Burnin' Up #10: Empties

'Tis the season for burning lots of candles and wax tarts! So much so that I devoted a whole post to it! Here's what's been making my home smell cozy and fantastic the last couple months.

• Yankee Candle Cranberry Harvest - This fall, cranberry has been one of my favorite scents. This smelled like the perfect fall cranberry candle, but unfortunately the scent just didn't fill up a room. It was more for ambiance than anything.

• Yankee Candle Witches Brew - Witches Brew is my favorite Yankee Candle scent. It's a sweet patchouli fall scent that always reminds me of Halloween. This will not be the last time a Witches Brew candle is burnt in my house - it's a seasonal must!

• Bath & Body Works Raspberry Peach Macaron - This candle is old, from a past spring collection at B&BW. This scent was part of the best B&BW collection I think they've ever released. It's very sweet and has a slight tang of fruit. 

• Yankee Candle Mulling Spices - This tiny Yankee Candle had a better scent throw than the large Cranberry one above! It smelled like fall... cinnamon, nutmeg and all good spicy things.

• Better Homes & Garden Orange Clove Pomander tarts - These were very fragrant wax melts. A perfect blend of spices and orange that made my home smell ready for the holidays. 

• Scentsationals Twilight tarts - This had a fresh, sort of perfumey smell. It's kind of hard to explain exactly what this smelled like. It was a nice scent to have filling the house, it wasn't offensive or overpowering.

• Bath & Body Works Sundrenched Vineyard wallflower - Another perfect fall scent to have filling up my entire house. It smelled like woodsy fruit, and was surprisingly natural - a scent you might expect someone's house to smell like naturally.

What is your favorite scent to have burning in your home? Let me know! 

Burnin' Up #9: Candles by Victoria

If you watch any beauty gurus on YouTube (who, for some reason, all love candles -- apparently beauty + candles go hand in hand), you may have heard of the brand Candles by Victoria. I first heard about this brand from Michele1218 who raved about all of her candles. There are even collabs on the Candles by Victoria site between TiffanyD and other YouTubers -- I am guessing they may have gotten free items to review or paid for their reviews - just a guess. All items were purchased by me with my own money - so you can expect a completely honest review. 

ANYWAY - I picked up a couple things earlier this fall for my mom and I and wanted to share with all of you. There are ENDLESS amounts of scents on the CBV website, so for those of you ready to make a purchase, I hope this can take the guesswork out of your ordering! Here's what I picked up:

• Oh Holy Night: "Frankincense, cedar, sugar spruce, Christmas Tree and sweet cinnamon." This is a really nice, fresh wintry scent. You can definitely smell the cinnamon and frankincense with a hint of sweet. I'd recommend this cozy scent. 

• Sage: "A blend of wild jasmine, white roses, french lavender and bergamot with a light hint of fresh pine needles." To me, this smells like powdery jasmine with a hint of laundry. It's a scent that will make your house smell clean. Not my favorite, but not bad. 
• Pomegranate & Cider: "Juicy Pomegranates combined with the fullness of a sweet rich cider, amazing!" This smells like a cider infused starburst. It's very sweet but has a nice warmth thanks to the cider. It's unlike any wax melt I've used before, definitely a nice scent. 

• Soothe: "A relaxing combination of Eucalyptus, Patchouli, Lemon and Basil." The scent description is spot on. I get a whiff of all the notes mentioned. It's a fresh, clean scent that wouldn't offend anyone. 

• Marshmallow Peppermint: "This is a fun, flirty, fluffy fragrance that embraces lightheartedness and femininity all in one!  A fabulous blend of fresh essential oil of peppermint and huckleberries, hints of violet and white floral, with creamy base notes of vanilla marshmallow." I can absolutely smell the peppermint and floral berries in this scent. It doesn't really have a hint of marshmallow to me, but it is slightly warm like vanilla. Not my favorite, but I think many people would love this scent.

• Let It Snow: "Eucalyptus and Cinnamon flourishes dance on a bed of crisp, chilled peppermint. If you are not caroling after smelling this there may be no hope for you." The scent description is spot on for this scent. I wouldn't imagine eucalpytus and cinnamon making such a great combo, but it's delightful! It smells like ribbon candy to me! 

• Minty Twist: "For our Minty lovers, Spearmint, Peppermint with a touch of Vanilla." This smells mainly of spearmint to me. It smells a lot like spearmint chapstick. I enjoy minty scents in my home, and I imagine this will be nice. 

• Charlie Brown Christmas: "Name that Scent winner. A wonderful holiday fragrance with top notes of Brazilian orange, bergamot, and bread with cinnamon, nutmeg, and lily of the valley on a base of vanilla and raspberry." I can distinctly smell the bread and cinnamon notes in this. I am sure all the other notes are there, but to me I just get that perfect spicy smell that's ideal for fall and winter. A really nice scent if you enjoy spicy home scents. 

