Orange Amber

Got a hilarious note from a customer this week.  It said,  "I can review Orange Amber in two words: Mandarin Moon."

I could almost hear Orange Amber whispering, "I resemble that remark."

But all jesting aside, there are some similarities, although I personally think Mandarin Moon is way spicier.  When I first melted Orange Amber, my first thought was that it smelled an awful lot like an oldie, now retired, Two Harbors.

Orange Amber's description is:  An alluring blend of bitter orange and clementine, exotic wild ginger, cozy cardamom, and sultry amber.

Two Harbor's was:  Escape to distant shores with tart Meyer lemon and refreshing lime, warmed by sweet vanilla and golden amber rays.


As you can see, it is that citrus/amber thing. However, back to the original comparison.  All I can say is, if Orange Amber and Mandarin Moon were 20's movie characters, Mandarin Moon would be a wild flapper dancing the Charleston and Orange Amber would be the refined gentleman retired to his palatial library.  Gotta say, I do like both, but I'm a little less...well, enervated...by Orange Amber.

But, all it really boils down to is...do you like citrus scents?  Or not?  Does it hedge on orange cleaner, or is it better than that?

Orange Amber is just orange mellowed by amber--not too cleanerish--and just fine.  It is Two Harbors redux, Mandarin Moon only less spicy, Sunkissed Citrus, only, well, a little different.  In other words, we've been there, done that.  And the down side for me is that Orange Amber seems to fade into the sunset pretty quickly...I got a day.  So, the scent is a 6, throw is an 8, and last is a 5.

Next up in the Scentsy Fall 2014 review line-up:  Gonna switch things up and turn up my girly-girl with Shimmer.

Sugar and Spice....

and Everything Nice....

Well, Mother Goose was pretty charitable attributing all those good things to little girls, wasn't she, when all the boys got were snips and snails and puppy dog tails?   When I was thinking about Scentsy's new Everything Nice scent, I couldn't help but google the poem to remind myself how it all goes, and I found out something pretty amazing, but more about that later.

Everything Nice

Sugar and spice and everything nice: deep caramel and swirls of butter with roasted pumpkin and glazed pecans.

When I first melted Everything nice, it reminded me of something I couldn't quite place my finger on.  At first, I thought maybe it was that sweet potato marshmallow casserole my sister-in-law brought to our Thanksgiving dinners.  You know the one.  But that wasn't quite right.  Finally, it dawned on me that it smelled just like the sweet potato pie that my adorable daughter got from her equally adorable mother-in-law.  Just like it.  I'm pretty fork-shy of sweet potatoes (they're sweet.  I find that weird), and sweet potato casserole is about the only way I can eat them.  It's the quintessential southern-style pie--lots of butter, brown sugar, spice, sweet potatoes (of course) and if it were up to me, gobs of pecans.

That's what Everything Nice smells like.  It's not bad for a sweet scent.  But you know me.  I wouldn't voluntarily melt a sweet scent if I had something else on hand.  But, if you like the scent of oodles of brown sugar floating in melted butter, with a hint of pumpkin and pecan, then this will be your winner.  For me, it is an acceptable sweet one (meaning it doesn't send me gagging like Caramel Pear Crisp), and the throw and last are outstanding.  It is still going strong in my warmers; I started it yesterday morning and I keep my warmers on all the time, even at night.  All in all, I give it a 5 for scent (that sweet thing), and a 10 for throw and last.

Next review?  Orange Amber

Mother Goose

Now, back to the Mother Goose thing.  Mother Goose was the backbone of my early childhood, and I very vividly recall the big Mother Goose book of rhymes we had at home right down to the illustrations.  But, when I googled the poem with What are Little Girls Made of, I was blown away.   I had no idea that there was a long version of the poem!  The original version is attributed to a 19th century poet, Robert Southey, however, it is believed that unknown authors extended it over the years until it became this somewhat ballad-like version.  It goes like this:

  What are little babies made of, made of? 

          What are little babies made of?
             Diapers and crumbs and sucking their thumbs;
          That's what little babies are made of.

          What are little boys made of, made of?                                      
          What are little boys made of?
             Snips and snails and puppy-dog tails;
          That's what little boys are made of.     

