What Is The Bath And Body Works Cocktail Candle?
The Bath & Body Works cocktail candle is a scented candle that combines multiple complementary fragrance notes to create a unique, sophisticated scent. Often described as having a “cocktail” of fragrance notes layered together, these candles offer a more complex aroma than standard single-scented candles.
Bath & Body Works first introduced the cocktail candle concept in the early 2010s. As the popularity of scented candles grew, the company saw an opportunity to offer more nuanced, elegant fragrance blends. While single-scented candles focus on one prominent fragrance, the cocktail candles allow customers to enjoy a melody of notes that unfold as the candle burns. The concept has proven very successful and Bath & Body Works continues to release new cocktail candle blends each season.
Origins
Bath & Body Works first launched their cocktail candle collection in the summer of 2012. The collection featured 8 signature drink-inspired scents like Margarita Time, Pomtini, and Mojito Mambo. The inspiration behind the new cocktail line was to create fun, fruity summer candles that evoked the feeling of sipping tropical drinks poolside or on vacation.
The timing of the launch was strategic, as Bath & Body Works debuted the cocktail candles right before summer to appeal to customers looking for fresh, fruit-forward scents to scent their homes for the season. The cocktail candle concept was unique in the candle market at the time and allowed B&BW to expand their fragrance offerings into more novelty, lifestyle-inspired scents outside of their traditional floral and food-inspired candles.
The launch of the cocktail candle line in 2012 kicked off an annual summer tradition for Bath & Body Works, who has continued to release new cocktail candle scents and packaging every summer since. Over the years, the collection has expanded to include many customer favorite tropical drink scents like Pina Colada, Strawberry Daiquiri, and Mai Tai.
Signature Fragrances
The most popular cocktail candle scents from Bath & Body Works include:
Summer Boardwalk – Inspired by the scent of warm caramel apples, salty sweet cream and sugared popcorn. This fragrance evokes nostalgic memories of days spent at the fair or amusement park.
Mahogany Teakwood – A sophisticated blend of mahogany, cedarwood and oak with hints of black tea and lavender. The rich woody aroma is a perennial customer favorite.
Champagne Toast – Effervescent notes of champagne, juicy nectarine and blackcurrant blended with almond cream and vanilla. A celebratory, bubbly fragrance.
Peppermint Sugar Cookie – A festive blend of frosted sugar cookies, madagascar vanilla, peppermint and white musk. Reminiscent of fresh-baked holiday cookies.
Pumpkin Pecan Waffles – Recall lazy autumn mornings with this gourmand fragrance combining maple syrup, golden waffles, pumpkin spice and brown sugar. An indulgent, cozy scent for fall.
Ingredients
The Bath & Body Works cocktail candles get their incredibly realistic scents from a proprietary blend of fragrance oils, essential oils, and botanical extracts. The fragrances are formulated by expert perfumers to mimic the complexity and nuance of real alcoholic beverages.
While the exact recipe is a trade secret, some of the key ingredients likely include:
- Ethyl alcohol – Provides the alcoholic note
- Fruit extracts – Adds juicy, fresh fruit notes like lime, lemon, peach, etc.
- Essential oils – Contributes depth and natural aromas like bergamot, juniper, rosemary
- Fragrance oils – Synthetic aromachemicals that replicate complex scents like caramel, vanilla, whiskey
The artful blend of natural and synthetic fragrance ingredients allows Bath & Body Works to create incredibly lifelike cocktail scents like their fan favorite “Strawberry Daiquiri.” It smells so real you’ll think happy hour started early!
Vessel Design
One of the signature aspects of the Bath & Body Works cocktail candles is the unique and eye-catching jar designs. Unlike regular candles that come in basic glass jars or tin containers, the cocktail candles feature colorful, fun, and quirky etched jar designs that add to the overall sensory experience.
Popular jar designs include the faceted jewel jar that refracts light as it burns, the ombre gradient color jars, the two-toned hand-painted jars, and novel jar shapes like hexagons and octagons. The jars often coordinate with the cocktail-inspired scent and theme, featuring illustrations of fruits, flowers, drinks, and other motifs.
The cocktail candles also come in a range of sizes from the single wick mini jar candles to the oversized 3-wick jars. The etched jars look beautiful on their own as decorative objects and accent pieces. When lit, the flickering light casts an ambient glow and shadows through the etched designs, adding mood lighting and visual interest.
Burn Time
One of the standout features of Bath & Body Works’ cocktail candles is their exceptionally long burn time. While most standard candles provide anywhere from 30-50 hours of burn time, Bath & Body Works’ 3-wick candles offer between 45-55 hours of continuous fragrance.
