Enticed by Yankee Candle fall scents

Leaves are turning, days are crisp, jackets and scarves are making their appearance, and, of course, festive fall scents abound! Like in years past (make sure to check out 2011 and 2012) Yankee Candle has launched a whole array of new scents for the season. Since we're already halfway through fall and there's not much time left before the holidays, below are three of the most interesting 2013 autumnal launches from Yankee Candle.

1. The most comforting
Cozy Sweater is indeed the coziest of the scents in Yankee's fall offerings. That said, it's not the coziest because it is the warm floral-musk-patchouli scent that Yankee claims it to be, but because its scent is floral and powdery with the tiniest bit of patchouli for warmth. It's like a big hug from grandma. The cold throw of this candle is amazing. It is pleasant and strong, but not overbearing (kind of like grandma). It's a mix of soft florals, though mostly rose, and powder. The hot throw produces a much gentler scent which is mostly powder and rose, with a little bit of waxy-base emerging. Despite this flaw, the rose and powder notes prevail and the candle manages to conjure memories of kind words, comforting hugs, and being surrounded by grandma's love and warmth.

2. The most delectable
Fall is full of tasty treats and Yankee's Salted Caramel candle is one of them! While the cold throw is not the strongest, it is still buttery, caramel-y, and toffee-like: just one deep smell and you can virtually feel the caramel getting stuck in your teeth. Delish! What's more, the hot throw does not disappoint. The soft, sweet gourmand scent fills the evaluation room with its delectable notes and though it's more of a maple syrup-y scent in use (no caramel or salt here), it's tasty all the same!

3. The most peculiar
The third most interesting fall scent from Yankee Candle is Pumpkin Wreath, mainly for being the most unusual of the six new scents in Yankee's fall line up. The cold throw is strong, but confusing: pastry-popcorn gourmand mixed with hot cinnamon (imagine a candy (or whisky) fire ball), spicy clove, woody-dryness. It's all over the place, but in fact, this is what it's supposed to be. Here is the fragrance description on the Yankee Candle website: oakwood, cinnamon bark, and clove! The hot throw experience isn't as confusing. The mixture of gourmand-spice-wood comes through warm, if a little waxy, and unfortunately (or fortunately?!) very weak. While it may not be one you'd want to scent your home with, for once it's a candle which matches its description!

There you have it! Three new scents for your fall wardrobe and in the nick of time - I've just received Yankee's holiday catalog! Guess I'd better get smelling before Christmas is upon us!

If you've enjoyed any of these three scents, or any other new candle launches this fall, make sure to leave a comment below!

Yankee Candle Fall 2012: Whoopie Pie

Find the recipe here: epicurious
(photo by: Mary Ellen Bartley)

whoopie pie (n):   a confection of two small and flat chocolate cakes with cream frosting in the middle; also called whoopee pie, black-and-white.

This delicious goodness originates from the New England area of the United States.  Although, interestingly, there is controversy as to which state this scrumptious treat hails from.  Is Maine its home, or is it Pennsylvania?  Or possibly New Hampshire or even Massachusetts?

Unbelievably, this is such a heated debate that Maine proposed legislature in 2011 to make the Whoopie Pie its official state pie, and thus staking claim to it!

I don't know the answer to its origins, but it is unsurprising, knowing Yankee Candle's New England roots, that they have a Whoopie Pie variant in their Fall 2012 candle range!  And my! What a heavenly Whoopie Pie they have created!

The first experience of the candle is intoxicating!  Its scent is rich with dry cocoa notes which blend seamlessly with soft mint tones and creamy marshmallow hints.  It is chocolate cake batter in a candle.  Delish!

In use a pleasant mouth-watering chocolate scent fills the room.  Infused within these chocolatey notes is the creamy marshmallow aroma which was present in the cold throw.  The mint notes disappear when the candle is burned, but it doesn't lessen the loveliness of the fragrance, just makes it less mint-chocolate-y.

As a chocolate lover myself, I can see only one problem with this scent - in use it isn't very strong!  What a pity - warm chocolate cake is one thing I don't mind my house smelling of!

Have you tried this scent?  Do you love it, do you hate it?  Make sure to leave a comment below!

