Tag Archives: scents

Jul21

Bath & Body Works July Freebie

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Bath & Body Works July Freebie

Hi! My family will soon be vacationing in Italy and I am SO beyond excited!! It is going to be a once in a life time trip and every day that passes is another day closer to hitting the airport and going off on an adventure. I decided to be the one in charge of assembling travel size products for everyone’s toiletry kit and there is no better place to do so than at Bath & Body Works. Thanks to their monthly freebie coupons, I have been able to snag travel size shower gels and lotions without paying one cent. The last shower gel I needed to get was for my brother and, unfortunately for him, there were no travel size men’s shower gels in stock. Fortunately for me, I was able to get a freebie for myself lol check it out:

B&BW does a preview of their Halloween collection every July and I just love it. I live for spooky season so the earlier Halloween themed goods arrive in store, the better. While my next freebie coupon will be reserved for my brother, I chose a travel size fragrance spray in Vampire Blood for my goodie. It’s actually perfect because I don’t have any travel size perfume and I’d rather not lug my full size bottle of B&BW spray across the world lol. It’s also double perfect because I am currently using one of their Halloween perfumes right now so I can keep with the theme in Italy. 😀

I Scream Float is my all time favorite Halloween scent by B&BW because it smells exactly like Diet Coke. And, as a DC fiend, that really speaks to me. However, Vampire Blood was my all time favorite before I Scream Float debuted last year. Vampire Blood is a dark mix of deep blackberries and raspberries and it is a delight to the senses… Usually. As I typed this, I attempted to spray the tiniest amount of this scent for a refresher sniff and ended up getting a huge spray straight to my nose smh. Consider myself refreshed! On the bright side, there are a whole lot worse things than Vampire Blood to be smelling all day now!

Another travel size product for Italy is checked off of my list which means more room in my bag for clothes and shoes to create OOTD magic!! AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

What is your favorite B&BW scent collection? Do you have any packing pro tips? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun29

Bath & Body Works Foaming Hand Soap Haul

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Bath & Body Works Foaming Hand Soap Haul

Hi! You recently saw my Bath & Body Works Semi Annual Sale haul and it was a mighty fine one, indeed. I don’t know how much better it gets than nineteen products for sixty something bucks! Score! B&BW products are a staple at chez moi and it was so nice to restock all of our smell good supplies for a song by simply clicking “confirm order”. While I love my shower gels, lotions, and wall plugins, my favorite product of all time from B&BW are their foaming hand soaps. My bathroom simply wouldn’t be the same without them lol. I did purchase more of my must have soap in May but I couldn’t resist adding a few more to my cart during my Semi Annual Sale shopping. Check it out and let’s discuss these scents further:

Cotton Candy Grape: Grape scents can be hit or miss but I decided to go for Cotton Candy Grape anyways because the cotton candy aspect intrigued me. This scent was either going to be good or bad and, unfortunately, it is a no from me. Cotton Candy Grape features notes of “juicy grapes, fluffy cotton candy, and sugared citrus”. Individually, this all sounds great. Together, however, created a fragrance that smells straight up medicinal. In fact, I think it smells just like children’s cough medicine. This is definitely a fragrance line that you can skip on!

Gingham Gorgeous: I am a Gingham girl through and through and my haul included a body cream of the OG Gingham and a shower gel of Gingham Love. I snagged Gingham Gorgeous as a foaming hand soap just because and I wish I didn’t because this is, without a doubt, my least favorite from the Gingham line. Gingham Gorgeous offers notes of “pink strawberries, peach nectar, and peony blooms”. I can vaguely smell a hint of peach but, make no mistake, this is a floral scent through and through and I am so not a floral fan. So far we are striking out with these sniff tests but that’s the hazard of online shopping for fragrances so what can ya do lol.

Cucumber Melon: Thank goodness for Cucumber Melon because I knew I was going to like this one! The B&BW classic Cucumber Melon is just the best with notes of “crisp cucumber, watery honeydew, and juicy cantaloupe”. I actually hate honeydew and cantaloupe but I can’t get enough of this nostalgic scent! Cucumber Melon is summery, fresh, and brings me back to my early teens when I had a fragrance spray of this scent. It smells exactly as I remember it which is a true testament to if it’s not broken, don’t fix it!

