Friday, June 23, 2017

Candles From The Keeping Room: June Opening


Carol opened in June after taking her usual hiatus to travel and visit family. I was ready and eager to grab a few scents once she opened Candles From The Keeping Room up. Many of these are repurchases so I won't be going too much into depth, but the new-to-me scents I will review in detail. Tarts generally run $5.50 for a 6 ounce bag. Strawberry shapes are $5.75 each bag. Turn around time is always fast, usually only a few days as these are ready to ship.

I hit up the strawberry section like a crack of lightening and starting popping yummies in my cart willy nilly. 

Fresh Picked Strawberry, one of my favorites and a classic. A strong, sweet and true strawberry that I adore.

Strawberry Cotton Candy is one I fell hard for last order I placed and wanted to pick up a second bag. Strawberry flavored cotton candy, concise and delicious.

Strawberry Raspberry Guava is one my friend Lynda had told me about a while back but I am just getting around to trying it for myself. It smells like the classic strawberry raspberry guava oil that many enjoy. Fruity, vibrant and candied. I think this one will throw well.

Wild Mountain Strawberry blends FPS with Wild Mountain Honey. I threw one into the warmer and it let off a medium-strong throw of strawberries and honey. I like it but probably not a repurchase. 

Strawberry Milk is a blend of fresh strawberries and sweet cream milks. The idea of strawberries and cream/milk always sounds so dang good and I read everyones' raves about milk scents but I just can never get on board. This is my attempt to make doubly sure that I am not a fan. In the bag it smells like strawberry Crunch Berry cereal, a little bready and crunchy. Once the in warmer a bit of the bread melts off and it is a more mellow strawberry cereal and milk scent. It gave a medium throw in my bedroom. Probably not one I will buy again, though it was nice to try it.


Mulled Wine repurchase because I am OBSESSED. You can read my thoughts here. Ultimately, it is a cozy spiced Christmas wine scent.


Maple Buttercream Sugar Cookie is another repurchased scent. Crunchy sugar cookies with extra vanilla and a small glug of maple syrup. 


Sugared Strawberry Spruce is hitting the spot. Sweet strawberries and soft evergreen. I am craving strawberry woods scents really hard right now and I have none except for this bag now. This is a scent I have repurchased numerous times.


I have bought this scent once or twice in the past and occasionally I will get a yearning for it. Sugar Cookie Latte is one of the very few coffee scents I enjoy. The sugar cookie really amps up the vanilla and sweetness of the black coffee. The coffee portion smells softly of hazelnuts and is never bitter or puppy feet smelling. Such a snug and honey aroma.


Ultimate Sugar Cookie is one of my favorite sugar cookie blends. I think this is my 4th or 5th bag of it. I try to pick it up whenever I run out of the previous one. This is a huge warm and chewy vanilla sugar cookie with vanilla buttercream frosting thinly layered on top and sprinkled with sugar crystals. Yummmmmm.


Blueberry Cream Type- Notes: Vanilla cream, garden blueberries with sprinkles of sugar crystals.

This was a sample that I fell in love with in my last order. It throws nice and strong and smells incredibly lovely. This is a Bath and Body Words type but I don't recall having ever tried the candle. I feel like I missed out on a good one, though, if it was anything like this tart. On cold it has a strong yet almost sharp blueberry topped with white sugar and a touch of licorice. Once melted it turns into a lovely pool of vanilla musk and sugared blueberries.


2543- Notes: A strong citrus combination of lemongrass, lime and orange with sweet cotton candy and warm vanilla drying to a musk and tonka background. A Lush dupe.

 I have not tried 2543 as a Lush scent so this is my first time ever laying my nose on this fragrance, boy howdy is it nice. A vividly sunny and sweet scent that smells like crystallized lemon drops and a back note of tonka. Dreamy. I think this will be a fast favorite.


Winter Cabin- Notes: Charred woods of birch, pine and cedar and a musky, balsamic amber-vanilla and sandalwood drydown.

Another oldie but a goodie. I have bought this one many times in the past. It is a wonderful winter scent that is full of smoldering embers and fireside romance. This is not a sweet or smooth scent, but crackling and popping with heat. 


Fresh Picked Strawberry and Watermelon is pretty self explanatory. This is my first time trying it and I am all heart eyes over it. The watermelon is buoyant and juicy sweet. It straddles that fine line between ripe and real and just shy of candied. The added strawberry takes it to the utterly delicious end of the taste gauge. It threw strong in my bedroom. Savanna popped in and said "it smells fruity and good in here." Looking to repurchase for sure.