Yankee Candle Fall 2012: Apple Pumpkin

Have you ever eaten an Apple Cinnamon Nutri Grain bar?  If so, then you can perfectly imagine the aroma of the new Apple Pumpkin variant from Yankee Candle's Fall 2012 candle range.  It is an instantly recognizable apple-cinnamon-crumble-y-pie crust scent.  It's pleasant,  but disturbingly 'foody'.  Nutri Grains are definitely tasty, but to be honest, I'm not quite sure I'd want my home smelling of 'em!

With trepidation I wondered, would the foodiness aspect of the fragrance be present in use?  I had to find out, so I hurried to my evaluation area and anxiously lit the candle.

Sadly, the strong notes that are easily perceived in Apple Pumpkin's cold throw are all but missing in the hot throw!  Yes, the disliked foody-Nutri-Grain aspects have disappeared to leave a soft apple-cinnamon scent behind, but the fragrance itself is completely unexciting and boringly status quo.  Where is the pumpkin?  Where is the clove and ginger the website claims is in there?!  What a (wholly unsurprising) bummer that Apple Pumpkin isn't as dynamic as the marketing portrays it to be!

Oh well...despite the disappointment in what Apple Pumpkin could have been, at least it is an overall decent apple-cinnamon scent!

Have you tried this scent?  Do you love it, do you hate it?  Make sure to leave a comment below!

Yankee Candle Fall 2012: Caramel Pecan Pie

We begin our quest for Yankee Candle's best new fall fragrance with the scent that the sales assistant preferred the most: Caramel Pecan Pie.  She thought it was absolutely delectable; let's see if we do, too!

Yankee Candle describes Caramel Pecan Pie as 'a mouthwatering invitation . . . serve up a buttery slice of gooey goodness with this scrumptious recipe of walnuts, pecans and creamy caramel.'  I'm not too sure about the gooey goodness, but buttery it definitely is!

Upon first indulging in this scent a gourmand mixture greets your nose: creamy butter, soft wisps of cinnamon, hints of fresh red apple skin ... and popcorn.  Wait - what?!  Popcorn??  Maybe they made this scent a little too buttery!

In use the aroma is not heavy or overpowering.  It is a pleasantly sweet, cinnamon, buttery fragrance which fills the room and pleases the senses.

Caramel Pecan Pie is an inviting fragrance which gourmand lovers will easily approve of.  That said, with the lack of walnut, pecan and creamy caramel and the presence of cinnamon, red apple and popcorn, maybe they should have named this Cinnamon Apple Snack instead!

Have you tried this scent?  Do you love it, do you hate it?  Make sure to leave a comment below!

Bath and Body Works Malibu Heat ...or should that be Miami Beach ?

I've been completely sucked in by the label of BBW's newest summer Signature fragrance Malibu Heat.  Shades of orange, pink, and yellow suffocate dry palm trees with their implied heat.  I'm immediately transported to a white sandy beach on a hot day, the warm ocean breeze swirling around, carrying salty, wet, marine scents to Hawaiian Tropic slathered sunbathers.  But, interestingly, I'm transported to Miami and not Malibu!  Tell me, though, what marketing department would name a woman's personal care product Miami Heat?  Definitely not a smart one.

Sniffing the scent from the bottle there is a distinct sweet-white floral-pineapple aroma.  It's reminiscent of the drinks you'd be sipping at bars on Ocean Drive in South Beach.  If you've ever been to Miami or seen Burn Notice, you'll know what I'm talking about.

In use the fragrance has a fizzy-sugar-y (aldehydic-esque) quality to it that appears to exist only in use.  All floral notes completely disappear leaving the pineapple scent to mix with these sugary (think white granulated sugar, not a caramel type of sugar) notes.

It is a decent fragrance that sits too lightly and indistinctly on the skin: after awhile the soft pineapple scent fades and all that's left is shea butter ...which is quite a bummer because I don't think I would mind wearing a fragrance that reminded me of sipping piña coladas at a cafe in South Beach, Miami!

Manic for The Body Shop's Chocomania

I am well aware that it is May, but I would like to turn the clocks back to February 2012, and the launch of a new product - Chocomania from The Body Shop.  I know, I have definitely slacked in getting this product reviewed here.  I ask your forgiveness, especially because the shop assistant informed me that Chocomania is a limited edition, only on shelves for a little while longer!

So, how many of you out there are chocolate lovers?  I would say, probably most.  How many of you would like to smell of chocolate?  That is a wholly different question, isn't it?  Purposefully launched around Valentine's Day The Body Shop was clearly hoping to sell this variant based on chocolate's association with love and cupid.  The Chocomania line definitely offered an alternative to the usual 'chocolates and flowers' gift option.  But, if you had been given this variant instead of real chocolate on the big V-Day, would your sweet tooth have been satisfied?  Let's find out.

