iced Lemon Poundcake and I might very well continue enjoying it into the next month too. Please cross your fingers for me that allergies won’t completely take over my life this upcoming May so I’m able to enjoy more of my collection!

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

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This month I burned 5 Candles & 3 Wax Melts!

My favorite scent of March was hands-down Raspberry Peach Macaron. I was so happy to be able to enjoy it again and loved every second of it. As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, nothing in the wax-world is really captivating me this year so far so don’t be surprised if I seem to go MIA. I’m just dedicating my time to other areas of my life and hope to get through a lot of products I already own without getting caught up in the constant buying cycle.

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

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CANDLES

• Champagne Toast – “Glittering champagne, wild berries, tangerine zest”
• Lavender Macaron – “Celebrate the city of love with a truly French treat that combines the scent of lavender blossoms with a patisserie cookie”
• Lavender Marshmallow – “The merging of two unexpected flavors, Lavender and Marshmallow, make this mouthwatering blend a special treat”
• Pink Petal Tea Cake – “Rose Petals, Fluffy Cake and Orange Essential Oil”
• Raspberry Peach Macaron – “The ultimate French cookie is celebrated in a unique blend of ripe raspberries, juicy peach and almond cream”

WAX MELTS

• Pink Velvet – “This sweet and fun fragrance mingles sugared lemon, apple and pineapple into a sweet heart of tropical punch and red currant. Sugar cane and vanilla bean in the base deliver a captivating finish.”
• Umbridge – “Tea & cakes, sugar dusted roses and cotton candy”

If the past month was any indication, I don’t think I’ll have any trouble getting through this entire burn list. I can’t believe I only have two wax melts in my entire collection that fit this sweet floral theme – expect to see multiples in my empties!

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

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This shopping experience really got me thinking, why does Bath & Body Works seem to retire all of their best scents? For example, here are just a few fan favorites:

Pink Petal Teacake
Radiant Red Maple
Raspberry Peach Macaron
Strawberry Rhubarb Marmalade
Winter Garland
Cider Donut
Cranberry Pumpkin

Go on Ebay or Mercari and you will see these fragrances selling for an obscene amount of money. If Bath & Body Works did any sort of research they’d realize if these scents were brought back to the market they’d make a great deal of money for their corporation. Sales couldn’t have been that bad when these candles were initially brought to market if there’s this big of a fan following.

So why doesn’t Bath & Body Works return all of these favorable fragrances? Here are a few of my theories.

1. Forgotten Formula

I feel like Raspberry Peach Macaron is a prime example of this. The wax community has never been able to find a dupe for this fragrance from any other wax vendors. Is this scent so unique that no one can duplicate it, including the original source? I’ve heard of breweries not writing down their brew formulas and never being able to replicate it, so maybe it’s the same when it comes to our favorite candles.

2. Formula Issues

Again, Raspberry Peach Macaron is another prime example for this theory. Anyone selling this 2014 candle online states that there is crystallization in the wax. Consumers have called corporate regarding this issue and were ensured that ‘this was an ongoing problem for this specific scent and it wouldn’t effect the overall burning experience.’ Maybe the company wanted to bring this fragrance back but just couldn’t solve the wax crystallization issue. However, I haven’t heard of this happening to any other candles.

3. Collection Size

It’s no secret that Bath & Body Works always brings back it’s returning “favorites” each season in multiple collections. Maybe they are well aware that we want the other scents to come back too but know that Marshmallow Fireside, Leaves, etc are better sellers. Having been involved with the process of creating lines of products before, I know higher ups give marketers a specific number of slots to fill with products. It could really be as simple as this; BBW looking at their sales and not having the shelf space or sku’s available for our other rare favorites.

These theories of mine may not be correct at all or maybe it’s a mixture of the three. No matter the reason, it would be nice to see some of the best scents from the past several years brought back again. Even if it’s just one more time in a ‘Fan Favorites’ collection! Or it would be nice if they rotated our their retuning favorites each year. Hopefully one day Bath & Body Works will listen to us and we will be able to get our hands on these fragrances again at a decent price!

