Candles -Tocca - YMA
freskagirl 1/28/2005 9:27:00 PM
Yma is my favorite Tocca scent! I agree with bchamp's assessment--sweet guava with tart red currant. No greenness, no floral (to my nose). It is indeed intoxicating. And the throw on mine is quite strong, though I've read complaints from others about the throw.
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Gels/Soaps -Tocca - Bagno Profumato in Stella (blood orange)
freskagirl 1/28/2005 9:23:00 PM
Great scent--tart blood orange with a touch of leafy greenness--nice packaging, lots of bubbles. Love it!
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Gels/Soaps -Tocca - Saponé Stella (Blood Orange Soap)
freskagirl 1/28/2005 9:20:00 PM
Tocca Stella is a beautiful scent--tart blood orange with a touch of leafy greenness. Fantastic for spring and summer! This big bar of soap comes in a cute gift-able box, and the scent lasts (so many of my soaps seem to lose their scent over time). I just wish I could get this one to lather a bit more. For that reason, I prefer the body wash to the bar soap.
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Scrubs -Unlisted Brand - Sunshine Spa Lavender with St. John's Wort & Celtic Sea Salt Herbal Salt Scrub
freskagirl 1/28/2005 11:16:00 AM
If you buy this, get it at Trader Joe's, where it's only $6 for a giant 20.5 oz jar, as opposed to the $12-$15 they charge at other places. This scrub is a fine-grained salt scrub with just enough oil. It's not overly oily by any means. The texture, quantity and price are the best things about this product. The scent isn't so thrilling--this has a rather dull, one-note, somewhat medicinal lavender scent. I'd try this stuff in another scent.
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Candles -Archipelago Botanicals - Shanghai Glass Jar Candle
freskagirl 1/26/2005 10:54:00 PM
Shanghai is a blend of ginger, cardamom and willow bark. I smell a lot of wood and some light spice--beautiful! Strong throw, and great glass lidded jar. Love these AB glass jar candles and must have more! $17 at xanadus.com.
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Candles -Archipelago Botanicals - Malaga Glass Jar Candle
freskagirl 1/26/2005 10:51:00 PM
I was pointed in the direction of this wonderful candle by the Queen of All Candles, Ms. Hollyfaery! As always, hollyfaery steered me right...Malaga is a fabulous blend of blood orange and clove, with a touch of vanilla. Tangy and spicy, perfect for the cooler months and a must-have for all fans of cloves out there (like me). I believe it was also hollyfaery who recommended the glass jar ABs in particular, as they tend to have a stronger throw than the pillars. Well, again, no surprise, she was right--great throw on this! For $17 you get 60 hours of burn time in a classy plain glass vessel with a nifty glass lid. Lots of great, complex scents--can't wait to try more! I got mine at xanadus.com.
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Candles -Archipelago Botanicals - A.B. Home Candle in Chocolate & Orange
freskagirl 1/26/2005 10:44:00 PM
I'd had good luck with AB's glass jar candles, and was excited to try this blend of chocolate and orange. It's a big 14 ounce candle, and has a nice dark chocolate and orange scent...but no throw. Major disappointment.
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Candles -L'Artisan Fragrances - The et Pain D'Epices
freskagirl 1/26/2005 10:39:00 PM
On my recent trip to New York I went to Barney's and splurged on this candle. I can't really add much to what dreamstorm said: it's Tea for Two in candle form, and since I love Tea for Two's spicy, smokey tea scent, I love The et Pain d'Epices!
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Candles -Unlisted Brand - Voluspa Casimiroa
freskagirl 1/26/2005 4:34:00 PM
I have mixed feelings on the Voluspa line. Pretty packaging, some complex and lovely scents (though they don't all live up to their promising descriptions), but no throw (with the very major exception of the Clove Pomander candle). Casimiroa is a lovely, distinctive blend of ginger, chocolate and a touch of floral. I'd say it has low-to-medium throw. In my spacious living room, I can't smell this at all. However, it's quite powerful in my tiny bathroom. I find myself far preferring the cheaper, stronger, and often just as complex scents of Soyology candles. $20 for a 10 oz candle at nooksandniches.com.
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Candles -Unlisted Brand - Voluspa Grapefruit Mint Cuttings
freskagirl 1/26/2005 4:28:00 PM
This sounded like such a fantastic scent to me: "grapefruit mint, yuzu, cucumber, and red ginger." But when I got it...I could barely smell it! Cold or burning, it emits no scent. In my tiny bathroom--nothing! Sticking my nose right up in it I could detect a faint whiff of grapefruit and a faint whiff of mint--but no yuzu or cucumber, and certainly no ginger! Bleah. Such a disappointment at $20.
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Candles -Unlisted Brand - Voluspa Clove Pomander
freskagirl 1/26/2005 4:26:00 PM
I really enjoyed the Clove Pomander candle this past holiday season. I first tried it in the small $6 votive size. The little one had a such a great throw (unlike the other Voluspas I've tried), that I splurged and spend $20 on the full 10 oz size. Clove Pomander is a wonderful spicy scent, heavy on the clove and light on the citrus. Voluspa candles are in basic, clear glass, with cute pressed tin lids, and in pretty boxes, perfect for gift-giving. Got mine at nooksandniches.com.
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Lotions/ Creams -Unlisted Brand - Soyology Luna Body Balm
freskagirl 1/26/2005 12:20:00 AM
Soyology Luna is described as a blend of lavender, vanilla and oatmeal. It's a soft, comforting scent, kind of milky and not overly sweet. The lotion is creamy and sinks in fast, and leaves my skin nice and soft. $12 for 8 oz. at nooksandniches.com.
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Lotions/ Creams -Unlisted Brand - Soyology Chai Body Balm
freskagirl 1/26/2005 12:18:00 AM
This is the Chai scent I've been longing for! The scent of milky, sweetened spice tea, heavy on the clove and light on the cinnamon--perfection. (I've tried several small etailer chai scents, and all were so heavily cinnamony they smelled more like Big Red gum than chai.) The lotion itself is creamy and moisturizing, and absorbs quickly. I like layering this with my L'Artisan Tea for Two EDT. $12 for 8 oz at nooksandniches.com.
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Candles -Unlisted Brand - Soyology Suede Candle
freskagirl 1/26/2005 12:15:00 AM
I bought this Soyology candle (as I've bought all my Soyologys so far) from nooksandniches.com (great customer service!) Here is the website's description of this fabulously complex candle's scent: "Captivating top notes of geranium, damask rose and a heart of orange honey. Bottom notes...warm, sweet, smoky accord of vanilla, sandalwood and honeyed tobacco leaf." When I burn this, I don't smell much floral. I mostly smell a gorgeous, rich spicy tobacco scent, sweetened with honey. I love it--and I don't normally like honey. Great throw, and only $12.
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Candles -Unlisted Brand - Soyology Sorbet Candle
freskagirl 1/26/2005 12:12:00 AM
Soyology candles are great soy candles with strong throw, and only $12 each. Sorbet was a slight disappointment to me. Described as "Brandy soaked bosc pear with a hint of lemon," I smell only a straight-up, slightly tart lemon scent. I don't smell any brandy, but the pear smells true. If you're looking for a pretty straightforward-yet-tangy pear scent, this is the candle for you.
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