Churro Cinnamon Bun: Mmmmmmm! “Fresh baked churros, cinnamon sugar, and a drizzle of icing”, this scent smells just as delicious as the scent description promises. Churro Cinnamon Bun is exactly what you think it is – a whiff of fresh baked, piping hot cinnamon rolls and it really smells good enough to eat. It is early morning as I write this and it seriously made me hungry when I did the sniff test lol. I would happily buy this one again and happily take a break to eat some breakfast soon. 😀

This haul was half duds and half winners but at least I know what not to get next time and so do you!

Did you shop the B&BW Semi Annual Sale? How many products did you get? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun27

Bath & Body Works Semi Annual Sale Haul

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Bath & Body Works Semi Annual Sale Haul

Hi! In early June I am always on the lookout for mail from Bath & Body Works to alert me to the Semi Annual Sale start date. I mark the date on the calendar as soon as it arrives and count down the days until I can shop till I drop! The B&BW Semi Annual Sale is just the best and I love stocking up on products for myself and Johnny for a fraction of the price. You simply can’t beat getting an eighteen dollar shower gel for three bucks and it’s so fun to spoil myself with old favorites and new to me scents. I scored nineteen products in this haul for about sixty-five dollars and I think we will be pretty well set on smell goods for a while! Check it out:

Did I go a little product crazy? Maybe! But, honestly, no I didn’t lol. This is me fully and completely justifying this purchase because it’s just too good of a deal to pass up. And it’s not like these products are sitting on a shelf to never be used – B&BW smell goods are used daily and constantly at my apartment. Why not get them for dirt cheap?! And, before anyone asks, the answer is: YES. I am, in fact, already looking forward to the winter Semi Annual Sale. Lol, what can I say? It’s my time to shine!

Stay tuned for a review on the hand soaps as they are all new to me scents. Today, let’s take a closer look at the shower gels so we can talk about my favorite discontinued scent of all…PEARBERRY!!!! 😀

After Dark: A little something for the fellas! After Dark features fragrance notes of “spiced bergamot, amber, and smooth tonka”.
All of this is a fancy way to say that it smells like Old Spice! This scent basically smells like every scent ever made in men’s products and I’m not saying it’s not nice. After Dark actually smells really good! However, if you don’t want to pay sixteen dollars for a bottle of this shower gel, Old Spice is definitely the way to go. I wouldn’t buy this shower gel at full price which is why I got it for three bucks instead. 🙂

Gingham Love: The OG Gingham is one of my all time favorite B&BW scents and I always have the fragrance in some form at chez moi. Gingham Love comes in a very close second, though! This scent provides the breezy, freshly laundered crispness of Gingham that I love with a very berry twist. Gingham Love offers notes of “sugared red berries, blushing freesia, and rose meringue” and it is heavenly. With one whiff I am in raspberry heaven and I was so happy to score this shower gel on the cheap!

Pearberry: It wouldn’t be a Semi Annual Sale without Pearberry and I wish that B&BW would come to their senses and just bring it back for good. Until then, I have to stock up when I get the chance! This blast of throwback nostalgia has a ton of different notes like “anjou pear, wild berries, apple blossom, golden freesia, and blonde woods”. All of this is meaningless lol. Have you ever smelled a pear? Have you ever smelled berries? That is Pearberry in a nutshell! Juicy and soft pear, tart raspberries, and a hint of strawberry, this is a fruit salad scent to the T and it is absolutely delicious. I love it SO. Damn. Much!!!!! ❤

Stick around for the last of the reviews from this haul and a concert OOTD coming soon!

