Lightning Round Reviews #21: More Bathroom Melts Edition!

It's been a while since I did a lightning round reviews post. Woohoo! Welcome, and hello, friends. Enjoy this post filled with things I have melted in our bathroom!

Ava's Country Cupboard's Fluffy Pink Peppermin
Cold Rating: 7/10
Lit Rating: 8/10
Throw Rating: 7.5/10
Overall Rating: 7.5/10; WOW, this was quite lovely! It was heavy on the tree smell with a mix of berries and a hint of cinnamon or clove. Very good throw, melted 2 cubes in the bathroom and it threw for a day. Repurchase, but I have more, so I will save it until next Christmas!

Orchid Lake Candles & Soaps (now known as Wilma)'s Blood Orange Nectar
Cold Rating: 4.5/10
Lit Rating: 5/10
Throw Rating: 4/10
Overall Rating: 4.5/10; not a whole lot to this one, unfortunately. You had to be in the bathroom to smell it. It had a nice orangey scent to it, but nothing beyond that. I don't know the difference between what an orange and a blood orange smells like, but I guess I'd assume this was sweeter. The throw was meh. not a repurchase, lasted 4 hours.

Orchid Lake Candles & Soaps (now known as Wilma)'s Cherry Limeade
Cold Rating: 4/10
Lit Rating: 4/10
Throw Rating: 4/10
Overall Rating: 4/10; there is no way these OLC tarts are bad...no freaking way. I have had some 1 ouncers that have blown my socks off from OLC, but this was another one that didn't perform so hot. I got a very faint cherry cough syrup scent, and even fainter wisps of lime, but again, nothing you could smell from a distance. I let this melt for 6 hours total, but I didn't really need to because you couldn't really enjoy it. I might repurchase this in a different form.

Orchid Lake Candles & Soaps (now known as Wilma)'s Citrus Teak
Cold Rating: 5/10
Lit Rating: 4/10
Throw Rating: 3.5/10
Overall Rating: 4/10; this smelled awesome when I received it, but not, not so much. Another pithy thrower, and another one that didn't have hardly any warm sniff smell. Not a repurchase, this one lasted about 4.5 hours. It's supposed to be a Yankee Candle scent, but it didn't smell like anything I had had before.

Orchid Lake Candles & Soaps (now known as Wilma)'s Energize
Cold Rating: 6/10
Lit Rating: 6/10
Throw Rating: 6/10
Overall Rating: 6/10; this one performed a bit better, but not by much. It was middle of the pack, and it mainly smelled like a bunch of different citrus fruits all thrown together with a background note of musk or woodsiness. It was nice, but not a repurchase. If the name is ENERGIZE, I expect my senses to be awoken. Lasted 5.5 hours!

Orchid Lake Candles & Soaps (now known as Wilma)'s Lemonhead
Cold Rating: 6.5/10
Lit Rating: 4/10
Throw Rating: 3.5/10
Overall Rating: 4.5/10; I love Lemonhead candies, so I thought these would be those bright little suckers in wax form. Unfortunately, this was another bad performer! I don't know what is up with these OLC melts, but since they are gone, I might need to put in another order (some time this year) to compare then vs. now. Lasted 4 hours in the bathroom, could have probably been taken out in 2 hours, though. Not a repurchase.

Orchid Lake Candles & Soaps (now known as Wilma)'s Watermelon
Cold Rating: 3/10
Lit Rating: 2.5/10
Throw Rating: 2.5/10
Overall Rating: 2.5/10; I feel really bad in my soul when things get low ratings. Really, I do. I am all about giving fair chances to vendors, which is why I won't hesitate to order again, but this round of shots was super unimpressive. If this was called something entirely different, it wouldn't have made a difference. This wasn't watermelon, watermelon scents are juicy and delicious and strong. This, was not. Even on cold sniff, this smelled more like watermelon scented chapstick or 75% straight-up wax. Not a repurcase, dumped after 1.5 hours.

