This is a guest post from Jacqui, the writer of The Scholarly Nail's Wax Blog, which I used religiously to cut my wax teeth on. Jacqui is a sweet friend and I am thankful she took the time to write for me while I am away. Enjoy!
Hello waxy world! A lot of you probably don't know me, so allow me to introduce myself. I'm Jacqui, and I used to be a wax blogger. It's been well over a year since I've done a proper blog post and even then, my posts were pretty infrequent. So although I haven't been an involved member of the wax community for quite some time, I will always have a vigorous love for fragrance and scents. A discussion with a friend the other day left us with the conclusion: "how can you not be into stuff that smells good?"
When Julie asked if I would like to do a guest post for her, I jumped at the chance. Julie is a bright light in the wax community, always kind, helpful and encouraging in a place where things can be unfriendly and sometimes downright intimidating for newcomers. I am grateful to call her a friend and happy to help her out while she is having a fabulous summer full of travels! Bon voyage J!
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I went back and forth about what I wanted to do for this post, but I ultimately decided on showing you all my wax stash and how I organize it. This was always a post I wanted to do for my blog but never got around to it. And let's be honest, who doesn't love seeing other people's stashes?
If you've caught up with me recently, you'll know that I downsized my wax stash considerably. I used to have a whole coat closet filled with 24 different drawers filled with wax, each one overstuffed and barely able to close. Now, it's much more manageable and enjoyable to find something to melt. Don't get me wrong, it's still a pretty big stash. I don't know anyone in real life who would have a candle or tart stash anywhere close to this. But it's the perfect size for me!
My life is a bit flip turned upside down at this moment in time. We are about a month out from completion of our home remodel, and we are living in our basement while they finish up. Though the end is in sight (FINALLY!), we have most of our belongings packed up in storage and I don't have my DSLR with me right now. However, I have some barely adequate, dark and shadowy cell phone pictures taken in my basement for you all today! Hooray!
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At this point in time, I have 12 bins for my wax. They are not very deep (I can fit about 4 tart cups stacked in them) but are decently long. I bought them specifically for the small linen closet I will be storing them once we are back moved into the rest of our house. But for now, they are down here with us in the basement, living in a corner.
I store my wax by scent, and I always have. I feel like my wax lasts longer this way, as if I'm preserving the integrity of the scents or something. It's probably all in my head, but it works for me. Also, whenever I feel like melting something, I never think to myself "Oh, I want to melt some Rosegirls or Ten Digit." I always think "I want my house to smell like oranges today." It just makes things much easier when I'm reaching for something to melt.
I went about 6 months from winter to spring not purchasing wax, but
once spring had finally arrived I felt the urge to purchase some new scents and started bulking up my stash again. I have some bins that are pretty full, like my bakery bins. It's funny
though, I barely reach for bakery these days. I'm hoping that once fall
rolls around, I'll make a dent in my bakery bins. For now, I'm loving
fruity scents and especially citrus. I was never much of an orange scent
type of girl but now I can't get enough. Some bins, like my fresh/floral and "other fruity" bins are pretty bare.
I would say that right now, the vendors that I purchase from most frequently Rosegirls, Ten Digit Creations and Lake Providence Lodge. LPL and TDC have a great TAT and great quality wax, while Rosegirls provides me with favorite scents that I can't get anywhere else. I've also purchased from Ava's Country Cupboard, Tiffany Candles and Front Porch lately, and am enjoying those vendors right now as well. I also placed an order from Dessa's. I was not in love with a lot of the scents I got but still have a few left to try again. I also purchased from VCS this spring to catch a couple favorite scents, but I can't see myself ordering much more from her because it's very difficult for me to catch her openings. I am definitely at a point where I am sticking to tried and true, easy to order favorites.
I've also been very into local vendors lately. There is a store about an hour and half away from me called The Candle Lab. It is an amazing concept where you can go and mix your own candles and tarts. We just were down there last weekend with friends, and I came back with a bunch of giant clamshells! Another local vendor I have been enjoying lately is called The Pauper's Kottage, who I discovered on a trip to Amish Country a few years ago. We've also been enjoying going to lots of local flea and vendor markets this summer and have found some amazing wax vendors there as well. I swear I always seek out wax everywhere I go. In the past year, I've found amazing wax in Hawaii, New Orleans, Colorado and even in Mexico! Moral of the story - there is a whole world out there outside of online wax vendors. I have found some really GOOD stuff. Do some research about candle and wax makers in your area, you may be surprised what you find!
