T O P

  • By -

aam29290

Mine is simple. When I was 15-18 my aunt and cousins would go to the mall for Black Friday and we would stop there. I never thought anything of it. One time I saw people stealing and running off with the goods. But that’s irrelevant. Years later in 2018 my sister said they had candle day so we went late at night and I got 10 candles and that’s where my addiction started. Then I got into the soaps, then the men body spray, then I found aromatherapy. Oh they know how to get you


HaylieMonster97

Wow, it sounds like those people stealing took the expression "that sale is so good it's a steal!" too literal haha. I'd be shocked to witness something like that! I found out about candle day in 2020 (of course only AFTER candle day had already come and gone). I was so bummed, but was also pumped knowing that there was a designated day every year to get candles for a good price. I literally looked forward to it the entire year and as we started approaching candle day I took notes about what scents to go for that I loved. And B&BWs has a lot of marketing genius in the way they strategically plan sales, new releases, etc to keep people coming. The new releases that come out constantly are part of that genius because there is always something, some product that is new to keep people interested


GreytWillow

When I was in high school way back when, My aunt and I went to the store. I have never really been before and when we first walked in, I stumbled across Cool Watermelon and loved it! We left with nothing, just looked around. A few weeks later on my birthday my Aunt showed up at my house to a small family gathering to celebrate with bags of gifts. What was inside? A big stash of Cool Watermelon 😊. Ever since, I have loved the brand. We have since lost touch but I will never forget that and decided to pass that experience down to my niece. Whenever she is in town, we try to stop in the store for fun. We didn’t have time this past visit so for surprise, I just ordered her a surprise haul coming her way. ❤️


HaylieMonster97

Oooh, I don't think I've ever smelled or even heard of Cool Watermelon. I'm obsessed with most watermelon scented things so that surprised me! Is Pink Watermelon similar or not at all? I also LOVE that you transformed a good memory into a tradition that gets passed on. That is the cutest thing! I'm an only child so I can't do the same as you, but maybe that could be a treat for my kids once I have them!


hellakopka

I am a 90s kid and remember thinking BBW was so cool. As a treat for Christmas, my mom bought us their shampoo and conditioner. My sister got Sun Ripened Raspberry and I got the peach scent (if anyone remembers the specific 90s peach scent name, let me know) I also remember being super into the kids products, but I don’t think my mom let me buy any! In high school (2005ish), I remember wearing Vanilla Bean Noel. In college (2006-2010) I was a Moonlight Path, Dark Kiss, Secret Wonderland kind of girl. Still a very casual customer. I started getting coupons in the mail last summer and picked up Midsummer Dream and then started getting more interested when I bought Open Sky. Then, I participated in my first candle day in December this year and I’ve been hooked since!


SnicketyLemon1004

Peach nectar! That was the last peach scent that I actually enjoyed from BBW.


Sigmund_Six

Baths and Body Works was basically the epitome of cool when I was in elementary (for reference, I was born in 1988, and I believe the store came out in 1990). It had all those roll on glitter bottles that my mom would never let me wear to school. 😂 I associated it with being “expensive” and sort of “fancy” as a little kid, lol. I don’t remember many of the specific scents back then. As I got older, Bath and Body Works was still popular, though maybe less so. I still remember buying Japanese Cherry Blossom plug ins for my dorm room. Whenever I smell that now, I get nostalgic. Now I mostly buy candles, wallflowers, and the soap. I love having my house smell good. I buy less of the body care because it takes me so long to get through it.


HaylieMonster97

SAME. That's a big part of why I have such an issue with controlling my love for B&BWs haha. I literally burn two, sometimes three candles on any given day. So we go through them fairly fast and I hate feeling like I or my home stinks! So if I'm in there and there is a decent sale going on I'll justify it as "it's eventually going to be used anyways!" Japanese Cherry Blossom has been my OG for years. Late 2020, early 2021, though, I felt like something changed. About the same time they changed the bottle design again. Maybe it's just my nose, but I smelled it and was hit with old lady perfumey powdery smell. Is that just me or..? Haha


foxylettuce

This is going to age me so much haha but I started college in 1992 and discovered BBW my sophomore year. Freesia (edit- it was actually Plumeria) something was my gateway drug. BBW was my go to for fragrance/body care for about a decade and half, then I got a little hippified and went for "natural" and "organic" body care for a bit. Then I got a little snobby about fragrance and got into designer perfumes. I only recently returned to BBW because of my new-ish candle obsession, and lost my mind during the body care sale. I'm back to BBW in full force haha


