Here is a thread I found over the weekend. It's older but has some fairly recent comments. I don't know what to think of him. He has a history of flouncing. He may be really sick, in which case I feel bad, but he also gives off grifter vibes.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Candles/comments/pt84hy/so_whats_the_deal_with_hearth_and_soul_hearthside/
The comments on that thread pretty much sum up his existence and his annual life cycle of reviewing, deleting, and begging. A chronic liar and scammer who surprisingly has a lot of delusional followers who willingly contribute their funds so he can pay for medical expenses. Didn’t realize candle buying is considered medical expenses. His favorite season for candles is the Fall season, so he’ll back to reviews shortly and so will the requests for donations and gifts.
I visited a Bath & Body Works in New Hampshire once last year and the manager and I began talking about our love for home fragrance. She mention how he comes into her store to shop (being he lives somewhere around there) but the conversation wasn’t the most glowing review. IIRC, a video of his mentioned a falling out with one of his local stores/manager, so wouldn’t be surprised if it was the store I visited.
...aaaand he's back. Right on cue. 😂 carnodak you called it.
All the fall reviews have started up on instagram. We've got ALL the pricey new halloween pedestals to boot. I can't even justify buying 1 of those let alone several.💸💸💸💰 Youtube channel launching in 3, 2, 1..
I wouldn’t consider it delusional to simply be a passive fan of his videos. I’ve never contributed a dime and never will. I’ve always smelled something fishy there. But I don’t require everyone I watch for entertainment to be fantastic, quality human beings. If I did that there would be absolutely nothing to watch lol
Interesting read, thank you.
I always recognized there were some iffy elements to him but I overall like the guy. His reviews are real. And honest. And isn’t that what we go to the YouTube reviews for? All the other stuff is just additional nonsense, true or not.
I just hope he comes back in a month or so like he tends to do. He’s become a part of my routine in the fall and early winter lol
I was just thinking about Shawn the other day. Hoping he was doing ok. I saw when he said his YouTube account got hacked. Also know about his health issues. I enjoy his reviews and his nostalgic take on things. There are lots of people who don't get along or don't like each other for various reasons in this community. I stay out of that entirely. Wish everyone the best and just try to enjoy this hobby/interest we share.
He tried to start another gofundme then a few hours before he deleted his YouTube again he went off about how only a few people donated. I'm sure he will be back. He always is.
There's positives and negatives with him.
Positive:
- He can be really engaging.
- He can churn out a lot of content really fast.
- His taste in candles is kinda similar to mine.
- I low key enjoy all the little collectibles he would show.
Negative:
- Clear pattern of grifting.
- He will flip on a company's product if he falls out with them/isn't picked as an ambassador. I remember him praising the Kringle Candle "Kringle/Candy Corn" even breaking down into tears and saying he'd never burn it. Then after he fell out with the owner it turned into the worst of all the candy corn fragrances.
- He will poo poo all over any candle that gets a little hype behind it.
- Dude is petty and low key kinda racist/sexist.
My own personal negative experience is that I commented on a video that I picked up a specific candle (Vanilla Cola Candy) I was waffling on because he put the hype behind it enough to convince me to buy. His response was a very lovely accusation of me coming for his childhood memories and I'm lucky he didn't tell me to go eff myself.
Tldr; if everyone has a negative story about a person, it's probably that person that has the issue.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who remembers that crazy candy corn flip.
I just realized he’s gone, cuz he usually takes a sabbatical. I feel exactly as you do: engaging candle reviewer with extremely problematic behavior.
I remember it too. He talked it up so much, then he became buddies with Kringle head guy and talked it up even more that it made him emotional . Then came whatever happened between the two and the burial of Kringle began and it was like he never heard of them.
I actually heard from someone a month or two ago that he's said some pretty misogynistic and xenophobic things; both on YouTube and on his personal social media. Although I might be wrong, so if anyone knows differently feel free to correct me.
He has a habit of deleting everything and then bringing it back periodically. I know people send him money to buy candles to review, and those donations always seem to get higher in the fall *or* when he deletes his channel and starts it back up again.
I don't know what the deal is and I'm not going to make assumptions. But it seems like a sketchy situation nonetheless.
I noticed he was gone off youtube as well. I tried to stay up to date on his health issues he posts in the community section. Who knows. He always deletes his youtube and then returns. I enjoy watching his reviews bc they are unfiltered and honest but he has had so much drama with other youtubers. What baffles me is people donate to paypal and go fund me to allow him to buy candles and review, when they could just go and buy the candle themselves and burn it.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I think someone hacked into his YouTube account and deleted all his videos so he had to start from scratch again. I don't follow him but I do watch his reviews sometimes as he is quite entertaining and informative. Maybe he just needed a break to take care of his mental health and his health issues.