Chocomania Body Scrub is a little intimidating when you unscrew the lid.  Looking back at you is a swirled mass of brown exfoliator, what The Body Shop describes as 'a brownie-souffle texture'.  They aren't exaggerating too much, but I have to admit that there was trepidation when I first opened it.  Then I smelled it.  All I have to say is: Betty Crocker Chocolate Frosting.  De-li-cious!  From this first sniff, it is obvious that The Body Shop did not go cheap when they designed this fragrance - there is barely a (if any at all) whiff of dry, horribly fake cocoa bean scent.  The gorgeous aroma made my trepidation disappear; all I wanted to do now was indulge in the product.

In use, the top notes are ridiculously gourmand - it is like being emerged in chocolate fudge cupcakes; cake, frosting and all!  These notes linger, but the fragrance is surprisingly complex.  As you scrub away, accents of clean and dry floral-green aromas lift the fragrance from its deep chocolate-y base.  It is a dynamic fragrance which allows you to indulge in its scentacular experience while meeting your needs of refreshing and cleansing through the in-use floral-green bouquets.

Out of the shower and dry, the fragrance on the skin is moisturizing and creamy, more akin to a shea butter scent than anything else ... but I'm not complaining.  See, while I wholeheartedly enjoyed the scent experience of this product, I'm not sure I want to walk around smelling like chocolate.  For that reason, this product gets a big thumbs up.

So, still thinking of something to get your mom for Mother's Day?  Not anymore - get to your nearest Body Shop and get her some Chocomania Body Scrub.  It is not the least expensive product, but with ingredients like Brazil nut oil, soy oil and sugar, and a scent that feels like your immersed in chocolate frosting, it's well worth it!

BBW Lip Jewels Liplicious Lip Gloss: Blackberry Bling

It's the end of the sparkly week, but not quite yet for us!  Today we're going to look at one last variant of the current Lip Jewel Liplicious line from Bath and Body Works.  Like the first gloss, Glittering Cola, this one is tinted.  Unlike the first and second gloss, it's not a sweet soda scent, but a fruity one.

Blackberry Bling opens with sweet berry notes.  It is a scent that I would characterize more closely to blackcurrants than blackberries, though.  Never heard of blackcurrant?  Don't worry - it's not well known in the United States.  Why is this?  Let me tell you.

Well over a hundred years ago blackcurrants were all the rage.  These berries were eaten, grown, and enjoyed by the American populous.  This was until the US federal government banned growing them in the early 1900s.  Blackcurrents were known to carry a fatal fungus to the white pine tree, which in turn posed a threat to the lucrative logging industry.  This ended the life of the blackcurrant in the United States.

That is, until 2003 when a horticulturist in New York was able to get the ban lifted (in New York only).  He began growing these ill-fated berries and they are now being introduced back into the American fruit bowl.

At this point you might be asking yourself, how does Scents n Scentsibility know what a blackcurrant smells like?  See, while the berry is virtually unknown to the American consumer, it never fell out of favor in Europe (almost quite the opposite).  It is a common fruit there and it's a popular flavor for products.  Two examples are crème de cassis from France and blackcurrant squash (a concentrated fruit syrup for flavoring water) in the UK.

Enough of the history lesson, let's get back to Blackberry Bling!  It opens with a distinctly blackcurrant scent (a light, sweet combination of blueberry and raspberry).  Once on the lips the scent morphs to become sweeter, almost candy like.  Oddly, though, there is that same Trident Bubble Gum scent that was in Glittering Cola and Sparkling Soda.  It is sitting way at the back, but it is still there.

As Blackberry Bling sits on the lips the berry aroma is lighter, the sweet-candy-blueberry hints are nearly indistinct and the Trident Bubble Gum scent is dull.  I can't smell any of the base underneath, but there really is not much left of the scent.

I have to say that while the packaging for the Lip Jewels range is attractive (bordering on tacky), the gloss itself doesn't live up to its $8 price tag.  If you're going to spend that much money, I would recommend forking out the extra $2 and getting yourself a philosophy lip gloss!