This extended burn time is thanks to the unique three-wick design which helps ensure an even burn and wax pool. The three wicks are carefully spaced to provide sufficient heat to melt the wax evenly across the entire surface of the candle. This allows more wax to be utilized during each burn, extending the overall life of the candle.
In customer reviews, many note being impressed with just how long these candles seem to last compared to others. Some report getting over 60 hours of burn time from a single candle. This provides great value for the price and reduces the need to frequently replace candles.
With their long burn times, Bath & Body Works’ cocktail candles can provide over a week’s worth of continuous home fragrance from a single candle. This makes them an excellent option for scenting larger rooms or high-traffic areas of the home.
Price
Cocktail candles are sold at standard Bath & Body Works retail locations and online for $24.50 per 15 ounce candle jar. This is the regular non-sale price. Standard BBW candles typically retail for around $15-25 dollars depending on size, but their cocktail line is more premium and commands a higher price point.
When broken down by cost per ounce, cocktail candles are approximately $1.60 per ounce. This compares to around $1 per ounce for regular 3-wick candles from Bath & Body Works. So you are paying more for the novelty cocktail jar and heightened fragrance experience. However, it is less expensive per ounce than their single wick candles and other gift candle lines.
Bath & Body Works frequently runs sales and promotions where all candles are $10-15 dollars or buy 2 get 2 free. This can provide an opportunity to purchase cocktail candles at a discount. But the most common sale prices are around $18-22 dollars. The cocktail jars are rarely included in the very lowest promotional pricing.
Overall, cocktail candles demand a premium price due to their unique packaging, design, and strong fragrance, but sales can make them more affordable for the quality.
Reviews
The Bath & Body Works Cocktail Candles receive overwhelmingly positive customer reviews. Many reviewers praise the candles for their striking and unique fragrances from popular cocktail drinks such as Pina Colada and Moscow Mule. Customers say the candles have an authentic aroma of the real cocktails, which makes them so pleasing to burn while entertaining or relaxing.
Reviewers are also impressed with the scents’ quality, intense throw, and long burn time. They find the candles to have great fragrance strength that fills an entire room, and many note the candles keep a strong scent from first light until the end. Customers appreciate getting their money’s worth out of these candles, which last 50-60 hours with no annoying soot buildup.
Of course, the vessel designs are also a big draw for customers purchasing these candles. Reviewers say the drinks-inspired jars add decorative flair and fun to any space, while the drink name labels make for a cute and unique signature touch. Many customers buy multiple fragrances and use the empty vessels for storage or decoration once finished burning.
In reviews, some mention minor issues like faulty wicks or weak scent throw on certain fragrances, but the majority find the Bath & Body Works Cocktail Candles to be high-quality, long-lasting, and aromatic candles that provide an enjoyable home fragrance experience. Customers frequently call them “the best candles ever” in their glowing reviews.
Availability
Bath & Body Works cocktail candles are primarily available for purchase at Bath & Body Works retail stores located across the United States and Canada. As of January 2023, the brand has over 1,600 store locations across North America.
The cocktail candles can also be purchased online through the Bath & Body Works website, where they offer shipping to the US and Canada. Limited quantities of the cocktail candles may be available through third party retailers that carry Bath & Body Works products, but the best selection and availability will be found at Bath & Body Works retail stores and on their website.
New cocktail candle scents are introduced quarterly, coinciding with the changing seasons. The spring and summer collections usually launch in late January or February, while the fall and winter collections hit stores in August and September. Popular scents often sell out quickly and are restocked periodically while supplies last.
Around major holidays like Christmas and Valentine’s Day, Bath & Body Works will release special limited edition seasonal cocktail candles. The holiday candles are only available during a short window of time before the next seasonal launch.
To get the best access to new seasonal scents and restocks of popular candles, signing up for email alerts and notifications from Bath & Body Works is recommended. This will provide information on new product launches, sales, and other promotions where cocktail candles can be purchased.
Why Bath & Body Works Cocktail Candles Remain Popular
Bath & Body Works cocktail candles have remained a staple fragrance product for the company, captivating customers for over a decade. The appeal lies in the unique vessel designs, long burn times, signature scents, and affordability. While trends come and go, these candles provide nostalgia and reliable performance that customers continue to come back for. Their cocktail-inspired branding and packaging add a fun, playful element as well. Ultimately, the candles deliver a beloved sensory experience of fragrance and ambiance that consumers have made a tradition in their homes.
