Thursday, January 24, 2013

Yankee Candle's new spring scents

It's the middle of January and spring is in the air! Well, it isn't really, but it is in my house and has been since December. That's when I picked up Yankee Candle's new spring fragrances!

Unfortunately I was only able to buy four out of the five new launches, Waikiki Melon, Paradise Spice, Golden Sands, and Black Coconut, but, nonetheless, don't their names sound like they'll carry you away to some fantastic faraway place?? I've got high hopes for these scents, especially the exotic Black Coconut!


Since Yankee tends to have such great cold throw, I'll start with this aspect of each candle first.

Paradise Spice's aroma is a gentle, sweet coconut, a pina colada type fragrance, that has layers of soft vanilla intertwined with it. There is an undertone to the fragrance which is hard to discern, and mostly makes the candle smell a bit odd. Possibly this is the 'spice' of the aforementioned candle, though it isn't cinnamon or clove like the Yankee website claims it to be, but possibly a bit aromatic in nature.

Next in line is Waikiki Melon. It has a soft, sweet, and water-y cold throw which pleasantly greets the nose. It's almost as if they combined a watermelon flavored jolly rancher with a perfectly ripe and juicy cantaloupe. It is a fresh, yet mellow and comforting, scent that is pleasing overall.

Onto Golden Sands. It has a more sophisticated cold throw than the others, yet is still a gentle scent. It is a clean, light floral with woody warmth. Despite it's serene tones, I wonder how this would smell in use.

Finally! The mysterious Black Coconut. It's cold throw is intense from first whiff - almost like the bartender on the beach has handed me a drink that's been made too strong! It's warm, creamy, coconut-y, and, oddly, whiskey like. Think Bailey's with a coconut accent (if that's at all possible!). This one should definitely have an interesting aroma in use!

And now, with these tropical scents in mind, we'll move onto their hot throws.

But unfortunately there isn't much to say about the hot throw ... for any of these scents. I tested and re-tested, but each time I nearly burned my nose off trying to experience their fragrance as they failed to scent the evaluation room. What a disappointment! No Black Coconut to indulge in! No Waikiki Melon to delight in!

Truly, it's lovely to have an island theme in my house in the dead of winter, but I have to admit that Yankee's scents did not succeed in whisking me away to any tropical escape. Oh, Yankee Candle, what's happened to your product?? I know the economy is still slow, but does the fragrance dosage or quality of ingredients in your candles need to suffer for it?

Ho-hum, how depressing!

Though, what about you? Have you tried any of these scents? Do you love them, do you hate them? Is your space being filled with a fabulously fragrant tropical bouquet? Make sure to leave a comment below!

Monday, January 14, 2013

Get lost in an Enchanted Forest

Hello 2013! I'm sure you've made all kinds of resolutions (I know I've got a whole list to get through!) and I thought perhaps, like me, one of your resolutions is to do a bit of traveling. I say, why not start now with Enchanted Forest, the new scent from The Vagabond Prince, and our debut fragrance review of 2013.


Enchanted Forest transports you to a deep, dark European forest where the floor of this treed maze is engulfed with blackcurrants: the two aspects of this fragrance that embrace you from the start.


As the scent warms green and woody aspects, which mingle with the sweetness of the black currant, emerge. Though, the enjoyment of these notes is interrupted by animalic castoreum tones. Unfortunately these notes become all too evident for my liking. (Though, to be fair, I'm smelling this on a smelling strip - perhaps on the skin the castoreum wouldn't be so prevalent).

Suddenly the phone rings and I'm pulled away from this black currant heaven; by the time I return to the smelling strip, the dry down greets me. There are pine needles a plenty whose notes tingle the nose, the sweet black currant tones still cling on at the back, and yet there is also a soft undertone of cedar which intermingles with the rest and brings a distinct woodiness to the fragrance.

An Enchanted Forest it is indeed, which the perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour has done well to capture.

Intrigued? You can find out more about The Vagabond Prince Perfume House and their debut fragrance at Fragrantica.

Are you one of the lucky winners of a sample from Fragrantica? Do you love it, do you hate it? Make sure to leave a comment below!