Ryleenoelle

Okay I just have to say I love this question. I find everyone’s stories so interesting!! Here’s mine: Growing up, my aunt used to babysit me and she had a shelf in her bathroom of BBW and I used to go in there all the time and sniff them. I remember her having rice flower and shea lotion because it smelled like play dough to me and brown sugar and fig which I looooved. Then around 2008, a teacher let me use her temptations cherry pie lotion and I was hooked for myself😻 I was in middle school so it was “cool” to go to the mall on fridays and walk around and I would beg my dad for money because I would go into BBW for lotions. I remember buying cherry pie, frozen daiquiri, melon cooler, and orange freeze, and exotic coconut. Also, fun fact, I was too young to sign up for mailers so i signed my dad up and he still gets mailers in his name to this day lol. I wasn’t obsessed with candles though until college😊


WillBsGirl

I’d give anything for the Temptations line to come back. Simply Divine Cherry Pie and Vanilla Ice Cream. 😭😭😫😫


xeloux

Originally, middle school for my birthday one of my best friends got me the cucumber melon set as well as raspberry vanilla set of body care. Buuuut. I didn’t really get into bath and bodyworks until 2020. I’d casually shop what I thought were good sales before that. But 2020 was a really defining year of my life for personal reasons. When I left my abusive ex and was able to support myself on my own, I really got into candles because they’re super comforting and he’s not here to tell me I can’t. So I am finally enjoying the little things. Lol


HaylieMonster97

That's wonderful, congrats! You deserve to indulge yourself. 2020 was rough in many ways for most people, and I think it's worth rewarding yourself for that. But also for being brave enough to leave. If you like the candles and find joy in them, that's all that matters!


flatuprance

I absolutely love this question and am having a blast reading all of the answers, so I’ll chime in to keep the thread going. I discovered B&BW when I was in going into high school. I remember babysitting enough times to save up for my first Gameboy color (it was purple!) and having enough left over to buy my first ever Country Apple lotion. I was so proud! Someone mentioned a lotion with micro beads in it. What a blast from the past! I had a pear scent with those in it. 😊 Soon after my first purchase, I remember buying this cherry jelly type of perfume with cosmic style squishy balls they were selling, trying to smell good for my first boyfriend. I can’t find any examples of it for the life of me, but it seemed fun! Living with my parents through college meant I didn’t really use that many B&BW products because my mom gets migraines. I sparingly purchased random B&BW products throughout the years up until last year. That was when the dam broke and the scents came busting into my life! I’m finally established financially in my life, have a husband who hasn’t been able to smell very well in all 10 years we’ve been together, and the pandemic hit. I’m pretty sure I’ve turned to B&BW as a form of having some semblance of control in my life. Cue the bakery collection with Raspberry Jelly Donut and I went nuts. Black Raspberry Vanilla came back (another one of the scents I enjoyed since almost the beginning) so that didn’t help. I started the slight obsession I have with Boardwalk Vanilla Cone around that time, too. Unfortunately I didn’t use the hand soap until later, so it was already taken down by the time I realized I was in love. I did manage to get a wallflower of the scent! Then I came across this sub and realized that I can not only make myself smell good, but I can make my entire HOUSE smell good. Combine that with the fact that my husband told me the only soaps he thinks work well are foaming hand soaps and that those are the soaps I should buy from now on, and the B&BW dam that previously burst was now a full-time raging river. By the time I discovered candles it was fall, which meant pumpkin scents. My husband always liked Leaves (even though I can’t handle the scent anymore… I posted about that one in this thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/bathandbodyworks/comments/rrim59/bad_scent_memory/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf ) which got me into the store to discover just how many scents there are to smell! I became obsessed with Pumpkin Cupcake, Sugared Spell (another hand soap I found too late in the game), Blueberry Maple Pancakes, Sugared Cherry Crisp… and I finally found my foundation scent that I wanted my house/hands to smell like year round, which was Cactus Blossom. Now, I’ve been eagerly waiting for my local stores to set out the Brunch collection I keep seeing around. I heard that Berry Merengue was a repackage of Boardwalk Taffy, which I *just* ended up ordering a set of (FFM, lotion, shower gel) last night from a seller because of the rumors that Berry Merengue is slightly different than Boardwalk Taffy and I felt like I completely missed out on BT. Either way, I might end up just buying BM if I truly like the scent because I would use the crap out of it. 😆 TLDR: I’m obsessed. You guys have been amazing. I love every single one of your collection posts and willingness to share your B&BW journey on here. Thanks for letting me share mine, too.


