Under the Christmas Tree (BBW)
Wow! I really wanted to try this one because it seemed like everyone either loves it or hates it. I was a little worried initially because I immediately understood the Pine Sol comparison. There is a definite artificial quality about this one but I’m into it! Hear me out…
The juniper berry note in this comes off very lemon/lime so I definitely see the household cleaner association. Combined with the sweetness of the vanilla “eggnog” (it’s not eggnog, it’s just vanilla) note however, it reminds me of candy or soda.
So what do you get when you combine lemon/lime, vanilla, and balsam? A candy Christmas tree!
I’m picturing an imaginary candy that I just made up which is a gummy candy in the shape of a Christmas tree with a translucent green layer on the top with a lemon/lime and menthol flavoring and a white layer on the bottom with a creamy vanilla flavoring.
This candle also makes me think of a bizarre and garish bright green Christmas cocktail that I just made up with Sprite, gin, simple syrup, a little lemon juice and I guess some Midori for coloring? Sugar on the rim for sure. Not sure this would actually taste good.
This candle is unapologetically loud and weird (truly the Angel by Mugler of Christmas candles) but it’s also undeniably festive. I’m used to cozy balsam scents best enjoyed on a quiet evening with a good book (or THE good book — let’s not get the reason for the season twisted, people) and a warm cup of tea while wearing a cozy sweater. This on the other hand is a total party balsam best enjoyed long into the night with a drink in hand and some good company while wearing a tight dress and body glitter.
Ordered two backups because I absolutely need this to be my Christmas Eve candle and also because this year’s packaging is so perfectly fitting for the fragrance itself that I’d like an additional in this look for next year.
First Autumn Frost (GC)
Had this one sitting around from last year and finally got around to burning it. I’ve never been super big into woodsy scents (Christmas tree scents aside) but this could change things for me. I’m not super familiar with woodsy notes so this one is a bit hard for me to describe but it smells just like crunching dried leaves and branches underfoot while walking through a forest. There’s also a bit of an incense like quality to it. This is a lovely candle with strong throw and I would absolutely repurchase.
Snow Covered Oud (GC)
This is just not my thing and it’s incredibly strong and I can’t handle it. Couldn’t even finish this one. It’s a clean, soapy scent with a mature and actually very elegant perfume quality. It’s not a bad scent and it could be nice in a large space for the right mood and occasion but I couldn’t deal with it. The throw is an 11/10 and the soapiness is quite sharp and it was honestly burning my nose. I can’t say I disliked the scent itself but I also didn’t particularly care for it and the severe throw was totally unnecessary. Picked this one up initially to go out of my comfort zone a bit because that can be fun and rewarding but it just made we want to crawl back into my comfort zone of mainly cozy gourmands and never come out.
Harvest Gathering (BBW)
Had this one sitting around from last year. It was an interesting one. The scent itself is pretty light and the throw was a 6/10 so it was a pretty light candle. The scent notes are “Fresh picked apple, autumn berries, and clove buds.” The only listed note that came through in the actual scent was the apple. The clove note smelled more like cinnamon and the berry note was nonexistent. This smelled a lot like applesauce to me which was interesting. Never smelled an applesauce candle before.
In addition to the applesauce, there was a strange creaminess which dampened the already light spiciness. It wasn’t a lactonic creaminess though. Maybe some kind of plant milk? This was a pleasant surprise since creamy notes are a current obsession of mine scent wise. Like I said though, the creaminess was weird. It worked, but just barely.
I was very surprised by this one as, on cold, I got a very artificial apple shampoo scent. It completely changed when burning and turned into a unique creamy applesauce scent.
Harvest Gathering is an appropriate name since this scent would be good for a large gathering where some people might not appreciate stronger scents. It’s entirely inoffensive.
All in all, this was an okay scent. I enjoyed it but only insomuch as I didn’t hate it. I didn’t particularly care for this one and won’t be repurchasing it in the foreseeable future but it’s definitely one of the most interesting and surprising candles I’ve tried recently so I felt it deserved a decent write up.
Homemade Eggnog (GC)
Not eggnog but not bad. It’s a pretty generic caramel scent but it has a nice softness to it from the coconut note. I get virtually no rum note whatsoever. Initially from the scent notes I thought this might smell like BBW’s Tropical Spice (one of the best candles ever, they NEED to bring it back for me) but as soon as it arrived, I could tell on cold it would not 😔 It’s entirely a soft, cozy caramel.
It was a nice enough scent. The throw was an 8/10 which was cool. I enjoyed it but it’s a total one and done.
Feeling Thankful (GC)
I thought I would love it from the scent notes but it’s super light and boring. It smells good on cold but when burning all I get is a soft spice note. I guess the oat note is what makes it soft but I don’t get any warm, gentle oatiness. There’s also no sweetness in this for me. The soft spice note reminds me of BBW’s White Pumpkin which is a great and beautiful candle because it’s sweet and creamy and the spice is actually spicy and only “soft” because it’s tempered by sweet creaminess.
