I've received two of the three orders, and I figured I should write a nice long review with plenty of candle porn for y'all. :)
My loot!
Insane, I know.
So I'll start small and work my way up.
My favorite kind of shots:
Chocolate Strawberries are one of my guilty pleasures. Dalt got me 6 for Valentine's Day, and I scarfed them down in a matter of minutes. Unfortunately, this particular fragrance doesn't quite smell like the real thing for me. The strawberry is more a candied strawberry than a fresh one, but the chocolate fragrance is spot on. It's a very sweet, almost perfume-like fragrance, and I think it would be really good in the bedroom. I'm on the fence about whether or not this is a candle worthy fragrance, but I'm definitely a fan. ***
Raspberry Violet receives a lot of love on the CBV boards. It's part of one of the popular CAS fragrances Alice Cullen, and quite a few people consider this a warm-weather staple. I definitely agree! It's got a candy, fruity quality to do it that would be perfect for hot days. It's a very girly fragrance that reminds me of perfume, and it's super sweet. The raspberry is prominent on the top of the scent shot, but the violet is prominent on the bottom, so I think it may require a little bit more curing time to get a better blend of the two. ***
White Ginger has been made pretty popular by Ashtyn, who said that her husband becomes very, uh, happy, when he sniffs this. Unfortunately for me, Dalt has no sense of smell, so fragrance won't do much for my love life, but I was curious to see what all the hype was about. It's a very clean floral, and it's very soft and feminine. Where Raspberry Violet was vibrant and loud, White Ginger is more subtle and soft. I think this is a fantastic bathroom fragrance, and I definitely would like a candle in this one because it will be great to burn during the summer. When the heat reaches 110 degrees, strong, in-your-face fragrances tend to give me headaches, so I reach for the softer, cleaner fragrances. White Ginger will be perfect for the hellish summer that is undoubtedly headed my way. *****
Chai Tea is another popular fragrance on the board. This is a really nice cold weather fragrance that is also very soothing. It's a bit spicy, but there is also a sweetness to it that mellows out the spice. Having never been a fan of tea, I don't believe I've ever smelled the drink, but if it smells anything like this scent shot, I guarantee I would love it. I will definitely get a candle in this fragrance in September for the cooler weather. *****
Charleston Breeze has been recommended a lot on the boards as a great scent for the spring and summer. I believe Victoria debuted this scent sometime last year, and it's received pretty positive reviews. It's very powdery, but there's a hint of salty sea air in there as well. It's a little on the sweet side as well--sort of reminds me of hanging fresh laundry outside on a property near the ocean. It's nice, but it may be a little overwhelming. It has potential for a candle or Scoop Some Scent, but I will have to wait to pass final judgment on that until it's been warmed. ***
Country Berry Hotcakes has been on my wishlist since I first started ordering from CBV in October of 2010. For whatever reason, I kept taking it out of my cart to make room for other fragrances, but I'm glad I finally broke down and got it. This fragrance is awesome! It has a fresh berry fragrance to it, and I swear I can even smell the seeds! There's a hint of sweetness to it, and the bakery note as well. I love ordering berry pancakes at diners, and this truly smells like the real thing. It's a great year-round fragrance, and I would definitely love to have a large candle in this scent. Yum! *****
Berry Blackberry Cobbler is one of Beth's favorites, so I just had to order it. I really don't think you can go wrong with any of Victoria's cobbler scents. Blackberry cobbler has always been one of my favorites, and I especially love to eat it while watching Pushing Daisies (I can't help but crave pie-like sweets when watching that show!). The fragrance is sweet yet tart, and the cobbler note is mouthwateringly good. I can see why Beth is such a fan of this, and it will probably find its way to my Favorites list as well. Thanks for the recommendation, Beth! *****
Sunburst was a fragrance I decided to order while browsing the Master Scent List, which is always dangerous for my wallet. I wanted to order a few fragrances that I haven't heard much about, and this sounded promising. I immediately get this zesty lemon note that reminds me of Lemonheads candies. Victoria describes it as "Orange, Pink Grapefruit & Strawberry," so my nose is clearly on crack. Either way, it smells like Lemonheads to me. If you like fresh, tangy, sweet fragrances, then you'll like this. While I'm definitely a fan of this fragrance, I don't necessarily think I like it enough for a candle. ***
Neroli Blossom also gets a lot of love on the boards, and I can see why. It's sweet and girly like White Nectarine and Pink Coral and Blushing Peaches. It has a bit of musk to it, but the musk just tones down the sweetness of the fruits and florals. I can't stop smelling this one... it's so good! Since I can't place an order for a while, I may end up hoarding this for a bit... but I will definitely get this in a candle one day! *****