Which stores offer the best deals? Did you shop the B&BW Semi Annual Sale? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May21

Bath & Body Works Hand Soap Haul

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Bath & Body Works Hand Soap Haul

Hi! I always say this but it’s the truth and I will repeat it until the day I die… The foaming hand soaps from Bath & Body Works are the best. Period. Hands down. They have been a staple in my apartment for the past seven years and change and that will never change! I am always excited when I realize that my stock pile is running low because that means a B&BW shopping trip to explore new scents. Every fragrance I picked this time around was brand new to the store or to me so let’s discuss further to see if you can find your go to summer smell goods too:

Wash, Rinse, Repeat: The fragrance notes offered in Wash, Rinse, Repeat are “breezy palm trees, fresh apple, and sunny amber” and it most definitely makes me want to wash, rinse, and repeat! This scent is a warm day on the beach with a delicious ocean breeze. I can almost hear the seagulls squawking every time I smell it! This is sun, sand, and surf to the T and is absolutely perfect for sweet summertime. This is easily one of my favorites of the bunch.

Disney Princess Collection – Mulan: I have not dabbled in the Disney Princess collection at B&BW simply because all of the scents smell like butt lol. However, I knew that a princess themed hand soap would delight my nieces and Mulan was the best of the bunch. It’s not my favorite by any means but I didn’t gag when I smelled it so into the shopping bag it went. The Mulan fragrance features notes of “magnolia blossom, fierce waters, and radiant apricot”. This scent is a dance between aquatic and floral and it’s nice but I wouldn’t buy it again.

Neapolitan Ice Cream: Have you ever had Neapolitan ice cream? Then you know exactly what this scent smells like! It is an intoxicating blend of “strawberry sauce, vanilla buttercream, and milk chocolate” and it smells good enough to eat. Fruity fragrances are my standard but I also loves me a dessert scent and Neapolitan Ice Cream has me craving a gallon of the good stuff and a chick flick movie marathon. SO yummy!

Kitchen Mandarin: Have you ever had a mandarin lol? Then you know exactly what this scent smells like! Kitchen Mandarin is a delightfully refreshing citrus scent with notes of “sparkling mandarin, fresh thyme, and cedarwood”. It is zesty and zingy and so invigorating! I am very partial to a citrus scent and I definitely prefer Kitchen Mandarin to the classic B&BW Kitchen Lemon. It’s just fun to change things up and I would happily buy this one again.

Berry Almond Drizzle: Speaking of dessert fragrances, we have Berry Almond Drizzle and oh my goodness is it fabulous. The scent notes include “homegrown berries, honeyed almonds, and vanilla bean” and it smells just like a fresh baked almond cookie. It is so rich and decadent and you really can smell the hints of honey and vanilla. If this doesn’t have you craving a sweet treat ASAP then I don’t know what will!

Minus the Mulan fragrance, the ones that remained were winners. I highly recommend all of them if you are on the hunt for new scents!

What is your go to hand soap brand? Do you enjoy fragrance shopping? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May20

Bath & Body Works May Freebies

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Bath & Body Works May Freebies

Howdy! I was running desperately low on my beloved foaming hand soaps from Bath & Body Works and was excited to hit the store for a reup. I had a percentage off coupon and could cash in two freebies that were burning a hole in my pocket and walked away with seven products for just twenty-two dollars. You can’t beat that! Tune in tomorrow to discuss some new hand soap fragrances but, first, let’s take a look at these fab freebies which equaled out to twenty-five bucks that I didn’t pay a dime for. Score!!

My family is going to Italy this year and it is my goal to get everyone in the party a travel size shower gel before our big vacation. I already have two for my mom and I and next on the agenda was Johnny! It is not often that I shop for men’s fragrances at B&BW so it was fun to dip my toes into their different collections. Speaking of dipping my toes in, I chose the Ocean scent for my main squeeze! Ocean features fragrance notes of “blue cypress, vetiver, and coastal air”. I’m not sure what blue cypress and vetiver are supposed to smell like but the coastal air rings true. I loves me an aquatic scent and Ocean is sun, sand, and surf to the T. It is so invigorating and fresh and I could definitely get used to Johnny using this shower gel! 😀

