Rocky Corner Soap Works

Soap?  Yes, soap!!  TheWaxAddict is branching out to bath & body!  For our first adventure, I chose Rocky Corner Soap Works.  This was a company I came across via the Out Of The Box sampler.  They sent along an adorable sample of lemongrass soap and I was hooked!

I placed an order for just one bar of soap this time around.  I ordered Grapefruit & Peppermint in the 4oz bar.  It was on clearance and only cost me $1!!  Quite the bargain.  On to the review:

Appearance:  This soap came in a large 4oz bar with a decorative design on the front.  It was a soft pink color and very pretty!

Scent: The bar I ordered was in Grapefruit & Peppermint.  I happen to love this combo of scents and was very excited to open the box.  However I quickly became disappointed.  This particular bar had no scent whatsoever.  It smelled exactly like the soap bars that are unscented.  Not even a "soapy" scent.  Very blah.  I'm not sure if this was because of this particular scent, or if maybe it had been sitting around for quite awhile.  I did, however get a sample of Fresh & Honeydew soap that smelled FANTASTIC!!  I'll definitely be giving this company another shot before discounting them.

Performance: Despite being disappointed in the scent, I was definitely impressed with the performance.  The soap lathered up perfectly and left my skin feeling soft and clean, without feeling dried out and stripped of the natural oils.  This soap was amazing.  I'm highly impressed.

Overall experience:  While I was less than impressed with the scent in my bar, the quality and performance more than made up for that fact.  I will definitely be ordering again.  I'm pretty sure this bar was a fluke, especially since the sample I got in my Out Of The Box sampler and the free sample they sent along smelled great.

So that concludes our first adventure into the world of handmade bath & body.  I'll be reviewing some new products in the month to come so make sure you keep an eye out!  Also make sure you join our Facebook page to watch for our free giveaways!  Check it out here:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/TheWaxAddict/129747170391380?ref=ts

Hang in there!

I know it's been awhile since I last had a review up...but hang in there!  There will be a FLOOD of reviews by the end of this week!!  I'm super excited.  I have things coming from:

• Angel Made Scents
• Rocky Corner Soapworks
• Nana's Tarts
• Little Black Box
• Missy's Tempting Tarts
• And ANOTHER Candles By Victoria order!!

So keep checking for a ton of new reviews :)

Tart Heaven courtesy of Southern Star Scents!!

Just when I think I've found my favorite company for tarts....along comes ANOTHER one that blows me out of the water!  Southern Star Scents has some of the best melts I've purchased thus far!  They are super strong and the scents are amazing!  So let's get to it!.....

Apperance:
These tarts come in a 2oz clear tart cup with a very cute and rustic looking label on each lid.  The wax is soft enough to pop right out of the cups and to easily be cut in half, if they're too large for your warmer!  At $1.25 each....these are a bonafide STEAL!

Scents:

• Butt Naked - This is a great combo of apple and honeydew.  I also get hints of strawberry.  A great fruity scent!
• Watermelon Wine - I'm going to name this one of my favorites from this order.  The combo of an authentic watermelon with the romantic smell of wine is pure perfection!
• Monkey Farts - This is a scent I have tried from a couple different vendors.  It is very similar, but I like it a little bit better because there isn't as much of an overpowering smell of banana.  It's a much better, even mix of fruits.
• Mango Mandarin - Ya'll know how picky I am with my mango scents.  But in all honesty, this is one of my top 3 mango scents EVER!  It is amazing when paired up with mandarin.  It almost smells like a sorbet.  Just a perfect scent for the summer.
• Creme Brulee - Smells just like a very creamy caramel.  Delish!
• Lucy & Ethel - Not many of you know this, but I am a huge rat lover!  Weird, right?  I love candles and pet rats?  Doesn't seem normal :)  But I have always had pet rats and they are just the most amazing little guys.  Super smart and friendly.  The reason I bring that up is because my 2 little girl rats just happen to be named Lucy & Ethel!  Besides the fact that I love the name, I also love the scent!  Smells just like "best friends" from other vendors.
• Sweet Orange Chilli Pepper - This is a scent I've reviewed before.  This one is a dead on dupe for the other tart I purchased.  Again, I recommend it highly!  Don't let the Chilli Pepper part scare you!  This is a great orange-ie scent that everyone should try!
• Kiwi Watermelon - I'm very picky with watermelon scents.  I don't like the fake candy-type smell.  This one does NOT disappoint!  It's very authentic and juicy!  I can't wait to burn this one :)
• Naked Cowboy - This is one sexy smell!  It's a very nice, romantic cologne smell.  I feel the need to rub it all over my fiance!
• Whipped Pineapple - I don't get a ton of pineapple smell from this on cold sniff, but pineapple is one of those tricky scents that hides until it's melted.
• Lemonheads - If anyone has ever smelled the Fizzy Pop scent from other vendors, you'll have a good idea of what this one smells like.  It's a combo of fizzy and lemon.  No harsh cleaning scent here!
• Chap My Ass - Love the name and love the scent!  It's a little hard to put my finger on, but I definitely get a cherry scent from this one.  
• Texas Breeze - The Southern Star Scents page describes this one as "hard to describe" and that's right on the money.  It's a very clean, fresh scent but without that horrible scented laundry detergent smell that I abhor.  This is a very nice scent.
• Island Heat - Pineapple, strawberry and orange.  What could be better?  This was the first one I popped in my warmer and my entire house smells amazing!
• Vanilla Latte - At the risk of repeating myself, this one is great, too!  It smells like the perfect creamy coffee.  Just like my favorite coffee house.
• Mac Apple - If you love apple, you'll love this one!  It's such a perfect apple smell, that I can't say enough about it!!
• Lick Me All Over - This is a mix of several fruits as well as jasmine and violet.  I'm not a huge floral fan, but it compliments this scent very well. 
• Grapefruit Twist - This is a perfect combo of vanilla and grapefruit.  I love the smell of grapefruit, but sometimes it is a little harsh on the nose.  Mixing it with vanilla to calm it down??  Genius!!
• Mango Papaya - This is JUST as good as the Mango Mandarin.  It's more of a creamy scent and I love this!
• Raspberry Guava - I usually don't like the guava scents.  I've tried the raspberry guava candle from Candles By Victoria (a company I absolutely LOVE) and even then didn't care for it.  But this tart is great!!  It's an extremely good combination.
• Jamaica Me Crazy - I've reviewed this scent before from other companies and you know I love it!  This one is a dead on dupe.
• Coconut Lime Verbena - OH. MY. GOD. !!!  This is amazing!  Not only do I get the lime and coconut, but it also has a creaminess to it.  This is just perfection.
• Pineapple Supreme - To me, this isn't my favorite.  I don't get much pineapple at all.  It smells a little odd.  But, again, I have not melted it yet so it may change completely.  I will keep you updated!
• Hot Mama - Just judging by the name I would have expected some cinnamon.  But it's actually a very fruity smell.  This is a good one, too!
• Hunter's Romance - This is another free sample that Southern Star was nice enough to throw in.  It's really hard to put my finger on this one.  It's a nice, manly and earthy type scent.  Kind of woodsy.
• Tropical Twister - This is one of my top tropical scents!  Very nice!
• Cowgirls N Pearls - This is a combo of vanilla and leather.  It's not something I would have ordered for myself.  It was included as a free sample. It definitely is interesting, but I'm not a big leather fan.  I guess that's the animal activist in me :)