Montego Bay is another one that I found while browsing the Master Scent List. I know a few people on the boards have ordered it, but I can't remember the types of reviews it generally receives. It's very fruity with a green note to it. I smell juicy pineapple for sure, but the green note is not agreeing with my nose. I really wanted to like this fragrance because it sounded awesome on the website: An island breeze flows down to the bay, rich with heady perfume of exotic flowers and fruits. These fragrances play in your mind as you bask in the sun. Jasmine, Oleander, Passion Fruit, hints of Guava, Sweet Banana and PawPaw. Why do I seem to smell notes that aren't present? My nose is weird... but either way, sniffing this is starting to give me a headache. **
Nutty Candied Apple is another fragrance that always ends up being cut from my orders. This one gets a lot of love on the boards during the fall, so I figured I would go ahead and order it. Normally with Victoria's apple scents, the apple dominates and my nose is unable to pick up on any of the other scents, so I was hesitant to order this. I can without a doubt say that this smells exactly like its name, and the apple does not overpower the other notes. It's very sweet, but the nutty note adds a richness to it that is nice. So far I haven't been a huge fan of her nutty fragrances (blasphemous, I know!), but this one may be candle worthy. ****
Pink Noel is probably one of her most loved new fragrances for the month of February. I don't think it has received a bad review yet, and it combines two of Victoria's top-rated scents: Pink Cupcake and Vanilla Bean Noel. It's amazing that adding Vanilla Bean Noel can really enhance a fragrance this much. While Pink Cupcake is a great cupcake scent, it's very sweet and can be headache-inducing at times. Pink Cupcake is definitely a funfetti cake, while Pink Noel is definitely a vanilla cake. I definitely prefer Pink Noel to Pink Cupcake, which is saying a lot because I always recommend Pink Cupcake to anyone looking to delve into bakery scents. *****
Jelly Donut has also been on my wishlist since I first started ordering from CBV, but it was another fragrance that was always bumped from my shopping cart. It's very similar to Country Berry Hotcakes, but there's a sweetness to it that's not present in CBH. I'm not sure which one I like more... Jelly Donut or Country Berry Hotcakes? They are both fantastic fragrances! ****
Springdipity is another fragrance that I found on the Master Scent List. It's...interesting. When I sniff it, it starts out very sweet and powdery, and then there's this green, tart note that overpowers everything very quickly. Victoria describes this as "Spring berries and fruits are combined with fresh flowers to form this sparkling blend," but I don't get that at all. Not a fan, but I'll give it a chance on the warmer one day. **
Iced Orange Bundt Cake has been on wishlist for a while as well. I'm a big fan of Victoria's orange fragrances, so I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to order this. Kaycee wrote a rave review on it recently that convinced me it was time to order this, and I had to restrain myself from getting it in a candle first. I should have gone with my gut and gotten the candle because this is AWESOME! The orange is very sweet fresh, and juicy, and there's a hint of the cherry almond-y cake scent in a lot of Victoria's bakery fragrances. While I normally tend to avoid the cherry almond scents, the orange in this scent really compliments it. I can't wait to warm this on a warm day :) *****
Blue Hawaiian smells like Hawaii! I know that sounds silly, but it's true. I really love this scent, and I would love to have it in a candle one day. Now, I will say that this is honestly no different than most other tropical fragrances that a lot of candle companies will showcase during the spring and summer, but Victoria's quality of work is what makes this fragrance so special. It's blended very well, and it's packed with fragrance oil--I can see it starting to pool at the bottom of the container. I will definitely reorder this at some point in the future. ****
Blushing Peaches reminds me a lot of White Nectarine and Pink Coral. The peach is the prominent note (I'm also a huge sucker for Victoria's peach fragrances), but the strawberry and vanilla add this sweet and creamy note to it that makes it a must have for spring/summer. Basically, it's Birds of Paradise + Peaches, and after smelling it once, I ordered it in an 8 oz candle. I can guarantee you that one day I will have this in a large candle. :) *****
Wildberry Scone is very similar to Jelly Donut and Country Berry Hotcakes. I'm honestly not smelling a difference between Country Berry Hotcakes and Wildberry Scone... I'm hoping that a difference present itself once these have been warmed. I'm definitely a fan of her berry bakery fragrances. ****
Grapefruit Cooler is juicy and tart like a grapefruit with a powdery note to it that tones the tartness down. I think this will be another great fragrance for the spring/summer that won't be too overwhelming when Texas feels like the surface of the sun. Definitely getting this in either some Scoop Some Scent or a candle... :) I think this was also a recommendation from Beth. Beth, you have a great taste! *****
Mango Sorbett gets a lot of positive reviews as well, and I believe it's one of Victoria's favorites too. This one is sweet and juicy, but the mango definitely dominates this scent. I'm a big fan of mango scents (sweet citrus scents seem to be my MO in the spring/summer), so I'm definitely not complaining. This is candle worthy for sure. :) ****
