Diptyque Pine Bark Dupes?

A few weeks ago, I purchased a mini candle from Diptyque's holiday collection and proceeded to fall in love with it. The candle in question was the limited edition Pine Bark (otherwise known as Ecorce de Pin) and I knew almost immediately that I had found a new favorite. 

Affiliate Links

This candle just smells absolutely beautiful - a fresh Christmas tree that is just perfect for the season. Diptyque always manages to do complex scents, and I quite like to describe this one as "Christmas tree in my pretty smelling fancy house." Haha!

Now I know not everyone can splurge on a Diptyque candle - I can barely bring myself to buy them without a good promo - so I went on the hunt for wallet friendly alternatives. Plus, we all need something for when the limited edition Diptyque Pine Bark is no longer available... So here goes!

First up are two very affordable options from Bath & Body Works. Available in a variety of sizes (mini, medium, mason jar, and 3-wick) there is always a sale going for their candles that make these extra affordable. I got both of these for $10 during a sale last week! 

Fresh Balsam smells like a fresh tree, and smells most like Diptyque Pine Bark in the jar. While the Diptyque disperses scent quite well almost immediately, this one does take a bit of time for the scent to emerge. It is not as complex, but I quite like the Christmas tree aroma. Evergreen, on the other hand, smells like a pine tree with a bit of fire and sweetness. I find this scent to be a bit artificial, but less so than other Bath & Body Works scents. Like Fresh Balsam, it takes quite some time for the scent to disperse around the room. 

My picks are a pair of candles I picked up at Anthropologie, Capri Blue Fir & Firewood and Good Nature Balsam Cedar. While pretty different from Diptyque Pine Bark, they are pretty stellar picks in my book. They offer a sophisticated and complex aroma at a much more reasonable price, and Aspen Bay's Capri Blue candles are probably my favorites in terms of burn time, quality, and overall value for money. (Their Volcano candle has been a favorite for years!)

Capri Blue Fir & Firewood and Good Nature Balsam Cedar both have a mix of pine, wood, and fiery aromas. It is hard to describe their scents, but I love them both. Even if they don't smell like Diptyque Pine Bark, they definitely give off a similar feel. All in all, I don't think any of these measure up to Diptyque, but they are reasonable replacements to give you the same general feel. 

Have you tried Diptyque Pine Bark or any of these possible dupes? Would you splurge on Diptyque or choose one of these more affordable options? I'd love to know! 

P.S. I am contemplating doing a similar post on dupes for DIptyque Feu de Bois. Let me know if I should! 

Relax This Season with Lush Bath Bombs!

The holiday season is upon us! I love the holidays, and I thought I'd kick off the season by sharing some of Lush's holiday bath bombs. I believe they're all limited edition, so grab them while you can and enjoy some comforting baths this season! 

For Twilight (bath bomb/shower gel) fans out there, you must try the Luxury Lush Pud. This lavender scented bomb is filled with moisturizing pastel dots that make the water smooth and comforting. Lush describes it as "fluffy and frothy" and I definitely agree. I love the almost magenta look of the bathwater too! 

Bombardino is an adorable vanilla concoction that Lush describes as having a lemon-cheesecake aroma. It turns your bath water a pale yellow, and the subtle vanilla scent is definitely in the holiday spirit. 

I can't stop looking at Shoot for the Stars, which is just a lovely star scene. Filled with the scent of floral honey just like the It's Raining Men Shower Gel, this bath bomb is just as visually pleasing in the bath! The bomb fizzes around shooting out yellow "stars", and I love the purpley color it leaves in my bath. 

I'll be sure to pick up more of Lush's holiday bath bombs, as I'm sure I'll be needing some relaxing baths this holiday season! How about you - do any of these catch your eye? How do you relax during the holidays? I'd love to know! 

Products featured were generously provided for review. 

Products That Didn't Work for Me, #5

You may have noticed that I've been doing a lot of purchasing lately, and not every purchase has been successful. Today I wanted to show you guys a few of the products that I'm sending back - two that just aren't "me" and one that just didn't really do the job.

Affiliate Links

Josie Maran Bear Naked Nail Wipes
I think I ordered this to have enough in my shopping cart for a promo code I wanted (Sephora gets me every time!) but I have to say these nail polish remover wipes were terrible. I love the idea of nail polish wipes containing argan oil that also support polar bears, but seriously, this was rough. For one, it was so hard to even separate the individual wipes - I ended up using like THREE at once without even realizing. I am so stingy when it comes to product usage (lol) so that in itself horrifies me, though I could maybe put up with it if it removed polish well. But it doesn't!!! I think I managed like 2 nails with one wipe, and it was a bit of work even to do that. I'd rather just walk around with horribly chipped nail polish, LMAO! I returned these right away, and ordered the Priti NYC ones. :) 

L'artisan Parfumeur Travel Spray Gift Set
I picked up this set of travel sprays during the Sephora VIB sale because it was such a good deal! I haven't tried L'artisan before, though I had sniffed a few scents that weren't really me. I took a chance in ordering this, and sadly I ended up taking it back. La Chasse Aux Papillons (a light floral) and Nuit de Tubereuse (a deeper floral) were my favorite of the bunch, but I could tell that I wouldn't love them on me without even spraying them on. Premier Figuier reminded me of Diptyque Philosykos which I'm not really into, and Mure et Musc seemed nice too. If you're a fan of L'artisan Parfumeur and/or aren't as picky and sensitive about scents as I am, I urge you to try this out. At $60, this gift set is a great value and a great introduction to the brand!

Anastasia Covet Waterproof Eyeliner Set
I decided to order this set of eyeliners one day since they were such a good value at $28 and I had read some positive reviews on it. Unfortunately, my sensitive monolid eyes aren't a fan. I only tried the shade Steel, a nice gray, and in an hour and a half it was already creased in my monolid. Sad. Application wise, this liner wasn't as creamy as I prefer, but it also didn't drag or anything, so that was nice. I can't tell for sure if it irritates my eyes like many waterproof liners seem to, but my eyes did feel a bit itchy and my nose was runny. (Gosh, why are my reactions to eyeliner sometimes like... hayfever? LOL)  I can't decide if I should even bother trying the other shades, or if I should just return it... 

All in all, I can't recommend the Josie Maran nail wipes, but think that both the Anastasia liners and L'artisan gift sets could be great gifts this holiday season. What do you think - have you tried any of these products? How did they work for you? I'd love to know!

♥ Lush Santa's Lip Scrub

My lips are always in a sad state - perpetually dry and peeling - and I hate to admit that I have a horrible habit of picking off the flaky bits. (I know. Ew.) Lip scrubs definitely help keep my fingers from peeling, and I think I've found my new favorite. 

This cola and cherry flavored lip scrub works wonders to exfoliate my dry lips. I love the flavor, and the adorable little hearts inside the product just are so cheery. 

Coming in at $8.95 for .8oz, this edible lip scrub is a total win in my book. I've tried Fresh Sugar Lip Scrub, which is $22.50 for .6oz, and is not edible and also has a bit of an oily base. I also want to try Sara Happ's lip scrub, but I'll save that for later. :) All in all, I think Lush Santa's Lip Scrub is something that I will stock up on!

Santa's Lip Scrub is also available inside the Christmas Kisses gift set, which includes the Santa Baby Lip Balm and Toothy Tabs. What do you think of Santa's Lip Scrub? Is this something that you'll be picking up? I'd love to know