Mike's Fragrances

[Guest OldGlory]

My usual supplier (Aztec) is having trouble with OOS items this year and costing me a bundle, so I am on the hunt for a new supplier for some fragrances. My wholesale client sells the dickens out of a custom blend I made using a pine, and they also sell a lot of Apple Jack & Peel type. Figured those would be the easiest to replace since most suppliers have both.

 

Mike's also has great shipping and good prices on oils.

 

I ordered 9 different FOs from Mike's in Texas- 4 different Apple/Apple Jacks, and 4 different pines. I have not put them in wax and will not do so because they are all exceptionally weak. One I literally can't smell oob. I don't have a cold, my sinuses are clear, and I am a non-smoker. While I often have trouble smelling a burning candle, I can always smell FOs oob. That's my first test, then I put it in wax and test the throw. If I can smell it, I know it's strong. If I can't smell it, I give it to a tester and get her feedback.

 

Here are the FOs I tried:

 

Cedarwood 15209 - this is the only FO that I will say is good oob. I use a cedarwood in a blend though, and I won't be going back to Mike's for anything, so there's no point in putting it in wax.

 

MacIntosh Apple 15647 - doesn't smell like apple at all

Apple Jack 1550 - no apple, sort of a floral

Apple Jack 1551 - no apple again

Apple Jack 1551.1 - there's a little cinnamon sharpness but no apple

 

Pine 15853 - smells in a very slight way like scrubbing bubbles bathroom cleaner - gross

Christmas Tree 15263 - no detectable odor

Christmas Pine 15260 - there's a hint woodiness to it but no pine

Douglas/Noble Fir 15383 - a nice hint of pine tree, but too weak to use

 

I've tried FOs from at least a dozen sources, and have not always liked what I ordered but wouldn't say they were unusable. 8 out of 9 of my choices from Mikes are in my opinion unusable.

 

 

 

 

[Darbla]

Wow, thanks for that info!

[Candybee]

Is Aztec been having problems all year with OOS items or just for the fall/holiday season? If they have customer favorites a lot of suppliers run OOS this time of year. Best to order ahead of time, late summer, early fall.

 

Forgot to add if they have had several items OOS all year long I would definitely start looking elsewhere for replacements. Always being OOS is a typical early sign of going OOB. Can't tell you how many suppliers I have seen that that happens too.

 

Good luck OG.

 

Have you tried The Chemistry Store? They carry all Lebermuth FOs at a reasonable price. I was surprised to know they carried good quality FOs like Lebermuth. I usually buy soaping supplies from them but started buying EOs too. I have been really pleased with their service and quality products.

Edited December 14, 2015 by Candybee

[8-GRAN-ONES]

have you tried Tennessee's Redwood & Cedar...it is awesome in 415 soy...

I may have some apple jack if you are really needing it...to fill orders

[Guest OldGlory]

Thanks, I have plenty of Apple Jack. I need a really pine-y FO. Fillmore's is good but it's not really close and I need to get as close as I can. It's my wholesaler's best selling blend and they've carried it for 8 years or so. I can't change it - just need to reformulate it. I ordered some samples from BCN since I buy from them for my wholesale client for a different scent blend. It makes sense to try suppliers I already use since prices are pretty close anywhere you buy.

Aztec had a few shortages throughout the year. Usually they tell me when the new shipment will be in, but this time they didn't even have it on reorder. They have a bad habit of taking products from an order that hasn't been picked up to give to someone who walks in and places an order. I've watched them do it for me. The website tells you when your order is complete, and it showed that my order was complete so I'm sure they took it away from my order for someone else. That really ticks me off.

Edited December 14, 2015 by OldGlory

[Nancy63]

Just to update you as well, I just contacted Aztec because I needed to order some new 6006 and my last order came straight in the box no covering, and was covered in dust and flecks from the cardboard. I wanted to make sure that was a fluke (and then check the lot #) but didn't get that far. I was told thats just how it is, straight in the box. No apologies, no answers. Very disappointing. I guess I need a new supplier in general.

[kandlekrazy]

I had a really hard time with a good pine after Bert closed.  I ended up making 3 last year and the one that sold most was not the one I liked best.  It was The Candle Source Oregon Pine.  It smells great, just

not as strong as the others I made.

 

Sucks to spend $$ worthlessly.  I just had the same thing happen with Candlemakers Store bought several 16 oz'ers and don't like 80% of them, they don't stack up against other suppliers with same scent.

I usually buy 4 oz if I haven't tried the company or the scent but I was deperate to replace a few and that's what happens when I get desperate!