Thanks to my rewards points, I was also able to snag a full size freebie for myself and went with a new body lotion. It was a necessity because I only had a travel size lotion freebie left in my hoard and I’m saving that for Italy too. And, while I am a huge fan of B&BW’s body cream, it is much too heavy for the summer months ahead. I was amped to find that additional fragrance lines from Gingham were back in store and I opted for Gingham Fresh. Although nothing will ever surpass the OG Gingham, Gingham Fresh is a very close second with notes of “juicy pear, sparkling clementine, and fresh daisies”. There is no floral about this fragrance – only sweet/tart fruity delight and I just adore it! Gingham Fresh has all of the softness of a pear scent with the bite of citrus and it is perfect for summer. Highly recommend!

Next B&BW shopping plans? The summer Semi Annual Sale, of course! Bring on those sweet, sweet savings so I can rebuild my beauty care stock pile!

Do you shop the B&BW Semi Annual Sales? What do you normally purchase? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr25

Bath & Body Works April Freebie

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Bath & Body Works April Freebie

Hi! When my sister and I went to New Orleans, I was genuinely shocked that I didn’t have a travel size shower gel from Bath & Body Works to bring with me. I thought my bath and body care hoard was much better stocked than that and it sucked having to use the products provided by the hotel. It was impossible to feel clean with the awkward combo of bar soap and shampoo I had to use! Because my family is going to Italy this year, I made damn sure that I got a travel size body wash for my March freebie from B&BW. I also went ahead and got another one this month in case my mom needed to share. Like my selection in March, I went for a classic B&BW scent that I never bothered trying before. Check it out:

Once again, the travel size options I had to pick from were slim to none at B&BW and In The Stars was literally all they had for shower gels. Since my choice was made for me, I didn’t even smell it so let’s give it a whiff in real time lol. Here we go… And it is pretty good! Actually, upon another sniff it is actually really nice. In The Stars features fragrance notes of (get ready for it because it’s a doozy) “Starflower, sandalwood musk, sugared tangelo, white agarwood, and radiant amber”. Whatever any of that means! Does anyone know what a tangelo is?!

The little scent story on Bath & Body Works’ website says that In The Stars is a warm fragrance that feels like you’re in the middle of the forest. However, I feel like I’m in the middle of the ocean with this scent! In The Stars smells crisp and clean to the point that I would classify it as an aquatic scent and I am SO not mad about that. I absolutely love an aquatic fragrance and it definitely doesn’t translate to the fragrance notes or scent story whatsoever. Isn’t it weird how scents smell different to every single person? I can’t stand a musky fragrance and would have despised In The Stars if it smelled true to its notes to me. Thankfully that wasn’t the case and I would happily get it again. 🙂

What will In The Stars smell like to you? Who’s to say? Lol but I’m incredibly curious to find out!

What is a scent that you love that other people hate? What is your go to B&BW fragrance? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr4

Bath & Body Works March Freebie

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Bath & Body Works March Freebie

Hello! I have a stockpile of skin and bath and body care that runneth over – especially in the smell goods department as I love stocking up during the Bath & Body Works Semi-Annual Sales. There is also no shortage of travel size B&BW products since they send a freebie coupon for one at least every other month. Or so I thought there was no shortage! As I packed my toiletries for New Orleans, I couldn’t believe that there was not a single travel size shower gel in my hoard! I ended up having to use a combination of the hotel soap and shampoos during my travels and it was so hard to feel clean without the sudsy, fragrant B&BW shower gels. I was so happy to have been able to rectify this with a March freebie coupon as my need for travel size shower gels isn’t over yet. My family will be going to Italy later this year and I already have one thing out of the way to pack:

Every time I visit B&BW for a free product, I feel like their travel size options have dwindled down exponentially. What used to be a sprawling tower of mini shower gels and lotions was pretty much bare so I just had to take what I could get this time around. I landed on A Thousand Wishes, which is an incredibly popular B&BW scent that I have never bothered trying lol. A Thousand Wishes offers notes of “pink prosecco, crystal peonies, and amaretto creme” and it is actually really nice! It reminds me a lot of their Sweet Pea scent. It’s floral, yes, but not in an overpowering way because there’s more to it than just the peonies. Perhaps it’s the amaretto creme? 😀