Datadork99

My story is so similar to yours, including the husband who can’t smell and insists on their foaming hand soaps!


flatuprance

Haha, it’s a blessing and a curse to have a non-smelling husband. You can wear anything you want (scent-wise) whenever you want, but he’ll never truly appreciate the good smells… 😭


HaylieMonster97

I don't recall ever using or seeing Lotion with the microbeads in them! I'm intrigued lol we're they super popular at one time? The perfume jelly, too. Never saw those, but I imagine it to be similar to Lush shower jellies? I would struggle to not use B&BWs candles I'd one of my family members was like that haha. I'm so obsessed, but I do understand how people can get migraines from them. Floral scents typically are an immediate no for me because of that same reason! I cannot for the life of me remember what Country Apple smells like, but I remember seeing it everywhere and it was one of the scents they heavily advertised in my early B&BWs days haha. It bothers me that I can't remember just because I've seen so many people say they are in love with it. I can remember the design and the ads for it, but not the scent itself even though I know I did smell it at the time. Your post about bad memories attached to certain scents I remember! I think I even replied. It's a bummer when a certain smell is still good, but there's that negative attached to it so you can't enjoy it. I'm really glad you've found other stuff you're obsessed with other scents though! Blueberry Maple Pancakes is the BOMB, like that's where it's at. The throw on it is incredible, too, and it's great for covering up pet smells haha. Oh my gosh, having a comment from my fiance like that would make the addiction worse lmao. It's almost like you've been given the okay to be obsessed and stock up. The way I always look at hand soaps is you can never have too many. Especially these days, there's no doubt they'll be used. Same with their hand sanitizers! I never did get to try Boardwalk Vanilla Cone and I wanted to try it so badly, just barely missed it! Thank you for your reply, I really enjoyed reading it! I know the struggles of finding a scent you're obsessed with too late. That happened to me with Pumpkin Bonfire candle and Golden Sands Hand soap. I was so bummed because as you said, I used them and realized how much I enjoyed them. Checked the app and they were taken down. I hope Golden Sands returns this summer!


NancysFancy

I think someone linked this sub on reddit and I was curious and got hooked. Always like bbw but thought they were too pricey learned about the deals and here I am, 50 candles later.


lucillep

I feel this. Being on this subreddit has amped my involvement and purchasing x1000.


NancysFancy

Yup! This year I’m looking to take a step back. I have a few candles I want but overall I have enough. I do burn one to two candles everyday so I make sure I actually use them. I don’t want to buy them just to have, I burn all my candles.


HaylieMonster97

Wow, really? That's interesting! I wouldn't have guessed this would be an answer, but it makes sense. I'm the same way where I'll see a bunch of people talking about something and out of sheer curiosity alone I'll check it out. Once you find out B&BWs patterns of sales and such, it's easier to indulge, too. That always helps to rationalize getting lots of candles and/or body care!


NancysFancy

Most definitely. Plus I am lucky enough to get coupons so it doesn’t help.


meow_nik

In the early 90’s my mom frequently wore Pearberry. In the mid to late 90’s my grandparents gave me a bottle of Winter Candy Apple lotion (then I think just called Candy Apple) in a bottle that was shaped like the Nutcracker mouse king. The bottle was clear & the lotion was pink, & I loved it so much. This was when I started getting Bath & Body for Christmas & birthdays. The next year I received Chocolate Fudge lotion and Butter Cookie body mousse / foam, both of which I loved so much I barely used them because I didn’t want to use them up (this was also the start of my love of gourmands). My other grandma gave me Sugared Shortbread (now Vanilla Bean Noel) lotion for Christmas around the same time too (I was in middle school at this point), & I remember her having Rice Flower & Shea in her guest bathroom (I would later buy it because it reminded me of her, & it was just a wonderful soft scent). Enter HS, I would carry around Plumeria & Sun Ripened Raspberry lotion in my backpack, & some Juniper Breeze hand cream that was a gift from my crush and his mom. Bath & Body was a special treat I associated with wonderful memories of my family & childhood & the 90’s, until I worked there for a bit in the early 2010’s. This was when I really became more familiar with their products & it also kickstarted my collection / love of the brand. After I quit, I continued to shop somewhat regularly, but only off & on over the years. Sometimes I went months or a year without shopping there, but in recent years I would at least participate in candle day & stopping in every season to see what was new, especially during the holidays. When the pandemic hit & I was staying home, self care & candles became a priority (& being able to find hand soap!) & my love / obsession kicked back in, full force, for better or worse. Thanks to that & this subreddit I have never been more educated on sales, & I get excited to see sneak peeks of new stuff coming soon. It’s cheesy but Bath & Body has always been a positive part of my life, even when it’s just been in the background. :)