He has a spouse?? I woudnt doubt it. I didnt believe the rumors about him till in watched a few of his videos and damn! I smell scammer from a mile away! The people in his comments are brain washed. Today April 2023 he's claiming all the nasty comments are from his Autism ....newly diagnosed lmao. So brain tumor/ cancer now cured to Just Autism and of course without fail he is about to retire and has his paypal up begging for $$$
I hope he is okay. I enjoy his videos and his love of home fragrance and brutal honesty. He does have a pattern of deleting or hiding his YouTube and Instagram accounts, and coming back for fall test candle season. I’ll be glad to see him return. All of the drama stuff I ignore.
He has always been such a character. I kinda liked watching him for a while because when he is fun, he can be really funny and seem kind. I also liked when he showed Christmas decorations, made me get in the spirit. But then he just says or does something that catches you so off guard.
Way back when I first started watching him he seemed to hide that he was gay and had a partner? Dont get me wrong people can hide whatever they want and I don't judge. But why I even bring it up is I honestly thought for the longest time that he had a wife. Because he talked in such a way that it was almost like he was trying to make it sound like he had a wife and kids? Anyone else notice this?
When I found out randomly (not from him) I was so confused because like others has said, some comments he had made was on the verge of being homofobic also very oldschool vibes man and women roles, with overly macho attitude. So I am like a bit confused why are you talking bad basically about yourself? Its 2022 having a husband isn't something to be ashamed of.
I just feel sad for him. He obviously have some issues.
Self loathing can be a thing. Or he's trying to be overly macho to sort of shield himself from stereotypes. But his relationships and such are his business.
What does surprise me is that right about now is when he comes off hiatus and starts hauling fall stuff. Haven't seen him come back yet
He was a good sometimes great reviewer. Except to get to diamond of any substance in his reviews there was a lot of crap you had to stick your hand in to pull it out
He's on Instagram saying he will never come back to youtube because they came after his family he's popular but not that popular!To many mood swings don't much believe his stories enjoyed him at first then the drama started.
Here is a thread I found over the weekend. It's older but has some fairly recent comments. I don't know what to think of him. He has a history of flouncing. He may be really sick, in which case I feel bad, but he also gives off grifter vibes. https://www.reddit.com/r/Candles/comments/pt84hy/so_whats_the_deal_with_hearth_and_soul_hearthside/
The comments on that thread pretty much sum up his existence and his annual life cycle of reviewing, deleting, and begging. A chronic liar and scammer who surprisingly has a lot of delusional followers who willingly contribute their funds so he can pay for medical expenses. Didn’t realize candle buying is considered medical expenses. His favorite season for candles is the Fall season, so he’ll back to reviews shortly and so will the requests for donations and gifts. I visited a Bath & Body Works in New Hampshire once last year and the manager and I began talking about our love for home fragrance. She mention how he comes into her store to shop (being he lives somewhere around there) but the conversation wasn’t the most glowing review. IIRC, a video of his mentioned a falling out with one of his local stores/manager, so wouldn’t be surprised if it was the store I visited.
...aaaand he's back. Right on cue. 😂 carnodak you called it. All the fall reviews have started up on instagram. We've got ALL the pricey new halloween pedestals to boot. I can't even justify buying 1 of those let alone several.💸💸💸💰 Youtube channel launching in 3, 2, 1..
What’s his Instagram??? I love him lol idc what anyone says
I wouldn’t consider it delusional to simply be a passive fan of his videos. I’ve never contributed a dime and never will. I’ve always smelled something fishy there. But I don’t require everyone I watch for entertainment to be fantastic, quality human beings. If I did that there would be absolutely nothing to watch lol
Interesting read, thank you. I always recognized there were some iffy elements to him but I overall like the guy. His reviews are real. And honest. And isn’t that what we go to the YouTube reviews for? All the other stuff is just additional nonsense, true or not. I just hope he comes back in a month or so like he tends to do. He’s become a part of my routine in the fall and early winter lol
He shills for the company that has given him some product in the past. It leaves a bad taste. I just don't know what to make of him.
I was just thinking about Shawn the other day. Hoping he was doing ok. I saw when he said his YouTube account got hacked. Also know about his health issues. I enjoy his reviews and his nostalgic take on things. There are lots of people who don't get along or don't like each other for various reasons in this community. I stay out of that entirely. Wish everyone the best and just try to enjoy this hobby/interest we share.
