Review: Front Porch's Smoochin' By The Fire

Front Porch and I have a love/hate relationship...
...allow me to explain before you jump to conclusions!

I LOVE this vendor. Their bakery scents are fantabulous and have made me, a well-documented non-bakery lover, a huge fan in bread, pastry, and cookie scents. The hate, however, should be obvious:
1) They charge $0.00 for shipping.
2) They ship your packages pretty fast.
And THE BIGGEST OFFENDER OF THEM ALL: 3) They post new stock EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

Is this MY hangup? Yes, completely. Could I remove myself from their email updates, Facebook fan page, and private wax group? Yes, I could...but I don't. It's for the best, really. I have to know what's coming out when! I have to be in the Front Porch loop! OH WELL. Don't judge me!

Marshmallow Fireside is not only one of the top Bath & Body Works scents to the general public, and it has found a new fan in me this fall/winter season. A hint of marshmallow sweetness mixes perfectly with the toasting on an open fire smell.

Smoochin' by the Fire is supposed to be a Marshmallow Fireside dupe, if I'm not mistaken. It is DEFINITELY an attempt, but it is much smokier than its B&BW counterpart; while I don't mind smoky scents, this one was a bit overpowering. I would have liked to smell a bit more vanilla and/or marshmallow in this scent, but overall, it was a really close dupe! I'd definitely purchase this scent again.

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Front Porch's Smoochin' by the Fire
Cold Rating: 5.5/10; not super strong in any scent except for smoke/fire/fireplace.
Lit Rating: 5.5/10; good smell, but the smoke is overpowering. Can't tell if I liked it or not!
Throw Rating: 6.5/10; medium strength, a little overwhelming when it competed with the Christmas tree in the living room!
Overall Rating: 6/10; I enjoyed the experience of this scent. Felt like I was toasting marshmallows at a bonfire. Infinite warmth from a bonfire. Fire. Cold (In San Diego, cold is 50 degrees to us).

Review: White Barn's Marshmallow Fireside 14.5 oz. 3-Wick Candle

Have you ever been camping?

I have, two or three times, in fact.
...And I know I'm in the minority, but guess what: It's terrible.

On the flip side, my best friend is an adventurer. If it involves hiking, sleeping outside, or the wilderness in general, he'll be there in a heartbeat.

...it might sound like a joke, but I've always maintained that my idea of camping involves a hotel. With nice, fluffy pillows. And an ice machine close by. A spectacular view. Poolside drinks and a bubbling, scorching spa. With room service.

Hey, a gal can dream, can't she?  :)

The only parts I miss about camping are the sights and smells. The picturesque mountains on a dew-filled morning, fresh, damp leaves and tree needles, a roaring fire, crackling every few seconds with delight...yes, these things would get me to camp again.

Speaking of a crackling fire, s'mores are one of my favorite desserts. There's something about their simplicity, yet maintain their ability to be altered that makes me crave them.
Marshmallows in general are the very definition of happiness.

Well, folks, Bath & Body Works carries one of my new favorite candles: White Barn's Marshmallow Fireside. There's a reason this one's a fan favorite: it smells exactly like toasting marshmallows on an open fire at a campsite. Cold, this candle smells heavenly, like you could eat it straight out of its container (except for that whole dying thing...). On the surface, this candle is sweet, but not so sweet that it makes you ill. When lit, you uncover a smokey, woodsy note that cuts the marshmallow sweetness perfectly to create an intoxicating scent memory...
[...even if that memory is one of a camping trip that took place waaaaaay too soon after an all-night, lock-you-in-the-gym-because-we-had-to graduation after"party," on very little sleep, before energy drinks were very popular...]

Sorry, I got sidetracked on reminiscing! Bottom line: this candle is homey, warm, cozy...everything that embodies fall and winter. My particular candle had a bad burn at times, with low flames and bad wax pooling. I wish the throw was as strong as this candle smells when unlit, but it still fills one room really well.

...I am going to make it a point to hoard everything Marshmallow Fireside scented before the products run out after Christmas!

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White Barn Marshmallow Fireside
Cold Rating: 8/10
Lit Rating: 6/10; my candle had a very bad burn at times, but still did a pretty decent job of filling one room with scent.
Throw Rating: 6.5/10; it had its moments of barely any throw.
Overall Rating: 7/10; visions of huddling around a campfire, toasting fluffy, white pillows of decadence, woodsy and slightly burnt deliciousness.

Review: White Barn's Leaves 1.3 oz Mini Candle

After the disastrous Macintosh Spice incident, I wasn't sure I'd ever find an apple-scented candle that didn't smell artificial.
Since that post, I've been into a few shops looking for the perfect apple spice scent. There have been a few hits, way too many misses, and I just haven't been able to justify spending money (even as little as $2.50 for a mini candle!) if my nose was simply playing tricks on me again. I can't stand another heartbreak, schnoz, I just can't...

I think I have found the very thing I was looking for.

My grandma and I were spending the day together yesterday while her car was being serviced. We stopped into a nearby Bath & Body Works to browse the Fall candle selection. I smelled around, as did she, and eventually settled on Leaves and Marshmallow Fireside.

Oh. My. Gosh.

Leaves is the quintessential fall fragrance, everyone. Unlit, this candle smells like a dream. Between the fresh smell of red, luscious apples, the sweet scent of nectar and fruity berries, and a lingering of cinnamon spice, lighting this candle, even in its mini form, makes me feel as if I am walking through an orchard, with leaves crunching beneath my every step. This is the fall I've been searching for. The throw is mild on the mini 1.3oz size, and I have a hunch that it'll be much more powerful in a larger version. It's hard to make a large bedroom very fragrance using just a mini, but the smell definitely is there!

Rumor has it that Bath & Body Works will be having a 2 for $20 sale on their 3-wick candles starting tomorrow, but wait until they send out an email because they are still full-price online. This is a MUST HAVE for fall and winter, you will not be disappointed (I'm still slightly bitter about the Macintosh Spice).

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Bath & Body Works Leaves
Cold Rating: 8/10
Lit Rating: 9/10
Throw Rating: 9/10
Overall Rating: 9/10, apple/berry nectar mix with a little twist of cinnamon, true fall fragrance, memories of pumpkin patches and hot apple cider.

Until next time!