Since July, I've placed several orders with Candles By Victoria because usually by that time, I'm ready for summer to end and fall to begin, so I wanted to order "a few" fall scented candles. Well...A few turned into 57,000. Her candles are so cute and highly scented, and I may have gone a little overboard because I was so impressed by them.
First, let me start by explaining a couple things about CBV. Each candle you purchase is hand poured and made to order, which means that these candles are not sitting around on a shelf, waiting to be bought. Because of this, the processing times can be a bit lengthy (especially during sales). It's completely worth it though because Victoria's candles are amazing. They are beautifully decorated, the scent is throughout the candle (instead of just in the top layer like some store-bought candles) and the prices are really great, especially when you take into account that some of them are not just regular candles. On top of the already [very] reasonable prices, if you enter code "cbvictoria" at checkout, you'll get 10% off every order.
Something else you need to know is that because the candles are made to order, there's a certain amount of cure time required. What does that mean? Basically, your candle may not smell exactly as it was described on the website when it reaches you. Don't worry. If you give it some time, that will change. The amount of time it takes for a candle to cure is debatable. A lot of people on the CBV forum seem to believe that bakery scents need to cure for 6 months before they're ready to burn. I'm mostly a bakery person (a lot of Victoria's bakery scents are perfect for fall), so that's what the majority of the candles I ordered are. When my candles first arrived, a lot of them didn't give off a very strong scent, or the scent I was expecting. After 2 weeks, though, I felt that they were cured.
When your order arrives, make sure you check the entire box! Victoria sends a free scent shot with every order and because the box is filled with packing peanuts, it is VERY easy to miss it. You'll want to check out the Candle Care section of the website to find some information on the best way to make the most of your candles.
I would also like to mention that I had a question about a particular scent and I e-mailed Victoria about it. She responded quickly and she was very helpful. I'm always appreciative of good customer service, I think it says a lot about a company.
Okay, onto the candles! I'll list the name of the candle, how many ounces, price, type of scent and the description on the website, plus any comments I may have on it (unfortunately I'm really bad at describing scents). For the specialty candles, I will list the scents they are comprised of and the descriptions from the website, so some scent descriptions may appear multiple times.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Sweet Treat (Bakery) 15 oz. $15
We begin this candle with our Spiced Pumpkin Chutney fragrance, we then add a layer of cream cheese and finally we top it off with a full wax pumpkin embed and sprinkle it with cinnamon.
-Spiced Pumpkin Chutney (Bakery) - A perfect blend of fresh pumpkin, just a touch of spice and a hint of citrus makes this one awesome autumn fragrance.
This is one of the first candles I ordered because I LOVE anything pumpkin scented. (I also really enjoy apple and cinnamon scents.)
Splashing around in Pumpkin Gingerbread goodness this little wax embed Gingerbread man knows how to have fun. We begin with a layer of Buttery Gingerbread, followed by maple crumbles then we added a layer of our hand whipped wax in Spiced Pumpkin Chutney. We topped the whole thing off with little wax pumpkin embeds and a wax gingerbread man.
-Buttery Gingerbread (Bakery) - Melt in your mouth, fresh from the oven and slathered with butter. This is "the" Gingerbread!
-Spiced Pumpkin Chutney (Bakery) - A perfect blend of fresh pumpkin, just a touch of spice and a hint of citrus makes this one awesome autumn fragrance.
This little guy is one of my favorites. The candle itself is adorable. When I first received it, this was one of the candles that didn't give off much of a scent. But now I definitely smell the pumpkin and the gingerbread. The only problem is that this one is so cute that I don't want to burn it.
Slice Some Scent Design 3 in Amish Quilt (Bakery) 16-18 oz. $13
The base of Slice Some Scent is our soft container wax the embeds are in our harder scent shot wax... no wicks in these beauties just slice out the amount you want and throw it in your tart warmer!
-Amish Quilt (Bakery) -This is the perfect country fragrance! Spicy, sweet and complex. Vanilla intertwines with a spice cabinet of cinnamon, clove, allspice, kissed with sugar. Hints of nutmeg and fruits peak out from the heart notes. If you are not a fan of bakery scents, this is nowhere near the typical "bakery" realm, give it a try! Very unique and different.