                                         

          What are little girls made of, made of?
          What are little girls made of?
             Sugar and spice and everything nice;
          That's what little girls are made of.

          What are young men made of, made of?
          What are young men made of?
             Sighs and leers and crocodile tears;
          That's what young men are made of.

          What are young women made of, made of?                                
          What are young women made of?
             Rings and jings and other fine things;                                        
          That's what young women are made of.  

                                     

          What are our sailors made of, made of?
          What are our sailors made of?
             Pitch and tar, pig-tail and scar;
          That's what our sailors are made of.

          What are our soldiers made of, made of?
          What are our soldiers made of?
             Pipeclay and drill, the foeman to kill;
          That's what our soldiers are made of.

          What are our nurses made of, made of?
          What are our nurses made of?
             Bushes and thorns and old cow's horns;
          That's what our nurses are made of.

          What are our fathers made of, made of?
          What are our fathers made of?
             Pipes and smoke and collars choke;
          That's what our fathers are made of.

          What are our mothers made of, made of?
          What are our mothers made of?
             Ribbons and laces and sweet pretty faces.

         That's what our mothers are made of.

          What are old men made of, made of?
          What are old men men made of?

          Slippers that flop and a bald headed top.

That's what old men are made of. 

          What are old women made of, made of?
          What are old women made of?
             Reels, and jeels, and old spinning wheels;
          That's what old women are made of.

          What are all folks made of, made of?
          What are all folks made of?
             Fighting a spot and loving a lot,
          That's what all folks are made of.

Boho Chic!

                Scentsy does Boho Chic with its own version via scent---Boho!

A bohemian fragrance of clove-studded winter apples entwined with juicy black plums, candied mulberries, and cinnamon sticks.

          

      One thing I really like about this scent is its balance.  A lot of fall scents really bring on the cinnamon and clove pretty strongly---and I like that—but once you have done it, then what?  Boho reminds me a lot of an older Yankee scent whose name escapes me right now, but it is the right blend of fruit, spice, and that undertone of fall woodiness that can be very pleasing.  Boho is perhaps a bit stronger on the fruity than the rest.  And big bonus?  It is not toooo apple-y.  I definitely get more of the plum/mulberry vibe, and that is just fine by me.  Another big plus is the departure from that perfume note that was bugging me in Pom Pear and,  to a lesser extent, Sno-leil. 

            Boho is another Scentsy fruit story success .  I like it quite a bit, although, once again, it doesn’t cross over into the love department.  I give Boho a 7 plus.  The scent throw is pretty good, although it’s not a screamer, another strong 7, and the last is acceptable—a solid full day and a half per cube, another 7.

            Next up in the Scentsy Fall 2014 trials?  Everything Nice

Sno-leil

Sno-leil Hits the Warmers  

              My warmers were on hiatus this last week while I honked and hacked my way through a little bronchitis, but now that I’m rejoining the human race and can smell just a little bit, I thought I’d report back on Sno-leil, which was the last scent I warmed before becoming  Suz, the Red-Nosed Cougher.

            Sno-leil melted in my warmers for a good four days, giving me plenty of time to decide it was a like, not a love.

A merry mélange of sparkling citrus, iced nashi pear, and decadent marshmallow mousse.

            I get lots of marshmallow, with an even bigger serving of citrus.  It doesn’t measure up to my beloved My Wish, but it is still good.  I’m still scratching my head trying to figure out where the name fits in.  It isn’t snowy, although I still feel it is Christmasy---in a visions of sugar plums sort of way.  Even so, what prevents it from crossing over into my love territory is a vague perfume note that so overwhelmed Pom Pear for me.  Maybe it is the pear that is turning me off?  Not sure that’s it, though, because Simply Nashi Pear and  Honey Pear Cider don’t give me that impression.

            Regardless, Sno-leil is a good fall and winter scent that I think will appeal to lots of people.  It is sweet without rotting your teeth, and it is a nice winter-change-of-pace from balsamy and cinnamony scents (which I love, but how many can you melt?)

            A solid 6 on Snoleil, although the throw is excellent at 10, and the lasting power is amazing; I got 2 days for each cube. 

            Next up in the Scentsy Fall Scent Trials?  Boho!

Welcome Fall

Pomegranate Pear

Sweet nashi pear garnished with violet petals, pomegranate seeds, and curls of orange zest.