Also, can we just talk briefly about showering in hotels because I’m still not over it lol. Showering in a hotel is like being on an episode of Naked and Afraid. You are in unfamiliar territory, you might not have your favorite products (In my case!), and why is the water either scalding hot or freezing cold?! I know it doesn’t seem like much, but just having this shower gel for Italy is a little peace of mind. I am not a traveler in the slightest and it is comforting to have familiar and favorite things when away from home. At the bare minimum, at least I know that I will not have to combine bar soap with shampoo during vacation and that is a blessing in itself!

In conclusion, if you like Sweet Pea then you are going to be a fan of A Thousand Wishes. And remember to always check your travel size stash before a trip! Smh!

What toiletries do you pack when traveling? Are you going on a vacation this year? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb24

Trader Joe’s Ultra Rich Body Butter Review

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Trader Joe’s Ultra Rich Body Butter Review

Hi! My parents were so sweet to treat me to a few goodies from Trader Joe’s for Valentine’s Day. My prezzies included a yummy new salsa, a frozen dish, and a tub of their Ultra Rich Body Butter. Back in the day, I lived for the body butter from The Body Shop that used to always be available for a song at TJMaxx. Then, they closed down for a while and it was bye bye, body butter. Since I could no longer have the good stuff from The Body Shop, I became fiercely loyal to Bath & Body Works and can’t recall the last time I enjoyed a body butter. I couldn’t wait to dive into the Ultra Rich Body Butter from Trader Joe’s because if it was anything like their amazing lip mask, I knew I was in for bath and body care delight. Spoiler alert: It was fabulous! Check it out:

^^^ I had to take a product picture after using it because is it just me or does that second picture look like a nipple lol

The Ultra Rich Body Butter features a warm vanilla and orchid scent and it is oh so nice. I love all things vanilla and this body butter has a true vanilla fragrance with the slightest hint of floral thrown into the mix. The scent is incredibly light and just right for slathering on before bed. Speaking of incredibly light, the Ultra Rich Body Butter offers a pillowy soft texture verging on being whipped. I don’t mind a harder body butter but this is definitely the texture that I prefer and it was so easy to apply. A couple of quarter sized dollops slicked on with ease for full upper body coverage.

This past winter, I have noticed that my hands were still red and quite dry in the mornings as I only wear lotion at night. Some parts near my wrists were even bordering on scaly. After using this body butter was the first time I have woke up with my normal skin tone on my hands in months! There was no bright red to be found and my hands are the softest they have been since winter began. In fact, my skin still felt really hydrated after my morning shower too. My only regret? That the closest Trader Joe’s is almost an hour away because I think I just found my new favorite body butter!

If you are suffering from dry skin or simply need a treat, I cannot recommend the Trader Joe’s Ultra Rich Body Butter enough. You will notice an amazing difference with just one use!

What is your favorite bath and body care brand? How do you improve dry winter skin? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb4

January 2026 Finishes

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January 2026 Finishes

Hello everyone and TGIF! And by that I mean thank god it’s February!!! Is it just me or did January feel like it lasted five months? Lol it was cold, grey, and the days dragged on with no end in sight. Prior to this insane temperature drop, I was feeling a-okay about winter but all I have to say is: Is it spring yet? I need sixty and sunny like yesterday! Before January can be kissed goodbye or more like kicked out until next year, let’s discuss my beauty finishes for the month:

Would I Use Again?

Bath & Body Works Vampire Blood Body Cream: YES

Avon Cucumber Melon Body Wash: NO

Bath & Body Works Calypso Clementine Body Lotion: YES

Bath & Body Works Blue Raspberry Burst Body Wash: YES

Garnier Micellar Water: MAYBE

Precision Beauty Vitamin C + Collagen Serum: YES

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Products: I am a Bath & Body Works gal through and through and I had a delightful medley of empties from there in January. I had my favorite Halloween scent of Vampire Blood, enjoyed a burst of summertime citrus with Calypso Clementine, and was LOVING the Blue Raspberry Burst body wash. In my humble opinion, blue flavors are the best but Blue Raspberry reigns supreme. Blue Raspberry Burst smells exactly like an Icee from the movie theater and it is definitely one of my new favorites. It’s different while still smelling delicious and I will be keeping my eyes peeled for more when the B&BW summer lines drop!