Applewood and Fern- Notes: Crisp apple, fresh fern while lingering cedarwood and musk complete this earthy creation.

Sounded too good to pass up. The apple, green and tart, lightly sweetens the greenery and woods. There is a definite soil note hovering softly in the background. It thew medium-light in the larger kitchen and living area. Might be best suited for a smaller space.


Apple Grove- Notes: The perfect combination of Cameo, Macintosh, Red Delicious, Fuji, and Granny Smith apples.

This is one my friend Lynda let me try years ago and I never quite forgot it. It is one of those rare non-spicy and very realistic apple scents. In the bag it is nice but not all that awe inspiring, but this is where the magic of paraffin comes in... once it melts it blooms into a bushel of jeweled apples perched jauntily at a farmer's market. Pure apple perfection at a medium-strong throw.


Vanilla Lace- Notes: Vanilla with a secret... base notes of vanilla and orchid flower, with a subtle drydown of ambered musk.

I have been seeing this scent all over the wax community and have been wanting to try it out. Stoked I did, because it smells like pure candy vanilla blessedness. I could see this being an amazing blending scent too. I have dreams of mixing it with Marshmallow Fireside or peppermint or pink sugar cookies.


Hot Apple Pie is just that. Apples, spice and crust. It manages to smell rustic and old fashioned and I love it to pieces. 


Free Samples!

Caramel Cinnamon Latte, sweet and softly spiced with a milky coffee and cream vibe. Yum. 

Starbucks Peppermint Mocha, a York peppermint patty with less chocolate and more hazelnut. Interested to melt this one.

Snickers Coffee Type, a chocolate and nut coffee that I can't really get on with. I think it is the nuts. Will gift to a friend.


Pomegranate Orange Cider, the orange stands out the most with a touch of lemon and spice.

Cranberry Mandarin Carrot, fruity and tart with no spice to be seen. The carrot adds an element of freshness.

Pumpkin Peppercorn Type, spiced woods and magic Autumnal euphoria. Need this in large quantities.

Pumpkin Butter Chia, brims with pumpkiny goodness with cream, no spice and chia pudding nod.


Marshmallow Fireside, so yum. Smoky marshmallows. I need to pick up a bag of this.


Sugared Amber and Plum, I think I like this one even a touch more than my beloved Tokyo Nights. What is wrong with me?! This one has a touch more plummy juiciness and the amber is more sweet. Much love. 

Cinnamon and Amber Type, another one that has my name all over it. Piquant cinnamon and that base of sweet vanilla amber makes it paradise for my nose.


Boysenberry Santal Spice, a sweet and lovely sandalwood. The teeniest touch of woodland fruit makes it special. Would buy.

Snowflakes and Cashmere Type, a vanilla musk and perfumey amber fragrance tinted with blonde woods. Sophisticated and elegant.

Alpine Suede Type, soft musk and woods wrap around the senses. Gorgeous. More, please.


Apple Brown Sugar, sweet sweet apples with a touch of caramel. A nicely done non-spiced apple caramel.

Persimmon Apple Thyme, the thyme really jumps out! Herbal and green with a citrusy apple sweetness trying to round it out. Too sharp for my nose.

Chamomile Apple, spiced apple with an herbal twist. Sort of like a medicinal tea. Not for me.

Fresh Strawberry Cut Grass, strangely smells like a banana and fruit smoothie with kale. Not a fave.

Whew! This one was a doozy. Loving my order like usual! I even found quite a few more new favorites and ones to look out for the next time I can order. The next July opening is for people who could not get an order in this June opening. So my fingers will be crossed for the August opening. I need those decadent pumpkin and woods and spice scents to fragrant my fall home. 

Do any of these sound like something you would enjoy? If you would like the bags of Wild Mountain Strawberry, Strawberry Milk and Applewood Fern just be the first to leave me a comment below saying so and I will send them off to you along with a few other tarts on June 30th.

18 comments:

  1. I've heard so many good things about Carol's strawberry scents, but I didn't even think about it during the opening. I just jumped in wily nily and threw things into my cart! I'm pretty happy with what I ended up with...although I would've loved to try honeydew and marshmallow. I'd love to try the Wild Mountain Strawberry, Strawberry Milk and Applewood Fern if they're still available? Thank you!