What is your favorite Bath & Body Works candle that has never returned? Share in the comments!

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Prior to making the journey to White Barn, I stopped at my two local BBW stores and grabbed a few small items. They FINALLY had the french candles so I picked up Paris Cafe which is supposedly a dupe for Espresso Bar from back in the day. I personally don’t think this is an exact dupe and am picking up a slight bitter almond note. I’ll still give it a try and burn it since others seem to enjoy this much more than the original EB.

All three stores I visited that first day of SAS had $3 tester candles available. I picked up these few scents that I enjoy, but not enough to get the 3-wicks of. I was pretty shocked at the amount of fragrances they had available and would’ve grabbed more if I didn’t just stock up in January. Along with these baby candles, I picked up a couple summer wax melts to use in the next couple months.

While I did find the one candle that I wanted and some other fun items, I just wasn’t all that impressed by the selection and sale prices BBW had to offer. There were some body care items I wanted but at 50% off it’s not the best deal. Unlike years past, I’m not planning on returning again to haul anything else. What do you think about this SAS and did you find any exciting items? Share in the comments!

The post Spring 2017 SAS Haul appeared first on Melting With Michelle.

Sugared Lemon Zest (3-wick) – This is a dupe for the BBW staple Limoncello which is a basic sugared lemon fragrance. Surprisingly this is the first time I’ve tried it out and honestly wasn’t too impressed. It’s a nice scent that had a decent throw but even with the sweetness it smelled a bit too much like cleaner for me. I’ll pass on variations in the future.
Key Lime pie (3-wick) – Wow, this candle was incredible and absolutely lived up to the hype! I was crazy about the sweet bakery lime fragrance on cold and it didn’t disappoint when burning either. Flawless burn and threw around an 8. I got a few more stashed away for coming years and highly recommend getting your hands on this at Kohl’s before they’re gone for good!
Lemon Pound Cake (1-wick, DNF) – On cold, this was the perfect bakery lemon fragrance! Unfortunately the burn was so bad and there was 0 throw so I decided to just DNF the candle. I have one more candle in my collection from Our Own Candle Company that I’ll be giving a try this summer and I’m crossing my fingers for better results!

Pink Velvet – I clearly couldn’t get enough of this sugary citrus scent last month and melted through another clamshell. I’ll always want to repurchase this and have a few more stocked up in case they discontinue it!
Gryffindor – On cold this just smelled like another basic lemon fragrance, but upon melting more of the raspberry that is promised comes out. I enjoyed it while it lasted but just wasn’t crazy about it.
Limoncello (x4) – This smelled exactly like the Sugared Lemon Zest candle and helped amp it up while burning. Again, it smelled too much like cleaner for me and I just wanted to get through my stash.
Iced Lemon Poundcake (x2) – My absolute favorite lemon fragrance on the market! I love mixing this with Vanilla Cookie Crunch and filling my home with the most delicious lemon bakery scent. Now that I’ve tried a few other lemon scents, I can tell you this is all I want to focus on in years to come. Will be stocking up since it’s a limited edition!
Vanilla Cookie Crunch – A beautiful bakery fragrance amazing on it’s own or mixed with just about anything. I only buy the bulk packs and this is the second clamshell I’ve gone through this year. I always have more stocked up too!
Key Lime Pie – This is a perfect example of Kohl’s quality – the candle in this fragrance was outstanding but the melt just smelled like lime crayons. It wasn’t appealing in the least bit and had to be mixed with VCC. Would not recommend trying this form, just stick to the candle!
Happy Home – If you’re a fan of lemon-lime scents, this is a great option for you. It turns out I’m not crazy about the combination and just quickly melted through this clamshell. It also had a strong waxy note that sometimes overpowered the actual fragrance. Definitely won’t be picking this up ever again.