As the description says, this is *not* a candle, it is wax for your tart warmer. There are several different Slice Some Scent designs, but I wanted this one because it reminds me of fall with the pumpkins, gingerbread men and pecans. You can order this in any of Victoria's scents, it does not have to be Amish Quilt.
Farm House Gathering Cutie (Bakery) 18 oz. $20
This candle is scented in Farm House Gathering, a customer create a scent of Country Bumpkin and Fresh Coffee. We start with a tan layer of wax, we then whip up a white wax topping in the same scent, we then added a single white wax heart, a wax cinnamon stick, sprinkle the whole thing in real cinnamon and top it with platinum glitter and chocolate sprinkles.
-Country Bumpkin (bakery) - A wonderful complex blend of apples, candied yams, marshmallows, sweet cream butter, brown sugar, nutmeg, crushed cinnamon bark and fresh cloves.
If you like coffee scents, you will really like this candle. I don't really get the Country Bumpkin scent as much as the coffee scent, but that may come out more on warm throw.
Maple Butter Pumpkin Frap (Bakery) 24 oz. $20
First we start with a layer of our Maple Butter fragrance, we then added a layer of wax pumpkins and maple crumbs. Next we add a whipped layer of our wonderful Pumpkin Frap fragrance, we tossed a few more pumpkins on top for a bit of country charm then sprinkled the whole thing with real cinnamon. Double wicked for a perfect burn, this is one strong and adorable candle!
-Maple Butter Crunch (Bakery) -Rich maple butter with buttercream crunch.
-Pumpkin Frappuccino (Bakery) - Pumpkin with a coffee kick.
Again with the pumpkins. I really do have a problem and I'm working on it, but for right now, I'm just going to keep enjoying all things "pumpkin." This does smell exactly like a pumpkin frap and the candle is HUGE.
Donut Shoppe Bake Shoppe (Bakery) 18 oz. $22.50
We begin with a layer of Cinnamon Donuts, we then add another layer of hand whipped wax in the same scent, we circle the whole thing with wax donut embeds, pop another one on top, sprinkle with colored candies and serve it up to you piping hot.
-Cinnamon Donuts (Bakery) - A treat that will keep you coming back for more. This is a wonderful bakery scent.. light on the cinnamon but heavy on the yummy!
I went back and forth about this one. I realllllly wanted it because it's one of the cutest things I've ever seen, but I kept saying, "It doesn't look 'fall enough.'" In the end, cuteness won out and I'm so glad I bought this candle because not only is it cute, it definitely does work as a fall scent because of the cinnamon element. It's not an overpowering cinnamon, it's just the right amount. Combined with the doughy scent, it's such an incredible candle.
Caramel Gingered Apple Crisp Comfort (Bakery) 16 oz. $16.75
We begin this candle with a layer of maple goodness. We then add a whipped layer of caramel, ginger and apple cinnamon, arranged apple slice embeds around the side and on the top then we add wax maple butter crumbles as a finish touch.
Ever since this candle arrived yesterday, I smell apples. Everywhere. I was so surprised by how strong the scent is already. It instantly became one of my favorites.
Layered Butterscotch Coconut Cream (Bakery) 32 oz. $25
This candle is poured in a clear glass 32 oz. bowl, is triple wicked for a perfect burn and a heavenly scent throw. This candle begins with a layer of our blend of creamy Cheesecake with whipped cream, the next layer is a mix of Butterscotch, Creme Brulee and Butter Cream Crunch, and finally we added a whipped layer of Coconut Cream Pie, then sprinkled the whole thing with gold sprinkles, and if all that wasn't enough we added Butterscotch Kisses as a final touch to this delectable candle!
-Cheesecake (Bakery) - A perfect New York Cheesecake is what this yummy scent reminds us of!
-Creme Brulee (Bakery) - Wonderful traditional vanilla custard with a hint of caramelized sugar.
-Buttercream Crunch (Bakery) - Creamy coconut, sugary sweet maple and rich butter mingle with a heart of fresh ginger, nutmeg and decadent cocoa. A subtle touch of vanilla is the precise finish to this tantalizing aroma.
