Absolute WORST smelling FO's you've ever used

[GailC]

Someone suggest a thread about this.  So I started one because I want @Trappeur to tell her story about the Marijuana candles she poured again.   

 

My absolute worst smelling FO is NG Fresh Brewed Coffee.  Oh how I detest that smell.  It was supposed to smell better in wax than OOB, but it doesn't.  I can barely stand to take the lid off the candle for someone to smell it.  The funny thing is though, some people actually like it!

 

Next on my worst list would have to be Just Scent's Cashmere Glow.  Ewww. I ordered that per special request for a customer.  No one else seems to like it either.  Had to put it on the clearance shelf in my booth last year.

 

A couple of others I just don't care for are NG Guardian Angel and Sandalwood.  They are not good sellers either.  

 

One more, Cierra's Autumn Lodge. I just don't like those smokey smells much and neither do my customers.

[Candybee]

Fillmore carried a Fresh Bread or Amish Bread and a Maple Syrup. Both were bad. The maple one smelled like cologne, ick! and the bread one had no HT whatsoever.

 

At one time I hated Patchouli, Nag Champa, and Home for the Holidays. They all made me gag. But I have since learned to like them again and both patchouli and home for the holidays are big sellers for me. I am still on the fence with Nag Champa. I can tolerate better but still never use it.

[GailC]

@Candybee, I personally can't stand Patchouli and definitely can't bring myself to buy Nag Champa.  

 

I can't stand the smell of incense burning either.  Ugh.  So no smells like that.

 

I did get some Indian Sandalwood from NG for my daughter, and it's not bad OOB.  Much better than the plain Sandalwood I got there.  

[Trappeur]

OMG Gail your funny......that Marijuana story again? lol....

 

Ok....There was a guy friend of mine who worked at a restaurant who used to buy a few candles from me.  One day he asked if I could do a Marijuana scent as he was a pot smoker.  So I did searching for that scent and the only one that peaked my interest was RE Marijuana and it had good reviews..so I ordered it.  Well in my mind, I'm thinking, well it must might be a new scent I could offer....lol...my husband had lots of pot smoking friends so here I go and order a whole pound from RE and pay a rediculous shipping that was just about the same price for a pound of the oil.  This oil I got in the pot and my God it was the nastiest foul smelling scent I have ever smelled.   It did not smell like pot at all as I happen to like the smell (and nope, I don't smoke it either...either).  It wreaked so bad and was embedded in my house for days, no joke.  I opened my windows and I could smell this disgusting rank scent out in my driveway. You talk about using 6% per pound????Well I swear you could use 1% and you'd have a hit with this scent..... Well I made up 1 dang candle anyways.  I immediately took that pound of Marijuana oil, wrapped and wrapped it in double bubble wrap and brought it to the basement, and double boxed it to bring to the dump.  I could still smell that scent....probably cause I must have had the scent on my hands and it rubbed off onto the box I put it in.  And the worst thing about it, it was embedded in my nostrils I couldn't get it out even smelling coffee.  I can't believe RE still sells this.  This is the worst smelling oil I have ever used.

 

Another scent I don't like but I do pour for an account I have because it is such a good seller is Flamings Chardonnay.  Now I'm not a wine drinker (only my chocolate wine...)lol...Well this scent is so much a true scent of Chardonnay but it is so very strong and being I don't like wine, I can't stand making this, but I do.  I'm sorry for all you wine drinkers out there....but really...who wants to have their house smelling like wine?  That's just nasty I think.....This is another scent that lingers like that Marijuana but nothing as bad as that one.  One day, the shop owner said to me as I was bringing an order to her, that the last batch of candles I made for her I must have changed the amount of oil in it when making as she couldn't smell it and even said her customers were complaining, yeah..right........ok, that hit a bad note with me.  I would never do that and to be told I did something different when I said I didn't is just not right.  So I brought home one of the 8oz tins I made for her in that scent and went to a friends of mine's house and lit up that tin (sitting outside on her porch).  Well within 5 minutes she said to me, it was the most putrid scent she ever smelled and was so darn strong....and we were outside too.  Blew that darn candle out real fast because we both started gagging...I told the shop owner what I did and how horrible she would think I would change something and not say anything when I never did.  Long story short, I didn't take back any candles, she sold them all and never said a thing to me, but placed another order.....

 

Trappeur

 

[Moonstar]

6 minutes ago, Trappeur said:

OMG Gail your funny......that Marijuana story again? lol....