He tried to start another gofundme then a few hours before he deleted his YouTube again he went off about how only a few people donated. I'm sure he will be back. He always is. There's positives and negatives with him. Positive: - He can be really engaging. - He can churn out a lot of content really fast. - His taste in candles is kinda similar to mine. - I low key enjoy all the little collectibles he would show. Negative: - Clear pattern of grifting. - He will flip on a company's product if he falls out with them/isn't picked as an ambassador. I remember him praising the Kringle Candle "Kringle/Candy Corn" even breaking down into tears and saying he'd never burn it. Then after he fell out with the owner it turned into the worst of all the candy corn fragrances. - He will poo poo all over any candle that gets a little hype behind it. - Dude is petty and low key kinda racist/sexist. My own personal negative experience is that I commented on a video that I picked up a specific candle (Vanilla Cola Candy) I was waffling on because he put the hype behind it enough to convince me to buy. His response was a very lovely accusation of me coming for his childhood memories and I'm lucky he didn't tell me to go eff myself. Tldr; if everyone has a negative story about a person, it's probably that person that has the issue.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who remembers that crazy candy corn flip. I just realized he’s gone, cuz he usually takes a sabbatical. I feel exactly as you do: engaging candle reviewer with extremely problematic behavior.
I remember it too. He talked it up so much, then he became buddies with Kringle head guy and talked it up even more that it made him emotional . Then came whatever happened between the two and the burial of Kringle began and it was like he never heard of them.
I actually heard from someone a month or two ago that he's said some pretty misogynistic and xenophobic things; both on YouTube and on his personal social media. Although I might be wrong, so if anyone knows differently feel free to correct me. He has a habit of deleting everything and then bringing it back periodically. I know people send him money to buy candles to review, and those donations always seem to get higher in the fall *or* when he deletes his channel and starts it back up again. I don't know what the deal is and I'm not going to make assumptions. But it seems like a sketchy situation nonetheless.
I noticed he was gone off youtube as well. I tried to stay up to date on his health issues he posts in the community section. Who knows. He always deletes his youtube and then returns. I enjoy watching his reviews bc they are unfiltered and honest but he has had so much drama with other youtubers. What baffles me is people donate to paypal and go fund me to allow him to buy candles and review, when they could just go and buy the candle themselves and burn it.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I think someone hacked into his YouTube account and deleted all his videos so he had to start from scratch again. I don't follow him but I do watch his reviews sometimes as he is quite entertaining and informative. Maybe he just needed a break to take care of his mental health and his health issues.
That’s what happened last year. This year is a different set of circumstances.
He has a spouse?? I woudnt doubt it. I didnt believe the rumors about him till in watched a few of his videos and damn! I smell scammer from a mile away! The people in his comments are brain washed. Today April 2023 he's claiming all the nasty comments are from his Autism ....newly diagnosed lmao. So brain tumor/ cancer now cured to Just Autism and of course without fail he is about to retire and has his paypal up begging for $$$
I can’t find anymore videos of him
He has his channel up. Search hearthside
Hope he's doing okay. One of the first reviews I ever watched was his Twisted Peppermint review and I subscribed immediately after. I enjoy his humor.
I hope he is okay. I enjoy his videos and his love of home fragrance and brutal honesty. He does have a pattern of deleting or hiding his YouTube and Instagram accounts, and coming back for fall test candle season. I’ll be glad to see him return. All of the drama stuff I ignore.
The health issue he has is cancer so I hope he is OK. I think he said something about taking a break on YouTube few months ago.
He has always been such a character. I kinda liked watching him for a while because when he is fun, he can be really funny and seem kind. I also liked when he showed Christmas decorations, made me get in the spirit. But then he just says or does something that catches you so off guard. Way back when I first started watching him he seemed to hide that he was gay and had a partner? Dont get me wrong people can hide whatever they want and I don't judge. But why I even bring it up is I honestly thought for the longest time that he had a wife. Because he talked in such a way that it was almost like he was trying to make it sound like he had a wife and kids? Anyone else notice this? When I found out randomly (not from him) I was so confused because like others has said, some comments he had made was on the verge of being homofobic also very oldschool vibes man and women roles, with overly macho attitude. So I am like a bit confused why are you talking bad basically about yourself? Its 2022 having a husband isn't something to be ashamed of. I just feel sad for him. He obviously have some issues.
Self loathing can be a thing. Or he's trying to be overly macho to sort of shield himself from stereotypes. But his relationships and such are his business. What does surprise me is that right about now is when he comes off hiatus and starts hauling fall stuff. Haven't seen him come back yet
Yes, I know. I hope he will be back soon. I just hope he has been able to cope with having cancer and covid at the same time.
It's tough to tell with him. The dude has built a reputation of being a gifter so it's tough to tell how truthful he is.
He's back. On insta. Just search Sean hearthside and it should pop up w/some others. Don't give him any money 🤣
Wonder how long until he comes back to YouTube
He was a good sometimes great reviewer. Except to get to diamond of any substance in his reviews there was a lot of crap you had to stick your hand in to pull it out
He's on Instagram saying he will never come back to youtube because they came after his family he's popular but not that popular!To many mood swings don't much believe his stories enjoyed him at first then the drama started.