-Coconut Cream Pie (Bakery) - A sweet bakery scent that sends you straight to the store for a Mrs. Pauls Coconut Cream Pie!
Okay, I admit...This is not a fall candle at all. But it was so beautiful that I had to have it. And it's such a great deal for the size it is and the price you pay for it. I can't really comment on the scent as it still needs a little more time to cure, but I have high hopes for this one.
That's all for the decorative candles. Let's move onto the rest of them.
CAS 16 oz. Mason Jar Candle $14.75
This is a create a scent candle that I came up with. With CAS, you get to choose two scents to be mixed together, you pick the color and name it. The two scents I chose were Country Bumpkin and Bonfire Bliss.
-Country Bumpkin (Bakery) - A wonderful complex blend of apples, candied yams, marshmallows, sweet cream butter, brown sugar, nutmeg, crushed cinnamon bark and fresh cloves.
-Bonfire Bliss (Earthy) - The outstanding fragrance reminiscent of gentle, dusky breezes and bonfires, with notes of dried wind-blown leaves, heliotrope, charred woods of pine and cedar, amber, smoky sandalwood, on a musky background containing hints of roasted marshmallows, brown sugar, coconut and soft vanillas.
So, here's the reason I named this candle Midnight Society. Country Bumpkin is a very nice fall scent and when I think of fall, I think of Halloween. Always. Combine Halloween and sitting around the fire, and my next thought is going to be telling ghost stories. If you've ever watched Are You Afraid of the Dark? the group of kids who told scary stories around the fire every week called themselves the Midnight Society.
I am really happy with the way this candle turned out. At first, I could only smell Country Bumpkin, but after a couple weeks, Bonfire Bliss became more noticeable and now it's the perfect blend of both scents. I'm really excited to light this one once it gets a bit cooler out.
16 oz. Country Jar Candles $12.75 each
-Trick or Treat (House Blends) - Caramel Corn and Buttercream Crunch
--Caramel Corn (Bakery) - You can smell the caramel, the butter, the popcorn and a touch of maple.
--Buttercream Crunch (Bakery) - Creamy Coconut, sugary sweet maple and rich butter mingle with a heart of fresh ginger, nutmeg and decadent cocoa. A touch of vanilla is the precise finish to this tantalizing aroma.
-Pumpkin Apple Cinnamon Bread (Bakery) - Sweet creamy pumpkin, rich cinnamon apple with a crunchy strudel base note.
-Leaves (type) (Bakery) - Rich Autumn notes of Fresh ground cinnamon generously sprinkled over tasty dried apple peel. Allspice, fresh clove bud, and drips of Vermont maple complete this festive aroma.
Of these three, my favorite is definitely Pumpkin Apple Cinnamon Bread. It combines all three of my favorite fall scents, can't really go wrong with this one. Leaves (type) reminds me of the way a craft store smells during fall (and I mean that in a good way). Trick or Treat was my favorite when I first received it, but after a while the scent became very overwhelming. It's really nice, but it's so strong and sweet.
16 oz. Country Jar Candle $12.75
-Bonfire Bliss (Earthy) - This outstanding fragrance is reminiscent of gentle, dusky breezes and bonfires, with notes of dried wind-blown leaves, heliotrope, charred woods of pine and cedar, amber, smoky sandalwood, on a musky background containing hints of roasted marshmallows, brown sugar, coconut and soft vanillas.
Wood Wick Candle 12 oz. $13.75
-Country Bumpkin (Bakery) - A wonderful complex blend of apples, candied yams, marshmallows, sweet cream butter, brown sugar, nutmeg, crushed cinnamon bark and fresh cloves.
On its own, Bonfire Bliss reminds me of the beach. I think it's the sandalwood? I really like it though. As for the wood wick candle, the thing to note here is that it will crackle when you like it, which is pretty cool. Just make sure to keep the wick trimmed to an 1/8 of an inch (I think) for that one.
8 oz. No Frills Sampler $44
-Apple Butter Festival (Customer Creations ) - Apple Cinnamon Butter and Kettle Corn.
--Apple Cinnamon Butter (Bakery) - Rich warm cinnamon with bakery notes of Apple Butter just like Grandma used to make.
