Homeworx by Harry Slatkin Spring 2019 Driftwood 4 Wick Candle Review

I caved.  I had made up my mind that I wasn't going to purchase any of the Homeworx candles that were released for spring, but I caved.

So, sitting at my computer, the thought ran through my brain... I wonder if Homeworx has released anything new yet.  Since I review candles, I should probably at least go and take a look.

Drifting over to the QVC website, I kept thinking that I just want to look.  I'm not going to purchase anything.  I'm just looking.  Then I see this candle duo and my plan went to hell in a hand basket.  Darn it.  :)

I put the set of two Driftwood candles in the cart and walked away.  Then I came back.  Then I walked away.  Finally I came back and went through with the purchase.  Then the waiting starts and I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that QVC has no urgency in their shipping.  It felt like forever even though delivery was quick for them.  It took a week when it usually takes almost two.

Homeworx has mastered the art of packaging candles for shipping.  Both candles were completely surrounded in hard foam to protect them from any jostling around during shipping.  I have yet to receive a Homeworx candle that had any flaws that would have been created by shipping.  HUGE kudos to them for that alone!  (Yes Bath & Body Works, I'm GLARING at YOU and your gremlins.)

So, lets talk about the candle label and packaging.

These candles have a photo of a beach at sunset on them with large pieces of driftwood in the foreground.  The photo label wraps completely around the candle.  I like the label because it has a beautiful glow when the candle has burned down and is lit.  The ambiance is there with this one once it has burned for a while.

The container is that usual thick and substantial glass that the company uses for these types of candles.  It has a lot of weight to it.  I'm talking enough weight that you could seriously injure someone if you clocked them in the head with it.  Like I said in my Truffle candle review, don't set this willy nilly on a shelf unless you know for sure that it can handle the weight.  I personally love these glass containers.

The lid is the typical silver Homeworx lid.  These lids are always super shiny and are very prone to fingerprints that can drive a clean freak into the nuthouse.  I do like the design but I don't mind wiping fingerprints off.

So... how about that cold smell?

With this one, cold smell was definitely interesting.  There was a lot of excitement and anxiety running through my veins when this candle set arrived that stemmed from the fall and winter collection issues that pop up with some of those candles.  My fingers were crossed in my mind as I lifted the lid to take my first whiff.

The scent that went up my nose and into my brain was very easy for me to identify and describe.  It was dead on vintage Avon perfume.  You will know what I'm referring to here when I ask you if you have ever picked up and smelled the contents or residue of a vintage Avon bottle that is shaped like a race car or poodle.  That's what this candle smelled like to me on cold smell.

Now my hubs always has the pleasure of me shoving any new candle that arrives in the mail straight up into his face and telling him to smell it.  He plays along because it's always the same ritual.  I ask him what he smells and he answers me.  His answer this time was a bit comical to me.  He looked at me with a really puzzled look on his face and told me that it smells like what he remembers his grandmother smelling like.

At this point, I thought that this candle was probably going to be in trouble with the review based on what we were smelling on cold smell.  BUT, I've said it before and I'll say it again... a candle can smell quite different when you light it on fire than it smells when it is cold.  This one is a prime example of that.

The scent notes listed on this candle are:

• sun-drenched wood
• sandalwood
• jasmine
• verbena

So now it's time for me to set it on fire.  This is usually when I get a good look at the wicks on any candle that I'm going to review.

Many of the candles in the fall and winter collection from Homeworx did have some burn issues and it stemmed from the wicks.  The way I understand it is that the wicks were smaller since the candles were changed over from three wicks to four wicks in order to help preserve the burn time.  The result was puny wicks that just didn't burn hard enough.  That's my understanding of the situation. 

I can say that when I looked at the wicks on this candle, it was apparent right off the bat that these weren't the same wicks that they used for the fall and winter collections.  The wicks on this candle are braided and thicker.  The million dollar question is if they provide a better burn and better scent release.

Of course I did a burn video that shows the first burn that I did on this candle.  You'll see more of the later burns when I post my video review on YouTube.

Burn wise this candle did not disappoint me.  I chose to burn it the first time on the bookcase in my freakishly large and long hallway.  This area of the house gives me a really good idea on how much scent a candle actually releases when it is burned.

After the first burn, I moved the candle around the house for the other four burns.  It was in the office twice, the dining room and on the bookcase at the other end of the hallway that is by the kitchen entrance.  Driftwood burned really well no matter where I moved it to in the house.  There were surprisingly no mushroom tops on the wicks and the wax was at a full pool within two hours of lighting it each time.

The wax on this candle does change color after burning it the first time from the darker blue to a lighter blue.  No big deal and it has no bearing on the performance of the candle but I just thought I'd mention that.  I also want to mention that when it is pooled out it turns into the most beautiful midnight, almost black, shade of blue.  That combined with the colors in the label and the nice size flames makes this candle very pleasing to the eye when it is burning in a lower light setting.

Scent wise... this candle does have quite a bit of scent release.  It didn't scent my entire house.  My home is over 80 years old and it is not open concept.  The longer it burns, the more scent it releases and it is really strong if you are sitting within a few feet of the candle.  Almost too strong.  The scent will fill a room.

As a final note on Driftwood, the scent when it is burning is so much better than when it is cold.  No vintage Avon perfume smell at all.  I get the sandalwood with an undertone of the jasmine and verbena.  I take the listed scent notes on a candle as more of a guide than the truth but on this one, they hit their list quite well.  It's a pleasant smell that I really do like a lot.  It will fill a room with ease, but it is loud if you stay close to it. 

My Final Thoughts on Homeworx Driftwood and Will I Buy it Again?

I didn't have a lot of the issues that people were complaining about with the fall and winter candles from last year except for the occasional disappointment with the lack of scent that was released with some of the Homeworx candles.  On the flip side, I don't review or even get around to burning every candle from every brand that I purchase in a timely enough manner to post a review because I do get a LOT of candles every month.  If I did all of the reviews, I would never get anything else done.

That said, I did definitely notice a substantial difference between the performance of this candle versus some of the four wick candles from last year.  The scent in this candle is much louder and wants to let you know that it is there.  The wicks are noticeably thicker than last year's four wicks which always improves the burn which in turn improves the scent throw if the scent is adequate in the candle.  Driftwood does a good job in a single room but won't scent the entire house.

As far as caving and making the purchase, I'm glad I did.  When I read the scent notes on this candle, I was intrigued by the listed scent combination.  It definitely works and the combination does surprisingly spark memories of my Hawaiian vacations in my mind.  I'm not sure how that works.  Maybe it's the candle name or the photo on the front in combination with the floral undertones of the candle but it does take me there and I enjoy that.


More than likely I will purchase this set of 2 candles again.  I'm a bit leery of the current price tag of $39.98 (it's actually $45.48 because of the shipping charge) which equates to $20.00 per candle, but if and when they go on clearance or a deeper sale I would buy another set to have in my candle hoard.

Have you purchased and burned these candles yet?  If so, let me know what your thoughts are on them in the comments below.