Basically any other online vendor wax that you see in these bins was purchased last year or earlier. I am a firm believer that wax can last a long time if it's stored properly and get great results from wax that is often a year or two old.
So now I will give you a peek inside each of my wax bins, highlighting a few favorite scents in each one and some thoughts about those scents. Enjoy!
Citrus - Faves:
Candle Lab Grapefruit/Ginger Ale/Hops (just finished up my last clamshell of this, had to make it again, so unbelievably strong, yes that's the hops used in beer),
Sugar and Spice Lemon Curd (love this scent from every vendor but happen to have from S&S right now, best lemon ever with the perfect mix of sweet and tart),
Beezy Satsuma (some satsuma scents are bitter, Beezy's is perfectly sweet and smells exactly like The Body Shop version), and
LPL Glazed Orange Cake (technically a bakery scent but I put it in this bin because it's such a wonderful orange scent with a hint of creamy spice).
Other Fruit - Faves:
Tiffany Candle Exotic (dupe of The Body Shop version, hoarding my second pack of it because I don't know of anyone else who has it),
Rosegirls Black Cherry (cherry is an obsession right now, can't get enough, so strong so have to use a small amount),
Rosegirls Watermelon Slush (best watermelon ever, no floral notes like some melon scents can have),
Front Porch Pineapple Birthday Cake (FP and VCS have the only vendor pineapple oil I like, so good blended with birthday cake)
Drinks - Faves:
Rosegirls Twister (most realistic tea scent I've ever smelled, had to get the mini melts for the blend),
Ten Digit Creations Ginger Ale (amazing, almost spicy ginger ale scent with a hint of fizz, much prefer to the LPL version that most people associate with ginger ale scents),
Sniff My Tarts Strawberry Daiquiri (not a vendor I see myself ordering from again but this scent is fantastic),
Blue Hawaiian from any vendor (my ultimate summer scent, to me it smells like pineapple, coconut and cherry, must always have on hand)
Bakery - Faves:
Rosegirls Cuppa Cake (didn't realize how awesome a scent was until I melted it alone, must always have in my stash),
Tiffany Candles Fluffy Marshmallow/Baker's Dozen (the Baker's Dozen scent reminds me a lot of RG Monster Cookie with a bit more of a sweeter cookie note to it, my current favorite bakery blend),
Rainbow Melts Birthday Confetti Cake (another vendor I probably will not order from again due to not being able to catch an order in almost a year, most unique cake scent ever, almost a grape-y note to it),
Ava's Country Cupboard Ice Cream Cake (strong almond note to it, I'm a sucker for anything nutty these days)
Fall Fruit and Spice - Faves:
Tiffany Candles Winter Dreams (best ever, smells like a sweet spiced apple scent to me, if you've never tried this you must),
RG Scoopable Wax Pear (made by RG Jenny's mom, scoopables are not really my thing but I loved this one),
Ava's Lingonberry Wreath (hoarding this last pack from last fall, smells exactly like The Body Shop's Cranberry to me, this is the only sweet cranberry type scent I like),
Makes Scents Candles Cinnamon Orange Swirl (best cinnamon orange scent ever, I don't see myself ordering from this vendor again due to very long TAT so I need to find a replacement),
Orange Clove from any vendor (always a staple in my stash),
Ava's Cinnamon Broom (amazing non-bakery cinnamon scent, perfect for any time of year),
Leaves from any vendor (BBW dupe, did not like until last year and now I can't imagine fall without this scent)
Fall and Winter Bakery - Faves:
Scentsationals Baked with Love (not usually one to stock up on scents but this one I would never want to be without for fall, perfect spicy pumpkin bakery blend),
Rainbow Melts Santa's Breakfast (delicious eggnog and french toast blend which is one of my favorite blends for fall and winter, hoping to find a replacement if I can't get a RM order in this year),
Lasting Scent Candles Pumpkin Marshmallow Grahams (a fave for a long time, will be sad to melt my last one although I kind of figured the end was near for LSC),
Tiffany Candles Green Apple with Salted Caramel (best caramel apple scent ever, don't like most green apple scents but Tiffany's is true and not candy-like, VCS also has a fantastic green apple),
