Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Back and better than ever!

Hello everyone!

I've been MIA for quite a while, so I'll take some time to fill you all in and hopefully give this blog a revival <3.

I stopped posting because I made a big move from Melbourne, Florida to NYC for graduate school. For those of you who don't know, I'm a Ph.D. Student researching Cancer Biology at Sloan-Kettering. This year has been full of ups and downs and has been both the hardest and most rewarding year yet. I've officially advanced to 2nd year and with that I need to not only begin melting again but also start reviewing products again, blogging and making videos. =D.

I will review not only candles and tarts but I'd like to expand to cosmetics since I've been receiving some Influenster vox boxes lately. For those of you who don't know, Influenster is a web community where they provide you with products for free as long as you provide them with honest reviews.

I think that is all for now, but please keep an eye out as I plan to be a bit more active again <3.




Thursday, June 28, 2012

Week In Review #2

Hello!

So I believe this post is a little overdue, but I haven't been melting much these past couple of weeks. I've been so busy working and packing (T minus 2 weeks until the BIG move <3), that melting has kinda become an afterthought *gasp*. I really need to make a dent in my stash though, so I'll be picking up the pace for sure! Here is what I've melted since my last "Week in Review".

Kim's Tarts
Faerie Dust - Very light powdery/fruity tart. It had the potential to be nice if it wasn't so darned light.

Shayz Scentz
Pure Seduction - Very nice Dupe (red plum scent). This one started out strong but didn't last very long . . . after the first tea light I noticed a significant change in the throw. This isn't necessarily a bad thing though since her tarts are smaller than most. This is also a plus if you get bored of your tarts often and don't like saving melted tarts . . . this one is quick and noncommittal.

Haley's Heavenly Scents
Pink Lemonade - STRONG! I used a whole scallop in my bedroom and that was a mistake. I will be cutting these babies in halves or thirds from now on! Very nice sweet/tart lemonade scent <3.

Olde Primitive Treasures
Sweet Iced Tea - Yum, more perfumy than herbal but I REALLY liked this one. It is on the lighter side so I would only recommend this one for bedrooms/bathrooms/other small rooms.
Starfruit & Mango - Strong and Lasts! This one is a trooper for sure. It smells like tropical candy to me.

That's all for now! I'm long overdue on my haul posts for Kim's Tarts, Eagle Rock Candle Co., Buggytown and Olde Primitive Treasures! I'll make sure to update those ASAP! <3.

Hope you all have a wonderful day.

Yours Truly,
The Waxinista

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Week in Review #1

Week In Review #1

NOTE: Since this is the 1st update of it's kind, this is going to cover the melts over 2 weeks ^_^. After today though I'll post these every Saturday reporting my melts of the week <3.

Kim's Tarts
Peeps - A very soft/sweet marshmallow scent. The throw was OK for a bedroom, I imagine it would have trouble in a larger room!
Butt Naked - Lovely and strong melon/tropical scent! I will be reordering this one!
Dirty Dancing - To me this smelled like cologne and cigarette smoke. I could only stand this one for a few minutes before I quickly gave up on it =(.

Haley's Heavenly Scents
Pink Sands - This had a sort of sharp "green" note on the cold scent that I wasn't sure about, but when this baby was warmed it was AH-mazing! I love this and I'm so glad I have it in a 6 pk! It's not an exact dupe for Yankee but it's very close.
Dream Angels - LOVELY! I adore this scent. It smells just like the VS perfume and has a great throw!

Yankee
Ocean Water - This one was a bit strong for me, but a wonderful fresh scent nonetheless with great throwing power.
Beach Wood - I liked this scent, it had a nice throw and it was masculine . . . but to me it had a slight "sour" note in it that I wasn't too fond of.
Vanilla Caramel - I'm disappointed I only bought 3 of these . . . the throw is a bit light but the scent is WONDERFUL. Smells like super sweet caramel squares <3. If I get back to Yankee before the SAS is over I would like to score some more of these for sure!
Pink Dragon Fruit: OMG! I am going to have to go back to yankee and hoard this baby! I ADORE this scent!!! It's strong, fruity and oh so perfect in every way! Way to go Yankee!

