McNeal Made Candle Wax Melts Reviews
March 27, 2022
This is a review of McNeal Made Candle Co. wax melts from Arkansas, which can be found at https://mcneal-made-candle-co.com. We loved these scents, and in general, the throw was excellent, making McNeal Made one of our top favorite wax melt vendors!
We like the fact that the main notes are listed right on the label. We also love the color swirls and marbling in the wax which, although they blend together when melting, they make the wax look like a piece of artwork that's almost too pretty to melt!
The only negatives we could find is that the wax is a bit on the soft side (as it's a soy/paraffin blend), making it a bit messy and hard to remove a cube from the clamshell. And the clamshells keep popping open due to a vacuum issue with the clamshell that resolves itself after a cube of wax is removed from the clamshell. Both of these issues are certainly not dealbreakers though.
The scents are fantastic, the throw on most of them is very strong, and we highly recommend McNeal Made Candle Co. wax melts!
Boho Vibes
Star Anise, Spice, Fennel
I'm getting mostly cinnamon from this scent, but not a harsh Big Red gum cinnamon, and there are other very unique notes in this scent that make it much more than "just" a cinnamon scent. I do smell star anise, which is a "soft powdery cinnamon clove type spice with a hint of sweet floral and smidgen of licorice". Fennel also has a tiny bit of a licorice note, along with herbaceous and woodsy notes. Luckily I'm getting very little licorice in this scent, and more of the cinnamon and clove, but the combination of notes that also include a tiny bit of baby powder which might actually be Nag Champa or some other incense, gives it an Eastern or Oriental spice vibe. It's sweet but not foodie, more like a mystical Eastern or Oriental tea that you would drink to ward off illness! I LOVE this unusual scent!
Bourbon Butterscotch
Butterscotch, Cream, Bourbon
A rich, sweet, yummy butterscotch scent, and I can indeed smell the bourbon, as well as just a hint of almond. It's incredible! But the scent was gone in under 2 hours.
Cherry Lemonade
Cherry, Lemon, Strawberry, Sugar Crystals
This doesn't smell like cherry lemonade. I'm definitely getting the lemon, but it's more like the sour rind of the lemon, mixed with bitter lime, and watermelon. Yes, I was wondering what that fruit is, and I'm sure it's watermelon, not cherry. It's just a little sweet, but mostly very sour. Maybe the sourness is some kind of herb, although it's not a savory type sour. This is not one of my favorites, but I think it might make a good mixer to blend with other very sweet fruity scents to give them a lemony note without adding sweetness.
Cherry Merlot
Black Cherry, Merlot, Raspberry
I do smell the cherry in this scent, but I'm also getting a bit of almond, a hint of vanilla, maybe also a fresh air note, and even a tiny bit of a floral that makes this smell more like cherry blossom than Merlot. It's not all that fruity, and it doesn't smell like cherry merlot at all, but it's still a very nice scent. Since the Cherry Lemonade scent didn't smell quite right either, it might just be that cherry scents from the particular oil manufacturer used are a bit off.
CocoDew
Coconut, Melon, Peony, Avocado
This is an interesting blend of scents, and I like it... It's refreshing and summery! I smell coconut, melon (honeydew or cantaloupe, not watermelon), a green grassy floral, and a fresh, watery aloe or cucumber note. I think all of the notes are about even, like 25% coconut, 25% melon, 25% grassy floral, 25% aloe/cucumber. Looking at the notes, they're spot on, and avocado (an odd note to add to a wax melt) smells earthy, fresh, watery and cucumbery. Great scent!
Dark Rose
Rose, Plum, Peppercorn, Patchouli
A fantastic scent of fruit, floral, and wood. The fruit is plum or blackberry. I smell the rose, as well as another floral I can't identify. And I think the wood is mahogany. It's like 45% fruit, 35% floral, 15% wood, and 5% other notes (musk, and vanilla or chocolate?). It's not overly sweet or flowery, so even if you don't like florals, you might like this scent. I ADORE it! Looking at the notes, I'm not getting any peppery notes. And patchouli? I'm not getting incensey notes, but patchouli does have sweet mahogany and chocolate notes.
Forest Fairy
Petrichor, Moss, Damp Earth
This smells like being in a thick forest on a rainy night! It's pine with a slightly sour, slightly smoky note, as well as a note that I can only describe as mildew, but not in a bad way. Maybe also a bit of moss and a hint of fresh air. It's not sweet at all. This is a unique scent and I like it, although I'm not a fan of pine scents that have that odd Play-Doh sour note; it's not too strong in this scent, but I'll probably mix it with a fresh air scent to reduce that note. Looking at the notes, they're spot on, although I'm surprised I don't see pine, because I think that's the main note. "Petrichor" is the earthy, ozoney scent produced when rain falls on hot, dry pavement or soil, and I'm smelling that in this scent as well.
Fresh Cut Grass
Fresh Air, Green Grass, Cedar
It's extremely difficult (if not impossible) to find a truly authentic grass scent in a candle or wax melt, and this scent is no exception. But it's still a fantastic scent of rose/peony with a green, herbal, grassy note, as well as a watery fresh air note, an herbal note, and maybe a barely detectable smidgen of musk. It's also very soapy, like an herbal rose scented soap. I love this scent! Looking at the notes, I don't think I'm getting the cedar, and definitely no woodsy notes.