Overall Experience: I had a great experience with Southern Star Scents!  Their customer service is very good and the TAT was good as well.  This is a company I would most definitely recommend that everyone try!  Also make sure to check out their facebook page at:  http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Southern-Star-Scents/184947958257?ref=ts

It's a good day for candle deliveries!!

The weather might be absolutely awful here, but 3 different candle deliveries sure cheered me up!  I've got a lot to go through so I'm going to do a more brief review than I typically do.  If anyone has any questions or wants more details...just leave me a message!!

First Box: Candles By Victoria

My online party finally wrapped up and I was able to go ahead and place MY order!!  Yay!!  As always, I'm very, very impressed with these candles and ya'll know that I'm a CBV addict!  Here are the scents I got this time:

Silent Bob Goes To The Beach: This is one of my top favorite scents.  It's just a perfect beachy scent!  There are hints of sunscreen (and everyone here knows I love my sunscreen scent!) as well as a fruity concoction that is reminiscent of a nice drink....delivered by a cute cabana boy at the pool-side!!  What could be better?   ....Other than actually BEING there!!

Treasure Island: This is another scent I have previously reviewed when my mother placed her order.  This, again, is an amazing summer scent.  It has hints of pina colada mixed with other fruits including pineapple...and it's shear perfection!
MelonPop!: This is my own combination.  CBV has an option on the 8th page of candles where you can make your own candle!  It's tons of fun and everyone should give it a shot!  You get the option to pick two scents to mix, what color you want it, and even what name you want to give it!  I chose to mix Fizzy Pop with Watermelon...and I gotta say I think I did a pretty darn good job!!  It's GREAT!  Fizzy pop actually smells carbonated.  Now, I'm not sure I understand how carbonation can have a SMELL....but this pulls it off!  So that fun, bubbly smell mixed with watermelon is amazing.  I love it!
Tropical Temptation: Pineapple, coconut, and mango?  Wow. 'Nuff said.
Island Delight - Can you tell I'm in a tropical mood? :)  This is another PERFECT summer scent.  It's a mix of strawberry, lime, and pineapple.  I'm loving this one, too.

Second Box: Busy Bee Candles
This is a great company that I recently came across via http://www.candlefind.com.  I've read great things about them and I've also had several requests from readers to do a review.  So here ya go!!

Wood Wick Candles: I got two 8oz candles in super cute mason jars.  They both have wood wicks, which is something I'm new to.  They're definitely something I will re-order!  The basic concept is that they crackle and sound like a fireplace.  Very neat!  Even if you ignore the fact that they crackle....I still enjoy the wicks for the fact that they produce a larger, and wider flame.  It makes it look very neat, and melts the pool faster.  That, of course, creates a great scent throw in half the time of a normal wick.

Tarts: These are the standard 1oz tarts in the normal shape.  They come in mini cello bags with a very cute and clear scent label.  Below is my review of the scents I received.

• Blackberry Fizz  - This is a great scent!  It's just like a carbonated drink with hints of blackberry.
• Creme Brulee - I have had a hard time finding a good creme brulee scent from the vendors I've tried.  Busy Bee Candles is by far my favorite!
• Birthday Cake - This is super yummy!  Just like the icing on a birthday cake :)
• Mango Papaya - Most scents I've tried with mango have been iffy at best.  It seems like it's a real hit-or-miss kind of scent. This one's a HIT!  It's a great fruity/tropical scent and I love this one.
• Pina Colada - Just as the name says....this one is very authentic!

Third Box: Out Of The Box Sampler

This is something I was very excited to find.  The basic concept is that all kinds of online vendors send in samples of their products to Out Of The Box.  The do this for advertising.  Then the Out Of The Box company assembles boxes of really neat samples and sends them to your door.  I got everything from chocolate pretzels and soap to bath bombs and tarts!  It's a great way to try out vendors you normally wouldn't have and to get a bunch of neat little samples!    And the best part is that it is only $22....including shipping!  I've already found a few new companies I like and have placed orders.  Reviews coming soon!