Front Porch
Funnel Cake: A very sweet bakery scent. I really enjoyed this one. It did have a light throw though so it's great for a bedroom.

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Front Porch Tarts!

Hello Wax Lovers <3.

I realize I haven't posted about  Front Porch Tarts yet! This was actually the 1st tart vendor I've ever tried (even before Yankee!). This was the START of my tart obsession. (The wax obsession began with Slatkin though :-P but that's a completely different blog entry!).

The company is owned by a lovely lady by the name of Angie. Her customer service is top notch and of course her products are high quality. She is a "Ready-to-Ship" vendor so she updates her website on Saturday nights (sometimes on Mondays depending on her schedule) with new stock. Her Facebook page is always very alive before stock is added as everyone tends to wait until that day to order, and boy is it a feeding frenzy! Stock flies so if you want to order I recommend frequenting her FB page on a Saturday evening. Everyone who posts there is very friendly and Angie posts status updates often as well as contests!

Also, her singles (1oz tarts) go for $1.75 and her 4 packs go for $4.75. She also adds sampler packs of 8 tarts for $8.75, these are great to try if you are not sure where to start! I've ordered 3 of her samplers, "Summer Nights", "Marshmallow Sampler", and "Vanilla Sampler". Shipping is ALWAYS FREE and you get a free 4-pack of tarts with a $25 purchase!

Just a little background: I burn all my tarts in a ceramic warmer in my bed room (I live at my mom's, so I keep my wax addiction limited to my space. I move out in a month for graduate school though, can't wait!!!). Also, I'm a fresh/fruity/floral/sweet fan, so those scents will of course get better reviews <3. That's just personal preference of course! I like some bakery scents, but not a lot, so bare that in mind and always be open to forming your own opinions <3. Mine are here for fun and because I love to share!

I have ordered from her several times so instead of posting any kind of "haul" I'm just going to review the scents I've actually melted <3.

Cactus and Sea Salt: This is a great FRESH scent. It has the refreshing watery/green notes from the cactus and that salty, island note from the "sea salt". This is also a very strong tart (but not overwhelming). It will fill up any room no problem!!!
Marshmallow Cake: This tart did very well where throw is concerned, but I wasn't a fan of the "cake" note. I like sweet scents, but I'm not a bakery lover. If you like cake scents though I highly recommend this!
Love Spell: LOVE Angie's version of Love Spell (VS) <3.
Lemon Cookies: My favorite lemon scent. It is a bakery scent but it's one I don't mind because I adore lemon cookies in real life! This scent is spot on. If you like "Lemon Vanilla" by Bath and Body Works, you'll love this!
Pink Sugar: I love Pink Sugar <3. Burns well, throws well. This is soft and perfect for a bedroom.
Apple Mango Tango: She did a great job with this one, it's just too strong for me. I burn all my tarts in my bedroom and this one was just too much. I would recommend this for a large room! I actually ended up putting a whole tart (unmelted) in the bathroom and it scented it for weeks on its own!
Copper Sun Tan: Love this scent, so strong and beachy! Reminds me of sunscreen, sand, and sun!
Cotton Candy:  Cotton Candy scents are my favorite! This one was just a little light on the throw =(.
Flip Flops: If you like coconut, you will like this summery scent. I used to LOVE coconut scents, but I think something has changed in my sense of smell and I just don't like it like I used to (depressing).
Mimosa and Mandarin: One of my FAVORITES! I actually need to order a 4 pack in this soon because it was THAT good! Sweet mandarin with that effervescent champagne note <3.
Snuggling Under the Stars: Another one I REALLY love. This one smells similar to "Blue Sugar" in my opinion. Very warm/sweet scent! This is another I probably need to re order soon!
Tropical Island:  Nice blend of tropical fruits. I could smell the pineapples most of all out of this one. Not my favorite, but nice nonetheless. Fans of pineapple should try this!!!

