Secret Santa 2013!

My Secret Santa box came today!

       On the 9th day of Christmas my Secret Santa sent to meeee.... WAY more than I deserved! So today I found out that the AH-MAZING and SUPER SWEET Jenn over on The Pouring Pot was my Secret Santa this year. I can't even begin to describe how thoughtful Jenn's gifts to me were. She put so much thought and effort into my box. All of the gifts were wrapped in pretty wrapping paper, even the super small ones, there were little notes on some of them, and even the box it came in had super cute cartoon kitty tape on it. She put in so much love in my box that I wanted to cry. I'm so touched by her wonderful presents to me and she spent WAY more than she should have. Jenn just has such a huge heart. I LOVE her to pieces and Jenn if you are reading this I don't even have the words to properly thank you enough. You were so generous to me and your box and little notes made me want to tear up and it sincerely touched my heart. THANK YOU SO MUCH Jenn and thank you so much for being such a truly great person and friend. So without further mushiness before I become a blob of Jell-O here is what she sent me...

Jenn certainly spoiled me ROTTEN!

   As you can see Jenn totally went the extra mile. I was super surprised when I saw all of these and even more touched when I saw just how much thought she gave it. Everything here was things that I have said I wanted on the boards in different posts for who knows how many weeks or months ago?  Jenn has such a great memory and attention to detail. The first thing I noticed was this adorable little paper bow that actually unfolds and becomes a little note. The note she wrote me was so sweet and made me smile from ear to ear. I'm keeping it on my computer desk because I can't bare to throw it away just yet.

See the super cute bow and journal.

    Then of course you can see this MASSIVE 1 pound chocolate bar. This may or may not be gone by Christmas... We will have to see how good I am and whether or not my mom gets into it too lol. Then there was this adorable little journal. It has different pages with this cute cartoon girl and her cat. I can see me plotting CBV orders in it already! Plus it is just my style everything from the colors to the girl.

Pretty much my same reaction.

And she threw in some Bath & Body goodies!

     I have been wanting to try Melissa's Bath & Body line for awhile now and Jenn was sweet enough to gift me these three babies. I was so excited when I saw these! I love body butter but get it from a different company so hadn't ordered Melissa's because I wanted to use up the ones I have so you can imagine my joy when I saw the body butter and the cherry on top was that Jenn got it in Whistlin Dixie! One of my all time favorite scents that I waited to be added to the bath and body line specifically. I was so touched she remembered and then the warm and fuzzies continued when I pulled out the Sophie Belle body spray. I love Sophie Belle it is one of my favorite of the fruity floral mixtures and it is perfect for a perfume! If that wasn't enough to make me weep with gratitude she also gifted me the sugar scrub in another favorite scent of mine Pizelle! It smells like such bakery wonderful goodness and I know will be so amazing to use in a hot shower in these cold months! I honestly cannot even express how much these mean to me. The fact that Jenn took into account my favorite scents and in the exact products I had offhandedly mentioned in previous posts on the board. UGH I just can't express all of the love I am feeling right now!

I wanted to roll around with glee when I saw these.

As if all of that wasn't sweet enough...

    Yep, to top it all off Jenn was so warm-hearted and charitable she even gave me a Glitter Candle in another one of my all time favorite scents Orange Vanilla Coffee. I'm not sure what glitter this is exactly. I think it may be Gem Blue or Aqua And Silver. It looks a lot like my gem blue glitter candle but it has more silver in it and is more sparkly so I'm thinking it may be aqua and silver. This picture does it absolutely no justice at all though it is super gorgeous and sparkly. Then you may be able to see it there at the bottom, my picture skills are less than stellar, but she also threw in a Blue Raspberry Slushie lip balm. Jenn must be a mind reader because I just placed an order the other day for a Green Apple lip balm, but I was so torn between getting the apple or the blue raspberry. It couldn't have come at a better time to because as most of you guys may know I accidentally washed 2 tubes of my Burts Bees in the washer and not having another tube of balm was driving me crazy!