Daisy was one of my free scent shots. I've only smelled the perfume a couple of times, and I remember liking it but not necessarily wanting to buy it. Victoria's version is very musky and feminine, and it reminds me a bit of Very Irresistible by Givenchy, which I have in a cabinet somewhere. The scent shot has convinced me to give the perfume another chance, although I don't want my house to smell like this. It's very strong, and I think if I were to melt this, people would think I was one of those obnoxious girls who practically bathe in perfume. This is going in the swap pile. *
Orange Chiffon Cake is another one that I've wanted for a while, and I had to keep myself from ordering a candle in it. I'm glad I listened to my gut in this instance because it's a bit too sweet for my taste. It's more a candy orange that's similar to Dreamsickle. The creaminess of Dreamsickle tones down the candy orange and compliments it, but the bakery note in Orange Chiffon Cake only makes the orange sweeter. Another fragrance for the swap pile! *
Plumeria Passion is perfect for spring/summer! Florals are always hit and miss with me, but this one is fantastic. It's sweet and soft, and it's not overwhelming. This is going to be great in the bedroom... I can definitely see myself getting this is either some Scoop Some Scent or a big candle. It's sort of similar to White Ginger, so if you like that, then you'll probably like this fragrance as well. *****
Koko Aloalo has gotten great reviews on the boards, which says a lot because florals don't typically receive such positive reviews at the Pouring Pot. This is a nice soft floral that doesn't seem to be overwhelming. That being said, I can't actually pick out any dominant note. It's not necessarily sweet or fruity, and while florals always have a powdery note, they usually have some personality as well. This particular scent just seems like a generic floral, so I'm hoping it develops more flair once it's warmed. ***
Blueberry Cornbread is in the same vein as Victoria's other blueberry bakery fragrances. It's juicy, sweet, and scrumptious. If you like Blueberry Cheesecake or Blueberry Cobbler, then you will definitely like Blueberry Cornbread. ****
Kimono Silk is another new fragrance this month that has received a lot of love. It's very fruity yet musky... it reminds me of a perfume that Victoria's Secret would produce. It's sweet yet tart, musky yet not overwhelming. I'm really intrigued by this, and I'm curious to see how it smells warm. It's a sensual summer fragrance that is also quite sophisticated. Where White Nectarine and Pink Coral smells like a bright, flirty perfume that a 20-something girl would wear, Kimono Silk smells like a womanly perfume that Jackie O may have worn. ****
Gone Grape was my other free scent shot. It smells exactly like a grape Tootsie Roll Pop. It's sweet, but not overwhelmingly so. I'm not sure if I want my apartment to smell like this, but it's definitely a great grape fragrance. ***
Enchantment another powdery floral fragrance that doesn't quite have personality. It's sweeter than Koko Aloalo, and it reminds me of Easter or Mother's Day because of the flower arrangements my mother always receives. I guess the lilac, sweet pea, and magnolia are so well blended that I can't pick out any of them quite yet. Maybe once it's warmed I will like it more. ***
Pazazzy smells like a little funky to me. I smell the lime and lemon, but there's this dirt-like smell to it that makes me turn up my nose. I wonder if the coconut is throwing this off for me... I've found that Victoria's coconut scents smell like wax on cold throw, which may explain why I'm not a fan of this right now. I'm really hoping that it smells better once it's warmed. **
Holy moly, that was a ton of scent shots! My nose is exhausted after that. If you actually read all of those descriptions, then I thank you because you are quite a trooper.
Now for the good stuff:
First, my Bella Swan Love, Victoria candle in Halo Burgundy glitter:
(with flash)
(with natural light)This is my first Love, Victoria candle, and I'm really happy that I decided to try out this jar. First of all, I didn't expect it to be so large--it's short but plump with a very wide opening. The candle itself is heavy, and I can tell that most fragrances will throw exceptionally well in this jar. I can smell Bella through the saran wrap on top! It's double wicked, which is good because a full melt pool will take a while with such a wide opening.
As for the fragrance, I think everyone knows what Bella Swan smells like. It's undoubtedly one of Victoria's best sellers, and it's quickly become one of my all-time favorites. It's such a feminine, girly fragrance. It's a floral fragrance that has a grape-like note to it (even though no grape is actually in this fragrance), and I have yet to encounter someone who doesn't like this fragrance.
Finally, I will review my S'more Galore candle:
I am so glad that I finally ordered this candle! It's so cute! When my boyfriend first saw it, he said the top looked like an ash tray, but he's crazy. All I can smell right now is Marshmallow Campfire, but that's my favorite fragrance from CBV, so I'm pretty happy. :) I don't want to light it because it's so pretty... if you've never tried any of Victoria's specialty candles, I highly recommend you do. She and Chelsea are so talented with wax. Their candles really are pieces of art!
Wow, that was a really long review. It's a little hard to believe I still have yet another order coming, which will have an 8 oz sampler pack and quite a few scent shots. Guess that means it's time to start burning some candles! :)
TL;DR: Oi vey, my apartment is going to smell ah-mazing for a very long time.
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