BBW Lip Jewels Liplicious Lip Gloss: Sparkling Soda

I've been reading up on the state of the lip gloss market and, if you're a lip gloss kind of person, you might be disappointed in what I've learned.  Despite the hundreds of different varieties you will find on sale at stores such as Bath and Body Works, the lip gloss market is actually not doing too well, especially when compared to the general lip stick market.  In fact, last month a WSJ article reported that the NPD Group, a market research firm, found "U.S. sales of lip color neared $290 million in 2011" [an increase of more than 13% from 2010], and "lip gloss sales declined by about 1% to about $182 million."  It is easy to assume that this is why BBW has attempted to keep their lip gloss lines fresh and new by frequently launching new variants, new colors, and new ranges.

I've done my part for the lip gloss market by purchasing three of BBW's Lip Jewels Liplicious Lip Glosses, but has BBW done its part by creating a product I want to wear and that I will buy again?  I'm not so sure they did that with Glittering Cola (reviewed in the last post).  Maybe they've managed it with Sparkling Soda?  Let's find out.

At first whiff Sparkling Soda is all sweet and delicious A&W Cream Soda.  It's like I'm sitting on the porch on a hot summer day being cooled by a long drink of cold soda.  Tasty.

Interestingly, once on the lips the same scent that presented itself in the Glittering Cola also shows itself in the Sparkling Soda - it is a very distinct scent of Trident Bubble Gum, not hubba bubba, not bazooka, but Trident.

Almost the reverse of the Glittering Cola, the in-use scent of Sparkling Soda that sits on your lips is that of Trident Bubble Gum mixed with bottle cap candy.  It is not a strong, cola flavored bottle cap scent like Glittering Cola, though, but more of a faint cream soda scent.  In contrast to Glittering Cola, there is no whiff of base; the scent does its job and covers it well.

Lip Jewels Liplicious Lip Gloss Sparkling Soda is a decent lip gloss with a decent scent, but I'm just not sure it is interesting enough to recommend buying ... Uh, oh!  I hope I haven't just contributed to the decline of the lip gloss market! 

BBW Lip Jewels Liplicious Lip Gloss: Glittering Cola

We're getting all sparkly this week with lip glosses from Bath and Body Works!  But, to be quite frank with you, Lip Jewels was not the lip gloss I was hoping to review today.  My ideal product would have been the new summer line of sorbet lip glosses (see right), but my nearest BBW was all sold out (boohoo).  So, I guess we'll have to be sparkly instead of sorbet-like.  Life could be worse.

This spring BBW launched new variants in their Lip Jewels Liplicious line.  There are five variants in total, of which three will be reviewed at Scents n Scentsibility.  The remaining variants are Crystal Candy and Iced Raspberry .

As this is a fragrance blog, I'll make no comment about the color, texture, or longevity of the gloss, but believe you me, I'll let you know about the scent!

tasty bottle cap candies!

Today's Liplicious Lip Jewel lip gloss is Glittering Cola.  The scent that immediately pops out as you bring the gloss to your lips is bottle cap candy.  Amazing what scent memories can do - I'm instantaneously transported back to childhood!

Then, when the gloss hits your lips it suddenly has aromas of Trident bubble gum.  These notes almost instantaneously mix and move to sit softly at the back, though.

As the gloss sits on the lips there is a faint scent of cola combined with a root beer-aniseed sweetness.  Disappointingly the scent-flavor is not dosed very strongly and underneath it you can easily pick out the neutral-plastic-y base of the gloss.

It's not the strongest smelling, nor lasting, lip gloss I have ever owned, but it is definitely something fun to have in the make-up drawer for when the nieces come to visit!

Here Comes Spring: Glade® Limited Edition Collection

I was taking my usual turn through the aisles of Target when this caught my eye:

Like a bee to a flower I flew over to the display in hungry scent-passion.  What were these colorful new air fresheners that my eyes were beholding?  They were none other than the recently launched Glade® Limited Edition Spring Collection!


The last time I evaluated a  Glade® candle here I was not too impressed (see The Ultimate Fall Scent Debate), so I have to say that I was quite skeptical about the quality of scent that these candles would emit.  Still, their packaging drew me in and and so I bought one of each, eagerly took them home and one by one set them up to smell.

I began with Magic Meadow and, honestly, if I was buying the candle based on the cold throw I can tell you now that I probably wouldn't have bothered.  The cold throw was light and barely discernible (if at all), but luckily the hot throw was better.  It had a very pleasant green-grass aroma that was intertwined with a floraly-rose-carnation scent.  It could have been a little bit stronger, but in general it does what it says on the box.  It's a pleasant meadow-y scent.

