Scent Reviews So Far

[Arch Rock]

Hi all -

 

After a 15 year hiatus, I'm back with a vengeance.  What is it with candle-making?  I think it's in our veins!  Here are some preliminary fragrance reviews as well as some new-found wicking knowledge.

I use a paraffin-based container blend from Koster Keunin and use 6-8% F.O. load.

Bittercreek:

Apple Jack 'n Peel - An old standard but have triedCD-16, LX-22, RRD 37, LX-18 and WI-765 and still can't get this to burn properly.  Not ready to give up.

Brown Sugar Nutmeg - 6% throws fabulously with a CD-14 but is sooty.  Re-testing with WI-755 and an HTP-105.

Butter Cream Crunch (Wick Your Wax) - They've changed something since BC bought WYW.  I used to use 3% and it would kick butt, but now it's struggling.  I added some BC Maple Butter and it improved but not what it used to be.  HTP-105 drags.  Re-testing with a WI-755 and a Cottonwood.

Christmas Tree - (French) - Good throw but sort of one-dimensional with not many bottom notes.  HTP-105 did well at 6%.

Cinnamon Buns - (French) - Not a good HT - maybe just my nose.  Chemical smell.

Ginger Maple (Wick Your Wax) - This rocks at 3% but it's an unusual scent, big on the ginger.  CD-14 performed well, but sooty until it reached combustion.  Re-testing with WI-755 and Cottonwood.

Buttery Gingerbread (Wick Your Wax) - Very disappointed.  Not what it used to be.  A waste of funds at $34/lb.

Hayride (Bubbles 'n Lights) - Very nice at 6%.  CD-14 too much and CD-12 is not enough.  Re-testing but will keep the scent.  This sold well years ago.

Home Sweet Home - BC is always out of stock so shopping elsewhere

Jack Frost - BC out of stock - shopping elsewhere

Perfect Pumpkin (Wick Your Wax) - Once again, not what it used to be.  Ended up mixing with BC Pumpkin Spice and still not satisfied.  I'm a pumpkin snob and thanks to the board's reviews all the way back to 2013, I'm going to test other suppliers like CW.

Spiced Cranberry - Used to use a CD-16 with this and it was a top seller but now I can't stand the soot and flickering from the CD.  How did I sell these things!?  Re-testing with WI-765 and Cottonwood.  This is a tough one.

Turkish Cafe - Excellent at 6%.  WI-765 was too much so bumping down to WI-760 but still curing.

 

Nature's Garden:

Acorn Harvest - Excellent and unusual.  6% load but struggling to find the right wick.  CD-16 good but sooty.  Trying HTP-126, WI-760 and Cottonwood.

Bayberry - This rocks at 6% but still struggling with wick selection.  I am on the 11th test of this.  Definitely a candidate for Cottonwood.  It's so good I'm not giving up.

Coconut Cream - Best seller years ago,.  LX-18 worked well at 6% but sooty until reached combustion.  Still testing.

Sugar Cookie - Very nice.  Did well with an LX_18 at 6% but not nearly as kick-butt as Fragrance Buddy.

 

Lonestar:  Overall, disappointed.  They were my go-to for Apple Pie and Creamy Vanilla, but that's about it.

Hot Apple Pie - Ended up mixing with BC's Apple Pie just to get a kick.  Struggling with proper wicking.  Waiting to test HTP-126, WI-760, and Cottonwood.  CD-16 good but sooty.

Creamy Vanilla - Still the best but also wicking troubles.

Jack Frost - Because BC was out of stock - no way.  Yuck.

Sugared Cronut - This is really nice at 6%.  I'm renaming it French Toast, to give you an idea of how it smells HT.

Vanilla Cotton - Also really nice at 6% but struggled with a CD-14 and an LX-22.  Another candidate for Cottonwood or WI-760.

All the Cranberries stink. (no CT or HT)

 

Candlewic:

Frozen Pine - Excellent at 6%

Snickerdoodle - Good, but nothing like Fragrance Buddy's Sugar Cookie.  I'm looking for one, single cookie-like fragrance so will need to cut CW in favor of FB.

 

Fillmore (Tru-Scent)

Cedar Garland - Excellent at 6%.  Great downy base notes.

 

Fragrance Buddy:

Sugar Cookie Signature - PHENOMENAL

Home Sweet Home/Cinnamon - Not getting a good hot throw from this and I wick all my testers with a hefty CD-14 because I just want a big melt pool and then dial-in wicks after the initial test.  A CD-14 with a 2" melt pool gave off nothing so I'm scrapping.

Merlot Red Wine - This is a keeper.

Cherry Champagne - YES

Pear Champagne - YES

I can't wait to test more from FB.  I don't know where they came from, but they're rocking me so far.

 

Rustic Escentuals:

Wine by Candlelight - Excellent.

Cuban Tobacco - Very disappointed as this smelled incredible OOB.  Did nothing in wax.

 

Hope this helps everyone.  I am currently fascinated by the Cottonwood wicks but have only burned them in non-fragranced wax to get a feel for how they perform.  I ordered them because I have some very stubborn FOs I love but can't stand the CD smoke and flickering.  Also impressed with Premier wicks.  Huge consumption rates without the soot.  Please feel free to ask for updates as I continue to test if you're paraffin-based.

[RWV]

Thank you for the reviews.  I know what you mean about the chandling in the veins. LOL.  No matter what I do or what my doctor says, I still have to come back to making them, even if it’s just for family, friends and personal use.

[lightmyfire]

Sugared Cronut - This is really nice at 6%.  I'm renaming it French Toast, to give you an idea of how it smells HT.

 

I agree!  I love this one.  Just an FYI--it turns wax melts yellow very quickly when not using dye.  That doesn't bother me but some may find it off putting. 

[kandlekrazy]

I'm surprised about the Cuban Tobacco, it smells really good in soy, not quite as strong as I'd like but I did have to cure it for a month to get a good throw.  I use it as a mixer now since I don't usually have time for a 30 day+ cure.  And I agree OOB is incredible.  I need to get back to work, it's been 4 months+ since I've been able to make anything.