Daphne's Divine's Pink & Blue ICEE
Cold Rating: 6.5/10
Lit Rating: 7/10
Throw Rating: 7/10
Overall Rating: 7/10; JUST like Icee's from Target! Or, wherever you can get them. This is sweet, delicious, and syrupy in a good way. It smells like the real thing. YUM! Pretty good throw, nice scent overall. Lasted 6 hours and I would repurchase this (except Daphne's has closed down). :(

Daphne's Divine's Serendipity Sherbet
Cold Rating: 6/10
Lit Rating: 6/10
Throw Rating: 6/10
Overall Rating: 6/10; another pretty good scent! I liked the mix of serendipity/cherry goodness and sherbet, but it really could have been stronger overall. Sweet, fruity, and fun. Lasted about 6 hours overall.

Daphne's Divine's Strawberry Vanilla Passion
Cold Rating: 5.5/10
Lit Rating: 6/10
Throw Rating: 6/10
Overall Rating: 6/10; smelled sort of artificial, but wasn't bad. Good mix of strawberry and vanilla, not sure what was passion-y about this, but I didn't get any of it. Nice, but nothing to write home about. I melted the entire chunk and let is marinate in the warmer for about 6-7 hours, but I think it may have been done after about 5 hours. Not a repurchase, but Daphne's did have other really awesome strawberry scents in the past!

Daphne's Divine's Tu-La-Ru-La
Cold Rating: 6.5/10
Lit Rating: 5.5/10
Throw Rating: 5.5/10
Overall Rating: 7/10; this smells sort of like Bedtime Bath (which might be a Johnson & Johnson scent?) mixed with a very herbal lavender, but wasn't super strong while warming. I didn't really care for this, but again, it wasn't bad. I melted 4 tarts out of 5 and chucked the last one (AGHHHH). Lasted 5 hours in the bathroom, not a repurchase.

To Try: Influenster's Go VoxBox

I got picked to test out Influenster's Go VoxBox! Woohoo! I can't resist a box full o' goodies that I get to try for free!!

One of the best mail days is when these little boxes show up on my doorstep!

The nifty little card they give all of us Go VoxBox participants that lists everything we get in our box.

I got a coupon for Muller yogurt, which is a brand I have never tried. I am sort of ehhh about yogurt, I go through spells where I love it and times when I hate it. Well, I really liked this! Mine had strawberries in it, and unfortunately, it ended up in the trash when I left it on the counter, so I didn't get to snap any photos of it. Oh well! The thing about this brand is that they have TONS of variety, lots of flavors, and even some stuff with mix-ins! I would definitely repurchase this brand.

You know those massive files drug stores sell for you feet? The ProFoot Pedi-Rock is like one of those things on steroids. Wow, this thing is huge. It says right on the package "I'm soft," but soft this thing is not. Squishy, yes, but soft, HELL NO. It's really rough and sort of hurts when you use it because of how coarse it is. It works just fine, but it's awkward to use because of its shape. Some people might like the hand-feel of this item, but I couldn't get into it. I used it 3 times to be sure, all on different days, but I would not purchase this item. Major points for creativity and uniqueness, though!

From the same company comes the Triad Orthotic insoles. They claim to have 3 zones of comfort. I used these and was sort of 50/50 convinced I liked them. While I like the fact that they are much "harder" than other insoles, I think that was a burden, too. These made me very aware they were in my shoes, unlike orthotics from other brands. I think I will put them back in my tennis shoes and give them another go!

In 5th grade sex ed, I was scarred forever about tampons. That's all I'll say about that.

Blue Diamond almonds are one of my favorite snacks. When it's time for a snack, I gravitate to salty treats as opposed to sweet ones. I figured blueberry flavored almonds would go right along with the stellar image I have in my mind of Blue Diamond. Nope, nope, NOPE. These were absolutely disgusting. The fake blueberry flavor combined with the hearty almonds made for a nasty, icky eating experience. YUCK, GROSS, ICKNAST. Not a fan at all. I love the brand, but these fruit flavored almonds need to GTFO--to outer space.