Tea & Lemon (wallflower) – Slightly sweetened tea with a hint of lemon juice make this great fragrance. It unfortunately didn’t perform as well as past years but I still enjoyed it when I got whiffs. If BBW brings this back I’ll stock-up!
Cotton Candy (hand soap) – A basic sweet fragrance perfect for spring, but didn’t linger at all after washing your hands which was a disappointment. Not sure I’ll go out of my way to pick up this Easter soap again in the future if the quality doesn’t improve.

I think it’s safe to say that when things get busy I tend to melt more than burn. The lemon-lime theme was quite enjoyable and my hands-down favorite of the month was Key Lime Pie from Kohl’s. I probably won’t have time to post a burn list for May, but I’m going to try focusing on berry fragrances and can’t wait to share everything with you when time permits!

What did you burn through in April? Share in the comments!

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

CANDLES

• Sugared Lemon Zest – “Bright Lemon Zest, Sorrento Lemons, Cane Sugar”
• Lemon Mint Leaf – “Sparkling Lemon Zest, Spearmint Leaves, Verbena Sprigs”
• Lemon Pound Cake – “A warm lemon poundcake that just popped out of the oven.”

WAX MELTS

• Pink Velvet – “This sweet and fun fragrance mingles sugared lemon, apple and pineapple into a sweet heart of tropical punch and red currant. Sugar cane and vanilla bean in the base deliver a captivating finish.”
• Gryffindor – “Frosted Lemon Meringue Cheesecake with raspberry glaze.”
• Iced Lemon Poundcake (x2) – “A medley of homemade vanilla infused pound cake drizzled in lemon essence icing and a twist of candied lemon zest.”
• Limoncello (x4) – “Sorrento Lemons, Cane Sugar, Lemon Zest”
• Vanilla Cookie Crunch – A warm blend of bakery vanilla & sugar cookies

Clearly, I’m focusing on sweet lemon scents this month. While the list might not be extensive, I’m trying to be realistic. (Technically, I have 9 melts to get through which will take a while.) If I find that I have more time to burn, I might break out a Key Lime Pie candle too!

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

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

Sugar Flower (1-wick) – Imagine a light vanilla cake with fondant frosting, this candle smells exactly like that with slight undertones of lavender. It was very light and threw around a 2 in my small kitchen. Even when I finished it off on the candle warmer did it only throw around a 4. At this point, I’m done purchasing Pure Radiance candles and only have 1 left in my collection to finish up.
Lavender Macaron (3-wick) – This was a beautiful blend of lavender, bakery, and black currant. When burning, it only threw around a 6 and ended up having PWS. On the candle warmer it threw around an 8. This remains one of my favorite blends BBW ever released and I’m happy to have a few more back-ups!
Champagne Toast (3-wick) – A candle we all know and love, this smells like sweet effervescent tangerines. One of the best burning candles I’ve had from BBW in a while with high flames, a gorgeous wax pool, and a 9 throw. Hoping my other back-ups from this past year will perform just as well!
Mocha Latte Swirl (3-wick) – If you’re looking for a creamy, sweet, coffee scent – this is the one for you! There is a top note of coffee, mid-notes of vanilla and caramel, and a bottom note of cocoa. It threw around an 8 and I wish they’d bring this back!
Tea & Lemon (3-wick) – This fragrance was a wonderful combination of slightly sweetened tea and squeezed lemon. It was a great transition candle that performed extremely well and threw around an 8. I would hands down buy this again if they ever brought it back.
Jelly Beans (1-wick) – A wonderful grape scent with undertones of berry and lemon that unfortunately only threw around a 4. I got this back in 2014 on a super sale and while I enjoyed the actual fragrance, I wouldn’t pick it up again based on the performance.

