Happy Birthday - One Year Old Today

Happy birthday to... YANKEE FANDLE! It was exactly one year ago today that I started the Yankee Fandle Twitter and Instagram accounts. I thought I would mark the occasion with a new pic to Celebrate the past year.

I originally started Yankee Fandle with the idea of just posting quick snaps of my Yankee Candle collection. You can see how different my first lot of photos were compared to what I do now.

After a few posts I decided to try and get a little more creative and thought it'd be fun to try bring each scent to life. I've been asked what camera I use to take the pics and the answer is simple... My iPhone. I set each image up in my dining room table and use the filters on Instagram to enhance it. No fancy camera or lighting.


So far I have posted 114 photos on Instagram and tweeted nearly 1400 times. I'm looking forward to posting lots more throughout 2017.

There's a lot of fab new fragrances coming out this year that I'm really excited about, especially all the USA fragrances that QVC are stocking. 

I just want to say a huge thank you for all your views/likes/comments/retweets and kind words about the accounts. I never expected to get such a positive reception from my posts and had no idea it'd even turn into a blog, so I genuinely mean it when I say how appreciative and grateful I am.

Now... Where's all my presents?

Follow me on Twitter: @YankeeFandle and Instagram: YankeeFandle



Disclaimer: I do not work for Yankee Candle or QVC. I am a Yankee Fandle who enjoys sharing my thoughts on each fragrance and also photos of my collection that I have taken myself. These opinions are my own.

Pure Essence 2017 - Review

At the beginning of the year we all pondered over new years resolutions and how best to get over all the festive eating and drinking. We begrudgingly got back into the swing of our routines and the daily grind, we struggled through cold snaps and collectively sighed at the daily news stories. So, to help start the year afresh, Yankee Candle released a new collection of cleansing, spa-like fragrances, to give us a much needed boost and leave us feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.




The collection is called Pure Essence. It will sound familiar because it's the third instalment from the Pure Essence range. This set brings us Wild Mint, Cherry Blossom and Linden Tree. Other Pure Essence fragrances from previous years include Shea Butter, Aloe Water, Cassis and Vanilla, White Tea and Verbena.

So, what do they smell like? Let's go through them one by one...

@Yankeefandle twitter poll - 'fave smell'

One of Yankee Candle's key selling points is their 'true to life fragrance' and Wild Mint is probably the best example of that.

I couldn't believe how natural and fresh this one smells, it's as if you've just picked it from the garden.

I must admit that Wild Mint is my least favourite of the set. The reason being it's so true to life that I can't get past the earthy notes of the fragrance. Infact, a friend actually described it as a "dirty kind of scent". But the @Yankeefandle twitter poll had Wild Mint as the runaway winner with 68% of the vote.

If you are familiar with Yankee's Fresh Mint candle, then you're probably wondering what the difference is? Both are super minty and true to life, wild mint is earthier and deeper, fresh mint is soothing, a bit lighter and with some sweetness to it.


Linden Tree is a lovely floral scent that reminds me of a face cream I've smelt in the past. It's a bit like walking into a florists, pretty scents with that petal/greenery smell, if that makes sense.

I think it's fresh and uplifting, but not everyone I know agrees. In fact, fandle #2 described it as an old lady smell, like an Avon soap.


Yankee Candle list the top notes as hosta leaves and linden blossom, the middle note as viburnum and base notes of musk and cedarwood. I've earmarked Linden Tree as a morning scent, to burn on a sunny spring day.

And then there's Cherry Blossom... Wow! It's so good. I'm sat here typing away with it burning in wax melt format. It's been on the go for a couple of hours and it's spread around the whole house. Sometimes my nose goes blind to scents quite quickly but this is packing a punch, great if you like strong scents. But thankfully it's not overpowering, just so pretty and sweet.

Cherry Blossom is actually a retired fragrance that's been updated and brought back (thankfully).
Even though Cherry Blossom is a floral scent, the first note to hit you is cherry, and it's a very sweet cherry. Anyone who has read my posts in the past will know I am a huge cherry fan so you won't be surprised that I've fallen in love with this one.

Yes it's full of sweetness but I think it's the most complex fragrance of the three. The concoction of floral notes balances the sweet cherry - making it much less heady than other cherry offerings. Yankee list the top note as cherry with mid notes of rose, cherry blossom and jasmine. The base notes are powdery musk and sandalwood.

I can't recommend this one enough. It's sweet, it's fresh, it's layered and it's powerful. I'll definitely be stocking up to keep me going through spring and summer.

This collection definitely has a nice bit of variety, something for fresh, floral and fruity fans.

The fragrances are available in all standard wax formats at many reatilers online and on the highstreet. QVC have lots of different sets on their website which vary from large jars to tealights and new accessories which you can check out by clicking HERE. Clintons are stocking exclusive gift sets which you can find on their website HERE.