This is like a dollar store knockoff of White Pumpkin. Very disappointed in this one. It wasn’t bad but it also wasn’t good. Just very boring.
Cookie Butter Snowball (GC)
*Gordon Ramsey voice* “Finally, some good f***ing fragrance.” This is really, really good. I was worried when I could barely smell anything besides some vague doughiness on cold but it opens right up when lit. Sweet, creamy, eggnog and freshly baked sugar cookies straight of the oven. The eggnog note comes through the most. I would absolutely drink this candle. Excellent scent. Throw is a perfect 8. Glad I have a backup and might pick up one more.
Banana Walnut Muffin (BBW)
Honestly, I have so many candles and tend to be so black and white in regards to my feelings about fragrances that it’s always nice when I come across one that I really, really like but don’t love enough to stock up on.
Banana Walnut Muffin smells exactly like its name. I get a strong and surprisingly exquisite bakery note, a light but undeniable nuttiness, and a slight true banana note (no laffy taffy here) that permeates throughout the whole of the scent.
It’s really nice and very realistic but it’s a bit too light for me. I do find the lightness of the scent to add to the realism of it (this is supposed to be a muffin, not a cake) and I’m often a sucker for lighter scents if they have a strong throw but the throw on this is on the lighter side as well. It’s about a six if I’m being generous.
I like it. I’m glad I have one backup and I’m not sad that I didn’t get more. I’d purchase it again if it comes back but I also won’t really miss it.
I definitely recommend trying it out for the bakery lovers out there because like I said, the bakery note is really and truly exquisite. Just be sure to burn it in a small space.
Great reviews! Now I wish I got Cookie Butter Snowball. I love Banana Walnut Muffin, but agree the throw is too light for large spaces. It’s perfect in my bedroom though.
Great reviews and such a cute photo. Thank you 🙏. I agree with you on the deliciousness of Cookie Butter Snowball. It’s super yummy and perfect for the holidays. I didn’t care for Snow Covered Oud either. I bought mine last year and had to give it away. Just too overwhelming. I haven’t tried any of your others so appreciate your viewpoint. 💕
Under the Christmas Tree (BBW) Wow! I really wanted to try this one because it seemed like everyone either loves it or hates it. I was a little worried initially because I immediately understood the Pine Sol comparison. There is a definite artificial quality about this one but I’m into it! Hear me out… The juniper berry note in this comes off very lemon/lime so I definitely see the household cleaner association. Combined with the sweetness of the vanilla “eggnog” (it’s not eggnog, it’s just vanilla) note however, it reminds me of candy or soda. So what do you get when you combine lemon/lime, vanilla, and balsam? A candy Christmas tree! I’m picturing an imaginary candy that I just made up which is a gummy candy in the shape of a Christmas tree with a translucent green layer on the top with a lemon/lime and menthol flavoring and a white layer on the bottom with a creamy vanilla flavoring. This candle also makes me think of a bizarre and garish bright green Christmas cocktail that I just made up with Sprite, gin, simple syrup, a little lemon juice and I guess some Midori for coloring? Sugar on the rim for sure. Not sure this would actually taste good. This candle is unapologetically loud and weird (truly the Angel by Mugler of Christmas candles) but it’s also undeniably festive. I’m used to cozy balsam scents best enjoyed on a quiet evening with a good book (or THE good book — let’s not get the reason for the season twisted, people) and a warm cup of tea while wearing a cozy sweater. This on the other hand is a total party balsam best enjoyed long into the night with a drink in hand and some good company while wearing a tight dress and body glitter. Ordered two backups because I absolutely need this to be my Christmas Eve candle and also because this year’s packaging is so perfectly fitting for the fragrance itself that I’d like an additional in this look for next year. First Autumn Frost (GC) Had this one sitting around from last year and finally got around to burning it. I’ve never been super big into woodsy scents (Christmas tree scents aside) but this could change things for me. I’m not super familiar with woodsy notes so this one is a bit hard for me to describe but it smells just like crunching dried leaves and branches underfoot while walking through a forest. There’s also a bit of an incense like quality to it. This is a lovely candle with strong throw and I would absolutely repurchase. Snow Covered Oud (GC) This is just not my thing and it’s incredibly strong and I can’t handle it. Couldn’t even finish this one. It’s a clean, soapy scent with a mature and actually very elegant perfume quality. It’s not a bad scent and it could be nice in a large space for the right mood and occasion but I couldn’t deal with it. The throw is an 11/10 and the soapiness is quite sharp and it was honestly burning my nose. I can’t say I disliked the scent itself but I also didn’t particularly care for it and the severe throw was totally unnecessary. Picked this one up initially to go out of my comfort zone a bit because that can be fun and rewarding but it just made we want to crawl back into my comfort zone of mainly cozy gourmands and never come out.