Second in line was Playful Paradise which was the least impressive of the three.  Both the cold and hot throw were very weak and the indistinct floral scent struggled to cover the waxy-base smell.  Don't waste your money on this one!

Finally Glade® redeemed themselves with the third variant, Polka Dot Petals.  The cold throw had a decent strength as well as an inoffensive gourmand, sweet-fruity-berry scent.  The fragrance further impressed in the hot throw keeping its decent level of strength and its flavorful gourmand sweet scent, although the scent became closer to Jolly Rancher Watermelon than berry.  Out of the three, I would recommend this variant due to its superior strength and scent.

The Glade® website shows that one more variant is available - Sherbert Sunrise, but alas, this one was not on the shelves at my Target and so it is left for you to discover on your own.  If you've picked one up, make sure to leave a comment below and let me know what you think of it ... and any of the others, too!

Burt's Bees makes güd

A new personal care product has been popping up on shelves in local stores.  Have you spotted it?  It's bright and feel good-y, and it also has a smile built into its name:

Yup, we're checking out the latest product launch from the all-natural brand Burt's Bees.

Burt's Bees has deviated from their traditionally clean, neutral and simplistic package designs and has opted for a cutesy artistic look à la Eric Carle and bright, happy colors like pink and orange.  Continuing along the cutesy theme, they've named the variants Floral Cherrynova, Orange Petalooza  and  Vanilla Flame.  (Are you smiling yet?)

Their goal with all of this is no doubt to extend their brand to a younger consumer, but one that is still concerned about natural ingredients and potentially harmful chemicals (güd advertises on its packaging that it has no parabens, phthalates or petrochemicals).  (You smiling now?)

In a final blast of cutesiness and feel-goodness, güd strives to make you (and those around you) smile with their 'newtastic'* , 'smelltastic' scents.

So, since I've got my hands on this new product, am I smiling?  I was in a fruity mood while at the store so I picked up the previously mentioned Orange Petalooza body wash and the unmentioned Pearanormal Activity, which doesn't appear on the güd website.  Must be an exclusive to Target!

My first impression of Orange Petalooza: Blood Orange Flower is orange popsicle - sweet and tart and oh, so yummy!  In use, the dynamics of the scent change.  It becomes more sophisticated and although it is still sweet in the top notes it is weighed down with white floral notes and a tiny bit of musk right at the bottom as well.  This makes it a much more 'adult' fragrance.  The bottle claims that 'if you don't sing in the shower, you will now', and I'm definitely singing!

Now to what appears to be a Target exclusive: Pearanormal Activity: Pear & Açaí Berry body wash.  In  its neat form this scent is definitely not as strong as the Orange Petalooza.  It has sweet top notes that are barely recognizable as either pear or berry and warm gourmand, slightly vanilla-y undertones.  In use the fragrance continues to lack strength, but has a mild and pleasant sweet-berry-gourmand scent.  The bottle claims that 'it's like an invigorating towel snap. Without the sting.'  I say, what towel snap - I didn't feel a thing! ...and maybe this is why  Pearanormal Activity is missing from the güd website!

In any case, I am giving the thumbs up to Burt's Bees and güd.  I like the packaging, the variant names are fun and even though Pearanormal Activity wasn't that great, Orange Petalooza definitely makes up for it!!

*      *      *

*on a side note, did the marketers on the güd team at Burt's Bees have a loss of creativity? 

Why so repetitive?  How about: 'it's not just new, it's newrrific.  Available in three smelltastic scents.'  or 'it's not just new, it's newtastic.  Available in three smellalicious scents.' OR EVEN BETTER - 'it's not just new, it's newrrific.  Available in three smellalicious scents.'

Leave a comment -what do you think?  Can you suggest something better?

BBW gets dressed up in Pink Chiffon

I took a trip today to Bath & Body Works to 'escape to the tropics' with their new tropical candles.  Don't worry, I did do this (I spent all too long in there, actually, trying to pick the most unique scents of the bunch to review here), but towards the end I have to admit that I got a little distracted.

See, when I got to the register they had the latest launch in their Signature Collection available in a 2oz size for $1.  How could I resist?  (You're right - I couldn't!)

So, while my new candles burn in their evaluation rooms, I have taken the liberty of checking out BBW's latest body lotion scent:

It is described as 'a light-as-air-pairing of soft pink petals and vanilla chiffon icing'.  So, we should expect a gourmand floral.  Is that what we get?