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    1. I get like that sometimes too! Just add stuff and see what pans out. I find a lot of new favorites that way. I would love to give the tarts to you! Please send me a message via contact form at the bottom of the blog (in desktop) or via the Facebook page and I will send them out to you are the end of the month. <3

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  2. Great post! I would like to buy Wild Mountain Strawberry, Strawberry Milk and Applewood Fern if you have them. Thank you! <3

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    1. Thank you! I am sorry but Sarah commented first. Thank you for trying and I hope you can try CFTKR soon. <3

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  3. Love this review! Carol's Marshmallow Fireside is soooo darned good! I have tried other vendor's MF and even the B&BW version and just thought it was so-so but Carol's is on a whole 'nother level. It's just smoky and sweet and deliciousness. I bought Vanilla Smoothie to mix with it but I don't think it needs any more sweetness. I wasn't a big fan of the new Apple scents either and I'm a huge apple lover. I will put them in my Round Robin and hopefully someone will love them.

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    1. Renee. Why am I not buying the Marshmallow Fireside? I am burning the candle right now and remembering just how much I love this scent. You are in a Round Robin? How fun! I tried to get one started among the Band of Bloggers but no one was interested. I have not done one since Jacqui started one a couple years back. I am sure who ever gets the apples will love them.

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  4. All those apple scents have me smiling a dreamy fall smile. Today even has a fall sort of vibe to it for whatever reason. It's very pleasant temperature here in Wisconsin, and a dry, sunny day for once. Something about it is fall-like and I'm loving that!

    And I see why you don't want the Mulled Wine back! Because you got more of your own! lol

    ~Deb

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    1. Me too! I am enjoying melting some of these for testing purposes only. Glad your weather has been nice! We are doing the whole 101 degrees in the morning and rain in the evenings. I kinda like it.

      Hey. Yes I did get more. But if you are hating yours I bought you, feel free to send them to me. LOL! I can melt them if I HAVE to.

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  5. I've purchased only once from CFTKR, in March. I made a huge purchase, but I hardly made a dent! The scents last a long time and you get a lot of tarts in the bags.
    Those cookie latte tarts look as great as they probably smell. They look like mini coffee cakes, mmm.

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    1. They really do last forever! I love how much come in the bag, it makes for easy tart swaps and gifting.

      The sugar cookie latte tarts are seriously coffeeshop and bakery nirvana. And they look so stinking CUTE!! Any faves from your order?

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  6. A great haul indeed! Too many good ones to just name off a few. One day I will catch an opening.. one day!! The pictures are perfection!!
    P.S. The sample shapes in the shape of crescent rolls! Too cute!!

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    1. Jessica! I need to text or message you or even the BoB group with Carol opens since some of you aren't on FB. Let me know if you want to catch the next opening I will keep my eye out.

      The crescent rolls are super cute. I love Carol's shapes.

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  7. My thoughts while reading these reviews: You ordered CFTKR? No fair, I haven't ordered in soooooo long! (that's my inner petulant child voice). Wow, these photos are hypnotizing me...it must be some kind of magic making me want every one...then again, most are berry or sugar cookie, hmm...maybe, I didn't miss anything too exciting...well, let's see what the samples are like...ahhhh...they sound amazing...Boysenberry Santal Spice, that sounds like a berry I can get behind...Snowflakes and Cashmere Type, Carol has the best cashmere...Alpine Suede Type, woody musk, you know I gotta try it...Sugared Amber and Plum, amber AND plum? yum!...Chamomile Apple, hmmm, I'd give it a shot, been a chamomile scent fiend lately...Pumpkin Peppercorn Type, that's the sample I've eyed up in everyone's hauls and it sounds so good...Marshmallow Fireside, there's a tried n true I've yet to try by Carol...Okay, maybe I should get back to work now...Hey bags of free goodies...Applewood Fern could be intriguing...but Julie spoils me with CFTKR goodies already...oops, boss is out here, look busy!

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    1. I felt like it has been a while for me too but I think it has only be a couple months.

      The samples really did bowl me over. I will have to save that Chamomile Apple for you. I hope I didn't already pack it away to someone. I will make you up a box with some goodies for sure. So no berries or bakery? Check. I am not normally a huge fruity/bakery or fruit bakery gal but some I do enjoy.

      Hope your work week was good and your weekend is even better! Cheers! <3

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  8. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm...Maple Buttercream Sugar Cookie! I love that one.

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    1. Me too! I cannot get enough of it. I only have two left in my first bag of it... so it is nice to have this backup bag. I can see myself using it more and more as fall approaches.

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  9. Oh my goodness, some of those shapes are just the cutest. The little croissants? Ugh, adorable!

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    1. I agree! The little pile of coffee beans is a hoot too. Cute shapes are fun to melt.

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