    Jenn spoiled me way too much! She is so considerate and gracious. My heart was truly touched by everything in this package. It wasn't just the amazing gifts she gave or the great amount that she gave it, but her touch and care are so evident in every little thing. Honestly Jenn I don't know how to thank you enough. I feel so lucky to have you as my Secret Santa and also to have your friendship. I'm so grateful to you.

I wish I could hug you right now Jenn!

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!!!

Christmas is so close I can almost smell the mistletoe I won't be kissed under.

     It's Christmas time again! Or Hanukkah, or whichever holiday you choose to celebrate. I personally celebrate Christmas so this will be a Christmas themed scent review. Sadly this month I do not have pictures of the actual scent shots like a normally do because it has been colder and I don't want to go outside in the sun to take pictures of them and freeze my butt off. But I still have fun Gifs and the rest of my usual CBV descriptions for you all. So I hope you guys don't mind. Now I know this is a busy season for most of you so let's get started!

First off here are two scents that fit in perfectly with the cold weather... 

Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal: 
Color: Gingerbread Brown
Cold Throw: You know out of all the instant oatmeal out there apple cinnamon is actually my favorite to eat. When this scent came out though I wasn't sure that it was a scent I'd want my house to smell like, but I ordered it anyway to try. I'm so glad I did if the cold throw is any indication of how it will smell warm. The cinnamon is the sweet light baking cinnamon, none of that harsh red hot kind. The apple is a nice baked glazed apple fragrance and it is equal to the sweet cinnamon. This does indeed smell like an actual bowl of apple cinnamon oatmeal. It is sweet, creamy, and comforting smelling.

Warm Throw: Still loving this one! It is so cozy and warm and makes my home feel more inviting. It has a really nice baked apple scent with a slight drizzle of light sweet baking cinnamon. The oatmeal doesn't really smell strictly of oatmeal but more like a more creamy apple cinnamon scent. The scent throw was pretty decent more in the average range. I really liked this one more than I thought I would. It is so yummy and great for the colder months when you are snuggled up inside.

Hot Toddy: 
Color: Gingerbread Brown
Cold Throw: Honestly when I first got this I had never had a hot toddy personally but I'd heard of them and had been long intrigued by them as well. I have to say on cold throw I can first identify the Macintosh apple. It is a crisp apple scent but it is toned down by a cinnamon clove mixture. The cinnamon isn't the red hot kind and so far has just been like a mixing spice scent with the clove. The clove is the main spice scent so this fragrance isn't too spicy or sharp really. There is some orange but it sits in the background and isn't really noticeable unless you are looking for it. The fruit and soft spice combo is pretty nice. Nothing too standout yet but we will see what happens when it is warmed up.

Warm Throw: I liked this one better once warmed up. My mom really liked this one too. The Macintosh apple isn't as prevalent once warmed up though it kind of blends nicely with all the other scents like a subdued baking cinnamon and clove mix. It isn't too spicy or fruity really it all blends into a new scent that feels comfortable and warm. Kind of like the name leads you to believe. However I like this much better than the actual Hot Toddy I tried last month for the first time ever. Let's just say not a fan of the drink myself, but I am a fan of this scent. The scent throw was pretty good too.

These scents were as cozy as a Christmas sweater.

And now here are some cold weather candy type scents...

Snow Taffy: 
Color: Snow White
Cold Throw: Probably my favorite vanilla type scent from CBV to date. If it continues to smell this good once warmed then it will definitely be my favorite vanilla fragrance. This is mainly a rich decadent creamy french vanilla scent with a depth of light butter and a hint of cocoa with some caramelized sugar there in the edges. All the scents mix wonderfully together to just make a very nice luxurious smelling vanilla. I don't really smell lemons or strawberries but I like it just fine the way it is so far.