Well, first whiff out of the bottle we definitely can smell the light-as-air part - there is not very much fragrance there at all, which is very uncharacteristic for BBW!  Usually they are so strong that they knock me out with their overwhelming and sweeter-than-life scents!  Don't get me wrong, it is still sweet, but I somehow don't mind it as much because it isn't too busy offending my nose.

In use, it smells of a sweet, sugary cherry candy (so no, it isn't a gourmand floral), but it is still light with some hints of vanilla and musk minutely warming it up.  Saying that, this fragrance remains very light - so light in fact that I'm almost having to shove my hands up my nose to get the full dynamics of this new scent.

But that isn't a bad thing, I've decided.  I quite like that I haven't filled the room with an obnoxiously sweet scent while moisturizing my hands.  I bet the people around me appreciate it, too!

Thumbs up on this one, BBW!

Mint-aholics Unite for BBW's Limited Edition Twisted Peppermint!

Talk about your limited editions!  Bath and Body Works has relaunched their Holiday Traditions variant Twisted Peppermint, but for one week only!  It was a full 24hrs after this news that I made it to my local BBW and already they had sold out of the shower gel.  Unbelievable!

There it is.  Look at it standing there in all of its innocent minty glory.  As soon as I got my hands on the body lotion I eagerly opened the top and took a gentle whiff ... and the experience was Wow.  I'm not sure if it was 'only on the shelves for one week' wow, but definitely a capital letter Wow.

Its Fresh.  Its Tasty.  Its York Peppermint Pattie.  Yum.  The fragrance hits you with this wonderfully strong and refreshing peppermint while it has this gentle undertone of chocolate (and it isn't a cheap cocoa hit, but notes of dark chocolate).  For my first sniff out-of-the-bottle-in-the-store, I am very impressed with this fragrance.

At home and on the arms, I can confirm that BBW definitely got its inspiration for Twisted Peppermint from York's "Get the sensation!" tagline.  The scent is still wonderfully fresh and vibrantly peppermint with a subtle chocolate tone underneath, but on the skin the lotion has a cooling effect and it is almost a bit tingly in its refreshment.  It is definitely a sensation that adds a dynamic dimension to the fragrance and the body lotion as a whole.

So, while I'm not sure I want to walk around smelling like a York Peppermint Pattie, if you can get your hands on it, I really do recommend this body lotion - if not just to be able to say that you did!

*As a side note, they had a BOGOF deal going on so I also picked up the Twisted Peppermint Fragrance Mist.  It smells of fresh paint and is a huge disappointment - don't waste your time or money (even if it's free!) on this one.

philosophy: smile and be merry? Definitely with marshmallows for toasting!

What a fabulous surprise - a newly launched limited edition product just fell right into my hands - Philosophy's Marshmallows for Toasting 'high gloss, high-flavor marshmallow fluff lip shine'.  What a mouthful!

Image by © Charles Gold/CORBIS

Now normally I wouldn't evaluate a lip gloss, but this one smells so scrumptious I just had to.  The unfortunate part is that it doesn't smell like marshmallows. So, if it doesn't smell like marshmallows, what does it smell like?

Well, let me tell you.  It smells like wonderfully, gorgeously delicious maple syrup.  Wearing this lip gloss is like eating pancakes all day long, but without the caloric consequences!

Not satisfied with this delectable maple syrup just on your lips?  Philosophy has also launched Marshmallows for Toasting in a shampoo, body wash and bubble bath so you can bathe your whole body in this tasty scent!

Nevermind that it's October - Christmas is here! (otherwise known as: Yankee Candle: Three New Holiday Fragrances)

Unbelievable.  I just decided on what air freshener to fragrance my home with this Fall and then I receive the news that Yankee Candle has their Holiday Fragrances out.  No rest for the weary, I tell you!

Don't worry, this holiday season Yankee Candle has stocked their regular favorites:

But they have also launched three new variants, and I've got my hands on them for your smelling pleasure.

Let's begin with Cherries on Snow.  Firstly, the variant name.  Truthfully, and I don't know about you, but I don't associate cherries with winter and I have definitely never seen them on snow.  Maybe 'Clementines & Snow', or 'Winter Pomegranate' would have been more appropriate - what do you think?  Please, comment below!  Anyway, let's put Yankee Candle's attempt to creatively expand their range to the side, and look at the fragrance.

