100% owing credit to Andy’s Yankee Candles’ burn diary and the Yankee Candle Sisters’ monthly report card for inspiring this post. I’ve missed the monthly best and worst recaps I used to write, which among other things, highlighted memorable scents I’ve been melting and burning.
Although I’m unable to adhere to a rigid blogging schedule due to other obligations, I intend to share a seasonal fragrance journal: providing a glimpse into my monthly candles and melts and allowing me a way to keep in touch with my fragrance followers. Thank you to those who have stuck with me since I left regular blogging in March, and to those who have been with me since the beginning, back in January 2016:)
Caught this old Bath & Body Works favorite last year and returned to it again and again this summer. Nicely balanced with fruity aquatic tones. The airy notes transport me to a carefree summer mindset, I can almost feel the sway of the hammock ‘neath the tropical breeze.
Fooled by the inviting marbled packaging, I should have known this candle would be too light. Not unexpectedly, Beachscape brought nothing of it’s sea breeze, warm cotton and lotus blossom to the table. A disappointing reminder not to be taken in by pretty labels.
After hoarding my beloved Lake Sunset by Yankee Candle for years, I decided to let go and lit it often. The sweet suede-like powdery blend was a treat on long summer evenings.
I rotate quite a variety of wax vendors but have mostly ordered from these two this summer:
That Smell Good Shop: Villains restock
Thanos- lavender/palo santo/amber. Palo Santo shines in blends. This one is nearly perfect with the three most relaxing scents out there; smokey-sweet light woodsy Palo Santo, herbal lavender and ethereal comforting amber.
The Joker– caramel/baked peaches/roasted nuts. The only problem with the simple combinations that are a hallmark of TSGS blends; there’s nowhere for a bad note to hide. Rather than a bubbly cobbler, a phony air freshener aroma clashed with the parched nuttiness. A missed opportunity for a warm bakery fragrance.
Voldemort– driftwood/vetiver/coconut. Another summer beauty similar to the salty sea air and coconut blends I’ve craved. Cool creamy coconut lifts the dense chewy driftwood as vetiver grasses blow in the background, tickling the nose.
Candles from the Keeping Room
Coconut Lavender Sugar- soothing, pillowy and sweet. Not all lavender blends are created equal but this is superior in every way. Beautiful.
Sweet Sumac Tea– bold authentic sun tea refreshment with an extra herbal element.
Magic in the Air- I loved this sample of softly floral, sophisticated spa-like musk. I’d only previously tried the bodycare by B&BW and was underwhelmed. In home fragrance, I’d definitely melt this scent again.
Golden oldie
Working through my endless wax stash has led me to a few forgotten treasures. I reviewed Fakery Bakery Wax two years ago and sort of forgot about them. Unearthing the muffin tin of Cake by the Ocean was a happy re-discovery. Two years on, the scent is powerful, pure Pink Sugar goodness. Ocean water and shaving cream chunks under the caramelized spiciness of pink sugar has brought a fresh, yet sultry scent to my home for weeks. I sure miss this vendor.
Out of season stunner
OMG– lavender/peppermint/coconut cream by Closet Full of Wax. A snap of clean peppermint, cool flinty lavender and calming rich coconut. This scent single-handedly nursed me through a raging summer cold a couple weeks ago. *If there’s one scent that truly surprised me this season, it was this dreamy delight.
I tend to want to cook more during the summertime than any other season, so bread is a natural kitchen scent choice to me. B&BW’s French Baguette is a crispy fresh-baked slice of foodie heaven. I can even smell the pinch of salt. You’d have to love bread to enjoy it, but who doesn’t love bread?
Drift Away is an underrated gem in Yankee’s retired catalog. More unique than standard watery scents, it bring the joys of lake life to my land-locked home with deep dark blue mountain lake-level serenity. A subtle coastal feel springs from sea salt and lily, while lush woodlands hint at a secret depth. I have a large jar of this one I’m saving to the last.
A must for humid summer days is this outlet rarity, Garden Cucumber. Vibrant green with delicate watery essence. Ultra realistic as taking a crisp bite of a juicy garden cucumber, but not overwhelmingly tangy. An ideal fresh summer-in-a-jar experience.
As summer comes to a close, my emotions run bittersweet. But I foresee orchards, cool woods, spooky nights and cozy treats in store the next time we meet.
The Scented Library 
Woah, The Joker sounds rank. When peach smells go bad, they smell like a hockey bag. And speaking of – ba-dum ching! – there’s that French Baguette scent. Did you have to kill somebody for it? Because I thought that scent was un-findable. Didn’t I hear about people getting into in-store fights over it during some sale? Anyhow, not quite my jam – tried a croissant scent one time and it was unpleasant. Needed more cupcake. 😉
You most likely saw it, but I think RG has a peppermint/lavender/coconut scent on offer at the moment, or they did recently. MMs, maybe? Haven’t ordered from them in forever, but you know they’d do that one up well.
