Eva Reviews: Yankee Candle Summer Wish

Hey everyone! Eva here, begging you to please excuse our lack of activity. Things have been a bit wacky on the home front for both Lindsay and me, with us both working two jobs (ack). But hey, a new car isn't going to buy itself. However, that doesn't mean we don't have time to enjoy some good home fragrance at the end of the day!

Today's review is on Yankee Candle's Summer Wish!

So yes - regrettably - it's still technically summer, so I haven't been able to bring myself to burn many fall candles yet. When I first started working at Yankee, Summer Wish was one of the new summer fragrances that were featured. And here's a quick description from the Yankee Candle website: 

"Remember those sweet summer days of childhood innocence when the backyard was big enough to hold all your adventures? This nostalgic fragrance, with its warm breeze of soft flowers and fresh green fields will bring you back to those happy days. The fresh, green notes call to mind the outdoors and remind you slow and appreciate life's little moments. This scent, with its sweet, young floral essence, is anything but old-fashioned despite its nostalgic tendencies."

Smashing!

Now if you've been paying attention, you will know that florals and I generally do not get along. This one, however, is incredibly non-offensive. It is very, very light, which may not get on well with some folks who like a stronger candle. But whenever I'm working, I can't hang around out Floral hutch because True Rose and Sunflower try to assault me with the inherent floral-ness. Summer Wish likes to hang out in the Fresh section, near another of my favorite fragrances, Midsummer's Night. So maybe I'm not the only one who thinks this isn't as funerary as Midnight Jasmine or Tahitian Tiare Flower.

When I've sampled people in the store with this one, a common reaction was "I can't smell it". The store itself has a very overwhelming fragrance but if you work there for long enough or even if you're just a fragrance lover who comes in on the regular, you don't really smell the store anymore. Does that make sense? Either way, I tried Summer Wish in a tart wax melt at first and loved it because of it's light, not-in-your-face-ness, so I grabbed it in a large Housewarmer jar and have been burning it habitually. Some people may not like the fact that it is so light, and to you folks I say that you may like Meadow Showers because it is along the same lines as Summer Wish, though not as sweet, and is a fair bit stronger but still not overwhelming.

I give Summer Wish a solid 8/10. This one will get a break when fall rolls around (Hello Apple Pumpkin and Autumn Wreath! Swoon!) but I will surely break it back out when Spring comes back.

Summer Wish was part of the Summer 2013 new releases but has made it's way into the permanent lineup for now and is available in stores and online right here.

And as always, I'll tell you again - I do work for Yankee Candle as a part time retail associate and I do get a generous discount, but that does not affect my reviews in any way as I strive to be as honest as possible with all of you.

Have a great weekend everyone,

Eva

The Sunday Haul: Fall Edition

Hey all! Lindsay and I did some shopping during the Pumpkin Preview event at Bath and Body Works this week and thought we'd share our picks.

Lindsay

As a lover of all thing pumpkin and fall, I got quite a few of the wallflower bulbs, which were on sale 4/$20 or 6/$24: one in Blackberry Spice, two in Pumpkin Apple, one in Pumpkin Caramel Latte, and two in Pumpkin Cupcake.

I also picked up some hand soaps which were 4/$15 or 6/$20: one in each Pumpkin Apple (which isn't online yet), Pumpkin Caramel Latte, Pumpkin Cupcake, and Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin.

Eva

I was a pretty good girl at Bath and Body Works, but I did pick up three candles even though they were full price. I had a $10 off survey coupon, so I justified it that way. I held off because I heard the candles are going to be on sale 2/$22 soon... but I couldn't hold off on getting Leaves (which I've never had before but is one of Lindsay's favorites!), Cider Donut and Pumpkin Cupcake ("Twinsies!!" Also, if you're a girl - or a guy, even - watch this video, especially at 0:50).

My behavior at Yankee Candle, however, may have been a bit out of hand. But thank god for a certain $20 off a purchase of $45 or more coupon that was valid for the Halloween Preview event. I got three candles: Apple Cider, Candied Apple, and Witches' Brew, which is only around for a limited time. If you like Patchouli, you should definitely go check out Witches' Brew. I also got WB in five Tarts wax melts too.

For accessories at Yankee Candle, I got a few items from the Halloween line: this beautiful black cat crackle candle shade, this Jack O Lantern tart warmer, this Boney Bunch Top Hat jar candle shade, this Boney Bunch Illuma-lid, and the splurge piece of the day - this Bone White and the Seven Dwarves jar holder (because Snow White is and always has been my favorite Disney Princess). I have this out with my Summer Wish large Housewarmer jar burning right now. It clashes with the season but I really do not care because I am so in love with it.

Did you guys shop the BBW Pumpkin Preview event or the YC Halloween Preview event? I didn't get to work the YC Party this year, but I did go because I made my apple brownies and my mother's favorite fragrance is Witches' Brew so as you can imagine, she stockpiled up enough to last her for a while.