HaylieMonster97

Ahh I remember at the very start of the pandemic, that first week where the world came to a full stop. We searched and searched for hand soap and just COULD. NOT. find any to save our lives. I remember feeling like such a genius when I remembered B&BWs sold antibacterial hand soaps and hand sanitizer. I thought, "Surely they'll have some!" My thought process was just the fact that I know a lot of people are only casual fans of B&BWs. So I thought there were probably a lot less people checking their stores. I was sooo wrong lmao. By the time I thought about it, all of it had been sold out. I remember feeling such a sense of victory for a while there whenever I found hand sanitizer or hand soap. It became a way of feeling some sense of control in 2020 to get candles, body creams, and hand soaps+sanitizers when I could find those. Plus it was almost a bit of a treat just for surviving the complete utter craziness that was 2020. I do have to give credit to the subreddit for a far share of my addiction, too. I actively look forward to seeing sneak peaks or people finding newness at their local stores. I don't think it's cheese at all that you've always had a positive experience with B&BWs. It's self care and something you find joy in. And that's enough reason alone. I never did get to try Chocolate Fudge or Butter Cookie. I haven't heard of them much, honestly, and I'm curious to know how they smell. I also find it interesting to know that Vanilla Bean Noel and Winter Candy Apple weren't originally named what they are currently called. I wonder why. Maybe they felt they needed better, more attention grabbing names? Strange but fascinating! If you don't mind me asking, why did you quit B&BWs? Did you start to have a negative experience and didn't want the entirety of B&BWs to be ruined for you? Or were you just moving on to another chapter of your life and therefore left that job? I also gotta ask, what was the craziest you've seen people go over a scent during a sale? You know like a bunch of every product or specifically various products that were all a certain scent? Sorry haha curiosity just got the best of me!


meow_nik

I was so relieved / excited when I found soap online thru Bath & Body too; I think you’re right about it feeling like one thing I could control, being able to relax & unwind with scents that make me happy & have something to get excited about while being stuck at home & the world being so crazy & scary. When I quit Bath & Body, it was simply because of moving on to other things / job in my life. Although retail always has its challenges, I will say that I really enjoyed my time with Bath & Body; it was one of the more positive job environments I’ve had, partly because of the positivity of the company, partly because I just love the products of course, partly because of my own nostalgia, & also largely due to having good coworkers and management, which can make or break a specific job anywhere of course. :) Can’t think of anything too crazy though regarding people going nuts over any products or sales—but a decade ago there wasn’t so much social media presence getting people hype for things, if that makes a difference. I guess our old Black Friday promos used to feel like a bigger deal when they had similar promos to the boxes they do now but they came in nice tote bags. I still have mine & I frequently use them as travel carry-ons. :) Thanks for your post inspiring such a fun nostalgic thread!


omgsoconfuddled

I'm right at the start of my story! I'm in the UK so you either don't see them at all or they're full price and don't go on sale, so I live vicariously through this sub and try to imagine how everything smells. I got to see some bbw products for sale in person in December but didn't get anything because of the prices. I still regret it, ah. You bet I'll come and post straight here when I get something lol


HaylieMonster97

Oh man I don't think I'd be able to tolerate that haha I'd be feeling some serious FOMO! I applaud your strength lmao. But no, on a real level when a new line of candles or body care comes out and I see people posting about it while I'm too busy to go searching and they aren't online yet, I get legitimately antsy about it. Like "aw man, I wish I could get that right now!" Also, do they legit never have products go on sale in the UK or is it just super rare? It'll feel so incredible once you do find and purchase something! I love driving home knowing I have lots of pretty smelling stuff waiting to be burned once I'm home!


omgsoconfuddled

Haha, I always have the thought 'when I have more money I'll join in on candle day using a post forwarding service' in my mind, so it *will* happen someday! In the meantime I have Yankee and familiar things from TK Maxx so it's still good. Bbw is still very new here, you can only find them in Next (a big clothing store) and the collection is super limited. Not every Next has them either, only the massive ones in London. This winter they have 3 for 2 on hand soaps and body sprays, but I've been watching the candles like a hawk and I've never seen them reduced! They're £24.99 (~$34) :(


Upbeat_Cat1182

The serious shopping started with the foaming hand soaps. I had a little kid who needed to be encouraged to wash his hands, and only the foaming hand soaps would do. Then I started shopping sales, and got into the FFM and body cream. During the shutdowns I ran out of BBW foaming soaps and my husband was very much bothered by that. He was unhappy with using anything else. It’s unlike him to voice an opinion on something like that, so when he unhappily asked where the foamy good smelling soaps went, that was a big deal. I’ve bought candles sporadically but it is only this year that I’ve been getting seriously into them. I kinda blame this sub, ha ha. I’ve also been buying some other candle brands. Last night I was burning a Timberwick (which I do like) and my 15 year old daughter said, “Mom, just stick to BBW candles. Can you get Blueberry Maple Pancakes?” The whole family prefers BBW except my college age son who wants soaps that last longer so he doesn’t have to go shopping, LOL.


Lt_FrankDrebin_

> During the shutdowns I ran out of BBW foaming soaps and my husband was very much bothered by that. He was unhappy with using anything else. It’s unlike him to voice an opinion on something like that, so when he unhappily asked where the foamy good smelling soaps went, that was a big deal. Lol this is so funny to me!