Aqua Spa is another brand I had not heard of. I was looking forward to trying this body creme because I have been doing really good taking care of my hands as of late. Unfortunately, this was another fail of a product for me. The lotion was overly greasy and didn't really absorb very fast. I love lavender scents, and this just smelled musty and old smelling. I have a gigantic tube of this and only used it 3 times. :/

I'm not sure how I feel about nutritional shakes, regardless if they are from The Vitamin Shoppe. I'd rather make a fruit and veggie smoothie on my own. This being vanilla flavored was the least offensive flavor they could have given a mass amount of people to test, I suppose. This was alright as far as supplement shakes go, but nothing to write home about, it still tasted like the inside of a vitamin shoppe smells. The flavor was sort of bland, but it definitely tasted healthy. I don't know about it being a "meal," though. The little bottle thing it came with was the best part of this box, I can use this forever in the future and don't have to buy one now.

As an overall VoxBox, this is definitely not the best one I've ever received. I know that sounds ungrateful since everything was free, but this is my honest opinion. Some things were okay, but the majority of items were misses, and if I had to "go" on a "diet" with them, I'd probably fail as a healthy person. Those blueberry almonds are still ringing in the back of my throat many weeks later....*shivers in disgust*

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*Reminder: I received all of these products courtesy of Influenster to try for free. All opinions and all words are my own!

Swift & Supersonically Snappy Short Review #19: Candles from the Keeping Room's Cedarwood Vanilla

The only redeeming value of summer is the nice, long nights, which are perfect for nice, long bonfires in the backyard. In fact, we're getting ready to have one right now! ;)

The strong cedar aroma tones down with sweet vanilla Celtic Moonspice...a wonderfully fragrant blend of warm spices, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. Gives you that warm home & hearth feeling, like a cozy cottage with a fireplace on a cold snow evening.

Candles from the Keeping Room's Cedarwood Vanilla
Cold Rating: 6.5/10
Lit Rating: 8/10
Throw Rating: 8/10
Overall Rating: 8/10; an unexpected favorite as of recently. Very lovely tart! Excellent throw, stellar scent, extremely pleasant. Not even necessary for fall/winter. Vanilla-y Celtic Moonspice toning down the cedarwood makes this super smooth and uber fragrant, yet spicy and delicious. Realizing I like cedarwood, which is weird. Perfect scent descriptions a la Carol. Wanting to make a spice cake or pumpkin cookies. Missing all of the CFTKR openings since October last year. Not needing any more damn wax but wanting to BUY ALL THE THINGS!!! Remnants of fall. The Fall Slut, omg, have you checked out Deb's blog lately? I CRIED, so funny!!!

Swift & Supersonically Snappy Short Review #18: Up The Creek Scents Pink Marshmallow

If I could live in a world built of only one thing/substance, I would pick to live in a world of marshmallows.
Those things would make damn fine pillows.

Up The Creek Scents Pink Marshmallows
Cold Rating: 4.5/10
Lit Rating: 3.5/10
Throw Rating: 5.5/10
Overall Rating: 4/10; extremely uncharacteristic of Up The Creek Scents to have a "bad" scent. Didn't get any pink from this. Marshmallow had a funky undertone. Had lots of cure time but in the end, no dice. Smelled even stranger after many months. The throw wasn't stellar, either. Didn't melt this long. Possible culprit: was this a wrongly labeled tart?  It had slight stinks of zucchini in its wisps. EW Maybe pink sugar isn't their thing? Or maybe their pink sugar is on the muskier side? One "bad" tart won't dissuade me from this company, since most of the stuff I have melted from them has been pretty good. Has anyone else had this problem with their pink sugar scents??

Swift & Supersonically Snappy Short Review #17: Daphne's Divine Scents and Aromas Watermelon Blast

July is right around the corner, can you believe it? I know we all say this all the time, but this year is flying by so fast. July is watermelon season, so it only seemed appropriate to welcome summer with (reluctant) open arms and embrace one of its signature scents.

Daphne's Divine Scents and Aromas Watermelon Blast
Cold Rating: 7.5/10
Lit Rating: 8.5/10
Throw Rating: 8.5/10
Overall Rating: 8.5/10; incredible throw of the "knock your socks off" variety. Delicious on cold sniff, even better while warming. Juicy, sweet watermelon, strictly this scent. Not liking watermelon the fruit but LOVING watermelon the scent. The juicier, the better. Using 4/5 tarts just because I can, YOLO. Pretty pink sun-shaped tarts (with no weird man face). Lasted in the bathroom for 3 hours with a strong scent and 4-5 extra house at a medium throw. Would repurchase but has is closed. :( Closed vendors = sad, but closed vendors who are really super sweet = ultimate sadness.