Vintage Chic Scents Big Brown Bag (another fantastic blender for eggnog is caramel, I believe this one also has a bit of gingerbread thrown in too),
Cider Lane from any vendor (another great caramel apple type blend, with a hint of spice)
Berries - Faves:
Candles from the Keeping Room Fresh Picked Strawberry (haven't been able to order from CFTKR since last year, not really keen on hard to order vendors anymore but Carol is an amazing lady, best strawberry ever, same as VCS Bluebird Cafe which is also hard to get),
Rosegirls Strawberry Jam (probably my second favorite strawberry, mixes well with pretty much anything),
Pauper's Kottage Raspberry Jam (same scent as RG Raspberry Sauce but much faster to arrive at my door than RG),
Wildberry Mousse from any vendor (blends well with lots of scents, my favorite is WM + cotton candy frosting, so sweet and decadent)
Candy and Sweet Treats - Faves:
Rosegirls Swizzle Sticks (another scent that I realized how truly awesome it was when I smelled it on its own),
Rosegirls Taste the Rainbow (down to my last chunk, wondering if I should order the MM's for it now),
Cotton Candy Frosting from any vendor (strongest, most true cotton candy scent out there),
Rosegirls Salt Water Taffy (a new fave, has an almost slightly perfumey note to it when melted that makes it different from normal candy type scents),
Vintage Chic Scents Rockford Peaches (never quite knew what category to put this scent in but it has cotton candy so it ends up here, the peach and Pink Chiffon notes combine to make the ultimate girly fruity scent)
Fruity Bakery - Faves:
Lasting Scent Candles Lemon Ginger Snaps (another LSC scent that I will be sad to see go but I prepared and have enough to last a reasonable amount of time),
Rosegirls Florida Key Lime Pie/Swizzle Sticks (perfect pairing, the swizzle sticks helps bring out the crust note in the key lime pie scent),
Vintage Chic Scents The Philadelphia Story (I love creative pistachio blends, with the strawberry it almost smells like cherry chapstick),
Front Porch Blueberry Stack of Pancakes (smells just like it sounds with a hint of maple syrup, one of hubby's faves),
Candles from the Keeping Room Wildberry Mousse Pizzelle and Strawberry Pizzelle (the pizzelle note adds a delicate bakery note that isn't overpowering, the Candle Lab is getting a pizzelle scent this fall and I cannot wait to blend with it)
Fresh and Floral - Faves:
The Candle Lab Grapefruit and Lavender (The Candle Lab has my favorite lavender ever, very herbal and authentic and have not yet found a vendor lavender that comes close),
Tiffany Candles Raspberry Violet (violet is probably my favorite floral scent ever, raspberry helps sweeten it up),
Rosegirls Sugared Jasmine (a surprise favorite, smells amazing blended with coconut),
Ten Digit Creations Rainforest Sugarcane (my ultimate fresh scent, not too perfume-y or green),
Rosegirls Ginger (very true ginger scent with the slightest perfume undertone, divine blended)
Spicy Bakery and Caramel - Faves:
Rosegirls Strueselkuchen (no explanation needed),
Ten Digit Creations Honey Gingerbread (kind of similar to RG Streuselkuchen with a bit of a syrupy sweetness),
Celtic Moonspice from any vendor (ultimate spicy bakery scent, lingers for hours or even days after melting),
Beezy Amish Quilt (great spicy scent with the slightest bakery undertone)
Mint and Woods - Faves:
Rosegirls Peppermint Coconut Mallow (one of the first RG scents I ever melted, can't really smell the coconut but it just adds to the overall sweetness),
The Bathing Garden Frost Everlasting (a minty cookie smell with the mint being pretty subtle, RG did a special holiday blend called Kaleyn's Christmas Cookie that I believe had this same oil in it, need to find this again and get more),
Front Porch Cinnamon Bayberry (can't go a holiday season without melting this, this is what Christmas smells like to me),
Ten Digit Creations Island Teakwood (can't get enough teakwood scents lately, this one has a slight sweetness to it) and
Rosegirls Christmas Past (nice strong Christmas tree scent that blends well with cranberry, cinnamon marshmallow and vanilla bean noel)
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Whew! I hope you all enjoyed this journey into my wax collection. I'd love to hear how you all store your wax also!
Thanks so much Julie for allowing me to guest post!