--Kettle Corn (Bakery) - Dating all the way back to colonial America, kettle corn has been enormously popular for its perfect blend of sweetness and saltiness.
-Autumn Leaves (Earthy) - Smell this one with your eyes shut and you'll be reminded of a cool, sunny fall afternoon. Note that this is not a burning leaves fragrance. This one is green and musky with heavy notes of bergamot and is simply a must have for the fall season.
-Baked Apple Strudel (Bakery) - Lots of bakery apple with cinnamon and buttery top notes.
- Pumpkin Cider (Bakery) - Spicy pumpkin with apple cider.. nothing smells more like fall!
-Pumpkin Pie Spice (Bakery) - Grandma's Pumpkin Pie never smelled so good. All the spices that make your mouth water.
- Under the Harvest Moon (House Blends) - Why I Autumn and Leaves Type.
--Why I Autumn (House Blends) - An Autumn blend of lemon and apple; followed with middle notes of anise, cinnamon, and ginger; sitting on well-rounded base notes of woods, musk and vanilla.
--Leaves (type) (Bakery) - Rich Autumn notes of Fresh ground cinnamon generously sprinkled over tasty dried apple peel. Allspice, fresh clove bud, and drips of Vermont maple complete this festive aroma.
Of these six, Apple Butter Festival, Baked Apple Strudel and Pumpkin Cider are my favorites. Apple Butter Festival smells exactly like a mixture of the food at a fall festival. I also want to mention that Autumn Leaves literally smells like a pile of wet leaves. All the reviews kept saying that and I was very skeptical because I didn't understand how Victoria could possibly get that scent in a candle, but she did.
Room Spray 4 oz. $6 each (I know the bottle says 8 oz., but the website says 4 oz.)
-Pumpkin Cupcake (Bakery/House Blends) - A warm luscious bakery blend of spiced pumpkin, cake and rich buttercream frosting.
-Monster Mash (Bakery) - A killer fragrance to say the least! The aroma of freshly picked blueberries, fresh cut Granny Smith apples, smothered in butter, cream and cinnamon with a background of baked crust.
-Cider Web (House Blends) - Mulled Cider and Sugared Corn Pudding.
--Sugared Corn Pudding (Bakery) - Notes of fresh corn, butter, creamy milk and sugar.
Make sure you shake these sprays well before using them!
My favorite is Pumpkin Cupcake. It's a very creamy, vanilla/pumpkin cupcake scent. It reminds me of cake batter. There's definitely some spice in there, but it's subtle. Cider Web is nice, but I have to make sure not to spray too much because it is very strong. I wasn't crazy about Monster Mash at first because I don't really care for blueberry scents (I honestly only purchased it because of the name), but it grew on me and I like it a lot now.
Body Spray 8 oz. $12.50 each
-Melissa's Pumpkin Pie Spice (Bakery) - Grandma's Pumpkin Pie never smelled so good. All the spices that make your mouth water.
-Spellbound (fruity) - When you think of fun you think of Cotton Candy! We have taken the aroma of sweet, fresh spun cotton candy and combined with fresh tart granny smith apples to create this super fun and unique fragrance. Spellbound begins with top notes of tart granny smith apples and creamy butter, followed by a middle note of caramel sauce all sitting on base notes of vanilla, maple and spun sugar.
Against my better judgment, I ordered a body spray in Pumpkin Pie Spice. I kept telling myself no. I do not want to smell like pumpkin pie. But as I've already said, I love everything pumpkin scented. I was on a pumpkin kick, I just had to do it. And I should have just listened to myself. There is something in this scent that I'm really not crazy about it and I'm not sure what it is. And it's strange because I don't notice it in the candle I have with this scent. I think what it comes down to is that Pumpkin Pie Spice is not meant to be a body spray.
I really like Spellbound though! It smells like candy apples. Sadly, I will not be able to wear this again until it's cold out. The other day (I'm not even kidding about this), I was walking up the block when a bee started flying around me. I tried to get away from it, but it followed me ALL THE WAY UP THE BLOCK. I've never been stung by a bee, so I was kind of scared and I ran, but let me tell you, that thing did not stop until I got to the next block. And I can only assume it was because it liked this scent. So once all the bees are dead, I will try Spellbound again.