Follow me on Twitter: @YankeeFandle and Instagram: YankeeFandle

Disclaimer: I do not work for Yankee Candle or QVC. I am a Yankee Fandle who enjoys sharing my thoughts on each fragrance and also photos of my collection that I have taken myself. These opinions are my own.

New Year, New Fragrances and... New Prices!

Happy 2017 fandles! I know we're already three weeks in, but... Better late than never I say! After a pretty hectic start to the year I've finally found some time to sit down and do a quick update with some Yankee Candle news.

Eagle-eyed fandles might have already seen a sneak peak of this years upcoming fragrances as Yankee Candle's first three drops of 2017 were posted on their website a good few months ago, but the autumn and festive releases have now been revealed.
For those who like surprises and would rather wait until they are released, look away now, or carry on reading to see what we can all look forward to up until the end of the year.

I personally can't wait for the Perfect Christmas collection. I already have two large jars of Spiced White Cocoa from a QVC drop late last year and I love it! The other three fragrances look so cute and for some reason seem to be more American in style. The Havana collection also looks incredible. The colours of the Fall In Love set are really interesting with a mix of purple, blue, orange and cream wax. Quite unusual for those colours at that time of the year.

They all seem like really coherent collections with a strong theme running throughout the fragrances. Personally, after 2016's Riviera Escape collection I'd have liked something completely different for this years May drop as the two themes seem really similar to me.

I'm hoping the Coastal Living collection is a real knockout too as the fragrances seem rather familiar to me. But, I'm a huge fan of fragrances such as Wild Sea Grass, Beach Wood and Windblown, so we'll have to wait and see.

If that wasn't enough, we'll also be treated to new Special Appearances from the US (this seems to be 2 per launch instead of 3) AND this Easter will see the return of the ever popular Jelly Bean, but this year we are being treated to a new fragrance instead of the iconic Bunny Cake... But I'll be saving that for another post. 

While we're on the subject of new Yankee Candle fragrances, I wanted to write a few thoughts about the recent price increase of all European Yankee Candle products.

As a collector (but more importantly, a loyal customer) I can't say that I'm happy about the new prices, especially as a British fandle I see our friends across the pond getting incredible savings and deals that just aren't matched over here, so it kind of seems like a bit of a kick in the teeth to us loyal fandles. But, as with everything else out there, sometimes the price of the things we love goes up. Whether it's down to material costs creeping up, or delivery prices rising, who knows, but us fandles are noticing it more as it affects us the most due to our passion for the brand. The casual Yankee Candle shopper is less likely to even notice the price increase, and in a way, paying more for a candle validates to them that they are buying a product of quality.

It's us hardcore fandles who want ALL the candles who will be hit hardest, but realistically, we're not the backbone of Yankee Candle as really we're a small percentage of Yankee Candle's customer base.

The sad thing for me is that as much as I appreciate that the cost of living is going up and price increases happen, I'd also like to think that the quality would increase too. But, unfortunately I'm not noticing a stronger throw when I'm burning my candles and I'm having to do more and more candle care when it comes to taking care of the wicks.

 

I suppose the difference for me now is that when I'm looking to buy my Yankee's I will be sniffing out the best deals more than ever and will be less likely to be buying direct from Yankee unless they're having a sale. Collecting Yankee Candles is no cheap hobby so I'll probably be a bit more selective when it comes to which fragrances I will be buying.

Follow me on Twitter: @YankeeFandle and Instagram: YankeeFandle

Disclaimer: I do not work for Yankee Candle or QVC. I am a Yankee Fandle who enjoys sharing my thoughts on each fragrance and also photos of my collection that I have taken myself. These opinions are my own.

#ScentSunday - Christmas Memories

It's only a week until Christmas day, so for #ScentSunday this week I bring you one of the most traditional Christmas Yankee Candles... Christmas Memories.


Christmas Memories is a classic Yankee Candle fragrance that really has a hit of pretty much all the traditional scents that you associate with this festive time of year. If you're enjoying the latest Holiday Party collection by Yankee Candle, but want something a bit more traditional, then I would definitely recommend this one.

Yankee Candle describe Christmas Memories as "from the heart of the kitchen, unforgettable holiday moments are brought home again with this comforting recipe of spices and sweets". But what does it smell like? Well, the easy answer is... Christmas! The first note I pick up on is a sweet ginger mixed with cinnamon. The mix of sweet sugar and spice is gorgeous and as the description describes, it really is like walking into a kitchen at Christmas time. It's not a buttery scent like Christmas Cookie, It's spicy, sweet and oh so festive. There's apparently a vanilla note in Christmas Memories too but I can't really pick up on it.

I think the label is so cute and festive, but I must admit, when I first saw this one I was immediately drawn to the mulled wine in the image, so before I had even smelt it I thought it was actually going to be a berry scent with spices. As much as I love mulled wine, I'm so pleased this is actually a sweet spicy Christmas fragrance.