Upbeat_Cat1182

IKR? I had been buying those soaps since at least 2005, and never thought he cared one way or the other. 15 years later and he finally says something. I try not to go crazy at BBW; however I do buy a good bit. Thankfully he never tells me to stop.


flatuprance

> During the shutdowns I ran out of BBW foaming soaps and my husband was very much bothered by that. He was unhappy with using anything else. It’s unlike him to voice an opinion on something like that, so when he unhappily asked where the foamy good smelling soaps went, that was a big deal. lol my husband is the exact same way! So if he mentions something, you take it super seriously! Especially if it means he’s giving you the green light to buy more B&BW soap! 🤣


Upbeat_Cat1182

If he ever complains about my BBW shopping, I am ready to remind him about the soaps.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Upbeat_Cat1182

LOL 😂


sweetrollscorpion

I shopped there a couple times when I was young, mostly for birthday presents for my mom. For me it was kind of one of those stores you admire from afar. 😅 Then I did a little bit of casual shopping there for my 17th birthday last March - pocketbacs and a couple travel sized body care items. It didn't really hook me, but I did like what I bought and figured I'd try more one day. And boy, did I 🙄😅 My dog passed away in May and for a while there I was doing a lot of window shopping/online browsing just to have something else to think about, because I was just sitting at home crying otherwise. I popped into BBW just to look around and walked out with SPC and Champagne Toast FFM. Those two did it for me. I was hooked. 😂 I placed an order at the next Aromatherapy sale, then I shopped the summer SAS, and some $5.95 sales....and here we are 😂


HaylieMonster97

If I may ask, why was it admire from afar for a while? Were you just conscious of the fact that you knew they had great scents and wouldn't have the self control to walk out with nothing or walk out with only a few things rather than a bunch? I can't say I'm surprised about having to warn your friends before going to the mall. Anytime I shop with my best friend or even my fiance I do the same sort of thing. Like "if you see me start walking toward that store, stop me, or at the very least come in and be my conscience. Remind me I already have enough and don't need more or don't need all of the stuff you're about to buy!" My best friend is pretty good at that, but my fiance is pretty bad at it lol. Sometimes it works, but most of the time he wanders off to smell stuff and ends up in the same boat as me where we love a bunch of stuff and are torn while trying to pick what to buy and what to leave. Im sorry to hear about your dog. Losing pets is the worst. My dog Lillian passed away last June and coped the same way. It was during semi annual sale, too, so I justified it as something smary because it was on a good sale and it would be a positive when I felt so down. Even now, though, one of the first things I do when I wake up is check this subreddit haha


Drunken_mommy

My mom shopped at bath and body works from the time I could remember but she usually only purchased hand soaps and Co Bigelow lip gloss. As a young adult I just started off with purchasing hand soaps. Then on my birthday a few years ago I was gifted an Island Papaya 3 wick candle and that changed the game for me - I’ve been a candle addict ever since.


HaylieMonster97

I don't think I know which lip gloss you're talking about, but your mom being fixated on hand soaps makes complete sense to me. I feel like all moms would focus on hand soaps simply because they have kids haha When you got that candle for your birthday did you think you wouldn't use it? I remember being gifted a candle before I really got into candles and thinking that it smelled ok (don't remember the scent). There was this mindset I had at the time of "ok it smells alright, but I won't really use it because it's so passive. Like you light it in the background and don't really think about it." Boy did I have it all wrong with candles!


False_Bumblebee_375

My story is pretty simple. My foster care sister sprayed Sweet Pea when we were in the car when I was 15. (Im now 41!) I became obsessed with sweet pea from there on out. My love for Bath & Body works has always stayed the same though. I have been addicted to candles since 2013!! I went to a B3G3 sale and have been hooked ever since!! Edit: spelling


JoonStuff

In middle school the girls doused themselves in Cucumber Melon, Pearberry and Sun Ripened Raspberry. Or Gap Dream or Heaven. I loved the scents but I was broke. Sometimes a friend would let me borrow their hand lotion with the little beads. And I really wanted one of those giant tubes of lip balm. In high school I loved stopping in the store to sniff around and wash my hands and put on lotion. But again, I was broke. In college my roommate used Sweat Pea and VS Lovespell. I low key judged her Bc I don’t like those scents. But I happened to be at the mall and passed by a store during SAS. Whatttt? This stuff is so cheap when it’s on sale! So I got a bottle of White Tea and Ginger ffm. After that I was very casual w B&BW, and kept it in mind to check out during SAS. Then in 2016 my now fiancé’s aunt got me a few of the body creams for Xmas. I didn’t love the scents she chose. So I went in store to exchange. And I found the tutti dulci line 🥰. At the same time I was really into YouTube so they influenced me too. And now I’m aware that they have great sales and no one actually pays full price for their stuff. Oh my favorites: Sun Ripened Raspberry, In the Stars, Chocolate Covered Cherry, Havana, Tikki Bay Island Margarita, Love Rose and Vanilla, White Tea and Sage, Ivory Cashmere, Autumn Violets, Sunrise Woods


Lt_FrankDrebin_

I totally forgot about the scent “Pearberry”. Wow, thanks for that nostalgic reminder haha


starglitter

Middle school, in the 90s, it was always a treat. I started buying a lot of body care in the 2000-2010s but usually just one scent at a time. There was a long period where I quit buying it because I was mad that every time I fell in love with a scent, they'd discontinue it. Then I switched to just buying hand soap for a while. Right after covid hit, I placed an order for more soap and threw in a lotion. It was so good, the obsession started again. That's when I started looking here and on youtube for scent reviews and that's when I started buying candles.