My New Scentsy Tart Warmer :)

Just a quick little post about the new tart warmer I got today in the mail.  Anyone who has used tarts is probably aware of the Scentsy company.  While I LOVE their warmers, I think their tarts are overpriced and stick to buying my tarts from other vendors.  This is my first warmer that I've purchased...and I love it!  It is in the Boleyn style and fits in with my decor really nicely.  The top ceramic bowl is heated by a light bulb rather than a flame or hot-plate.  This keeps the wax from ever getting hot enough to burn you.  It also lets the scent release more slowly...and thus extend the life of your tart.  It's working great and makes my tarts last much longer than the tart tin I had sitting on an old candle warmer!! :)

Can-Do-Candles and NEW PRODUCT REVIEW :)

Yay!  My Can-Do-Candles order came in today!  I will say one thing about this company...their TAT is astounding!  Let's get right to it!

Appearance: 
I ordered two different sample packs.  Both came in the canvas bag with a super cute custom label.  Each tart is in an individual bag with a scent label.  These sampler packs were extra special because Donna was nice enough to do two custom packs so that I could get some more different types of scents reviewed and answer some of yall's burning questions!!

Scents: (There's a bunch so bare with me!)

Bakery Sampler - A whole bunch of you requested some bakery scent reviews.  I normally don't order these types, so it gave me a chance to try out something new, outside of my comfort zone.  Boy am I glad I did!

Pound Cake - Yummy!  This is a great scent.  It's pretty heavy on the butter, and you also get hints of cake behind that.  I'm sure that once you melt it, the cake scent will come out in full force.  I can't wait to get this one going!
Pink Sugar Cookies - Now, you all know that I'm not a fan of the "pink sugar" category, so I don't love this one.  But that's a personal scent preference and I KNOW there's a bunch of you pinkie's out there!  If you're one of them, this is definitely the scent for you.  Equal amounts of the pink sugar and yummy cookie smell. (Look for this one in a give-away contest coming very soon!!)
Cast Iron Cookies - Boy-howdie!  This is great!  It's a little hard to describe the difference between just plain cookies and cast-iron cooked cookies....but if you've ever tasted them you'll know exactly what this tart smells like!  Very amazing, complicated scent.
Coconut Cream Pie - It's a little hard to smell the coconut behind the butter, but coconut is one of those scents that tends to come out only when it's melted.  I bet this one will rock my world when I finally get a chance to melt it!
Corn Puddin' - When I read this name, I was a little worried!  Corn and pudding?  Odd...   But it turns out it's a really neat smell!  You definitely do get corn...but it's more of a "dessert corn" scent - if that makes any sense!  You'll just have to try it.  I'm sure you'll love it as much as I do!
Grandma Thompson's Secret Recipe - I don't know who this Grandma Thompson is...but she needs to spread the word about this recipe!  Very delicious!  It's a little bit similar to the Cast Iron Cookies...but a little more complex.
Sugar Butt - At the risk of repeating myself....Yummy!  This is another good one.  I'm a huge butter fan...but trying not to eat much of it.  I think replacing my butter diet with Donna's butter-smelling tarts just might be the trick!
Lisa's Lemon Bars - My mom used to make lemon bars for us as kids all the time.  This smells JUST like them!  It's a little spooky :)
Hot Orange Danish - I think this might be my favorite.  I already love orange scents...and then add the bakery scent to it?  I'm in heaven!
Vanilla Bean - This one is pretty light on cold sniff, but I can definitely pick up on a rich vanilla scent.  This is another one that I think will surprise me once it's melting.
Cherry Chip Cake - This is another scent that is by far on the top of my re-order list!  I just love this one!  In addition to the cake-scent, you also get a rick maraschino cherry scent!  It makes my mouth water!
Cinnamon & Sugar - I let my mom review this one, because I have an allergy to cinnamon and even the scent can irritate my throat.  This is definitely a strong scent.  If you love cinnamon, this is for you!  This one will also be included in my give-away contest!

Best Seller Sampler Pack - This is another custom sampler that Donna was nice enough to put together for us!!  Again, this is not available for purchase on her site, but each scent certainly is!