Avon Body Wash: In case you haven’t noticed, I am extremely loyal to my B&BW products and use them *almost* exclusively. Minus this Cucumber Melon body wash from Avon! This was gifted to me and I thought I would give it a try. It was okay and basically a smell alike to B&BW’s Cucumber Melon scent. However, I wish that I used this product when the weather gets warmer because it really dried my skin out and the frigid temperatures made it even worse. My skin never feels dry after using B&BW shower gel, rather super nourished and hydrated and I couldn’t wait to use them again after finishing this bottle. It took me one month of daily use to do so.

Garnier Micellar Water: Like my B&BW goodies, I am fiercely loyal to my Evoluderm micellar water. It is simply the best at removing makeup and hydrating my skin and it is a staple in my morning and nighttime beauty routine. Unfortunately, TJMaxx doesn’t carry it all of the time and I had to settle for a bottle of Garnier micellar water, instead. It will continue to be my runner up brand when I can’t get my hands on Evoluderm but it’s not like I love it. The Garnier micellar water just lacks the oomph of Evoluderm. I noticed I had to scrub hard to remove makeup and it still wasn’t completely gone and it pales in comparison to the hydration of my go to brand. Fine in a bind but not my fave!

Precision Beauty Serum: I cannot say enough good things about the Precision Beauty serums and have been using them for the past several months. Each bottle lasts me close to five weeks with twice daily use and I have had nothing but positive results. The Vitamin C + Collagen was especially nice during the dreary days as it provided such a big radiance boost. And, despite collagen being a primary ingredient, it didn’t dry my skin out. In fact, it has never felt better! I have used several different versions of their serums and all of them are great so I highly recommend trying one for yourself. 🙂

And, with that, smell ya later January. Let’s move on to brighter days ahead!

Which products did you use up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the above products if you have used them before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan21

Bath & Body Works January Freebie

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Bath & Body Works January Freebie

Hello! My mom joined me during my afternoon break last Tuesday for a shopping trip and we had the best time! I had gift cards to spend, supplies for the bunnies to get, and a freebie coupon from Bath & Body Works to cash in. At B&BW it was out with the old post Semi Annual Sale and in with all kinds of new fragrances. Normally I like to get a travel size lotion or body wash as my free item but I could not resist a fragrance spray in a new scent called Zesty Peach. Check it out:

Outside of my deep love for all things vanilla, I am a fruity fragrance girl through and through. I like deep berry scents but my all time favorites have got to be apple and peach. It is rare for me to find an apple scent that misses the mark. However, peach is a different story. I want my fruit fragrances to be a mix of sweet and tart and sometimes peach scents can be overly sweet. Zesty Peach is a complete game changer and it reminds me so much of The Body Shop’s Vineyard Peach line. In fact, if you read this old review on my page, I even say that it’s a peach scent that’s not overpoweringly sweet. Some things never change!

Zesty Peach offers fragrance notes of “peach nectar, sugar crystals, and luminous musk”. Also, after typing that sentence I did a resmell of the perfume and accidentally inhaled most of it. All the better to describe it with, my dear! I cannot speak for the sugar crystals or luminous musk and feel that B&BW should have left the description as “peach” lol. You know that scent that comes immediately after biting into a peach? Zesty Peach is that to the T! It errs on the side of tart over sweet and I just can’t get enough of it. If you are a peachy person, you are going to adore this scent. 😀

It may be grey and snowy here in Akron, Ohio but Zesty Peach is summertime in a bottle. A perfect pick me up!

What is your favorite kind of fragrance? Have you tried any of B&BW’s new scents? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah