Fruit Slices – 3-8-1 Candles

Fruit Slices – 3-8-1 Candles

By: Andrea Haskins

Brand: 3-8-1 Candles

Type: 22 ounce candle jar

Scent: Fruit Slices

Cost: $41.99

Scent strength: Moderately strong

Introduction to my candle review:

There has been a surge of the “surprise-in-a-candle” sort of candles as of late. I love things that are different or unique, so this concept has always intrigued me. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to review one such company: 3-8-1 Candles. This Wisconsin based company makes luxurious candles with genuine jewelry surprises inside. Candles AND jewelry? Count me in!

The website for 3-8-1 Candles is fairly easy to navigate and is full of information. A lot is explained about the candles themselves and the jewelry pieces that can be found inside. I found that information very helpful while browsing, as a lot of my questions were answered just by spending some time on the site. While the scent list is not huge, there is a good variety. It appears that there is something for every nose: fruity, floral, bakery, etc. It was hard for me to choose, but I ultimately settled on Fruit Slices ”“ a scent I knew I would love.

What did my 3-8-1 Candle look like?

This candle was huge…22 ounces of wax. The clear candle jars for these candles are almost perfectly square, a little more narrow at the base and flaring up toward the top. It was a nice, heavy glass vessel that had some weight in the hand ”“ it felt very well made. The 3-8-1 logo was on a decorative label on one side of the jar. The scent name was on a separate label on the opposite side of the jar. Both labels could be easily removed for a pure, clear jar if that’s your thing. The candle wax was such a pretty deep pink color ”“ so very pretty! This candle had two wicks that were placed well.

What did my 3-8-1 Candle smell like?

I have smelled the scent Fruit Slices before, so I knew it would be something I would enjoy. Here is the scent description as listed on the website:

“The scent of delicious candied fruit slices! Bursting with orange, raspberry, cherry, strawberry, and more. If you love the scent of fresh fruit, at its juiciest and ripest, with a touch of the sweetest sugar layered atop it, this is one you will adore.”

The initial cold sniff was just as expected ”“ a fruity explosion! I smelled mostly citrus and the sweet strawberry scent. I loved it! The cold throw was moderately strong. I lit this candle in my testing room first (powder room) and left it to scent up the place. I must admit, that I viewed this candle as a novelty candle and I wasn’t expecting much scent throw. You know…the jewelry inside being the main attraction and the candle and scent being very secondary. I was so wrong! I was pleasantly surprised when I reentered the room approximately 30 minutes later to this candle already starting to scent the room. It was fruity ”“ sweet and a little tart ”“ and it had a great scent throw! It was filling up this small room easily. It was hard to pick out individual fruits, but I could definitely smell orange and strawberry.  I loved the mix…very fruity and very fresh. I moved this candle to a larger room later and it scented that medium sized room well. The scent was noticeable and pleasant ”“ not super strong, but definitely there.

How did my 3-8-1 Candle burn?

I loved that this candle was double wicked, especially with the square shape. The wax melt pool was initially somewhat elliptical, but after a few hours the entire candle surface melted. The corners of the jar were the last to melt, but I found if I burned it long enough that even the corners succumbed to the heat. The scent throw was much better, of course, once the full wax melt pool was obtained. The wicks were fairly low maintenance and I just kept them trimmed in between burns. My flames never got out of control or had me concerned.

Despite the two wicks, this candle was a sloooooow burn. That’s really fantastic when you’ve invested so much in a candle ”“ you want to get your money’s worth and enjoy the candle for a long time! But for these surprise candles, it can also be somewhat frustrating… you want to get to the surprise! I found myself peeking down into the jar the closer it got to the end of the candle. For a little while, I panicked…what if my jar was defective? What if they forgot to put my jewelry inside? Oh the horror!

Finally, I could stand it no longer. Once the candle was almost done, I took a pair of wick trimmers and started stirring up the soft wax. I felt the wicks, the wick tabs, the softened wax. And then…a package. I found it! It was wrapped in foil (clever!) and the foil held a zip-lock baggie with my jewelry inside. It was a cute little ring that my daughter and I fought over (she won). My daughter has been sporting the ring since the reveal and we both find it adorable. I have yet to get it appraised.

Conclusion to my review:

I really enjoyed my 3-8-1 candle and I could see myself ordering some as gifts. This candle was not just something to house a jewelry surprise in…it was actually a very good candle to enjoy! Because this was such a slow burning candle, it did take a while to get a full wax melt pool and to fully benefit from the scent throw. While the scent throw on this particular candle wasn’t super strong, it had a moderate scent throw and it was strong enough to thoroughly enjoy it. I think finding the jewelry at the end was an added bonus. If you aren’t sure about investing in a candle, they do offer clamshell style wax melts and travel tins (which also contain jewelry pieces). I would certainly give these candles a try!

Happy candle burning!

~ Andrea

Visit 3-8-1 Candles

Presentation: 4/5
Authenticity: 4/5
Burn Performance: 3.5/5
Strength: 3/5

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

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