• Crackling Birch: "Outdoors on a winter day...Simply amazing if we may say so ourselves! Crackling Birch fragrance begins with top notes of bergamot, orange, and lemon; with middle notes of geranium, lily, and rose; and base notes of patchouli, vetiver, and tonka beans. This fragrance is one of the most well-rounded fragrances we have ever smelled." This smells like a fancy men's cologne. I can smell the vetiver and bergamot - overall, I really like this scent. 

• Christmas By the Fire: "A subtle seasonal cinnamon spice -- a very unique combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, cedar wood, sage tempered with frankincense and myrrh for warmth and comfort, snuggle up with your favorite book and enjoy!" Cinnamon and sage are the two scents I smell the most. This is a unique Christmas scent, and I really like it. 

• Country Bumpkin: "A wonderful complex blend of apples, candied yams, marshmallows, sweet cream butter, brown sugar, nutmeg, crushed cinnamon bark and fresh cloves. Bring the country home to you." Mmm... this is cinnamon and sugar goodness. If you're a fan of spicy fall scents, I guarantee you'll love this one. 

• Why I Autumn: "An Autumn blend of lemon and apple; followed with middle notes of anise, cinnamon, and ginger; sitting on well-rounded base notes of woods, musk, and vanilla." I adore this scent - it's one of my most favorites. It smells like an autumnal lemon cupcake and it made my house smell so good. I would definitely get this scent again in a future order.

• Snowdrift Berries: "Uniquely different and absolutely incredible holiday scent that has become a year round favorite! Top notes of semi-sweet berries mixed with undertones of balsam pine." This smells like a piney starburst, and while that sounds disgusting, I can promise you this smells quite nice! 

• Christmas in Who-Ville: "Pink Sugar and Sweet Snow." This reminds me of something you'd pick up at Bath & Body Works. It smells minty and perfumed all in one. It's nice, but not something I'd pick up again. 

• White Chocolate Caramel Crunch: "White Chocolate, Caramel and Carmel Corn. Yum!!!" I think this was a freebie in my order, as I don't remember ordering it. It's not typically a scent I'd go for. It's a very sweet chocolate scent. I don't tend to like chocolate scents burning in my house, but if you do - you'll like this.

So there ya have it - I ordered quite a few scents! I've put a few of these to the test already and I'm happy to report they burn very nicely. Even in my open high-ceilinged house, the smells fill up the whole space. The wax is very creamy and soft, so my only gripe is that it's a big tougher than normal to get the dried wax out of my burners. (pro tip: freeze your burners and the wax should pop right out -- these take a little more coercing). Because the wax is so creamy and soft, it's easy to cut -- and I'd recommend cutting each of these wax melts in to four pieces so you get your money's worth!

Overall, I'm really glad I placed an order with Candles by Victoria. It certainly won't be my last. I'd recommend trying the company out if you are looking for some fun new scents to try! 

Burnin' Up #7: Frostbeard Studio Candles + Tarts

If you're a lover of curling up with a good book with a cozy candle flickering nearby, you need Frostbeard Studios in your life. They bring the scents you've loved to read about to life in the form of soy candles and wax tarts. They're based out of Minneapolis, MN (holla - shop local!!) and literally everything they make is so.much.fun. -- not to mention it all smells amazing. I picked up a few things for myself and for my mom for mother's day and I thought I'd share with you what I got!

Both my mom and I love burning wax tarts to make our home smell nice, so for her I picked up Old Books (she's also a big reader). It has a nice sweet, book smell. It's not exactly how I think old books smell, but I don't think I want that exact smell wafting through my home anyway... (musty?? no thanks) but it does conjure up the image of an old library and cozy reading. 

For myself, I got Gatsby's Mansion (The Great Gatsby is one of my favorite stories of all time). This has a fresh, floral spring scent. It's not overwhelming, just really nice and light. I also picked up The Shire, because I'm a big LOTR fan. This has sort of a perfume-y fresh scent - and it's much sweeter than Gatsby's Mansion. I prefer this scent out of the three. 

I've burned both of my tarts so far - they don't have the best scent throw but I still love them because they're unique and not what you typically find in stores.

Lastly, I got a Headmaster's Office candle for myself, and the tarts for my mom. I love love love this scent, nearly as much as I love Harry Potter, for which I assume this is named! This has a musky scent, with hints of tobacco, vanilla and maybe even books? I tend toward spicy, smokey scents, and if you do, too - this will be right up your alley. 

Not only are the scents amazing, but I love the cute packaging, and the appeal to book lovers. Supporting small business is awesome and you can feel good about purchasing from Frostbeard Studios - you won't regret a thing! Highly recommend their amazing candles + tarts!

Burnin' Up #6: Yankee Candle Haul!

A week or two ago an e-mail from Yankee Candle popped up in my inbox announcing their $1 sale, and well, I'm sure you've already figured it out by now that I couldn't pass that deal up (and there are still a bunch of great deals on their website if you want to cash in on the sale, too!)! Unfortunately, there isn't a Yankee Candle nearby me anymore so I often miss out on the cute spring scents that are released, so I made a point to grab some candles that I have wanted to try for a long time. Here's what I got...