Swift & Supersonically Snappy Short Review #16: Orchid Lake Candles' Lemon Lavender

As I astutely mentioned in my last post, summer is upon us, rearing its ugly, hot, annoying head like a malfunctioning dryer stuck in a garage. Or a sauna. Minus the smelly feet. (....where do I come up with this crap? LOL)

Orchid Lake Scents' Lemon Lavender
Cold Rating: 5.5/10
Lit Rating: 3/10
Throw Rating: 3/10
Overall Rating: 3/10; one of my favorite scent combinations ever. Unfortunately, this scent shot just couldn't muster any throw. Also, not strong while warming, only bare medium on cold sniff. Lemon smelled sweet on cold sniff, but weak. Some one ounce scent shots perform better than other one ounce scent shots. Not being able to smell anything makes me angry. Buying wax faster than I can melt it. Waste is bad, mmmkay?? Orchid Lake is now Wilma Handmade. The Flinstones. Dirty feet. Smelly feet. Horrible garage smells. Full circle.

Swift & Supersonically Snappy Short Review #15: Lasting Scent Candles' Summer Melons

Summer is upon us, friends.
BLEH.

Lasting Scent Candles' Summer Melon
Cold Rating: 6/10
Lit Rating: 6/10
Throw Rating: 7/10
Overall Rating: 6/10; pretty solid throw on this scent. Melted with the same throw for about 4.5 hours, but left it in for a few days since I melted this in the office and didn't go in there for about a day. Slight floral undertones to mesh the melons. Still, nice, but might not repurchase. Not sure what melons are in this, honeydew for sure, perhaps cantaloupe, no watermelon. I don't like watermelon as a food but LOVE it as a scent. Water is the greatest drink on the planet. Our planet is Earth. If Earth had a scent, it would consist of dirt, beer, french fries, and dignity. #MURICA

Swift & Supersonically Snappy Short Review #14: K's Kreations White Nectarine

One thing about going from the hot, dry desert back to hot, humid San Diego is the swollen joints when returning to humidity. And a smelly, shut-up house with NO WAX MELTING. UGH.

K's Kreations White Nectarine
Cold Rating: 7.5/10
Lit Rating: 8.5/10
Throw Rating: 8.5/10
Overall Rating: 8.5/10; spectacular mix of fresh and fruity! Very great throw and delicious scent while warming. Lasted about 12 hours in the bathroom. A little bit of what I can only describe as laundry freshness and ultra citrus zing. Bright in the non-sun, non-light sense of the word. Katch' Ems spelled with a K. NO KARDASHIAN WHO SPELL EVERYTHING WITH A K. Reality TV is the devil. Dia de los muertos. Mmmmmmmmmmmm, milkshakes. Bringing all the boys to the yard. Having nothing to do with the scent at hand.

Swift & Supersonically Snappy Short Review #13: Aunt Smellman's Autumn Breeze

If you follow my on Instagram, you will know BigJ and I were in Vegas this week! We had a great time, even though my foot is still broken, we made it work! It was hot, but it was fun. I will have a picture post up soon.

Aunt Smellman's Autumn Breeze
Cold Rating: 3.5/10
Lit Rating: 3/10
Throw Rating: 7/10
Overall Rating: 4/10; slightly rounded down from 4.5. Not up my alley and couldn't get over it, but the throw on this was decent. Strange mix of scents, very musky and yet floral and slightly fruity. Some weird tree scents. Patchouli? Sandalwood? Strange??? Maybe ylang ylang. Not knowing how to pronounce ylang ylang...is it lang-lang, or ya-lang-ya-lang, or yang-yang?? WORDS ARE CONFUSING. Trees = shade = goodness = I hate the sun = I am pale. Nothing about this screams autumn to me in this, must doesn't necessarily mean fall time. Also, not so much breeze, just random concoction of ingredients. Free tarts. Using all the wax at once. All wax needs cure time. This would be better in soap form. Or potpourri.