I think that's all I've melted to date, but I have a whole basket full of new scents to get through! I'll make sure to post a "Part II" for this company in the near future as I make a dent in my stash <3.

Thanks again Angie for not only starting my tart obsession but providing awesome scents and quality product!

Sincerely,
The Waxinista






Haley's Heavenly Scents Haul/Review

Hello Wax Fans!

I recived my Haley's Heavenly Scents order a couple of weeks ago. I ordered on May 13th and I recieved the order on May 24th, so it was about 8 business days from payment to my door, not bad! The owner of this company is named Janet and her customer service was wonderful. A neat side note, the web site is dedicted to her granddaughter who passed of SIDS, so a percentage of every order goes to that charity (makes me feel a little better about my wax addiction, haha)!
I paid $25.20 and that included free shipping and 2 free 6 packs of my choice! Also, she has 2 "Scents of the Month" that she sells at a discount. This month the scents were Pink Sands and Pink Lemonade. A 6 pack was $3.25 ($4.50, full price), and a single 2oz cup was $0.75 ($1.10 normally).

REVIEWS
Pink Sands (6pk Scent of the month): Cold, this has a heavy "green" note in it that I didn't like at all. After I warmed this up the green note seemed to fade and the familiar Yankee scent began to come out. I would say this is a great dupe, the cold scent just threw me off at first.
Dream Angels (6pk freebie): This is another great dupe (VS) that really comes to life when it's warmed. I will def re order this scent!
Pink Cotton Candy (6pk freebie): I LOVE THIS ONE!!! Yummy strawberry cotton candy with pink sugar. This is a winner!
Pink Lemonade (6pk Scent of the Month): Dead on! Perfect summer scent!

2oz Scent Shots:
Indian Summer: Lovely blend of citrus, mostly orange with a touch of pineapple, peach and apple. One of my favorites from this order!
Light Blue (DG dupe): I've never smelled the original but I LOVE this. It's a light perfume scent, the type you might smell out of a magazine page. Not overwealming like most perfume scents.
Birds of Paradise: I will reorder this one! It smells like Clinique Happy and Elizabeth Arden's Sunflowers got together and made a perfume love child! Wonderful!
Battle of the Sexes: Perfect blend of Pink Sugar and Blue Sugar. Love it!!!
Aquoline Pink Sugar: Great Dupe! One of my fav scents <3.
Absolutely Fab Cake: Disclaimer, I'm not the biggest fan of bakery scents, so remember this is only my opinion =). I smell some chocolate and vanilla but it's a very bittersweet scent, like plain cake without the frosting. Not my fav.
Blue Cotton Candy: Not sure on the cold sniff, I'll report back after melting!
Chicks Dig It: STRONG! This one is TOO strong for me, it's a smack of effervescent cherries to the face.
Beautiful: This is a perfume dupe. I've never smelled the original, but I like it, it's soft.

Coconut: Just how it sounds =).
Coconut Hibuscus: The above with a touch of floral.
Madam President: This is going to sound CRAZY, but this smells like a rental car to me =). I say that as a good thing. It's very gender neutral.
Coconut Extreme: Smells like coconut with a touch of vanilla.

Caramel Coconut Cake: Just how it sounds, sweet caramel with a bakery note and a touch of coconut.
Pineapple Orchid: Very well done Slatkin Dupe =).
Coconut Cotton Candy: Not sure on the cold sniff, will report after I warm this one!
Sunflower: Smells kinda like a cleaner. Not bad, but I'll def have to see how it does on the warmer.
Exotic Coconut: Very tropical, almost like a pina colada.