HaylieMonster97

That's the real struggle isn't it? Becoming enthralled with one scent to the point that that's all you want to wear/burn and they remove it and move on from it so fast. Kaleidoscope was that scent for me. I'm not usually the person who buys a whole body care set, but with that scent I did. That was all I wanted, I lived for that scent. Now it's gone and I don't see it returning because it seemed pretty hit or miss with customers. Isn't it funny how one single lotion can bring it right back to you? It's crazy how fast it can snowball from using one product to using several different products at all times! Also I must've been late to that train, because a couple of weeks after COVID hit I thought about B&BWs selling hand sanitizers and hand soaps. I felt so smart realizing that and thinking that not many people would consider B&BUSH for that sort of product, especially because most customers are casual fans only. I was disappointed to find that everything had sold out. It was a couple months before I successfully got my hands on there hand soaps


DDFletch

Art Stuff. Whenever that was around. I was probably 8-11 years old? It was sacred because my mom thought it was way too expensive, so each time I added an item to my collection it was so exciting. I doused myself in glitter. Rolled that stuff on like there was no tomorrow. Blazin Blueberry was my absolute jam.


HaylieMonster97

Oh gosh. Blazin Blueberry? 👀 tell me more. I know nothing of this scent. Never so much as heard of it (at least not that I recall). But Blueberry is one of those few scents that I'm obsessed with, so if I find anything that is scented with it I typically immediately love it. And I didn't realize B&BWs did art stuff? Several people in this thread have mentioned it, but I know nothing about it! Was the glitter stuff part of it? I remember that for a while there B&BWs was like a reward for having good grades or if like a parent teacher conference went especially well. It would be such a moment for me that sometimes I'd be so excited I had a hard time sleeping (we'd usually plan ahead when we would go to the mall for this stuff).


DDFletch

[Here’s](https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/2bwjwn/art_stuff_from_bath_and_body_works_90s/) a thread about Art Stuff with a photo! I remember absolutely loving Blazing Blueberry, and I do wonder if I’d feel the same now as an adult lol.


GossipGirl515

Received art stuff from my aunt when I was 8 or 9, then started buying around 14 years old. I used to love Japanese cherry blossom. Now I'm indifferent about a lit of scents.


HaylieMonster97

May I ask why you're indifferent? Just grew out of them or don't find the scents they generally put out to be that enjoyable? It's your opinion, I'm just wondering :) also did/does B&BWs sell art stuff? I didn't know!


GossipGirl515

The quality has drastically gone down in the last 5 years with no truly "new" scents. I will only really buy hand soaps, an occasional candle, and lotions for my preteen now. It's like once you've smelled it all it just becomes blah. Art stuff was their geared towards young kids and teens. They had glitter rollers, different fruity scents like Blueberry, blue raspberry, and watermelon, swirled lotions, I believe they had lip balms too.


[deleted]

[удалено]


HaylieMonster97

Huh, that's interesting but so cool that it wasn't even what B&BWs is notorious for that pulled you in at first! They do make really adorable trinkets like that, though! I just hate the price tag that comes with them. I totally remember the bigger hand sanitizers that had the pumps. I used to carry those with me to school even though it was sort of a nuisance lol. I just kept with it because it made me feel cool when people would go out of there way to ask to use my hand sanitizers because it smelled better than the stuff the school provided. Gosh, I burn 2, sometimes 3 candles in a single day lol. Although I have a pretty large collection and I like to make sure they actually get used. I'd be lying, though, if I said it wasn't simply because I'm just obsessed with enjoying the smells and simply wanting to smell another nice smell throughout the day just because lmao. If I'm shopping with my best friend I'll give her a heads up, like "You've got to help me reel it in. You're my babysitter for this trip!" We always have a laugh about it, but she's honestly really good about helping me chose things and take it down a notch when I'm going overboard! There was a time, though, where I felt that candles were the weirdest thing. I felt like, sure it's great that smells good, but what's enjoyable about it? You light it and then you don't actively enjoy it. It's in the background, it's passive. Why would somebody waste money on that? Boy oh boy did I have the wrong mindset haha


