Notes from the Stash: Tea edition

Heads up, I’m chatting tea scents not actual tea leaves today. I chat up teas too, in fact I have two new tea hauls to review next month. Someone around here really fancies tea lately (it’s me), seeing as it’s a favorite scent trend in 2018, I had a dig through my stash to see what I could find.

Black tea blends:I’ve come up a bit short on black tea scents, which isn’t surprising as I usually melt through them. Brisk Earl Greys are my favorite tea to sip at the moment, but it’s harder to come by a good representation in wax.  

*Ravenclaw- blue sugar, sugared violets, earl grey tea and books. A successful earl grey by L3 Waxy Wonders, the fresh pressed bitterness of the black tea isn’t too much and holds up well to the other strong notes. Reviewed here with the Harry Potter collection.

*Cabin in the Woods/Fir trees: Mallo fireside, earl grey tea, vanilla buttercream/Fraser fir, also L3WW, unfortunately represents a less successful use of earl grey. I’m to blame as I created this custom wax blend that has a sustained acrid note that’s the opposite of a calming tea scent.

*Earl Grey and Apple- Wicks Flicks n Gifts a common fragrance oil which is decidedly more spiced apples than tea leaves.

**The best Earl Grey wax I’ve tried was a gift of The Melting Duck’s earl grey, marshmallow fireside, vanilla ice cream-so scrummy good, but I’ve used it all.

*London Calling- Crisp lemon notes and strong steeped black tea. Reviewed in my early blog days. I forgot that I had this Slatkin era candle sitting on the shelf, so I lit her up. How could I have forgotten the summery indulgence of a freshly preserved tea tin with an extra squeeze of lemon? London is a classic for good reason.

Green tea blends:Occasionally green tea wets my whistle, especially when I want a lighter more refreshing brew. In wax, green tea scents are a favorite. They brighten up everything and seem to mix well with anything, total wax workhorses. I’m pleased they are becoming more popular.

*Tea for Two-green tea, bergamot, patchouli, amber, vanilla, jasmine, musk and smooth woods- Handmade in Florida. I appreciate the complexity of these layers, but after much curing, when finally melted I found the floral musk too perfumey. It’s pretty with a juicy shot of bergamot, but also a citronella lean which wrinkles my nose.

Matcha Snow– matcha tea and vanilla snow cream. Note to self: try some matcha tea ice cream, especially if this Gio & Turner scent is an indication, yummy earthy loveliness. 

*Green tea- Rose girls mini-melters. An ethereal tea scent with floral essence and a blast of juiciness. I’ve blended it with several others and can’t seem to go wrong. Faves are green tea + cedar vanilla and mango + green tea. 

**Ramble On wax had a Bee Sting Tea matcha scent that was excellent, but I don’t think the vendor is making wax anymore. 

Floral teas:There’s a magnificent range of floral teas and floral tea scents out there which proves tea can make nearly anything work.

*Pear Blossom Tea, Better Homes & Gardens- a possible green tea base, but fragrant blooms are it’s shining character. It’s sun-warmed and sweet with that fleshy pear note that I admit is quite realistic. Not bad for a $2 Walmart find.

*Serenitea– hibiscus tea infused with sweet, ripe raspberries and rose petals. Jeannie from Gio & Turner is killing it with tea blends. I have her Black Chamomile on my to-try list. Serenitea is a beautiful fruity floral with a smooth tea foundation. 

*Balance and Glow-Delicate honey blossoms kissed with sunny citrus, infused with lavender and Echinacea blooms. My all-time favorite Candles from the Keeping Room scent, gifted by generous Julie, who else? Tea isn’t listed in the description, but it certainly comes through when melting. Echinacea can be made into herbal tea and infuses this scent with uplifting leafy brilliance. I adore this fragrance.

Tea With the Queen of Hearts- the Queen of Hearts likes her roses AND her tea red, Roobios Red Tea. Fresh and mildly fruity with the mouthwatering tang I so enjoy. A tender rosebud appears, but adds to the herbal tincture rather than becoming floral. When Shannon released a flash sale of scents at the end of June, I looked, of course I did. But, I didn’t buy until I saw this scent offered in the coconut oil sugar scrub. I *had* to, it’s too gorgeous and I think not wildly popular so I didn’t want to miss it. (How does that justification sound?)

Now it’s clear I’m sweet on tea scents, I think I’ll brew up a pot. What sort of tea do you fancy? Chai season will be here soon and I will need to supplement my stash, but for now I’m happy to sniff and sip a strong iced tea brew.