Top Choices
Indian Summer
Light Blue
Birds of Paradise
Battle of the Sexes
Pink Cotton Candy
Pink Lemonade
Pink Sands
Dream Angels

Over all Haley's Heavenly Scents had GREAT customer service, a reasonable TAT and quality product. I have a wish list of re order products that I'll place after my big move in July. I'm trying not to go over board on my orders because whatever I don't use I'll have to move along with me . . . and I'm sure you all know what a pain moving is, especially Cross-Country!!!

Sincerely Yours,
The Waxinista

P.S. Today my Kim's Tarts order arrives so look out for that post soon!!!

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

1st Yankee Purchase EVER!

Hello fellow wax addicts!

So I had an awful day at work last night, but when I woke up this morning I had a lovely e-mail from The Yankee Candle Company! I recently signed up for their mailing list and today I received the coveted "$10 off $25 purchase" coupon! My nearest Yankee Candle is about 10 miles away, but I decided to make the trek over there today <3.

I went in there intending to buy just 13 tarts that way I could get the most bang for my buck . . . but I ended up getting 18 different scents because I just couldn't decide!!!
   
Behold the product of my 1st Yankee Candle purchase . . . 
I'm a fruity/beachy/floral/perfumy type girl. I really don't like bakery or fall scents, so I CAN'T WAIT until Yankee's SAS because I will totally take advantage of the clearance summer scents!!!
    
I will make sure to review these as I burn them, but here is a quick cold review on each:

Meadow Showers: Smells like a green/floral soap.
Sun & Sand: Sunscreen, Salt and Sand . . . the perfect beach scent!
Honeydew Melon: So SWEET and fruity, Love it!
Fruit Fusion: Lemons, Oranges,and Limes OH MY!
Pink Dragon Fruit: This smells like sweet, tropical red berries. I can't wait to warm this one up!
Pink Sand: Sweet fruity floral.
Mango Peach Salsa: YUM, smells just how it sounds. A perfect blend of Peach and Mango.
Wild Passion Fruit: Tropical fruity scent, Love it!
Midsummer's Night: AKA "Sexy Man"
Beach Wood: This one is very light, so I'm not quite sure until I melt it!
Midnight Oasis: AKA "Sexy Man v2.0"
Cottage Breeze: Potentially my favorite, this is a clean, fresh spring scent. I love it!
White Gardenia: Just how it sounds <3
Storm Watch: To me it smells like a green floral . . . like fresh carnations.
Tahitian Tiare Flower: Light tropical floral.
Ocean Water: This is going to sound strange but it smells like a summery scent with a touch of balsam. I really need to warm this one up to see what it smells like.
Over the River: Clean fresh scent, I'll need to warm it to better describe it I think.
Beach Walk: Fresh floral.

I can't wait to review how these perform and decide which ones are my favorites! Stay tuned <3. 

Your Truly,
The Waxinista 

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Memorial Day Sales!

Hello fellow Waxinistas!

I'm guilty, I confess! I was on a wax buying freeze . . . but I caved!!! BuggyTown Candle Co. and Olde Primitive Treasures had some great Memorial Day Sales and I couldn't resist :-P.

BuggyTown had scent shot samplers on sale 10 2oz cups for $12, $10 off a $30 order and Free Shipping! I ordered 2 samplers and some single shots, I ended up spending $21 for 24 2oz tart cups <3.

Olde Prim Treasures had a big BOGO sale. Sadly there was no free shipping (I really dislike paying for shipping), but she had a lot of unique scents I wanted to try . . . so I went for it anyway! I bought 23 single scallops (really doubles since it was BOGO), for $1 each, plus $6.95 shipping . . . so my total order was $29.95 for 46 tarts!

I'll make sure to list all the scents I order as well as review them when they arrive. I have a Haley's Heavenly Scents order I still need to review (comimg soon!) and my Kim's Tarts order is in transit so I should have it in a few days!!! Lots of exciting hauls to come, so stay tuned!

Tonight I'm burning Shayz Scentz Zucchini Macaroon . . . boy do I LOVE this scent <3.