Rose Soda (x2) – If you are a floral person, you’d probably love this fragrance. It was a generic rose scent that lacked any fizzy soda note like the name suggests. I mixed it with Vanilla Cookie Crunch and it was pretty much undetectable at that point. Ultimately this was a disappointment.
Pink Tulips – Oh my gosh, I really wish Scentsy still sold this fragrance! This past month I tried out florals for the first time and this was hands down my favorite. This was floral and fruity combined which was absolutely lovely throughout my home! If they ever bring this back I will hoard it.
Umbridge – On cold this smells like a rose tea but when warming you get the slightest hint of a salty bakery treat, it was amazing! If I ever want a rose fragrance again in the future, this will be my go-to choice. (Plus it’s Harry Potter themed, what more could you want?)
Pink Velvet (x2) – A wonderful sugary scent with notes of bakery and citrus. A favorite melt of mine that I never want to be without!
Sipping Tea – This is very similar to BBW Tea & Lemon, but a little lighter on the lemon note and has a different type of tea base. Still lovely and very much enjoyable.
Jelly Beans (x2) – I really wanted to amp up the candle with the melt form of the fragrance, but this was too old and unscented. I actually threw out my second Jelly beans and don’t plan on buying anymore Yankee Candle wax melts.

Winter Rose (wallflower) – Just like the candle, this smells like a straight up rose scent. The fragrance didn’t travel far but did last until the oil evaporated half-way through the month.
Lavender Macaron (wallflower) – I didn’t have high hopes for this wallflower based on bad reviews. However I was able to smell it throughout the entire month in the close vicinity of the actual plugin.
Cotton Blossom (hand soap) – This was a repackage of Sea Island Cotton which is my favorite hand soap. It’s fresh, clean, and the scent lingers for hours. Hands down will always repurchase this fragrance no matter what it is called!
Lemon Buttercream (hand soap) – Last year, everyone was hyping this fragrance up so I purchased a few without actually using it. That was a mistake because this smells like a sweetened alcohol. There’s hardly any lemon fragrance and the astringent alcohol note lingers on your hands.
Merry Cookie (hand sanitizer) – I’ve been working on this little guy since December and the worst part, I wasn’t impressed by the scent. Sure, it’s a typical sweet and sugary fragrance. But mixed with the alcohol it just didn’t smell “right” and I wanted to wash my hands after using it.

While I enjoyed almost everything I melted this month, the outstanding favorite was Umbridge by Super Tarts. I’m happy to be moving on from florals this upcoming month and focusing on fresh citrus scents!

What did you burn through in March? Share in the comments!

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CANDLES

• Lavender Macaron – “Celebrate the city of love with a truly French treat that combines the scent of lavender blossoms with a patisserie cookie”
• Sugar Flower – “An irresistible combination of powdered sugar, pink cream, and vanilla”
• Jelly Beans – “A handful of grape jelly beans, coated with sugar and ready to enjoy, with a few lemon and raspberry added in the mix”
• Champagne Toast – “Glittering champagne, wild berries, tangerine zest”
• Mocha Latte Swirl – “Recharge with the wonderfully rich scent of espresso and creamy caramel, topped with whipped cream”

WAX MELTS

• Pink Velvet – “This sweet and fun fragrance mingles sugared lemon, apple and pineapple into a sweet heart of tropical punch and red currant. Sugar cane and vanilla bean in the base deliver a captivating finish.”
• Pink Tulips – “Sweet night-blooming jasmine is enlivened by juicy apple and raspberries, a fresh fragrance that is the harbinger of sunny days to come.”
• Rose Soda – A blend of floral rose and effervescent soda
• Umbridge – “Tea & cakes, sugar dusted roses and cotton candy”

It may seem like my burn list is a bit ambitious during a month dedicated to moving. I am pretty confident I’ll get through all of this though since I’ll be melting at two places. The only candle that may carry over to the following month is Jelly Beans. Towards the end of month I actually plan on melting tea scents to transition into April too!

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

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