Garden Party
Gardenia, Powder, Jasmine, Lemon Peel
A lovely jasmine scent, with nothing else added. It's authentically sweet, not perfumey sweet. On cold sniff I also detect gardenia, but I don't smell that when melting. Looking at the notes, I'm not getting lemon, although there could be a smidgen of magnolia way in the background, which does have a lemony note. As times goes on, it loses a bit of sweetness and I detect a bit of a "green" note, and although it's still sweet, that makes it smell even more authentic. Very nice, and lasted the entire day!
High Tide
Sea Salt, Ozone, Violet
A fresh but salty, briny oceany scent with a bit of a peppery note. It's not sweet at all, so I think it would make a good mixer to tone down floral scents that are too sweet. On its own, it's a bit too bland and has a little bit of a chemical note.
Iced Vanilla Woods
Lavender, Vanilla, Smokey Woods
Fantastic scent of mahogany wood, smoke, a hint of lavender and pine, and maybe a smidgen of eucalyptus because I'm getting a tiny bit of a sinus clearing effect from close up. I love this scent!
Lavender
Wood, Verbena, Bulgarian Lavender, Musk
A very nice scent of lavender and wood with a little bit of bergamot that gives it a bit of a cologne note, making it a "masculine" lavender. The wood smells like sandalwood, with that milky note, but it could also be a bit of mahogany. It's just a little bit sweet, not perfumey, but also not a medicinal lavender. And although lavender is the main note, it's not overwhelming, more like 60% lavender and 40% wood. I think I'm also getting a hint of pine or spruce, with a tiny bit of smokiness. It's very nice!
Mad Tea Party
Lavender, Almond, Cupcakes
This smells like cherry-almond soda! I'm definitely getting almond, and I'm also detecting a hint of cherry soda (with a little bit of that fizzy soda note), as well as a smidgen of lemon way in the background. I'm also getting a tiny bit of a vanilla cupcake note. I ADORE this super sweet, fantastic scent!! Looking at the notes, there's the almond and cupcakes, but no cherry and no soda notes. I don't smell lavender, but maybe that's what I'm thinking is lemon way in the background because some lavender scents do tend to have a lemony note.
Moonlit Waters
Marine, Bamboo, Vetiver
A sweet mahogany-based cologne type scent with bergamot that gives it a tiny bit of a citrusy note, a bit of freshness (or it could be a smidgen of lemon), a tiny bit of soapiness, and a teensy bit of leather. Looking at the notes, vetiver is the lemon note, marine is the freshness, and I'm not getting bamboo (a very green scent with a light, grassy, floral undertone, that may also have subtle woodsy and/or nutty notes), although the bamboo could be the woodsy note, but I really think that's mahogany. It smells very much like their Suede Blanc scent, but sweeter, with the fresh and very slightly lemony note, and more soapy. I like them both!
Nostalgia
Lemon, Cherry, Vanilla
I smell orange, lemon, lime, and a hint of another fruit (maraschino cherry?) None of the fruits smell authentic, but that's perfectly okay, because it smells like Fruit Loops cereal (hence the name "Nostalgia"). It has a tiny bit of a soapy note, but not in a bad way. I love this scent, and it lasted all day. A lot of wax melt companies make this scent, because it's a fantastic, classic scent! And the round "cereal" pieces embedded in this wax is a fun visual touch!
Peach Gardenia
Peach, Gardenia, Musk
If I didn't know the name of this scent, I'd say it was gardenia and peach, so the scent is indeed true to its name. It's like 70% gardenia and 30% peach. The peach is more of the bland outside of the peach rather than the juicy, sweet insides, but that balances out the sweetness of the gardenia. But after a few hours, the peach did take on a sweet, juicy, fruity note! But it's an authentic peach rather than a fake peach, and definitely not a "cat pee" peach! If you like sweet florals but you don't like peach scents (as I do), you might still like this one because the peach is not overwhelming. I LOVE this scent! It's perfect for the summer, and it lasted all day!
Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberries, Cream, Cake, Vanilla
Rich, sweet fruity scent of strawberry and a hint of another fruit I can't identify. It has a bit of a vanilla buttercream note, but it doesn't smell like cake. Even though it's quite artificial, it's a nice scent.
Suede Blanc
Amber, Suede, Leather, Cedar
Mahogany with a bit of a cologne note, and a smidgen of leather that disappears when melted. There are a lot of other similar scents out there, but I think this one is just slightly less sweet and doesn't have as much of the cologne note. It smells very much like Moonlit Waters, but comparing them side by side, this scent is slightly less sweet, has less of the cologne (bergamot) note, doesn't have a soapy note or smidgen of lemon, and has the smidgen of leather that the other scent doesn't. I like them both!
Sweet Lemon
Lemon, Bergamot, Musk
A fantastic scent of rich, salty lemon. It's just a little bit sweet. It's not a "true" lemon scent, nor is it a foodie lemon or lemonade scent, or a "kitchen cleaner" lemon. It's more like a lemon verbena with a teensy bit of soapy note that almost gives it a spa quality, but not quite, because it's not lemongrass (which tends to have a citronella note). It smells great! Looking at the notes, I'm not getting musk or any perfumey notes. Bergamot is often added to scents to give it a citrusy cologne note, but I'm not getting that either.
Vanilla Bliss
Amber Musk, Cream, Vanilla Bean
A nice vanilla scent with milky whipped cream, a hint of coconut, and a hint of almond (or some other nut, maybe pecan). It's sweet but not buttercream sweet, kind of like sponge cake or angel food cake. I like it, and I think it would also be a good mixer to add a vanilla note to other scents without making them overly sweet. Looking at the notes, I'm not getting amber or musk or any perfumey notes, but I'm definitely getting the cream.