Vanilla Apples - The name describes this one pretty well.  It's a nice, rich vanilla mixed with an AUTHENTIC apple smell.  Great tart!
Black Raspberry Vanilla - This is just as good as the vanilla apples!  It's a nice, deep raspberry scent.  There's also the rich vanilla scent that adds to this amazing little tart.
Dad's Cucumbers & Cream - This is very interesting.  I expected a sweet scent, but this almost has more of a bakery feel.  Very heavy cream and true cucumber mix to make one interesting scent.  This is a must-try!
Sugar Rush - For all you "pink sugar" fans, this will be a winner.  I know there are lots and lots of people who would love this one, but it's not my personal preference.  This, too will be included in my upcoming contest!
Fig -  I can't honestly say I've ever smelled a fig...but if this is what they smell like, then sign me up!  This is a soft fruity scent, with an almost soapy top note.  But not a gross soap...a very clean, interesting scent.  Of course, I have a feeling that this one will smell entirely different after melted.
kiwi-Sage & Ginger - I'm always hesitant with herb or earthy scents, as they tend to not be my favorites.  But this is actually quite nice!  You can definitely pick up on the kiwi, but the sage and ginger cut down on the harsh and sharp nature of that particular fruit.  Very nice.
Lemongrass & Olive - Again, I wasn't too sure about this one.  But I really need to learn to stop judging a tart by it's name!  This is great!  Very lemony and clean...without having that terrible cleaning product smell.  This is a re-order for me!
Citrus Zinger - I have YET to find a citrus scent from Can-Do-Candles that I didn't like, and this is no exception.  Orange and (maybe?) pineapple give this quite the kick!
Apple Mango Tango - This reminds me exactly of the mango scent from Gain.  Fruity and fresh.  This is a winner!
Coconut Lime Verbena - I love this scent from Bath and Body Works!  While this isn't an exact dupe, it's pretty close!  It's a little softer on the lime than the B&BW scent.  GREAT for summer!
Sweet Orange & Chili Pepper - Ahh...this infamous scent!  I've heard so many great reviews for this scent (even from other companies).  I've always rolled my eyes when I hear someone say how great it smells.  I mean, come on!  Orange and chilli pepper?  Eww!  WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  This is great!  I don't get any of the spicy from the pepper, but I think it's in there to cut down on the sharpness of the orange.  Any way you slice it, this is a great scent that everyone must try.
Kudzu - This is another great scent if you like the fruity types!  I pick up something very similar to grape, but there's another fruit in there that I just can't describe!  Order this one and try it out for yourself!  Make sure to leave me a comment when you do so I can find out what you smell in it!
Pink Sugar Baby - This is a great combination of pink sugar and baby powder!  A great scent for pink sugar lovers!
Plumeria - This is one of the free samples that were included.  It's a GREAT floral scent! Fresh and clean!  It just reminds me of that feeling you get when someone is thoughtful enough to send you a bouquet of flowers.  You lean in to take a big whiff, and you just feel loved!
Pumpkin Bread Puddin - This is the second free sample I received.  At the risk of sounding like a broken record...this is great!  Smells just like dessert on Thanksgiving Day!  I love this one!
Mango Twist -  I saved this one for last because Donna had mentioned that it was pretty soft and is considering taking it out of her inventory.  I, for one, hope she doesn't!  While it definitely is softer than her other tarts, it's not 'weak' my any stretch of the imagination.  I think it would be just perfect for anyone in an apartment or a smaller home where powerful scents tend to overwhelm them.  It would also go great in a bathroom!  It's a wonderful, fruity scent that is very refreshing!

New Product Review!!

Donna was super nice and threw in a new product for me to review for you all!  It's tenative name is the Scent Stone.  It is a BEAUTIFUL and creative way to scent small spaces in your home such as a bathroom or bedroom.  It is hand-poured and comes with instructions, a bottle of scented oil, and a glass plate that the stone rests on.  The basic concept is you put up to 15 drops of oil on it, and it dispurses the sent throughout the room.  This cute little thing is currently making my bathroom smell amazing!  I've got the Paradise Island oil on it and I'm just loving it!  (See previous review for scent description on Paradise Island)

If you have small children, pets, or are just generally worried about leaving a tart burner going, then this is the solution for you!  Not only is it super effective, but the stone itself is a beautiful, intricate flower that goes great with any decor.  This is an all around GREAT product and I can't wait until it is available for purchase for everyone!  If any of my readers have questions about this produce, leave me a message and I'll do my best to answer it.  But be prepared to hear me go on and on about how amazing this is!  :)

Nana's Just Tarts! (I found my suntan scent!!)

Ahh...the elusive sunscreen smell I've been chasing.  I fell in love with this scent when I got a Sun & Sand candle as a gift.  It smelled amazing!  One sniff, and it transported you back to a day at the beach with mom slathering you in sunscreen.  You also got nice hints of ocean and sand.  However the candle I was given was from Yankee so of course it had terrible soot, tunneled, and have barely any scent throw.

And so began my quest to find a dupe of that scent.  I've been through 4 different vendors and none of them came very close (although still nice scents!).  But then I found Nana's Just Tarts...an Etsy vendor.

These are amazing!  They smell perfect.  Maybe not an exact dupe, but it's almost BETTER than my Sun & Sand candle!!  So on to the review of my eperience...

Presentation:
These tarts came wrapped up in a cute little blue checkered cloth with a very nice business card displaying the name of the company, the scent, and of course the warning label on the back.  It was super cute!  I love the country feel and these definitely fit the bill!  I also LOVED the fact that each tart was wrapped up in tissue paper as opposed to individual baggies.  Much lest wasteful and everyone knows that I'm very "green"!  :) 

Scents:
Coppertone Lotion - I have no words for this other than....YIPPEE!!!  They smell great.  Very strong and just a nice suntan scent.  Perfect.
Cinnamon Sugar Meltin Muffin Tart - This was a free sample included with my order.  It's ADORABLE!!  A very cute muffin shape that even has chunks of cinnamon sugar sticks in it.  It smells very nice and authentic.  Definitely a strong one that I'll be cutting up before melting.

Pineapple Orchid Tart melt - I'm not sure if it was intentional, but this is an exact dupe of the pineapple orchid scent from Bath and Body Works!  And it just so happens to be one of my favorite summer scents from there!  I'm really excited about this one and I'm sure it will be a re-order!
Fudge Brownie Tart melt - These are super cute little mini melts.  It looks like a quiche!  And the scent is out of this world.  Very fudg-ie (yeah, I made that word up!) and no fake chocolate smell here!  These are good enough to eat!  (But please don't!)

Customer Service:
It was out of this world!  I emailed Nana's to ask if they had the Coppertone scent in a basic shape rather than their adorable little flip-flops that are the standard for that scent.  You all know how I hate to melt such cute shapes!  I can't stand ruining something that adorable!  Well, I got a prompt response and they poured me this scent in a basic clamshell shape.  How nice!!  Talk about great customer service!

Overall Experience:
I couldn't recommend this company more highly!  I had a great experience with them and their tarts are amazing and VERY strong.  I couldn't ask for more!  Please go check this company out!!  http://www.etsy.com/shop/NanasTarts 

Semi-Annual Sales going on right now!!

There are 2 candle-related SAS's going on as we speak.  Bath & Body Works is having their "Hello Yellow" sale and it does include select candles at 50% off!!  You can't beat that!  If you've read my previous reviews, you know that I highly recommend their 3-wick tumblers.  Amazing scent throw and some very very nice scents offered.  They burn perfectly!  I do think they're overpriced, though, and only buy them on sale.  So if you've been thinking about trying them out....what better time then during their sale?!