Warm Throw: This one was really nice. I like the type of vanilla it is because it is kind of rich with a different flavor to it then most vanillas. Maybe that is why I rate it so highly among all the rest of the vanillas. I thought it was creamy with a little something extra to it. The scent itself is pretty mild and subtle. It fills a room without being overly noticeable or invasive but gives the background a nice soft scent of warm pretty vanilla. I'd say the scent throw was medium, nothing too wowing but then again I don't see vanilla scents as stand out of the crowd fragrances so I thought it was really good.

Sugar Drops: 
Color: Snow White
Cold Throw: This is a very sweet candy fragrance. It smells like REAL candy though I can't put my finger on exactly what candy it is reminding me of. It is a very familiar candy scent to me though. It is sweet but not sickeningly so in my opinion. It doesn't remind me of bubblegum or spice drops but the candy scent is something that I know I have had before but just can't put my finger on what exactly that is. Jandre said it smells somewhat like Big League Chew Gum and I have to say that it does kind of remind me of that though I feel there is another candy from my childhood that it reminds me of.

Warm Throw: Smells pretty much the same as it did on cold throw. I still can't figure out what kind of candy it reminds me of exactly though. Oh well maybe one day it will come to me. I have to say while I liked this one, the scent throw was pretty mild. It wasn't weak or anything but it had kind of a medium average throw at first then it was kind of quick to fade. It didn't linger around as long as I like my scents to. It is kind of like Sugar Plums in that area. Still I liked the scent and it was a nice nostalgic candy fragrance.

I thought these smelt pretty good.

Cherry Candy Cane: 
Color: Poinsettia Red
Cold Throw: When I first received this scent the cherry smelled like cough syrup cherry but now that it has had over 2 months to cure it has toned down a lot. It doesn't really smell like cough syrup anymore, more like a Luden's cherry cough drop now. So it is kind of like a sweet medicinal cherry but not too bad. The cherry is actually stronger than the mint which is different from Blueberry and Strawberry Candy Cane where it is the other way around. The mint is the second note but still is present in the overall fragrance. I am anxious to see if the mint will come out more once warmed.

Warm Throw: The cherry and the peppermint ended up evening out so neither one was really stronger than the other. Smells just like how you think it would, like a cherry candy cane. It wasn't overly sweet or candy smelling though. If you don't like cherry scents or are kind of on the fence I say skip this one because it is a strong mint and strong cherry. The scent throw was pretty strong. I didn't find it overpowering but my mother did. Then again my mother doesn't like cherry or minty scents so that could be why. I personally didn't have a problem with it. It wasn't a favorite but I didn't mind it either.

Strong mint and strong cherry. Smellers beware.

Christmas cookie type fragrances...

Cookies For Santa:
Color: Snow White
Cold Throw: I know the description on the site is pretty vague so let me try and shed a little more descriptive light on this scent for those who have not tried it yet. It is a cookie-ish type scent with a hint of a very subdued red hot cinnamon and a layer of white icing. It actually kind of smells like an actual Christmas cookie like the kind that are sugar cookies covered in white Pillsbury icing and then topped with little red cinnamon candies. I will say though the red hot cinnamon isn't that prevalent but if you absolutely hate red hot cinnamon then pass on this one because it is still somewhat noticeable.

Warm Throw: I think it was Mandyz that described this one as an iced snicker doodle cookie and I kind of have to agree to a certain extent. To me it isn't so much snicker doodle but more like spice cookie. I think it smells like a nicely iced spice cookie. The cinnamon tones down a lot but it is still noticeable, but it blends with the fresh baked cookies scent and then there is this sweetness that smells like icing on top. I thought I might not like this one so much warmed but I actually really like it. It smelt great and made my mom ask if I was baking something. This one is a great cookie scent for the holidays. Very nice and the scent throw was decently strong too. Nothing overpowering but certainly noticeable.

Pink Sugar Cookie: 
Color: Cranberry Sauce Burgundy
Cold Throw: So I can really smell the Pink Sugar in this but I also get the base notes of Sugar Cookie as well. The Pink Sugar kind of smells like pink glitter sprinkles to me over a nice sugar cookie that is why I have been saving it for a few months for Christmas because it reminds me of a nicely decorated Christmas cookie. The Pink Sugar isn't so much perfumey anymore which is good because it would smell odd if it was.While I am not a big fan of Pink Sugar I actually don't mind this scent so far.

