The semi annual sale was the only way i could try the 2021 scents.

I definitely took advantage of the spectacular prices of BBW Semi Annual Sale 2021. Especially since BBW has been stingy with their deals AND their prices have gone WAY up since the pandemic struck. In fact, it seems there is no end in sight with their increase in price points. Everything was a dollar more expensive LAST year, and are now $1.50 up from THAT in 2021. Considering the lack of staying power and the over abundance of alcohol in many of their fine fragrance mists, this feels unacceptable. Prices have gone up so much, some FFM and travel size perfumes no longer qualify for my $16.50 free item, and that greatly annoys me. Why are some fragrances more expensive than others? 
The "deals" they now offer aren't very good, compared to what they used to be. They hardly ever offer free shipping, though they did this weekend, and they offer both wallflowers and hand soaps for $3.75 now instead of under $3. That might not seem like a lot to some people, but I've got a tight budget to buy products to test and review, it makes it hard to justify buying in bulk, unless I know I really like the scent. I haven't seen the quality go up, only down, and it makes the price hikes seem like an indifferent middle finger to all long time customers. I've been using BBW since the 90's! Back when it was affordable. I miss those days.

Two of the products I bought at the SAS were Champagne Sprinkles Body Cream, and Boardwalk Taffy Fine Fragrance Mist. I thought I would like Boardwalk Taffy more than I actually do, which is a shame because I bought TWO bottles of it! I thought it would smell like their AMAZING (and my favorite) Salt Water Taffy candle, but it smells nothing like it. It's faint, riddled with alcohol, and instead of gourmand, it has a distinct "perfume" like quality, at least on me it does. I wanted sweet gourmand, and that's what the reviews prepared me for. I bought Champagne Sprinkles was on a whim. For this fragrance too, I saw glowing reviews. I wish I had gotten 2 bottles of Champagne Sprinkles, because that fragrance is closer to my beloved candle, though definitely not a dupe. I would buy this fragrance in a candle, for the 15.95 sale price. I would probably buy two, one to burn and review, and one to save for my collection.

So, I'm disappointed in Boardwalk Taffy, and delighted with Champagne Sprinkles. I wondered what the two would smell like together, since Boardwalk Taffy is lacking the sweet gourmand notes that Champagne Sprinkles has an abundance of. Champagne Sprinkles is supposed to have both champagne and raspberry icing notes, but that's not what it smells like on me. It smells amazing coming out of the tube, like fruity sweet buttercream frosting, but on my skin, and to my nose, I smell like I slathered myself in bubblegum. It was driving me crazy, trying to figure out that familiar pink bubble gum scent, but once I did, that's all I could smell. I'm sad I don't smell like frosting, but smelling like gum isn't a bad thing. It reminds me of my childhood, and the delicious pink gum I used to chew, with the squishy red jelly in the middle. That's what this is, packaged in a perfume and ready to spread onto my skin. Much as I'm loving Champagne Sprinkles on it's own, I thought, why not mix it with my disappointing Boardwalk Taffy? Maybe it will make it more creamy and less perfume-y. Also. layering BBW fragrances are the key to creating more staying power. That why they generally make a 3 piece set for each scent they roll out. Each product features one of the key notes, and together they bring out the true nature of the fragrance. That's also why, when I find a scent I love, I splurge and get more products to layer together. So far, there has only been a handful of fragrances I've done this with, Gingerbread Latte being the latest set I've purchased. I started with the body cream, which smelled amazing, then I followed it up with the lotion and shower gel. Amaze-balls. I would do the same thing with Champagne Sprinkles. I think all 3 products will help me smell more like the Salt Water Taffy candle, and less like bubblegum.

I liberally applied the body cream and sprayed an ungodly amount of Boardwalk Taffy Fragrance Mist, because the FFM is so weak. The end result is just about what I had hoped for. Less bubblegum, more sweet candy. My dad said it best, I smell like bubblegum flavored cotton candy. Sileage is about an arms length, and people will smell you when you walk by them, but in this day of 6 feet apart social distancing, you might be the only one who truly gets to enjoy this delightfully sweet combination.