 

Ok....There was a guy friend of mine who worked at a restaurant who used to buy a few candles from me.  One day he asked if I could do a Marijuana scent as he was a pot smoker.  So I did searching for that scent and the only one that peaked my interest was RE Marijuana and it had good reviews..so I ordered it.  Well in my mind, I'm thinking, well it must might be a new scent I could offer....lol...my husband had lots of pot smoking friends so here I go and order a whole pound from RE and pay a rediculous shipping that was just about the same price for a pound of the oil.  This oil I got in the pot and my God it was the nastiest foul smelling scent I have ever smelled.   It did not smell like pot at all as I happen to like the smell (and nope, I don't smoke it either...either).  It wreaked so bad and was embedded in my house for days, no joke.  I opened my windows and I could smell this disgusting rank scent out in my driveway. You talk about using 6% per pound????Well I swear you could use 1% and you'd have a hit with this scent..... Well I made up 1 dang candle anyways.  I immediately took that pound of Marijuana oil, wrapped and wrapped it in double bubble wrap and brought it to the basement, and double boxed it to bring to the dump.  I could still smell that scent....probably cause I must have had the scent on my hands and it rubbed off onto the box I put it in.  And the worst thing about it, it was embedded in my nostrils I couldn't get it out even smelling coffee.  I can't believe RE still sells this.  This is the worst smelling oil I have ever used.

 

Another scent I don't like but I do pour for an account I have because it is such a good seller is Flamings Chardonnay.  Now I'm not a wine drinker (only my chocolate wine...)lol...Well this scent is so much a true scent of Chardonnay but it is so very strong and being I don't like wine, I can't stand making this, but I do.  I'm sorry for all you wine drinkers out there....but really...who wants to have their house smelling like wine?  That's just nasty I think.....This is another scent that lingers like that Marijuana but nothing as bad as that one.  One day, the shop owner said to me as I was bringing an order to her, that the last batch of candles I made for her I must have changed the amount of oil in it when making as she couldn't smell it and even said her customers were complaining, yeah..right........ok, that hit a bad note with me.  I would never do that and to be told I did something different when I said I didn't is just not right.  So I brought home one of the 8oz tins I made for her in that scent and went to a friends of mine's house and lit up that tin (sitting outside on her porch).  Well within 5 minutes she said to me, it was the most putrid scent she ever smelled and was so darn strong....and we were outside too.  Blew that darn candle out real fast because we both started gagging...I told the shop owner what I did and how horrible she would think I would change something and not say anything when I never did.  Long story short, I didn't take back any candles, she sold them all and never said a thing to me, but placed another order.....

 

Trappeur

 

Hysterical story ! 

[Moonstar]

CS Oakmoss + Amber . OMG it stunk up my house for days . I swear I could even taste it in my mouth and the smell was everywhere. I know many love that scent 

but not me. Im like you Gail, no patchouli or incense scents for me either. 

[GailC]

@Trappeur  Thanks for the laughs!  My daughter, Ruthie, keeps asking me for a Maryjane candle. I'm going to have her read your story. 

 

[GailC]

12 minutes ago, Moonstar said:

CS Oakmoss + Amber . OMG it stunk up my house for days . I swear I could even taste it in my mouth and the smell was everywhere. I know many love that scent 

but not me. Im like you Gail, no patchouli or incense scents for me either. 

 

Ewwww...taste it in your mouth!! 

 

[Jcandleattic]

I agree, patchouli is the worst (IMO and an acquired scent taste). And most incense smells also.

To me there is an underlying "sweat" or "dirty sock" scent that comes through in patchouli. I've detected it in every patch scent I've tried (admittedly not many because it's horrid to me)

However, because I don't like that scent I've never tried to put it into anything. 

 

So for me I think the worst scent was a Raspberry Cordial scent I tried. It was just aweful. And like all bad scents, I could not get rid of that scent from my nostrils for about a week. It seemed to permeate EVERYTHING... 

[TallTayl]

Hahahaha a good nag champa is a staple for me. Quite a few bad ones out there I can attest. As is a good aged dark patchouli. Patchouli fragrance oils are horrid. Patch was the number one requested scent at my summer Faire. I don't make much in them aside from soap without request because it is super speedy again. I'm sitting on several kilos from a co-op back in the day when i could get it for under $30 a lb. at the current rate I'll be able to retire on it 😂

 

Ng indian sandalwood is disgusting. It is strong, I'll give it that, but no, it is not sandalwood in the least. 

 

Any baby powder or scent with powder notes in it makes me gag. 

 

Chamomile and lavender, like the j&j baby bath types yuk. 