Remember me?

When I picked this up in the store it smelled so wonderfully of sweet cherry candy, but when I unwrapped the candle at home to properly assess the cold throw I was disappointed.  It smelled exactly like a Strawberry Shortcake Doll - a light sweet berry scent mixed with plastic.  Disappointingly, yet unsurprisingly at the same time, the hot throw was not very impressive either.  The Strawberry Shortcake Doll smell pervaded my testing area with no traces of the sweet cherry candy scent that I experienced in the store.  Thumbs down on this one.

Mountain Berry is next up and thankfully this one wasn't a let down.  The cold throw is a menthol-y evergreen invoking scent that pleasantly tingles the nose with its freshness.  It didn't change much in hot throw either.  The scent was still strong and evergreen, but had lost the hints of menthol that were in the cold throw.  Very pleasant.  One last thought, and I am not sure if many of you will know this association, but this fragrance immediately reminded me of the Original Spring Green variant of Vitabath from the 1980s (a favorite around my grandparents' house).

The last new launch from Yankee Candle for this holiday season is Christmas Rose.  Out of the three scents this had the strongest and most overbearing cold throw.  Like the Mountain Berries, nothing much changed at all with the hot throw.  It was still strong, overbearing and a linear rose scent.  If you like roses, you shouldn't miss out on this one!

So, there you go.  Yankee Candle's three new launches for this holiday season.  And just in time, too - I mean, it's nearly November for goodness sake!

Seasonal Anti-bacs?! The latest line of PocketBacs from BBW

Copyright (c) <a href='http://www.123rf.com'>123RF Stock Photos</a>

It's the end of September, which means the stores are jam-packed with Halloween paraphernalia.  There are bags of candy to buy, as well as humongous pumpkins for carving (I can't wait to get my hands on one of those!), but one thing I didn't realize was that the Halloween theme had made its way into personal care products.

Admittedly, I was greatly bemused when I walked into Bath and Body Works (BBW) on Saturday and saw they had a range of Halloween scents in convenient travel size lotions.  Would you like some Wicked Spiced Pumpkin or is maybe Scream-A-Colada more to your taste?

I can't blame BBW, limited edition seasonal scents are an easy way to re-concept and re-invigorate tired fragrances or to test out new ones on consumers without too much consequence.  So, I understand their Halloween body lotion and hand soap ranges, but Halloween Anti-bacterial Sanitizing Hand Gel?

When I got home I went on BBW's website and it turns out that somewhere along the line I missed that Anti-bac had become a hot ticket item.  They have floral to gourmand to fruity variants in their trademarked PocketBac line.  It is undeniable that with this line BBW introduced the question to consumers: Who wants plain old Purell when you can have a cute, fun smelling BBW anti-bac?  Unsurprisingly, before I can answer that question, I'm going to have to get to smelling!

Zombie Tonic:  Marshmallow.

Vanilla accented alcohol that dries into a soft musk.

Bat bite: Apple.

Helloooo Green Apple!  The dry down smells like Granny Smith apple peel.

Phantom Pumpkin.

Pumpkin Spice Latte anyone?  This scent is barely discernible until the dry down, which is very subtly pleasant indeed.

Candy Corn: Caramel.

The most lightly fragranced one thus far.  At first there is a scent of alcohol and cream, which is reminiscent of first Bailey's and then Egg Nog, and then it dries down into a very light vanilla bean scent.

Gum ball.

Bazooka Joe!  Or if you don't know what that is just imagine a pink bubble gumball!  The scent is so strong and distinct, it's almost like you're chewing some bubblegum yourself.

Skulls: Forbidden Apple

Think McIntosh Apple 

Bones: Monster Mint

Minty with chocolately hints.

Scary Cats: Black Cherry

One word: Robitussin.  Which isn't necessarily a bad thing and, actually, in use it is a very sweet, yummy black cherry scent which sits nicely on the skin.

There you go - my evaluation of the eight scents that I picked up on their 8 for $5 deal.  Now that I have smelled them, how about we get back to the question - Who wants plain old Purell when you can have a cute, fun smelling BBW anti-bac?

Well, I hate to admit this, and you might have sensed at the beginning that I was sceptical at best about the idea of seasonal anti-bacs, but you know what?  They've convinced me - I definitely don't want plain, old, boring Purell!  The question now is which of these Halloween Pocketbacs to use first!