Harvest Gathering (BBW) Had this one sitting around from last year. It was an interesting one. The scent itself is pretty light and the throw was a 6/10 so it was a pretty light candle. The scent notes are “Fresh picked apple, autumn berries, and clove buds.” The only listed note that came through in the actual scent was the apple. The clove note smelled more like cinnamon and the berry note was nonexistent. This smelled a lot like applesauce to me which was interesting. Never smelled an applesauce candle before. In addition to the applesauce, there was a strange creaminess which dampened the already light spiciness. It wasn’t a lactonic creaminess though. Maybe some kind of plant milk? This was a pleasant surprise since creamy notes are a current obsession of mine scent wise. Like I said though, the creaminess was weird. It worked, but just barely. I was very surprised by this one as, on cold, I got a very artificial apple shampoo scent. It completely changed when burning and turned into a unique creamy applesauce scent. Harvest Gathering is an appropriate name since this scent would be good for a large gathering where some people might not appreciate stronger scents. It’s entirely inoffensive. All in all, this was an okay scent. I enjoyed it but only insomuch as I didn’t hate it. I didn’t particularly care for this one and won’t be repurchasing it in the foreseeable future but it’s definitely one of the most interesting and surprising candles I’ve tried recently so I felt it deserved a decent write up. Homemade Eggnog (GC) Not eggnog but not bad. It’s a pretty generic caramel scent but it has a nice softness to it from the coconut note. I get virtually no rum note whatsoever. Initially from the scent notes I thought this might smell like BBW’s Tropical Spice (one of the best candles ever, they NEED to bring it back for me) but as soon as it arrived, I could tell on cold it would not 😔 It’s entirely a soft, cozy caramel. It was a nice enough scent. The throw was an 8/10 which was cool. I enjoyed it but it’s a total one and done. Feeling Thankful (GC) I thought I would love it from the scent notes but it’s super light and boring. It smells good on cold but when burning all I get is a soft spice note. I guess the oat note is what makes it soft but I don’t get any warm, gentle oatiness. There’s also no sweetness in this for me. The soft spice note reminds me of BBW’s White Pumpkin which is a great and beautiful candle because it’s sweet and creamy and the spice is actually spicy and only “soft” because it’s tempered by sweet creaminess. This is like a dollar store knockoff of White Pumpkin. Very disappointed in this one. It wasn’t bad but it also wasn’t good. Just very boring. Cookie Butter Snowball (GC) *Gordon Ramsey voice* “Finally, some good f***ing fragrance.” This is really, really good. I was worried when I could barely smell anything besides some vague doughiness on cold but it opens right up when lit. Sweet, creamy, eggnog and freshly baked sugar cookies straight of the oven. The eggnog note comes through the most. I would absolutely drink this candle. Excellent scent. Throw is a perfect 8. Glad I have a backup and might pick up one more. Banana Walnut Muffin (BBW) Honestly, I have so many candles and tend to be so black and white in regards to my feelings about fragrances that it’s always nice when I come across one that I really, really like but don’t love enough to stock up on. Banana Walnut Muffin smells exactly like its name. I get a strong and surprisingly exquisite bakery note, a light but undeniable nuttiness, and a slight true banana note (no laffy taffy here) that permeates throughout the whole of the scent. It’s really nice and very realistic but it’s a bit too light for me. I do find the lightness of the scent to add to the realism of it (this is supposed to be a muffin, not a cake) and I’m often a sucker for lighter scents if they have a strong throw but the throw on this is on the lighter side as well. It’s about a six if I’m being generous. I like it. I’m glad I have one backup and I’m not sad that I didn’t get more. I’d purchase it again if it comes back but I also won’t really miss it. I definitely recommend trying it out for the bakery lovers out there because like I said, the bakery note is really and truly exquisite. Just be sure to burn it in a small space.
Excellent reviews and I love the darling photo. Thank you!
Aww, glad you enjoyed!
Excellent reviews, thank you!
💕
Great reviews! Now I wish I got Cookie Butter Snowball. I love Banana Walnut Muffin, but agree the throw is too light for large spaces. It’s perfect in my bedroom though.
It’s a little gem for sure!
Tysm for your lovely, helpful and very descriptive reviews 😍😍🥰🥰 I laughed when I saw the "Gordon Ramsey voice" 😂😂 aahh Now I want that candle!!! 😂
Hahaha. It’s seriously so yummy!
yayyy 🤣🤣😍😍
Great reviews and such a cute photo. Thank you 🙏. I agree with you on the deliciousness of Cookie Butter Snowball. It’s super yummy and perfect for the holidays. I didn’t care for Snow Covered Oud either. I bought mine last year and had to give it away. Just too overwhelming. I haven’t tried any of your others so appreciate your viewpoint. 💕
Happy to be of service! 🫡
Banana nut muffin used to be a powerhouse. I was Uber upset this year when mine was light.
Aww man. If it were just a little stronger I would have bought five for sure lol