Edited December 14, 2015 by kandlekrazy

[Guest OldGlory]

Nancy, I sure am sorry to hear that they treated you that way. Flaming Candle near Atlanta carries it, and they also have their own parasoy blend. I didn't get a great hot throw from it but that's just me. I blended 4630 and 464 and the throw was amazing - but I didn't like how it looked in the jar. Looked like the wax was sticky.

I wrote a long email to Teri about the experience I had with them this year, and she sent the email to the owner. Having been a business manager for nearly 30 years, I know how important it is to let the business know when you have a legitimate complaint. I hope you will let them know that the answer you were given was a weak excuse, and that you have other options.

[Guest OldGlory]

Kandlekrazy, I only spent $40 - bought the smallest amounts available to me. I've already informed my client that the fragrance isn't available and the order will be shorted by about 100 candles.

It is so disappointing when you have to have one specific item and can't find it.

Edited December 15, 2015 by OldGlory

[Nancy63]

Thanks Oh Glory, I definitly will. I manage numerous nurses, physicians and some pretty heavy hitters and wouldn't have my job if I treated people the way I was treated today. I am a customer and deserve some basic respect but what I got was "that's just the way it is". Sad as Aztec is close and I really love 6006. I will check out the place in Atlanta, thanks for the info. Check your PM.

[Candybee]

OG-- have you ever tried Smoky Mountain Christmas Tree from Pure Fragrance Oils? Its one of the burn your nosehairs off FOs. The strongest pine/Christmas tree scent I have ever used.

 

It was originally carried by Old Mill which was bought out by Tony's (Southern Gardens) and is now Pure Fragrance Oils.

 

BTW-- they also carry MW's Pinion Pine.

 

Some of their oils are pricey but their quality is the best out of many oils I have used. I just had to quit buying from them cause of some of their prices. They still have the best OMH and Lavender I have found but they are on the west coast and the prices plus shipping were killing me so I switched to a closer supplier. But their oils are truly awesome.

[Belinda]

I hate to hear that Mike's fragrances aren't good. The only one of his that I've tried in wax and just love is Mike's brûlée. It's amazing! I did buy a bottle of coconut cream pie (I think) and toasted coconut but have never put them in wax. They just didn't do anything for me OOB so I'm thinking there wouldn't be a point, but I've been surprised before.

[Guest OldGlory]

I hated posting that Mike's FOs that I purchased weren't good, but it's important to let other people know and maybe save them the aggravation and money. I really wanted something to work because his shipping is great and the oils aren't expensive.

[Guest OldGlory]

Candybee, I want to exhaust the other suppliers I already use before I try another new supplier. Thanks for the suggestions.

[Belinda]

I don't blame you at all OldGlory. I'm very appreciative to know who to stay away from and I'm sure others are as well. I'm sure he probably has some good FO's but it would be finding them after spending a whole lot of money and then taking a chance on being disappointed. His cream brûlée is the only one I was bowled over with, but like I said I haven't put the others in wax.

His cream brûlée is as good as Cajun's in my opinion and I like them both so well that I just changed the name on one of them.

[Trappeur]

I'm so sorry that you have been treated the way you have been and especially being that you have been a long time client of theirs.  Just unbelievable how people can do business.  You should have been a top priority on their list to them if they value their business.

 

I can tell you that the following pines listed below are beautiful in 464 as I have used them for years.  You know what scent your looking for your blend and sorry I can't help you out there but you might want to consider getting samples of these:

 

Community Candle:     Christmas tree (It a wonderful pine without all the extra christmas spices in it but just a wonderful true natural pine)  

 

Bittercreek North:         Northwoods Christmas - (I don't consider this Christmassy either and an excellent thrower)

 

Candle Science:              Mistletoe (Everyone just loves this scent and it can very easily be substituted for a pine)

 

Trappeur

[Guest OldGlory]

I ordered a few samples from BCN yesterday so we'll see how it goes. Thanks for the suggestions!

[AL83]

Aztec uses the same supplier The Flaming Candle does so you will typically find their scents on other websites, just with a different name.

For pine-y scents, I usually use

The Flaming Candle - Mistletoe
The Flaming Candle - Holiday
The Flaming Candle - Balsam Fir
Sweet Cakes - Windsong Balsam Pine (I know they use real pine EO in their formulation) 

P.S. I have also have had bad experiences with Aztec. Been buying from them for years. It is owned by a husband and wife and they ALWAYS have the worst attitude. (the husband being the worse of the two) They are extremely defensive and certainly seem like they have a chip on their shoulder. They ran a sale a while ago and I took part of it. I received an email from the husband days later saying someone had messed up and the sale was not correct.  So he was emailing me to tell me that either my order will be cancelled or I can pay full price for the items. He and I exchanged emails back and forth with him saying that his company should not have to honor a sale that was launched in error by one of his employees. Red flag right there. Another incident was when I noticed my honest reviews weren't being posted. They released a scent duplication of the Tory Burch perfume. I reviewed it saying that it smelled pretty but that anyone aware of fragrance oils would recognize this scent as a Teak-style fragrance. Apparently, they didn't appreciate that. Anything that was positive would be posted but anything that was critical of the oil wouldn't be posted. So I emailed the website asking why only some of my reviews were being posted.... This is the interaction:

Q is me. A is Aztec. 
 