 

Cologne scents had their day and have declined in popularity dramatically this year. They are strong, and cheap, which is I guess why they sell so well at CS, Ng, etc. 

[Candybee]

Well I absolutely love Patchouli Honey from EBB. I also love C&S Witches Brew and MW's Patchouli Passion. I also use patchouli EO with my FOs to boost that patchy goodness!! Anything I sell with patchouli honey or patchouli sells really well for me so its a keeper.

[coconut]

Peaks Hollyberry. I think we used it as dog repellant.

[Jcandleattic]

15 minutes ago, TallTayl said:

Any baby powder or scent with powder notes in it makes me gag. 

 

I just made a ton of baby powder scented candles for my nieces baby shower. It is AWEFUL! LOL I HATE the scent, but it's what she requested of me, and I had a bit of it left, so made them for her. 

[TallTayl]

Nauseated at just the thought, you poor thing. 🤢

[Jcandleattic]

3 minutes ago, TallTayl said:

Nauseated at just the thought, you poor thing. 🤢

Thanks! LOL 

 

They did turn out pretty cute though. However, my sisters I made 12 years ago for her youngest, were much cuter, and I tried to recapture that, but for several reasons it just wasn't to be. 

[Moonstar]

@Jcandleattic I think your spot on when you said its an acquired taste (patchouli) About a year 1/2 ago I ordered a small bottle of dark patchouli EO , I thought Id

try it just for the heck of it. OMG I was sick when I took the cap off. I even tried the tiniest bit in M&P. Ive never encountered anything that strong + gross in my life.

Im talking 1 maybe 2 drops at the very most,Im not kidding you it was the strongest scent Ive ever smelled lol ! I threw it all in the garbage because it was permiating

thought the whole house. I was making a sandwich the following day and my bread had that smell/taste too LMAO so I threw it out in the garbage. I think I lost a few 

pounds that week because the thought of that smell/taste on my food was grossing me out LOL !

[Candybee]

Well, dark patchouli is not one I would pick for a first patch experience. Very strong!

 

I guess I am the odd one because I like baby powder scent. Or I should say I love CS powder. I use it as a mixer with lavender and call it Lullaby Lavender.

[Jcandleattic]

8 minutes ago, Candybee said:

Well, dark patchouli is not one I would pick for a first patch experience. Very strong!

 

I guess I am the odd one because I like baby powder scent. Or I should say I love CS powder. I use it as a mixer with lavender and call it Lullaby Lavender.

A lot of people mix it (baby powder) with lavender, but I can't use lavender. Or I should say, I can't use lavender FO (gives me an instant migraine) and I don't like it enough to try and deal with the EO (especially when I personally can't get EO's to throw in my candles - no matter what tricks I've tried, they just never throw) 

[pcbrook]

I don't make candles with it but I make Dragon's Blood incense and that FO makes me gag!   Ugh!  And I sell A LOT of it.  I must be the only oddball in the crowd.   

[Jcandleattic]

6 minutes ago, pcbrook said:

I don't make candles with it but I make Dragon's Blood incense and that FO makes me gag!   Ugh!  And I sell A LOT of it.  I must be the only oddball in the crowd.   

I couldn't stand either and it would make me gag too, it until I found the right one. I swear it smells different than any I have ever ever smelled in all the years I've been doing this. 

 

TT would hate it, as it has a powdery sweet scent to it. 

[franu61]

I DO NOT LIKE nag champa!  It is my best selling scent in soap and wax

 

[Candybee]

Can't forget those FOs that go bad. Had some very vanilla go bad on me once. Yuck! Smelled so bad I have not bought very vanilla since and that was years ago! Now I use french vanilla or vanilla lace or any vanilla but very vanilla!!

[Moonstar]

20 minutes ago, pcbrook said:

I don't make candles with it but I make Dragon's Blood incense and that FO makes me gag!   Ugh!  And I sell A LOT of it.  I must be the only oddball in the crowd.   

Me and you both lol ! 

[grama]

Well I pour Nag Champa and Patchouli, they not my favorites but I can handle them.  The very worse I have ever smelled and poured is Natures Garden Leather Jacket.  I had a wholesale account that liked it.  Thank goodness she has stopped ordering it.

[GailC]

@TallTayl, oh I forgot about Baby Powder.  I bought some cheapo Baby Powder at The Candlemaker's Store a few years back, and I can't stand it.  But my cousin has had me make Baby Powder candles in large containers more than once.  She loves it!

 

I did get a Baby Powder once from Brambleberry and it smells nice, but I still wouldn't want a candle make out of it.