Scent Shots 2 oz. $2 each.
-Apple Cinnamon Butter (Bakery) - Rich warm cinnamon with bakery notes of Apple Butter just like grandma used to make.
-Caramel Coffee Cake (Bakery) - Sweet rich caramel dripping over a yummy baked coffee cake.
-Pumpkin Cider (Bakery) - Spicy pumpkin with apple cider.. nothing smells more like fall!
-Spiced Pumpkin Chutney (Bakery) - A perfect blend of fresh pumpkin, just a touch of spice and a hint of citrus makes this one awesome autumn fragrance.
-Warm Christmas Splendor (Christmas) - Cinnamon, Spice, Nutmeg, Vanilla and Peppermint blend together to bring you this amazing Christmas fragrance.
-Rocky Mountain Christmas (Christmas) - Sugared Spruce and Leaves Type.
--Sugared Spruce (Clean) - A most unique scent that combines sweetness and greenery.
--Leaves (type) - Rich Autumn notes of Fresh ground cinnamon generously sprinkled over tasty dried apple peel. Allspice, fresh clove bud, and drips of Vermont maple complete this festive aroma.
-Victorian Christmas (Christmas) - A Christmas blend of cinnamon bark and leaves with fir needles and pine enhanced by clove buds.
-Snowdrift Berries (Christmas) - Uniquely different and absolutely incredible holiday scent that has become a year round favorite! Top notes of semi-sweet berries mixed with undertones of balsam pine.
-Old Fashion Christmas (Christmas) - A sweet citrus, cinnamon and clove blend. This warm holiday scent reminds you of goodies baking in the kitchen, with a little hint of Christmas tree.
-Let It Snow (Christmas) - Eucalyptus and Cinnamon flourishes dance on a bed of crisp, chilled peppermint.
- Holiday Homebrew (Christmas) - A blend of Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Clove with a dash of Warm Vanilla.
-Cookies For Santa (Christmas) - Sweet and delicious, if Santa doesn't want them I do!!
- Christmas Lane (Christmas) - A festive combination of apples, oak, balsam, fir, and pine, with a background of cinnamon and clove.
I know, I know. Some of these are Christmas scents. But I wanted to make one big post with everything I ordered in it. Scent shots are used in your tart warmers, they are not candles. Just in case there's any confusion there.
Lastly, I'll show the free scent shots I received with my orders. I liked all of these except Obsession and Heavy Metal (they just aren't my type of scents).
-Obsession (Perfume & Cologne) - A Calvin Klein duplication. Obsession begins with top notes of mandarin and bergamot, middle notes of clary sage, lavender flowers, and hints of spices such as nutmeg and coriander. Bottom notes of amber, musk, and sandalwood.
-Strawberry Jam (Bakery) - A smooth, sweet strawberry, enhanced with delectable sugar, gently warmed to perfection.
-Cinnamon Apple Berry (Bakery) - A comforting blend of cinnamon sticks, juicy tart apples and sweet berries gently sprinkled with sugar.
-Chocolate Strawberries (Bakery) - Fresh strawberries covered in yummy rich chocolate!
-Heavy Metal (Candleman's Closet) - Sweet fruity notes that leave a fizzy taste to your imagination, pure sugar in a bottle. Reminds us of old fashioned ribbon candy!
-Pralines & Cream (Bakery) - Pralines & Cream is a tingling citrus blend with buttercream for the luscious top note to this rich blend. Warm spiced nutmeg and golden maple are surrounded with dramatic tones of patchouli and black pepper as the fragrance unfolds to reveal its sweet base of creamed vanilla sugar.
Overall, I am VERY happy with all my purchases and I will definitely be ordering more from CBV soon. ("Soon" meaning tomorrow during the September sale.)
If I could recommend one of the specialty candles, based on scent it would be Pumpkin Gingerbread Splash. Based on appearance, Donut Shoppe.
Of the regular candles, I definitely recommend Apple Butter Festival, Baked Apple Strudel and Pumpkin Cider if you love fall scents. You won't be disappointed!
