Ever since I purchased the Slatkin & Co. Fireside Candle, I’ve been waiting for a cold night to test out this candle. Finally it’s getting colder, so I happily burned this.

In the past, I’ve had my doubts about the Fireside scented candle. Many times I would go into the Bath & Body Works store, pop off the lid, and give it a snifferoo.

I thought it was gross, but lots of people loved it, and they told me that it smells better when burned than it does cold.

Now that I’ve tried it, what do I think? Is it a candle that I’ll be turning to time and time again? Or is this one better left on the shelf?

P.S. It feels like it’s been a long time since my last candle review, doesn’t it? Originally I had ordered the Pumpkin Cupcake candle (along with tons of other candles) during the Labour Day website sale when I found a 30% off your order coupon code that could be stacked on top of the 2 for $20 USD candle deal. The Canadian dollar was strong, so it turned out to actually be a really good deal.

But…then Bath & Body Works supposedly sent a damaged package, so Puralator refused the package at their facility and sent it back. I’m now debating whether or not to replace the order.

After waiting so long and then finding out the bad news, I’m reluctant to replace it. Maybe I’ll just go to the store and hope they have the Pumpkin Cupcake candle in stock now. We’ll see…

Anyway, so if some of you who I promised that a Pumpkin Cupcake candle review was coming soon are wondering what the hold-up is, this is the reason for the massive delay. I do plan on purchasing that candle, though, so a review on it is forthcoming…just not as soon as I would’ve liked.

Slatkin & Co. Fireside Candle Pictures

Claims: TRUSTED

√ Cedarwood, leather & rich deep amber

Key Notes

• Name: Slatkin & Co. Fireside Scented Candle
• Amount: 411 g (14.5 oz.)
• What I Paid: Around $5 CAD (I bought this during the Semi-Annual Sale & got to use a 20% off coupon on top of the sale!)
• Where to Buy: Bath & Body Works stores & Bath & Body Works website (They now have this scent in a new package and created by the White Barn brand instead of Slatkin & Co.)

Bath & Body Works Fireside Candle Review

Fragrance

For the record, I’m the type of person who goes nuts for sweet, sugary candle scents like Frosted Cupcake or Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin, so trying out the Fireside scented candle was outside my comfort zone. But I wanted to give it a go anyway.

To me, cedarwood, leather, and amber aren’t the type of notes that I’m usually drawn to, however, a lot of people have said that it smells like a cozy fireplace, and that was appealing to me.

After burning it, I would agree with others who said that this candle definitely smells better when lit than when you just smell the cold wax. However, this isn’t a scent for everyone.

Yes, it does actually remind me of being in a cabin on a winter’s day with the fire roaring. There’s something really comforting about this scent. You can actually smell the burning wood, and while that may sound nasty, it’s actually a very soothing scent that intrigued me.

Despite the temperature in my home being the same, when this candle was lit, psychologically it did make me feel like the place was warmer and cozier.

I could also detect the leather note. It gave the Fireside Candle by Bath & Body Works a masculine feel. However, I don’t think that only men can use this scent. The ‘fireplace’ scent can be used by anyone.

If you’re into woodsy scents, and you’re not into gourmand-type fragrances like me, you may actually fall in love with this candle! It’s interesting to smell because there aren’t a whole lot of scents like this on the market (at least with Slatkin & Co. candles). But, of course, there are oodles of sweet candles readily available. For this reason, I find the Fireside Candle to be pretty special.

Scent Throw

Within minutes of me lighting the candle, I was able to smell the fragrance in my living room. And when burning the candle for a hour, it completely filled the room with scent.

It’s not a super strong scent like the Leaves candle, however the scent is noticeable, so you won’t have to sniff around like a police dog at a crime scene to detect the fragrance.

I would say that the scent is light to moderate in terms of strength, which is good for this type of fragrance. Had it been really strong, I think it would be overbearing. As it turns out, the scent throw makes it more palatable and pleasant.

Burning

I’ve read bad things about Slatkin & Co. candles that have thick white wicks like mine does – mainly that they burn terribly. But I didn’t have this problem. The flames were nice and strong, so they melted an even pool of wax, which helped release the scent into the air.

The candle burned cleanly and evenly. There wasn’t any tunnelling, which means that there’ll be less wasted wax.

Packaging & White Barn vs. Slatkin & Co.

In every candle review, I mention how I appreciate the sophisticated and simple packaging of Slatkin & Co. candles. The Fireside Candle is no exception. I like how the design is something that looks nice with any home decor.

I noticed that Bath & Body Works now sells candles by White Barn in addition to Slatkin & Co. Some of the scents that Slatkin & Co. made are even being taken over by White Barn. I’ve never tried any White Barn candles yet, so I can’t speak of their quality, but the packaging is different.

White Barn’s Fireside candle has a different photo and a gold lid. Slatkin & Co. has a silver lid. They’re both supposed to have the same fragrance.

I’m not crazy about the dark-brown wax, but the colour does work well with helping to conjure up mental images of a fireplace, so I understand why they chose it.

Seasonal Availability

As you probably guessed, this Fireside Candle by Slatkin & Co. is available only for a limited time. It’s being phased out, I believe, by the White Barn version, so if you really want the Slatkin & Co. version instead, you’d better grab it if any are left in your local store. If not, reach for the new White Barn one. (Even the White Barn Fireside Candle is only available for a limited time. Usually they’ll keep scents like this on display until the end of winter.)

Since this scent was available last year and has returned, there’s a good chance that its popularity will make the candle return again next year…but don’t bank on it. Sometimes Bath & Body Works discontinues scents. Just stock up during a sale if you realllly love it so you won’t be sorry.

Pros Interesting woodsy scent that smells like a roaring fireplace Different than your typical cool-season scent Nice packaging Light to moderate scent throw Burns evenly Goes on sale often

Cons This exact Slatkin & Co. version is being phased out, I believe, by the new White Barn version (which should have the same scent) Available only until winter (after that, you’ll have to wait for its return)

Final Verdict: 7.5/10

While I didn’t fall in love with the Fireside Candle like a lot of people did, I’m still glad I bought it and gave it a shot. It’s very interesting to smell, and I don’t have anything else even remotely like it, so it’s completely unique in my candle collection. (Yes, I have a collection of mostly Slatkin & Co. candles!)

Since I’m definitely more of a baked-goods-scented-candle kind of fiend, I’m thinking about burning Frosted Cupcake in conjunction with this candle to see how they mix. Maybe it’ll make for a delicious combination. (After all, the popular Marshmallow Fireside was a hit and combined a sugary scent with Fireside.)

Have you smelled Fireside? What did you think? What fall and winter candles are you loving or thinking about trying?