The second sale going on right now is the SAS for Yankee Candle.  Now wait....   Before you judge me, I'm NOT sending you there for their candles.  I personally think their candles are absolute crap!  They used to be great, but they got too big, too fast and lost all of their quality (and kept their high prices!).  The only reason I'm mentioning the sale is that they have some great deals on candle accessories and tarts.  I picked up several really neat tea light holders and a couple "illumalids" for my OTHER brands of candles.

Again, I definitely do NOT recommend the candles at Yankee.  I don't want to offend Yankee lovers....but let's be honest:  If you love Yankee, then you shouldn't be reading my blog!  This is for REAL candle connoisseurs! :) :)  (Teasing!)

Happy shopping!!  <3

Special Requests...

Thanks so much to everyone who has been reading and sending me questions!  I just wanted to take some time to let you all know that due to overwhelming response, I have placed another order with Can-Do-Candles!  I made sure to order some bakery scents this time around, as I know there are a ton of you who are fans!!  Donna has also been nice enough to throw together a custom sampler with some of her best selling and favorite scents!  I'll get the review up on here just as soon as I get the box!  I know you guys are just as excited as I am :)

**As a side note, Donna has her own Facebook Page!  Be sure to add her in order to keep up-to-date with her new products and sales!!  Click HERE to visit her page!

Candles By Victoria!!

My very first Candles By Victoria order came today!  Well....ok so it's not really mine.  My mother ordered several things from them as part of the online candle party that I'm currently hosting.  I'm very glad she did because I got to try out all of her candle scents and it gave me a really good idea of what I'll be ordering once my candle party is done!

I've heard great things from so many different people about this company that I had to try it out.  Boy, am I glad I did!  They burn so beautifully and the scents are very strong.  They definitely live up to the hype and I'm just in love with CBV!!

Appearance:
The six candles in my mother's order came in a sampler pack for $45.00.  Not too bad at all!  They come in super cute 9oz Mason canning jars with a rust colored lid.  They also have a CBV label on the front that adds to the charm and rustic appearance.  There are some very vibrant colors in this lot!

The scent shots come in standard 2oz tart cups with a label on the lid. They pop right out with no problems.

My mother also ordered 3 bottles of home fragrance oil.  They come with the same CBV label placed on a glass 0.5oz bottle with a glass dropper included.

Candle Scents:
Silent Bob Goes To The Beach - This candle has a rather odd name, and apparently it has been named after a customer's Youtube name (if I'm not mistaken).  Despite the odd name, this candle is out of this world!!  It's an amazing combination of creamy coconut and suntan oil.  I will definitely be ordering this candle for myself!!
Treasure Island - This is another absolute favorite for me.  The first scent I pick out is a pina colada type.  I also get hints of fruit and possibly a very soft floral.  Just an all around amazing scent!
Raspberry Guava - This is a very nice scent.  The combination of raspberry and guava go so perfectly together.  However, I was a little disappointed with the scent throw from this one.  It was pretty weak.
Storm Watch - I like this one as well.  It has a very soft hint of laundry detergent type smell, but not very strong.  All of you reading this already know that I'm not a fan of that laundry smell...but this one is very very soft and just fine with me.  It's a very clean scent and it definitely is nice.
Bella Swan - Both me and my mother are huge Twilight fans so we had to give this one a try.  I'm definitely glad we did!  This is a great scent that, to me, is a combination of lilac and grape...even though grape isn't mentioned in the CBV description.  It's a romantic smell that matches Bella's personality very well.
Hawaiian Rain - I did NOT think I was going to like this one on cold sniff.  It was too perfume-y for my tastes.  But once it was burned, it smelled entirely different and amazing.  Very refreshing and clean.  LOVED it!

Scent Shot (Tart) Scents:
Coconut Banana Blast - I LOVE THIS ONE!!  I usually don't like the banana scent because it often comes out smelling like the fake banana smell, which I hate.   This, however, is REAL.  I don't get much coconut, but again, I think that will come out once melted.
Edward Cullen - My mother is in love with this scent, but this is not my favorite.  However, that's just a preference thing.  I'm just not a big floral person.  But you can sure bet my mom will be ordering this in a full size candle soon!

Home Fragrance Oil Scents:
Cappuccino Brulee - This is a super yummy coffee scent blended with a creamy vanilla.  Anyone who likes coffee scents will flip over this one!
Orange Vanilla Coffee - This reminds me exactly of my mother's orange coffee cake.  It smells more like a bakery scent than a coffee scent.  But it's still an amazing smell and something you should give a try!
Winter Snowflake - My mom ordered this in preparation for Christmas.  It's a very nice combo of pine tree and peppermint.  It's a great combo and I especially like the authenticity of the pine tree.  I've smelled several other pine's that were just awful.  This is perfect and just SCREAMS Christmas!

Overall Experience:
I am so head-over-heals in love with CBV that I know I'm a lifelong customer.  Their customer service is out of this world!  I even emailed Victoria to ask if they had something similar to one of my favorite scents from a different candle company, and she replied immediately and is going to order the scent for me!  How many other companies would do something like that for you?  I can't wait to place my order and you can be sure I'll do another review on that one for you on here as well!

Front Porch Candle Co.

Front Porch Candle Co. is my first experience with soy.  Up until this point, I have always received palm wax.  I had been wary of soy because I had read on many occasions that it doesn't hold as much scent oil as other types of wax.  But when I got the June newsletter from Front Porch offering free shipping, I jumped at the chance to try it out.

Apperance: 
All of the tarts I ordered (including the free samples) were in adorable shapes.  My six pack was shaped like a scoop of ice cream with real sprinkles!  One free sample was a round shape with an adorable willow (?) tree design.  The second free sample came in the same ice cream shape, but with a bakery crust as well.  All of them were super adorable. 

Scents:
Watermelon Blast - This is absolutely wonderful!  Very fruity and has AMAZING scent throw!  So much for the idea of soy not having as much scent!
Raspberry Cookies - I've never been a fan of bakery scents, so when I saw this was included as a free sample, I wasn't too excited.  But when I opened the bag to give it a sniff??  Woo hoo!  This is great!  It's a deep, creamy raspberry scent. 
Hot Apple Pie - Again, I was not too excited for a bakery type scent, but yet again I was very impressed with this one!  It smells so delicious and spicy.  My only complaint is that melting this tart made staying on my diet REAAAALLY hard!! :)

Performance:
I mentioned it earlier, but I was thoroughly impressed with the scent throw from these.  Another aspect that I'm in love with is that they are super easy to cut.  I hate burning a whole tart at once, so I'm always cutting them in half.  But with the palm wax, it's incredibly difficult and usually messy.  These soy tarts cut like butter.

Overall Experience:
I really enjoyed my experience with Front Porch Candle Co.  Their website is very easy to use and adorable to boot!  I had some great customer service and shipping was very quick.  This is a company that I can most certainly see myself ordering from again in the future.

Bath & Body Works - The "best candles in the world"?

I was in Bath & Body Works recently (not a rare occurrence for me!) and saw a sign asking us to "Try the world's best candles."  I was intrigued, as I've never gotten candles from B&BW before...only bath and body stuff.  So I gave it a whorl.  Boy, am I glad I did. 

After having very disappointing results with candles from large companies such as Yankee, I was a little skeptical about these.  However they proved me wrong.  These candles have AMAZING scent throw and burn very well.  Especially their large 14.5 oz tumblers that are triple wicked.

Due to various sales, I end up trying two of their sizes.  Their smallest 4oz tumbler is single wicked and rings up at a pricey $9.85 (without any sales).  Their larger 14.5oz triple-wicked tumblers are $19.95.  These are, admittedly, not the cheapest candles.  The price is more than I'd pay without a sale.  But the good news is that their sales are more frequent than you'd expect, especially if you subscribe to the newsletter or follow them on Facebook.    All of the many candles I now own were all bought at various times and all 50% off or better.

Scents:
Eucalyptus Spearmint - I'm in love with this scent.  It is the most calming, relaxing scent I've ever smelled.  It is part of their aromatherapy line and it is the "stress relief" scent.  A definite favorite for me and something I recommend to all my friends and family
Summer Melon - This is also a favorite of mine.  It's a very refreshing and summery melon scent with great throw (as with all of the B&BW ccandles)
Pomegranate Lemonade - I'd definitely have to put this at the top of the list for my favorites.  It's an amazingly clean and uplifting scent.  Very fruity which compliments the sharpness of the lemonade scent.  It's just like sitting on the porch on a summer day, with your favorite glass of lemonade.

Haley's Heavenly Scents....second delivery today!

Yep, that's right.  I got TWO deliveries today!  Sure makes my Thursday!

This order is from Haley's Heavenly Scents (HHS).  I'm in love with this company!  They have amazing customer service and (my favorite part) flat rate shipping that is more than affordable.  While I have dealt with companies that have the 8 or 9 dollar flat rate charge, that's only good if you're buying several candles.  When you're just wanting some tarts, it makes it hard to justify spending that much money on just the shipping.  This company, however, charges only $5.95 no matter how much you order.  What a great deal!

Now, I ordered a ton of tarts so this might be a long review.  I just couldn't resist their prices though!  Two ounce tart cups for $1??  AND a low shipping charge??  Oh yeah...I got a bunch!  :)

Appearance:

HHS's tarts come in 2 oz, oval shaped cups that are clear and have a label to make it easy to identify each tart.  The colors are all vibrant and attractive.  They came wrapped in cello bags and inside a nice little gift wrap type bag. The candle I ordered came with an adorable label on top and a pretty piece of homespun tied around the jar.  Very nice presentation all around.








Tart Scents:

• Precious Kitty - I'm so glad I ordered more than one of these because it smells great!  Very soft and pretty...and I want to say kind of a floral scent.  Very nice.
• Jamacian Vanilla Cafe - This is a very nice vanilla/coffee scent.  Love it.
• Pink Sugared Strawberries - Another great one!  Very authentic strawberry smell combined with the soft sugary smell.
• Cherry Limeade - Just like the name says.  Smells just like the drink from Sonic!  Great summer smell!
• Poison Pie - This is very interesting.  It's very hard to describe, but the best I can do is an apple mixed with a little bit of bakery scent.  There's also some spice in there that adds depth.
• Country Breeze - Now, you all know that I'm not a big fan of "detergent scents", but this one is nice.  It has just a touch of that perfumed Downy smell, but the rest is clean and fresh.  I'll be interested in seeing how this one melts.
• Spring Rain - This is one of the better "rain" scents I've smelled.  Very clean and not overly perfume-ie.
• Sea Breeze - This reminds me a lot of the Country Breeze scent, but a bit stronger and a little more perfume in this one.  Still very nice.
• Coconut Hibiscus - This is great!  I love coconut, but it's usually overpowering.  This one is definitely not.  The Hibiscus really cuts down the sharpness, and makes this a great, relaxing scent.
• Pink Sugared Watermelon - Yummy!  This is just as good as the pink sugared strawberries!  I'm loving this one.
• Pink Watermelon - This has the great watermelon scent of the pink sugared watermelon, but not as sweet.  Very very nice.
• Rose Merry Mint - This is nothing like what I expected, but it's still amazing!  It's a very soft floral, and I don't pick up any mint at all.  It's possible that it will come out when melted.
• Indian Summer - Ok...this has to be one of my top 3 favorites!  Earthy and fruity...and just GOOD!
• Jack Frost - Even though this would most likely be considered a Christmas scent...I just LOVE peppermint and this is a great version!  
• Jamaica Me Crazy - This isn't the first scent shot I've gotten by this title...but this is the best one so far.  Very tropical and fruity!  Great for summer :)
• Apple Jack & Peel - I'm loving this one too!  It's a nice, spicy apple scent.  It just screams "FALL!" 
• Blackberry Fizz - This is great!  Just like a nice, fizzy drink by the side of the pool!
• Hawaiian Breeze - This is a winner!  Fresh, ozone notes mixed with very nice fruit.
• Green Apple Cotton Candy - I can tell that most of the oil has settled in this one and I'm not going to make a judgment until I melt it.  As of right now, the cold sniff is pretty wax-ie.
• Cherry Blossom - This is very nice.  Very similar to the Bath & Body Works version of Cherry Blossom
• Strawberry - I'm impressed at how authentic this smells.  Too often I've gotten a tart in that fake strawberry scent.  This is much much better.
• Fruity Loops - HHS was nice enough to throw in a free clamshell pack of tarts in this fruity loops scent.  I wasn't so sure about this because I don't necessarily like the smell of fruit loops...but this has something extra in it that makes it absolutely yummy!  I'm so glad she threw this in because I would have never ordered it on my own!

Lastly, I did get one candle.  It is a chunk candle in a 12 oz jar for only $7.50....again, you can't beat her prices!  I got it in Ice Capades.  The site describes it as "TOP NOTES OF LEMON,PEPPERMINT,AND SPEARMINT, A WARM MIDDLE NOTE OF BUTTERCREAM AND BASE NOTES OF VANILLA; MENTHOL".  

On cold sniff, I mainly got a very strong, manly cologne smell.  I'm gonna have to burn this one to see how it turns out.


Overall Experience:
I had a great experience with Haley's Heavenly Scents.  The customer service was great and the packaging was adorable.  I'm loving most, if not all, of her scents and I'll definitely be ordering from her again.  If you enjoy tarts...I would highly recommend checking out this site!  http://www.haleysheavenlyscents.com/   

Can-Do-Candles Order number 2!

I got my second Can-Do-Candles order today!!  Yay!!

Donna was having a Memorial day sale on her 1oz scalloped tarts that made them $0.70 each.  Can't beat that!  Also, I had suggested adding a fourth "sampler pack" of tarts with an island theme.  And guess what?!....She added it!  I was very impressed that she listens to her customers suggestions so closely.

So on to the review! :

Tropical Island Sampler:
 (This comes with 12 single tarts for a great price of $8.95!  It also comes packaged in a cute little canvas bag.)

• Banana Island - This reminds me exactly of those hard candy bananas that you used to get out of the bubble machine for a quarter when you were a kid.  I wouldn't call it an authentic banana smell, but more of a candy banana smell.  Still very nice and summer-ie!
• Coconut Milk & Lavender - Yum!  This is a very pretty smell.  I haven't melted it yet, but on cold sniff you definitely pick up on the lavender.  Not much of the coconut comes through, but I have a pretty good feeling that will come with melting it.
• Plumeria Milk - This is a very nice floral scent, however still somewhat tropical.  I also love the fact that it's a gorgeous soft purple color.
• Jamaica Me Crazy - This scent rocks!  It's a great, sharp citrus scent that is very reminiscent of a nice, fruity margarita. 
• Beach Daisies - This is one of my favorites.  It is a nice, light beach scent that (to me) has hints of an almost sunscreen smell mixed with some soft florals.
• Papaya Clafouti - Again, this is another great scent.  You definitely pick up on the papaya, but a orange/citrus scent comes through pretty strongly as well.  Very nice.
• Perfect Pineapple - This lives up to it's name!  Oh my goodness, this is nice!  It is an authentic pineapple smell that is very strong.  This is a definite re-order for me!!
• Leslie's Paradise Island - I have previously reviewed this during my last order, so if you'd like to read about it, please go check that out.
• Cocoa Cabana Type - This is another one that I pick up hints of sunscreen from.  Very nice scent that is hard to describe...other than "beachy"
• Mary's Margaritas - This one is going to be fun to melt.  It smells just like a delicious margarita!
• Monkey Bubbles - I definitely smell the same candy-banana scent from the Banana Island tart, but much softer.  I think that once it's melted I will be able to pick up on the other fruity scents listed in the description.  
• Salty Sea Air - This is a very unique scent.  On cold sniff, I mainly get the salty scent, but I can already tell that I will get more of the ozone hints when it's melting.

I also ordered a six pack of tarts (for the great price of $3.95!) in Coco Mint Frost.  This is a great scent.  It is a combination of peppermint and coconut.  It's a nice, creamy peppermint smell and then when you add in the coconut?  Wow!  Most people would probably consider this a wintery scent...but I think it's more of a spa type scent.  Very calming.  Love it!!

Other tarts:

• Farmhouse Spearmint - Wow!  This is exactly the same smell as spearmint gum...only stronger!  If you like that type of smell, you'll be in heaven with this one!
• Honey I Scrubbed The Kids - This is another favorite of mine!  It's a little hard to describe, but it's almost like a clean soap.  However it's NOT the harsh perfume-ie smell of soap/detergent that I hate.  It is very nice and fresh.
• Watermelon Kiwi - This is one of the freebies that Donna threw in for me.  It smells amazing and I WISH I'd seen it on her site when I was placing an order! I will most definitely re-order this in larger quantities next time.  It's just a very nice, fruity smell that just screams "summer picnic!"
• Cool Citrus Basil - This is the second freebie that was included.  I was a little hesitant when I read the name, as I wasn't sure how well the basil would smell with citrus.  I usually associate basil with Italian food...not fruit!  However, when I took a whiff...I loved it!  I don't pick up much of the basil scent, so I think it's mainly in there to compliment the citrus.  I also kind of get the soapy scent in this one somewhat.  I definitely like this one and I'm glad she threw it in!
• Luscious lemon - I'm usually pretty hesitant with ordering lemon scents because I've gotten quite a few that smell like floor cleaner to me.  Not this one!  This is an amazing, true lemon scent that's very powerful.  I like this a lot and again, am very happy that Donna threw this in for me as a freebie!

Overall, I've been very happy with Can-Do-Candles!  I have yet to find a gripe about them!  The only thing I wish is that they still made jar candles, because I know I'd love some of these scents in a candle, too!

I ordered these tarts on Monday...during a sale, no less.  And I had them at my door by Thursday!  What an amazing turn-around-time!! If you're a tart lover like myself...you can't go wrong with this site!

Orders coming in soon!!

I'm super excited to say I placed my first Candles by Victoria order yesterday.  CBV was having a one day sale that got you 15% off your entire order...so I jumped at the chance!  Because it was a sale, and she was expecting a ton of orders....I probably won't see it for a couple days.  But you can bet that I'll let you know how it turns out when I get it here!

I've also got 2 different orders coming in by Thursday or Friday.  The first is a repeat order from Can-Do-Candles.  She, also, had a memorial day sale so I got some more tarts that I had been wanting to try.  That review will be coming soon.  Also I have an order from a new company to me...Haley's Heavenly Scents.  That will be arriving at the same time as my Can-Do order, so expect a big ole review on the whole sha-bang!!

Can-Do-Candles

http://www.can-do-candles.com/home.htm 


For my first review, I tried a great little company called Can-Do-Candles.  While they are no longer making jar candles, they do still make amazing tarts that I gave a try.  With a specialty in bakery scents, and over 200 scents total....it was no easy task to pick out my scents!  Below is my review of my first experience with Donna at Can-Do!

 Apperance:

These tarts came in the traditional 1 ounce scalloped shape.  They were packaged in individual bags and had came with a nice and easy to read label.  Very easy to store and I appreciate the packaging, which felt less wasteful than the tart 'cups' that are often used.

Scents:

Mandarin Medley - This is described as, "  Mandarin oranges mixed with a few other fruits."  This does smell nice, but I'm getting too much sharp orange scent and would have been happier if the other fruit would have cut down on that sharp scent.  I have not melted this one, though, so it might be better than on cold sniff.

Line Dried Laundry - I am not a huge fan of the super-perfumy smell of laundry detergent, and to me that is what this smells like.  I'd rather it have been a soft scent with maybe some ozone notes to capture the fresh smell of laundry out on the line.  This is not a favorite for me.

Peppermint Stick - This is a true, authentic peppermint smell.  I think this one is right on the money!  If you enjoy peppermint, this is something you should definitely try.  No fake candy-smell here!  Also, it's not necessarily just a Christmas scent.  To me, it reminds me of the mint that they give you when you pay for your meal at a restaurant.  It's a nice, clean smell that can be burned year-round.

Lessie's Paradise Island - This is GREAT!  It's very fruity and tropical, but not too sweet.  It's a very authentic, island type scent.  Definitely one of my favorites.  

Pared Pears - True to it's name, this is a very nice pear smell.  It's soft and just slighty sweet.  Very clean smell, great for Spring time!

Hot Mama - This is one of the free samples that Donna included with my order.  It is described as strawberries, peaches, and other fruits.  On cold sniff, it is pretty bland.  However, once melted...this smell is out of this world.  If you enjoy fruity scents, this one's for you! 

Oklahoma Rain - This is a nice, fresh scent.  My only problem is that I'm getting quite a bit of that same laundry-detergent smell from it once melted.  It's pretty powerful, so I'd recommend just burning 1/2 at a time.  Again, this is not a re-order for me.  I just don't like the cheap perfumed laundry detergent smell...although I have several family members that swear by it.  Just not for my nose.

Caramel Cinnamon Latte - Oooh yummy!  This is a very nice, warm scent.  You are immediately hit with top notes of cinnamon, followed quickly by a nice caramel, which cuts down on the sharp cinnamon scent.  The coffee scent is more subtle, but definitely there.  It just smells like the inside of a coffee shop!

Granny Apples - This is by far my favorite from this order!  It smells GREAT!  It's just like a sour apple Jolly Rancher.  Very kid-friendly! Again, this is a strong one so cutting it in half might be a good idea.  

Preformance:
 
These tarts definitely have great scent throw.  One half of a tart scented my entire apartment with not trouble at all.  The wax was easy to clean up and after a minute or two in the freezer, it just popped right out.  I would definitely recommend this company to friends and family!


Overall Ordering Experience:

The customer service I received was excellent.  Donna personally calculates your shipping after you order so that you're not charged more than you should.  She also is very personable and makes sure to keep you updated on the status of your order.  Shipping was super fast and I just really enjoyed my experience with Can-Do-Candles.

Oooooh, what's that smell?!?

There's something about melting a brand new candle.  About the way the scent fills the room and creates a feeling. It just makes a person feel good!

I guess that's why I'm such a wax-addict!  While it is a new obsession, it's definitely one that's going to be around for a long time.  This blog is to track and review different candle companies I come across along the way.  I want to make candle-buying easier for people who love to shop from those amazing "mom & pop" companies online, but are afraid to try something before being able to sniff and inspect the product.  Because, while it is a GREAT feeling to burn a great candle, it's probably one of the worst feelings to get a crappy candle! 

Hopefully I can help prevent that!