I was an avid reader as a young girl, and I vividly remember the Pooh stories that always began something like....In Which Pooh Learns...

This review should be prefaced....In Which Suz Learns, Yet Again, that Melting a Scent Changes Everything She Thought She Knew About It.

The delicious woody character I detected in Pom Pear on cold sniff was undoubtedly due to the violet petals. Yet violet petals become decidedly perfumey and floral when melted. How quickly I forget. Another scent I had so much hope for, only to become something I don't particularly care for when warmed. I'm oh-for-two in the fall scent trials.

It's not that this isn't relatively pleasant. It is okay. But, the name is misleading, because this is really meant for floral lovers. I like the soft florals, not the violet petal florals. In fact, I still have a lot of Violet Leaves from last year's scent of the year that I just can't bring myself to melt. I just wouldn't be inclined to ever seek Pom Pear out because it is not my thing. I was picturing a fall cornucopia overfilled with pomegranate and late season pears surrounded with vining fall leaves on a crisp fall day. Pom Pear is an old-fashioned perfume spritzer on my grandma's vanity.

Scent Rating: 5

Scent Throw: 9

Scent Lasting Power: will update

Tomorrow's trial? Sno-leil! Marshmallow never disappoints.



In Family News

September really is the best month in the Pacific Northwest. After a long, hot, dry summer (this year anyway), the mornings are crisp and cool, yet the days are still sunny and warm. Perfect. Please stay like this forever!

Our Little Buddy will be 8 months old tomorrow and Wee Elf will be 16 months old just a few days after that. Little Buddy is sooooo close to crawling. That boy is just one big ball o'happy--just about the most cheerful little dude you're gonna run across, but when he does cry. Oh My! The drama involved about melts your heart. The little little lip pouts out, the wide blue eyes pour wee tears, and then the saddest cry known to man comes pouring out. Way to manipulate Grandma, Little Guy! And of course, he's a genius. Here he is--already learning to drive the tractor. See how he's reaching for the shift knob?

Of course, we all know Elf has had Grandma wrapped around her little finger for a goodly while now. Girlfriend is a wee version of a Mad Scientist these days....what happens if I stick this in the cabinet? Will it be there when I open the door back up? Why Yes! Yes, it's there! Oh wait! Hey, it's me in the mirror! Look, I can spear watermelon out of the serving bowl myself! Her Mom and Dad are amazing at letting her do things for herself, and she does! She handles a fork better than most adults, fergoshsakes. Here she is sitting on her favorite "chair"--a FoodSaver box, lol.

I'm looking forward to enjoying a few more weeks of this delicious weather with my babies. Got to get them outside while the getting is good.

Where's the Cedar?

Cedar Cider

LeSigh.

An autumn medley of the reddest apples, cinnamon sticks, and vanilla beans nestled among fragrant white cedar branches.

Nope.  Cedar Cider is another pleasantish apple/cinnamon combo with maybe a HINT of cedar that, to me, smells just like all the other apple/cinnamon combos that Scentsy has trotted out over the past few years.  I was really hoping for lots and lots of cedar with a hint of apple and cinnamon, but that just isn't happening folks.  This is apple and cinnamon for the apple and cinnamon lover, though, because the throw is great!  This is the Big Apple; I can smell my downstairs warmers throughout the house and back again.

I just wanted something different.  Something more like Yankee's Apple Wreath, which has a strong woody component that screams "It's Fall!  Put out the pumpkins!  Break out those sweaters."

Cedar Cider just says "bapple...."

Scent Rating:             6
Scent Throw:            10
Scent Last:               8

First Impressions

Scentsy's New Fall Scents

Just got in my shipment of Scentsy's newest scents in the fall catalog.  This is my impression of them on cold sniff.  Totally could change once they are melted.  Individual reviews forthcoming once I've melted these.  The description in italics is how Scentsy describes them:

Ambrosia (the September sotm):
    The sweetest fruit salad ever: tropical pineapple, mandarin orange slices, juicy pears, and ripe concord grapes with hints of jam and fruit nectar. 
   Very, very sweet.  I get lots of pineapple and grapes on cold sniff.  Did I mention it is SWEET?  Not sure this is up my alley.