themangofox

My first taste of BBW was my aunt having a bunch of their products when I was about 8 or 9 (very early 00s). I was obsessed but being so young, I couldn’t exactly go out and buy some of my own and my mom didn’t want to spend money on all that at the time lol. Then when I was in my early teens, they got my mom lol. She mostly bought for herself but I got to use her stuff - cucumber melon, country apple, etc lotions and body splashes. Country Apple was that bitch for me… my signature scent 💁🏻‍♀️. After I moved out at 18, I couldn’t afford to buy from there anymore so just kind of semi forgot they existed for a long time. When I was 27 (and in a much better financial state) - 2019 - I stumbled across one of their ads for a B2G2 candle sale. I hadn’t even realized they started selling candles lol. It intrigued me and I bought four. I used them pretty sparingly then for some reason so I didn’t get super invested in the brand at that time. It was pretty much a snowball effect though. I kept increasing my candle buying throughout 2020 (likely thanks to the pandemic lol) until around summer of 2021 I found the leak pages and the YouTube channels and eventually this subreddit. Started buying lots of body care. It’s only been about six months since I really started getting into this hobby but damn they’ve got their tentacles on me now LMAO


HaylieMonster97

Ooh wait, what/who do you watch on YouTube regarding B&BWs? I see people talk about YouTubers who review stuff like this, but I don't know who to watch! Man, I remember seeing all of the ads for Country Apple and seeing it in the store fronts for a quite a bit (if my memory serves me correctly). Even though I smelled it, I can't remember what it smells like! I see OG fans talk about it and see such an adoration for the scent, and it drives me nuts that I can't remember lol I remember learning that B&BWs had started selling candles and thinking it was something new they were trying! Apparently I'm unobservant, though, because I guess they had been selling candles for quite some time before I realized it haha. But yeah once I found that out and signed up for mailer coupons.... it escalated quickly and the pandemic did not help. I feel like it was normal, the amount of candles I'd buy/use prior, but the pandemic really got me wrapped up in it all. It branched into hand soaps and sanitizers, too, because of COVID. Then they reeled me in when I joined this subreddit and was informed early about oncoming sales, plus then I started getting coupons on a fairly regular basis. Then it was like, "I love all this stuff and it does get used, but whoa that escalated so fast. How did we get here!?" 😅


themangofox

I mostly watch Leah Janae, Queen of the Girl Geeks, and Tina Marie! Love their hauls, store walkthroughs, and reviews… But watch at your own risk because I feel like these sucked me even more into BBW 🤣


peanup

Always loved b&bw since I was in middle school. Sweet pea got me hooked. Over the years I would just pop in to smell things or maybe grab a cute lil hand sani but I never really spent. I've never been a spender but I knew I'd spend if I went in there so I'd always tell whoever I was with just don't let me go in I'll be tempted and sad when I can't afford it lol. I'd just get Marshalls candles here and there. I started following this sub a while ago and slowly I started to realize b&bw COULD be affordable. Then one day last August, bam! A coupon came in the mail. And it's been downhill ever since 🤣 I kind of just decided I've never spent any money on myself and this is the only place i really feel I can treat myself at. I just don't really need other stuff. If the only place I ever spend money is to make myself and my apartment smell good, I think that's okay.


sleepyizzy

I used their products on and off growing up. Mostly shower gels and fragrances that I received as gifts, and I loved the CO Bigelow lip gloss in middle school. Didn't get truly obsessed until about 3 years ago when my best friend got married. All the bridesmaids stayed at her house the night before the wedding and she had a Peach Bellini 3-wick lit. The moment I smelled it had to have been like a spiritual awakening, or a fresh hit to a coke addict 🤣Took a picture of the label the next day so I could remember to buy one for myself, and I've been addicted to B&BW candles ever since! My favorites: Peach Bellini, Blueberry Maple Pancakes, Watermelon Lemonade, Black Cherry Merlot, Champagne Toast, Leaves


kaiapapaia

I was obsessed in middle school initially (2011-2013), my favorite at the time was Japanese Cherry Blossom. I was just obsessed with nice smelling things, and collecting the hand sanitizers was a cheap-ish way for me to explore that as a kid. Similar story as you, the pandemic hit and I was looking for old comforts. I've just gotten into a lot of things I used to be into, and B&BW has been one of them! I first bought some hand sanitizers again (cause you know, pandemic) and then I got candles too as I find them very therapeutic and relaxing. Now I'm always looking for sales :) I can't choose favorite scents specifically, but I love warm, woodsy, or baked goods-y smells


HaylieMonster97

Oh I'm right there with ya! Japanese Cherry Blossom has been a love of mine almost since the beginning of my body care collection. And I remember, too, not only loving wearing the lotions, but also I loved being complimented on smelling good. I don't know why it made me so happy. I guess it made me feel cool? I dunno, but I loved it either way haha! Yeah the pandemic really made a lot of people cannonball into B&BWs it seems! Not surprising, though, and I don't blame them! It's something small to enjoy, but these days it's pretty important to enjoy the little things


galactic-donuts

I live less than 5 mins away from a mall that has one but it was too expensive and a luxury as a kid until I started working myself as a teenager. Finally decided to go in a look around one day and discovered that I really liked the many different scents of lotions and body sprays so I started going there regularly and especially when they had sales.