Do you have a fragrance that is/was limited edition and that you have multiples of? I don't personally, because I have so many individual scents to go through. But I would be devastated if Midsummer's Night was ever discontinued. But I'm sure that the entire YC Community would be up in arms if it ever was, because it's a fragrance that's been around since I was a kid, probably longer!

Have a great week everyone! I will be in NJ on vacation visiting Lindsay and family, so I'm sure some hauls and posts will be coming your way...

Eva.

Fall Updates!

Hey everyone! Just wanted to pop on and throw a little update out there.

As you may or may not have heard, the Pumpkin Preview that was supposed to happen yesterday got pushed back to today. The Pumpkin Preview is also happening online so you can go check that out here. I have a complete list of what's happening with that in my original post on it which you can go see here.

Also, I updated our Fall Home Fragrance master post, so make sure to give that a look over.

And if you are a lover of accessories, I have a post on those that I will continue to update right here.

I will be going back to NJ for a week and seeing Lindsay and we have a trip planned to the Paramus mall, which has a BBW test store! YAY! We may also take a trip to one of our fine Garden State's many outlet malls, so definitely be on the lookout for some haul posts!

I'll be going to check out the Pumpkin Preview at one of my local BBW stores before work tonight and possibly picking up a few candles, so I'll maybe do a first impressions post later tonight.

Have a great Tuesday everyone!

Eva.

Lindsay Reviews: Sugar Berry Smash

Hey guys Lindsay here. I'm really sorry I don't write as much as I should, I'm going to try to fix that. As for today I wanted to do a review on Sugar Berry Smash, released in the summer twist collection. Out of the collection, this was the only scent I liked. If you read my Sweet on Paris review, you that this has been compared to SOP. To me, it smells like SOP mixed with VDB, which I have just reviewed last week (see my reviews for SOP and VDB for more details).

It is a very fruity and very sweet scent, just like SOP, but it has a dark, musky tone underneath. Eva has compared it to a less musky version of Be Enchanted, which I could see. The niotes include the following:

Top Notes: Blackberry, Red Currant, Clementine

Mid Notes: Pink Jasmine, Creamy Iris, Sugary Nutmeg

Dry Notes: Cashmere Woods, Whipped Vanilla, Soft Musk

So straight from the bottle I smell Blackberry, Nutmeg, Cashmere Woods, and Whipped Vanilla. When it dries on my skin the Clementine comes out a little bit, which isn't unpleasant considering I hate citrus, and also maybe a little bit of jasmine and musk?

I only purchased one of each of the body lotion, fine fragrance mist and shower gel. Believe it or not, I am trying to behave. I am not going to make any promises though once all of their fall collections are released. I would give it an 8/10. It's not something I wear on a daily basis, but I do really like it and I hope you do too!
Until next time,

Lindsay

Home Fragrance Monday: Yankee Candle Macintosh

Hey everyone! Happy Monday! Or rather, Happy End-of-Monday here on the east coast. How was your day? Mine was busy. I just recently landed a real 9-5 job and have been exhausted getting used to being an actual adult! And that's on top of my job at Yankee Candle! Which by the way, is the source of the following fragrance I'm going to do a (very quick) review on!

Today's scent is Macintosh.

So we have been extremely clear on this blog before. I am ALL about anything remotely apple related. Love, love, love apples. Hence why I am so thrilled about the multiple releases from both Yankee Candle and Bath & Body Works in the apple-related-home-fragrancing department. Macintosh is an absolute staple to the Yankee Candle line and has been around for ages.

Yankee Candle describes this scent as "so vividly real, you can almost taste the unmistakable crunch". I think the point that Yankee is trying to convey is that this scent is straight up apples, and there's no if, ands, or but's about it. Which is true. This scent is absolutely apple, and is very authentic. I really love this fragrance - it is clean, fresh and very true-to-life. I own this in a two-wick tumbler jar, and have previously had it in many, many tarts. I give this a solid 10/10. I have no complaints about this product, and it is perfect for any time of the year.

Have you tried Macintosh or any other Yankee fragrances? Let me know in the comments.

Eva.

The Sunday Haul

Hey everyone, Eva here. Lindsay didn't buy anything this week but I think I went a little crazy at Victoria's Secret this week. I made a couple of stops before work and did a little bit of damage each time that just kept adding up. This is the only Victoria's Secret store I like shopping at out of the three I can get to easily because the associate are so freaking friendly and wonderful.

I live in upstate NY but and a NJ native. I often go back to visit and I have had more than a few experiences with snotty associates back home, hence why I probably stayed away from trying VS products. It's unfortunate, but it's true. But this once store, every single time I go in, no matter who is working, they are always so nice and helpful. I'm not a regular at that store, but you can bet I will be.

Also, in a few weeks, I'll be headed back to NJ for a short vacation to see my family and Lindsay! You can most definitely expect for good hauls from us because we are self-proclaimed shopaholics.

Anyway, on to this week's haul!

Eva

I went to Victoria's Secret and did some massive damage.