Autumn Blaze Maple
     A bountiful harvest of crisp apples and earthy pumpkins with golden maple syrup, warm cinnamon, and a ribbon of smoldering oak.
     Cold sniff detects a LOT of maple with a bit of cinnamon.  Not getting much else.

Boho
     A bohemian fragrance of clove-studded winter apples entwined with juicy black plums, candied mulberries, and cinnamon sticks.
     Very interesting scent.  Think this will be a keeper.  I get just a tiny dab of clove, lots of plum and berries, and something just a little bit earthy--maybe the cinnamon.  A little apple, too, but not gobs.  I'm not an apple scent person, so that's a bit of a relief.  

Cedar Cider
     An autumn medley of the reddest apples, cinnamon sticks, and vanilla beans nestled among fragrant white cedar branches.
     This was my most looked-forward-to scent of the whole bunch.  A little disappointed in the cold sniff.  I mainly get apple and cinnamon.  Really hoping the cedar develops when warmed because I love cedar scents.  Not unpleasant, but not what I had hoped for.  C'mon cedar!!!!

Crumb Top
     The perfect blend of oats, butter, and brown sugar to top your favorite dessert.
     Smells like melted butter and brown sugar.  Very realistic.  Not unpleasant, just not what I usually choose to melt.

Everything Nice
     Sugar and spice and everything nice: deep caramel and swirls of butter with roasted pumpkin and glazed pecans.
     Well, kudos to Scentsy for photorealism in their scents this year.  Boy, they have been spot on with their bakery scents.  Smells just like the description.  It is very sweet, and not my thing, but I can see that bakery-scent lovers will go wild for this one.  Buttery caramel, lots of glazed pecans, and a smattering of pumpkins and spices.

Love you Berry Much
     A fragrance to crush on: bursting red berries, dreamy white peach, and tart cranberry finished with a splash of vanilla.
     Not sure why Scentsy places this in the Romance category--it is one of the least romantic scents I can imagine.  .  Not loving it at all.  I really can't pick out any one scent note, just an overall impression of very sweet fruit that has been made into perfume.  Perhaps warming it will warm it to me.

Orange Amber
     An alluring blend of bitter orange and clementine, exotic wild ginger, cozy cardamom, and sultry amber.
     I definitely get the orange and the cardamom.  Not much else, but I am hopeful that warming it will bring out the ginger and amber and get rid of that "I'm an orange cleaner" impression.  We shall see.  I am very hopeful and wanting to like this one.  A strong maybe.

Pomegranate Pear
     Sweet nashi pear garnished with violet petals, pomegranate seeds, and curls of orange zest.
     A totally surprise like!  From the description, I thought this would be a strong "No", but wow, am I very surprised.  This is a very well balanced blend and none of the scent notes overpower the others.  Excited to melt this one.  Not a sweet fruit, but almost gives a barely detectable woody note that is fallish and extremely pleasant.

Salted Caramel Cupcake
     Creamy golden caramel with hints of cocoa and delicate pink sea salt crowns a buttery cupcake.
     I've never had a salted caramel cupcake, so I can't say whether this smells like it or not.  It is a very very sweet bakery scent with lots and lots of caramel, and I can definitely smell cake.  It doesn't repulse me, but not being a sweet lover, I can say with certainly that warming it won't be my thing.  

Shimmer
     Get your girly-girl on! Sweet cherries, velvety apricots, and sensual white musk crowned with a tiara of shimmering spun sugar.
     This reminds me of those fruity perfumes that are so popular in places like Victoria's Secret.  It is not at all unpleasant, and actually, I find myself drawn to scents like this at times.  It is like a cross of Surfer Chick and Flirtatious.

Sno-leil
     A merry mélange of sparkling citrus, iced nashi pear, and decadent marshmallow mousse.
     Everyone has to have secret indulgences--you know, like watching (and loving) b-grade disaster movies, or eating red licorice, or loving marshmallow scents.  This reminds me a lot of the now-gone My Wish, which was a secret indulgence of mine.  In spite of my distaste for sweet scents generally, I love love love marshmallow scents, and this is a really really good one.  What makes it different from My Wish is the strong citrus note.  Yum!  This reminds me of baking goodies at Christmas time, and I'm looking forward to melting it.