This is why I was absolutely thrilled to be contacted by Scented Candle Shop to see if I wanted to try some products. I will never say no to more candles, especially if they are gorgeously scented and long-lasting Yankee Candles.
I've always loved Yankee Candles and am not ashamed to admit to spending half an hour at a time smelling the different varieties when I found them in shops. However, it wasn't until Christmas time that I actually bought myself my first large jars. Usually, I use the wax tarts as they were cheaper but still strong smelling - Witches Brew tarts are one of my favourites and I stock up on these every Halloween - and allow you to try a lot of different fragrances to find your favourite.
I picked a small Black Coconut, a medium Peach and Mango Salsa and a large Pineapple Cilantro (which is Pineapple Coriander to us Brits). These are all fragrances that sounded interesting, while the colour of the salsa and pineapple candles looked super bright and lovely so I thought they'd be great for August.
The day after I placed my order, the candles were dispatched. I got a tracking code so I knew when they were going to arrive. The parcel arrived just a couple of days after being dispatched - they would have arrived sooner but it was a weekend - which is really great service. Everything was also really well packaged so there were no breakages and everything looked great. I'll definitely order some from the site in the future as when I've ordered from other retailers, my candles have arrived looking a bit battered or there was way too much extra packaging.
Here's what I thought of each of the scents:
Black Coconut
While the candle smells lush just as it is, it gets even better when you light it as the fragrance becomes beautifully warm and fills your room incredibly well. I could still smell it for ages after I blew it out, which was a surprise as it is only a small jar.
The only problem I had was that the parcel arrived at my office on a day I was working from home and so it was left on my desk overnight. The room gets so warm before in the summer without the air con on overnight, so the wax melted a little bit before I opened the parcel. I was able to wipe the majority of it away, but as it is black, it shows up a lot more on the label and lid. This hasn't affected my enjoyment of the candle and is such a small thing that I'm really not bothered.
Peach and Mango Salsa
The strongest citrus notes come from the mango, which give way to beautifully sweet peach. However, just as with the black coconut, there is more to the fragrance than what is on the label. This one has a slight peppery edge underneath the top notes due to the pink peppercorn and ginger flower elements added to the mix.
Even if you store it unlit with the lid off, you can smell this candle as soon as you walk into the room. When you do light it, it takes hardly anytime to release the scent and you really don't need it lit for long to enjoy it - although it is a good idea to keep it lit until the top of the candle is totally melted to avoid tunnelling and ensure you get the most out of it.
If you like citrus fragrances, this is definitely one for you to try!
Pineapple Cilantro
My worries were totally unfounded though as this candle is gorgeous! It smells like I've just sliced a fresh pineapple up, completely natural with no awful chemical undertones to it. The fruit smell is wonderfully sweet but still has that lovely tart element just like real pineapple, so it makes your mouth water just like the Mango and Peach Salsa candle.
As well as pineapple, the coriander adds a really subtle herbal edge that brings out the citrus notes nicely. The fragrance is finished off with warm and sweet coconut, creating the perfect tropical scent that is ideal for the summer. These warm notes come out even more when the candle is lit, which also makes the fragrance stronger - as well as has me craving a tropical cocktail on a white sandy beach!
I really can't recommend these candles enough. I'm now looking at what other candles I want to add to my collection, especially as the Scented Candle Shop offers such great service and brilliant prices.