I've only ever used wax melts of this fragrance and I have always been impressed with the warm and inviting scent. I really do love my traditional Christmas fragrances, so If you're like me and want a warming Yankee Candle this Christmas time, I definitely recommend Christmas Memories.

Christmas Memories is widely available and is actually reduced to £15.39 for a large jar on the official Yankee Candle website right now (18th December 2016).

What do you think to Christmas Memories? Let me know in the comments box below.

Follow me on Twitter: @YankeeFandle and Instagram: YankeeFandle

Disclaimer: I do not work for Yankee Candle or QVC. I am a Yankee Fandle who enjoys sharing my thoughts on each fragrance and also photos of my collection that I have taken myself. These opinions are my own.

Christmas Cookie

I posted this pic on Twitter during the week, but I wasn't able to put it on here, so, while I start working on this weeks #ScentSunday, why not enjoy one of my favourite Christmas scents... Christmas Cookie

#ScentSunday - Gingerbread

With Christmas day being a mere two weeks away, I hope everyone is feeling suitably festive burning their favourite Yankee Candle fragrances. I've been burning a selection of scents in each room. So for this weeks #ScentSunday I bring you the sweet and spicy Gingerbread.



Gingerbread is a USA fragrance that is currently available at a handful of online retailers. It was a Special Appearance here in the UK last year, but is not readily available in store anymore.
I love the scent of gingerbread at Christmas time. It's a hot and spicy fragrance that makes me wish I had a fresh batch of cookies in the oven to enjoy with a nice hot chocolate.

Yankee Candle are world renowned for their true to life fragrances and Gingerbread is a perfect example of how realistic a Yankee Candle can be. The immediate scent, of course, is ginger. This is a sweet ginger with a lovely heat to it. The fragrance is softened by a sweet sugary note. If you are familiar with the recent Special Appearance, Ginger Spice Cookie (I did a post on this one that you can read HERE) then, as you can imagine, there is a similarity to the two.
Gingerbread is not as buttery as Ginger Spice Cookie but I think it has a spicier scent. It really is like enjoying a gingerbread man or the gorgeous scent you get if you've ever built a gingerbread house.

The label on this fragrance is so cute! I love the festive feel of the gingerbread house. The wax is a orange/brown colour which matches the scent perfectly. Gingerbread has been placed in the 'Festive' family but could also sit perfectly in the 'Food & Spice' family. If you are a foody fan or enjoy your spicier scents, then you will absolutely love this one.

You can get Gingerbread in two different sets on QVC, in a trio set with French Vanilla and Hazelnut Coffee (available HERE) or in a duo with Peppermint Martini (available HERE)

What do you think to Gingerbread? Let me know in the comments box below.

Disclaimer: I do not work for Yankee Candle or QVC. I am a Yankee Fandle who enjoys sharing my thoughts on each fragrance and also photos of my collection that I have taken myself. These opinions are my own.

#ScentSunday - Peppermint Martini

I don't know about you, but I start getting in the festive mood from the 1st of December. I've already put up my Christmas tree and placed a festive Yankee Candle in every room. So, for the first #ScentSunday of the month I bring you the sweet and delicious Peppermint Martini.

This fresh Yankee Candle is an American Scent that is currently available for a limited time only from select retailers. Now, I'm not the biggest fan of mint candles, but whenever I smell peppermint I automatically think of candy canes at Christmas time. Because of this, lots of fandles will probably think this one is going to be pretty much the same as Candy Cane Lane, but Peppermint Martini not only smells like a delicious candy cane, but it also has a real softness to it with a hit of vanilla.

If you bought the Yankee Candle Festive Tipples trio from QVC, which had another Peppermint Martini in it, then I must point out that this one is totally different. This one has a real fresh sweetness to it, whereas the Peppermint Martini in the trio set was more of a fresh mint leaf scent. (You can read my review of the Festive Tipples set HERE).

This limited edition candle is going to sit proudly with my collection so I can't write about the throw, but on cold sniff, Peppermint Martini has a real power to it. I absolutely love the label, and with any red wax Yankee Candle, it looks so festive.

Peppermint Martini has been put in the 'festive' fragrance family which I totally agree with, but some 'fresh' fans might even want to burn this one any time of the year.

Peppermint Martini is available from Yankee Candle HERE and is also available to buy in a duo set from QVC which you can get HERE.

What do you think to Peppermint Martini? Let me know in the comments box below.

Follow me on Twitter: @YankeeFandle and Instagram: YankeeFandle

Disclaimer: I do not work for Yankee Candle or QVC. I am a Yankee Fandle who enjoys sharing my thoughts on each fragrance and also photos of my collection that I have taken myself. These opinions are my own.