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Yeah, big swing and miss with that peach scent. I’m typically unopposed to the stone fruit notes, but you are correct. We at Yankee had a word for scents that intended to smell like food but went wrong, *assfruit*. The Joker was an assfruit situation of the rankest order.
And hey since we’re on the Joker, any thoughts on the upcoming psycho-drama of the DC universe starring Joaquin Phoenix? I can’t look away from the trailers, equally fascinated and disturbed-which is the cinematic mark they were aiming at I suppose.
I hadn’t seen the RG MM list in a while. I’m on an OFFICIAL wax ban and literally unfollowed a few vendors so as not to be tempted. 33 days no-wax and counting! Honestly, I may have mentioned this in a roundabout way before but RG’s peppermint is way too strong and bracing for me. I like the subtle infusion Closet Full of Wax’s mint suggests while not dominating the other blends. French Baguette’s another hella strong one, but I prefer it in candle form, warm and toasty with no chance of obliterating other notes. And I can almost absorb the carbs through osmosis 😉
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SO many thoughts on Joker, most of them relating to the fact that we’ve got another actor with a questionable approach to the merging of art and mental health playing a psycho, in this case a pathetic incel who feels the world owes him its everything. Is this going to end well? But I was riveted by that trailer – Joaquin Phoenix is a disturbing weirdo. Gosh, I had such a crush on him back in the ’90s when he first showed up on the scene. I even loved him in To Die For (oh my lord, that movie is AH-MAZZZING) which I haven’t seen in forever because my husband hates it. He also hates Thor: Ragnarok, which might mean he has appalling taste in movies in general. 😉
Congratulations on your 33 days of no wax! I feel like I need to give you a little token. Hey, maybe a little wax seal! With a dollar sign with a slash through it. 🙂 I’ve just been melting through all the stuff I bought at the end of last year (still going strong on that SMT customs order from forever ago, although I’m starting to finish off some bags now) but I’d love some new goodies. I hope RG puts out their holiday Mario scents at Christmas – I always enjoy that.
Speaking of RG, I rounded up a bunch of wax to send to you the other day, and I’m pretty sure I stuck a few squares of PCM in there. Don’t know why I have such blindness to that scent dislike of yours, but apparently I do! I can take it out, if you’d like, or you can add some more of something else to it to tone it down. I just finished off a bag of a peppermint custom I got from SMT and wasn’t hugely impressed with, because the peppermint wasn’t bracing ENOUGH! It was a pretty wussy blend.
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Same crushing on Joaquin, but that’s because I adored River and was so saddened by his passing. As inevitable as it seemed.
I don’t get Joaquin (but applauded his performance as Johnny Cash❤). Spot-on casting in this situation, I doubt he even needed to audition. Kinda wanna see it to revel in the weird.
Thanks, 40+ days now!
Oh my, heck yes, I’ll take whatever you wanna give. It’s less a dislike than a question of tolerance level. Completely unexpected my friend. I look forward to catching up more soon❤
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Oh River – if he had lived, I wonder what his life and career would look like today. Would he be Marveling up like everyone else? Or something in between, kind of like what his brother is doing. I have heard that Joker is just incredible, but I’ve maybe had enough of the universe beating people down, and I really need my entertainment to keep me entertained these days. I don’t want to be sad. Which is why I pretty much just watch B 9-9 these days.
Hey, speaking of, I think you mentioned a while back you didn’t like the final episode of the last season, the Suicide Squad one? How come?! I thought it was great (but then again, I love CJ, and Holt’s whole deal with Wuntch is grounds for a MONSTER workplace harassment lawsuit, but funny.) I will say I wasn’t hugely fond of this season’s repeated, never-ending callbacks to previous episodes. I guess that was to bring new NBC viewers up to speed on the Fox era, but after a while it just became so irritating, at least for me. I’m totally fine with more Hitchcock and Scully, though, as I’m sure you’d agree. I loved the bit where they were one-upping each other with their disgusting and/or haunted basements. That really might explain a lot right there.
40 DAYS! 40 DAYS! FOR-TY DAYS! Yay, that’s very exciting. We’re still up shit creek financially, so I haven’t bought a thing in months, even though we’re reaching that critical point where I’m beginning to see the bottom of the wax drawer. I saw that VCS had some super cool Fall and Halloween scents out a few weeks ago and I came awfully close to caving a little, but then I realized I actually do still have a ton of wax, so I can hold off. But man, the pull is there! Gonna be sending out your box next week, also, so get those clothespins ready to clamp down on your nose in anticipation of RG PEPPERMINT!!!