The first four votives are White Chocolate Apple - a sugary sweet apple scent, Cotton Candy - which smells just like you'd expect it to, Bunny Cake - a yummy mixture of coconut, citrus and vanilla, and Blue Summer Sky - a fresh scent with hints of ginger, berries, blue lotus, jasmine and orange blossom. I love all of these and can't wait to burn them!

The last 3 votives I got are Marshmallow Chicks - a deliciously marshmallow scented candle. I don't eat marshmallows because I'm a vegetarian (marshmallows have gelatin in them) but I'll happily get my fix this way! Salt Water Taffy - A spot on salt water taffy scent! I picked this up because salt water taffy is a favorite of my husband's. And lastly, Wild Sea Grass - the most different scent of all of these votives, it smells fresh like summer and salt air! 

And lastly, even though my husband despises car fresheners, I like to use them now and then, and for a $1 - you know I'm going to get some. I picked up Picnic in the Park and Ocean Star, neither of which can I smell through the packaging so we'll see how good they are when they're unleashed in my ride! 


What are your favorite Yankee Candle scents? Let me know! 

Burnin' Up #5

Despite the snow on the ground here in MN, it's still fall scent season in my house, and I've got two really great scents burning that are making my home smell simply amazing.

The scent I've been burning in my kitchen is Warm Tobacco Pipe by DW Home. I got this scent at Marshalls and immediately fell in love upon first whiff. I love tobacco notes in cologne and candles. Warm Tobacco Pipe has a smokey scent that smells warm and inviting, without smelling like someone's actually pulling out a pipe and smoking in your home. It's a really nice fall scent and it has a delicate scent throw that's just enough to give a room a cozy scent without being overwhelming.

In my bathroom, I've got one of my all time favorite candles burning - Witches Brew by Yankee Candle. This has a very strong patchouli scent (an all time favorite scent of mine) but it's a bit sweeter and less herbal than Yankee Candle's actual "Patchouli" candle. This is released for Halloween each year, and then it goes away, but it can almost always be found in their outlet stores.


What are you burning? Have you tried either of these candles? Let me know!

Burnin' Up #4 | Diamond Candles

Remember the days of mystery bags as a kid? One dollar and you have the chance of getting something super awesome? (although normally you didn't) Really, the best part was the mystery of it all. I LOVED getting mystery bags as a child. That's what Diamond Candles remind me of. Have you guys seen these?! Because if you haven't, you're in for a treat!

Diamond Candles are a super cool concept; hidden inside every candle is a ring! Your ring could be valued up to $5,000! Can you see the little circle on the top right of the candle above? That circle marks the spot where your ring is sitting. You have to burn the candle down in order to retrieve the ring, safely secured in layers of tin foil and plastic wrapping. Luckily, these soy candles burn quickly so you don't have to wait too long to see what you got.

Diamond Candles come in a variety of scents, and it seems they are always releasing new ones. The scent I purchased is pomegranate lemonade. As you can imagine, this is a super fruity scent and it smells like fruity lemonade is drenching my home. The scent throw is incredible - I could smell it all over my house. The one thing that did surprise me is how fast this candle burned. It seemed this burned much faster than other candles I've had in the same size. 

Diamond Candles cost $24.95, and are available at www.diamondcandles.com

If you're curious what ring I got, here it is. There are no marking on the band, so I think mine is worth about $10, the minimum value.

Burnin' Up #3

August has finally brought the heat here in Minnesota! My home town has not yet hit 90 all summer (crazy, I know - we were 2 degrees away today!) but we have experienced some hot and humid days and so I cracked out some candles that are perfect for the season. 

The big candle I've been burning on my kitchen island is Bath & Body Works' Snap Peas, in the oh so cute mason jar glass. The lady who rang me up when I bought this thought it was weird I was purchasing it (and there really weren't many gone from the shelf) but I love novelty scents like this and I had to have it. I think I bought this back in February, so unfortunately I don't believe you can get this in stores, however it is still available on Bath & Body Works' website. It's half off right now! Snap Peas has a very fresh, summery garden scent and truly smells like you're sticking your nose in a bag of sugar snap peas. It doesn't give off a super strong scent, but it will make wherever you put it smell fresh and earthy.

Lemon Mint Leaf is my bathroom candle. This is just a little mini, also made by Bath & Body Works. This is a super old candle that I've had sitting on my shelf waiting to burn for way too long. My husband commented how much scent the little candle had, and he's right - this lil' thang packs a punch! It smells absolutely delightful, really fresh and clean and exactly like you'd expect lemon + mint to smell. I don't love these teeny candles because they don't last very long, but I think I got this on sale a long time ago so I figured I better just burn it up already.

What are you burning? Have you tried either of these candles? Let me know!