All of the Fantasies were on sale for 3/$25 or 5/$30, as they almost always are. I got the scent Sparkling Sun (lemon chiffon and sun kissed orchid) from the Beach Dreams Collection in fragrance mist and lotion, as well as Ocean Bloom (ocean breeze and apple blossom) in fragrance mist and lotion. From the Brights collection, I got Love Rush (wild currant and bright lily) in lotion, shower gel, and fragrance mist, as well as Lemon Escape in the eau de toilette and body scrub (I LOVE this scent so much). In the scent Pure Seduction, I got a shower gel and fragrance mist. Then in Love Spell, I got a fragrance mist, lotion, shower gel and scrub.

From the PINK line, I got Sweet & Flirty fragrance mist, Ready To Party fragrance mist, and Wild At Heart body scrub / body wash.

Then Lindsay sent me some presents via my mother, who was in NJ for a few days, and she gave me another Sweet & Flirty mist, which my mother took off my hands, as well as Fresh & Clean fragrance mist and Wild & Breezy fragrance mist.

I also picked up some stuff from Victoria's Secret that I found on a sale table for 75% off that I picked up for Lindsay - Midnight Dare lotion, body wash, and fragrance mist (which was a good guess because she only has it in the body cream and really wanted it). I do believe Midnight Dare went on sale for Semi-Annual but some stores may have some left over. I'm not sure why it isn't discounted online though. I got each piece for $2.50 or $3.00. I also found a fragrance called Berry Kiss and when I saw the notes were raspberry and praline, I knew that had Lindsay's name all over it so I got her a lotion and fragrance mist. I can't even find that one online, so check your local VS clearance section!

By the way, I know I went a little overboard, but I am justifying it because I am taking a huge BBW Semi Annual Sale bag full of unused body products that have been collecting dust to Vera House tomorrow morning before work. If you haven't heard about Vera House and what they do, you can check them out at http://www.verahouse.org/. But in short, they do amazing work for women and families affected by domestic violence in the Syracuse area. So if you are ever looking to clean out your stash, instead of giving it away to family or friends, keep your local women's charities in mind.

If you are in an abusive or harmful relationship, don't endure it, speak out. Get help and keep reaching out until someone listens - you can always go to the police, to a hospital, to a doctor or anyone in a position of authority. There are people out there who care about your health and safety, I promise you, because I know I do. And please, if you know someone in an abusive relationship, don't stay silent or stand idly by and hope someone else takes action. Say something, speak out. You may just be what saves that person's life.

I'll talk to you all tomorrow,

Eva

Eva Reviews: PINK Fun & Fearless

Hey everyone! Happy Thursday (night)!

Since Lindsay and I decided that we would include Victoria's Secret fragrances in our cast of reviews (because Bath & Body Works and Victoria's Secret are both brands under the same umbrella company), I thought I'd start out with one of my favorites - Fun & Fearless, from the PINK line.

So the description on the VS website says: "Be fearless in water lily and pink currant".

Short, succinct, to-the-point. I like it.

Just like how I like this fragrance. I love the PINK line from Victoria's Secret because all of the fragrances in this line are more of a perfume-esque fragrance, more adult, yet young and fresh. I would describe them as "cologne for girls" because as opposed to the VS Fantasies line or most of Bath & Body Works' fragrances, you can't straight out smell the different notes in these for the most part. You get a general idea of "Oh, okay, this is floral, this is fresh, this is on the sweeter side, etc" but you can't pick out the individual of what the notes are. (Sidebar: The only exception I've found to this rule is in Sun Kissed, which is coconut and vanilla. But to VS credit, it is very hard to disguise coconut in fragrances, in my opinion).

I know what you're thinking: "Wait, Eva, don't lie to me. You said you don't like lilies. They remind you of funerals and heinous relatives. You've stretched this point to death. Why the heck do you like this fragrance?"

And the answer is simply this: I can't pick up anything remotely floral about this fragrance. At all. End of. This smells like a feminine cologne to me. A little darker than PINK Fresh & Clean or PINK Wild At Heart but not as dark as something like BBW Into The Wild. This isn't nearly a clubbing fragrance. Which is why I wear this to work. I mentioned I work at Yankee Candle and the thing with working there (versus working in a cubicle or makeup counter or clothing store, etc) is that the fragrance you wear cannot interfere with the fragrances of the candles. We shouldn't really wear anything at all, but I find anything from the PINK line (minus Warm & Cozy and Sun Kissed) are very neutral, appropriate fragrances and so they are completely fine.

The only downside to this fragrance is the lasting power. I find I get four hours out of it before it starts to really fade. But then again, VS says their PINK mists have "a subtle hint of scent". Code for: Drench yourself otherwise this will be gone if you don't reapply. And don't even think about sweating.

I would give Fun & Fearless a 6/10. This is a good fragrance, but I don't find myself reaching for it for anything other than work. Fun & Fearless is a permanent PINK fragrance and is available here.

Have you tried Fun & Fearless or any of the other PINK fragrances? Let me know in the comments!

Have a great weekend all,

Eva.