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Clothespins secured! I received my Final July preorder while away, from Candy Panda, and have yet to open it (probs cause as soon as we crossed back over our threshold, life erupted into a comic shitshow) Long story short my suitcase=sitting on our back deck, probably sodden with rain. I’m gonna need those clothes eventually but I don’t have the energy to deal atm.
On to happier thoughts. You and Will are a belt-tightening inspiration and I’ve seen the light. Goodbye days of frivolity, hello austerity. I know you’d rather be in Disney, but holding off, saving those pennies (do you need any Canadian nickels? Cause they dont work in vending machines here) will make it that much fucking sweeter when you do go, ya know?
I love B-99, but am in a weird place having viewed through season 4 on Hulu and watched most of 6 on…NBC, I think, having missed season 5. I love it, yes even that crazy Wunsch, but watching this last season felt a bit like a chore-things were feeling forced up in that precinct. The more you discuss the finale, the morevI think I may have missed the ACTUAL finale. I think the last scene I remember is Holt assigned as traffic cop, end season. ? No? maybe I need to find it on YouTube or somewhere.
Keep reigning in the finances and I will too, talk soon 💙
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A rain-sodden shitshow? Colour me sympathetic and intrigued – hit me up privately if you need someone to vent to.
I’m glad you’re taking some inspiration from our unfortunate situation at the moment, and you know, we are as well. Our spending has changed RADICALLY. So much transient (?) stuff (like coffees, fast food while we’re out, that cute little thing we saw beside the cash) has hit the bricks, and I don’t miss it. I feel like if we put our minds to it, we could save A LOT in a short amount of time, which is kind of the plan re: future Disney trips. And you’re right, we will have fucking earned it. 🙂 Keep fighting the good fight, although I’d never recommend complete austerity – it’s okay to want nice things.
That was totally the episode, the one that ended with Holt as a traffic cop (at a seriously dangerous-looking intersection, too; Wuntch is definitely trying to kill him.) I just loved all the stuff with CJ and the Vulture, who is SUCH a dick. I thought it was okay. Not Hitchcock and Scully are revealed to be massive studs okay, but okay.
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I will hit you up directly soon 🙂
Re: BB-99
That was it then. CJ is a beautiful buffoon and Ken Marino will be forever welcomed by me as a member of MTV’s The State (along w/Joe Lo Truglio). The Vulture became a lot of rehashed bits, actually most of the characters/story lines felt that way. l guess the direction was take your State Farm Insurance Mayhem character and run the hell out of it.
B99 is a solid diversion, especially when happy thoughts are needed, but like all long running plots it’s lost its originality. I fear the end is nigh (again).
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The funny thing about those State Farm commercials (kind of a chicken/egg situation, that – which came first, the Vulture or the egg?) is that Bob Anderssson (“In fairness, Bob, who spells “Anderson” with three Ss?”) from the end of season 4 (the FBI agent who double-crosses them) is the narrator. B99 all up in this place. Team Ceej.
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What a great post! I enjoyed reading this morning. ❤
Most of those sound fantastic. I love that you enjoy a range of scents. ❤
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That’s sweet of you to say April, thank you for the always kind words:)
I’m a fairly strict seasonal melter but within the seasonal frame, I looove variety, creating my own blends, etc. It keeps my nose interested with only one drawback…I have a ton of wax and candles because I tend to want that new scent instead of what I’ve already used. I’m working on it though–one month with NO wax purchases. Wish me willpower!
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I love seeing all the candles. ❤ I DO love bread but sadly that yeasty scent as a candle or in personal fragrance doesn't appeal to me. And I have no idea why!!! I LOVE the scent of bread baking or that basket of linen wrapped sourdough that lands on the table at Carrabba's. Why wouldn't I like it in a candle?! Ah well. Glad you found a lavender/mint/coconut blend you can enjoy. Mints and lavender help me through bad days too. But you know how I am about my mints LOL! Burn the nose hairs off. Happy you found a mellow one.
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Bread, a staple of life, yet a scent divide many cannot cross. I do like it, weird considering pretzel-scented wax, in that same salty vein, makes me nauseous. Can’t get near it.
Ah, Carraba’s, quite yummy. Unfortunately the only one in a 50 mile radius closed up w/o warning, leaving an unused gift card in my pocket. Maybe I can trade her in for someplace else.
Peppermint, lavender, coconut can be dreamy, I think this one is a perfect balance. Gathering and sending your “housewarming” package next week-ish.
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