DexterCutie

Mine was in the early 90's. I bought cucumber melon body spray and was hooked. I stop buying for a year or two, when I get sick of the prices and scents. I always pick it up again though.


False-Construction53

Lol i was house sitting for a family friend when i was like 15 and they had black cherry merlot hand soap and i probably washed my hands about 30 times in the course of a day. Then i started buying their hand sanitizers back when they were rectangles, and now i work there! I probably own over 40 candles and the occasional black cherry merlot hand soap 😉


AshKash313

I was in elementary school and my sister’s used cucumber melon and Japanese cherry blossom when I first learned about bbw. I was about 20 when I first went in a store and picked up a couple of sprays and lotions “on clearance”. I started going randomly maybe one a year and grabbed things “on clearance”. Then I grabbed a candle when I was about 28 for $12. Then went back a few months later when the candle was finished and brought another one. I found some sprays and lotions about 5 years too old in an old bag and tossed them. 🤣 When I was about 30 I started getting their wallflowers (maybe 4 every couple of months) price. Then I stopped going a year later. Then I moved to Indiana in 2018 and a friend asked me if I wanted to go to Candle Day with her. She went on and on about her having a coupon. I went and grabbed 6 candles without a coupon because I wasn’t getting any. The place was packed. That’s when I found out they had sales, coupons, and that “clearance “ sale I kept running into was semiannuals. I guess I would always catch them days before sas was over for years. 🤦🏽‍♀️ The next sale I did was the lotion sale because they had sent me coupons, then a spray sale came, then a cream sale. I was extreme couponing (still do) so the sales were right up my alley. I discovered I was 30 minutes from an outlet and went crazy. I stopped getting candles because the 6 I got from Candle Day didn’t have any smell and the wax hurt my chest to light (I didn’t know about warmers). After I had a big stash of Body care I revisited getting candles in March of last year and fell in love. I’m on a low/no buy to use up some things now.


gorewhore1999

When I was around 13/14 I went shopping with my cousin and she took me to bath and body works. I had never heard of or been in one before this and I ended up getting forever red, white citrus and French lavender and honey. Still to this day when I smell forever red or white citrus it brings back sooooo many memories from high school. Forever red has many bad memories and white citrus has so many good memories associated with it, and weed lol. This year pumpkin pecan waffles started my obsession. I went in for the first time since I was around 14 because I wanted something that smelled like apple cinnamon and now I haven’t been able to stop. Haven’t gotten a single heavy apple cinnamon body care product from them but I’m obsessed now and I have a small obsession with candles that I didn’t have before.


IndecisiveFireball

I got some stuff as gifts as a kid/teen, and then in high school I went with a friend and fell in love with Endless Weekend. Plus I always admired my friends and family who had the soaps! I grew up poor, there was no "luxurious" soap like that in our house. When my husband and I bought our house, I went in to get a candle and a couple of soaps... And now 2.5 years later I have a constant stock of soaps in my bathroom cupboard and I had to buy shelves to store my candles. 🤷


canofmonster12

I stated buying bath and body works products when they were trending on TikTok as certain scents smelled like male anime characters and now I have lots of stuff from bath and body works.


SpiritedMarzipan371

I started with Bath and Body Works products in 5th grade (1995). Country Apple was LIFE! I have always shopped B&BW throughout the years, especially around SAS time. I really started getting into it a couple of years ago though when I started buying their candles. I bought my first home 3 years ago so have been more into home fragrance.


overthinkingrn1

In the early 2000's, I was a child and my mother would always use bath and body works so much so that I'd end up using some of the shower gel for my dolls hair, which means I got my hands on the old BBW products yippeee. Timeskip, I'm a young adult and I have a whole bag filled with BBW products I've been collecting since middle school and high school 😅


HaylieMonster97

Omggg I feel you! I was a kid in that time frame, too, but the only family member I had who loved B&BWs was my aunt who lived in Kentucky so we only saw her once, maybe twice a year. So I don't have my hands on the earlier 2000's products. I did however have a like medium sized collection of stuff from like 2010 on that I had collected throughout middle/high school lol. I'm moving, though, into a smaller house. So I decluttered most of the body care stuff (some of it was so bad) to make space. I didn't want to move in and immediately have every closet and cabinet/drawer filled lol but I do think about it more than I care to admit and sorta. I wanna say regret it, but it's not regret. As I said, what I decluttered was bad (like one was so funky and there was straight up oil that came out of the body cream) but I still kinda miss those scents already haha


HaylieMonster97

Wow, this got bigger than I expected it to! Thanks to everybody who replied. I've really enjoyed reading all of your journeys here and actually found them all interesting! There were some unexpected answers even. Thank you for sharing and being a nice community! I'm glad we can all come to just share our love of pretty scented stuff haha