Warm Throw: As I said before I don't really care for Pink Sugar on it's own but I like it in this mixture. I don't get any perfumey notes from it because the Pink Sugar mixes so well with the Sugar Cookie scent that it becomes one and ends up smelling like pink glitter sprinkles on top a crisp fresh out of the oven sugar cookie. I liked how the two scents don't compete with each other but rather compliment the other one. It smells like something I would eat so it gets an approval rating from me. The scent throw on this one was pretty average I think. I'm glad I saved this scent for this time of year.

These cookies scents smelt real.

Apple Gingerbread Spice: 
Color: Gingerbread Brown
Cold Throw: At the risk of having coal thrown at me I have to admit that I am not a fan of gingerbread cookies. *ducks behind nearest snowbank* That is just eating them though I do think I like the scent of them. This scent to me is nice. Being a huge apple lover I really like the mixture of baked apples and slight cinnamon gingerbread. It is a nice holiday cookie scent. So far the apples are a bit more dominant than the gingerbread but not by much.

Warm Throw: I started out really liking this scent, but sadly it dissipated rather quickly until all I could smell was the burning of my warmer and a touch of cinnamon. It started out really great like the cold throw but didn't last long. I could smell the buttery gingerbread with the apple notes but then all I smelt was the warmer and I had it in a small enclosed room too. Such a shame. I think I like this scent, but don't like how quickly it fizzled out on me. It was like a quick burst of delicious smell then all too soon it was gone. So buy at your own discretion I would say it smelt great but then again didn't stick around much.

I thought we could be happy together but the scent left me.

Random wintery type scents...

Vanilla Sugar: 
Color: Snow White
Cold Throw: This is an EXACT dupe of the Bath & Body Works fragrance of the same name. It is a nice smooth vanilla fragrance. It is very soft and subdued and I don't think it is a vanilla that would offend those sensitive to certain scents. I have had the B&BW Warm Vanilla Sugar lotion before and I can say that it does indeed smell just like the original. So if you like the original scent or if you just like nice vanilla scents then give this one a try.

Warm Throw: Once again this continues to be a near perfect dupe for the B&BW scent. I really like the softness of this vanilla scent and find it to be mild but still really relaxing smelling. But that is just me personally. I really like vanilla scents and the original scent this one is duping so it should be no surprise that I liked this one a lot too. The scent throw was fairly moderate. So if you like the B&BW version you need to try this one too.

Sugared Spruce: 
Color: Christmas Tree Green
Cold Throw: I am not a big fan of tree scents however I have heard a lot of buzz surrounding this scent. After hearing a review from my friend Lisa over on The Pouring Pot I decided to break down and try it. This does indeed smell like sweetened evergreen trees to me. It doesn't smell like pine which is the usual Christmas tree type scent which is good because I don't care for pine. I think the name and description on the site if pretty accurate. It is like sweetened greenery. Not too sweet not too earthy. I actually don't mind this one and think it fits perfectly with the colder seasons.

Warm Throw: Still smells like sweetened evergreens. It is nice crisp and fresh with just the tiniest hint of sweetness. I have to stand by my initial cold throw description. I was afraid this one would be too earthy or "green" smelling but I actually really like it. It is refreshing and festive at the same time. It smells like winter trees without any pine tree scent. The throw was actually really good as well. Not a super thrower like say the pumpkin or red hot cinnamon scents are, but definitely up there with the fill the house kind of scents. This one was a pleasant surprise.

These two smelt so lovely.

    That's it for this review, but don't worry I've got another review for this month already in the works. That one will have more recent Christmas scents such as Rocky Mountain Christmas and Christmas By The Fire. Not sure when I will have that one up but before Christmas sometime it will be up if all goes well. So I hope you guys have a wonderful season and that you all stay safe. See you guys soon!