Q: You sent me an email asking for a review and even sent me a coupon for my review on February 24th but I am wondering why my review hasn't been posted? 03/06/15   A: Even though you rated the fragrance well it was removed as it was just odd. This is a duplication of a fragrance and is designed to smell like the fragrance and is not designed to be unique.

 

Q: The word 'unique' was used to describe the Tory Burch scent NOT your attempt to duplicate it. I think it would be wise to cease censoring your customers when you don't receive a review that is to your liking. The review you have allowed to be posted is two words ("good one") and clearly unhelpful as indicated by the persons 'thumbs downing' the review you allowed to be posted. If this is truly how you handle your business and how uninformed you care to keep your customers, then you just lost one. I only deal with suppliers that honor transparency. 03/06/15   A: It did not seem like you were reviewing the actual fragrance but giving recommendations.

 

  Q: I believe that was misconstrued on your behalf. I did not name any other company at all and provided those scent names merely as a point of reference for experienced perfumers/candle makers because if they have scoured the earth for fragrance oils as I have, they will know this scent already.  It can be frustrating when you order a scent named Bamboo Teak from one company and then order Indonesian Teak or Mahogany Teak months later from another company to have all the scents smell exactly the same. My review was from a place of actually trying to help others. 03/06/15   A: But this was a duplication of a perfume and should smell like the perfume. I still am not following you on this one. The only goal of a duplication is for it to smell like the fragrance that is being duplicated. In this case it was a perfume by Torry Burch. 

Travis Forrester

[AL83]

Both Aztec and The Flaming Candle use this supplier by the way... 

http://www.agilexfragrances.com/

[Guest OldGlory]

I appreciate the suggestions for pine FOs. Hopefully I'll find what I need before the next order comes in.

 

Travis isn't the husband, lol. The husband is sweet and quiet. Sheila does the best she can with the circumstances she is handed. I believe the trouble began within the last few years. I have been with them for 11 or 12 years now. It looks to me as though the trouble is coming from one office - but who knows? Maybe their sources are problematic too.

 

I hate that Aztec is having a rough time of it right now. Every business can go through bad times, your business and my business included. My overall experience with them has been one of mutual respect until very recently. I hope that everyone who goes thru a rough time with a business has enough sense to 1) let them know what the problem is, and 2) gives them a chance to fix it.

 

Yes they do order many of their FOs from Agilex, but they order from other companies as well. I am in their showroom twice a month and have seen a few bottles of new samples from other sources because they actually sell them on occasion. And I think Flaming also orders from AFI which is very close to them - not positive about that. However, several FOs with the same name coming from Aztec and Flaming are very different. Gardenia is one, MacIntosh Apple is one, and there are several I have purchased from each that are vastly different.

[AL83]

My mistake. The information about ownership I gathered through postings on Facebook by customers and must have been misinformed. 

 

Shame Aztec is going through a rough time but attempting to notify them of unsatisfactory service will get you nothing but a passive aggressive and defensive response, attempting to you blame you in some way. They seem to have changed from a quality company that cares for its customers to one that is simply going through the motions, scraping by on the bare minimum of customer service.  

I understand what you mean about the scent differences, however, I stated earlier that you can find the same scents on other sites but with different names. Not the same names.  For instance, the Redwood & Cedar fragrance from Flaming is the same as Wholesale Supplies Plus' Fabuloso Lavender.  I have sampled well over 3,000 oils within the past 10 years so just trying to help others so they don't have to spend as much money as I have. lol

[Guest OldGlory]

I understand about the same fragrance with different names. I was pointing out that not all of the fragrances at Aztec and Flaming come from Agilex. There's a thread on this message board somewhere about fragrance twins. I think that's what you are talking about.

Sorry you had a bad experience at Aztec. I hope they get it together soon.

[AL83]

OoO, I'll have to check that thread out! Thanks OldGlory!

[TallTayl]

Agilex is just a compounder. They have different formulation codes for different customers of the same exact fragrance. Most smell quite different. This ensures "your" scents are not exactly the same as "my" scents purchased from the same formulating compounder.

[AL83]

Thanks for that info TallTayl, good info to know!