Attention all Pink Sugar and Hard Candy fans!

I was at Marshalls today because I heard a rumor that they had Carol's Daughter stuff there for about 70% off the retail price. I am a longtime fan of Carol's Daughter Almond Cookie and Jamaican Punch body products but, of course, there were no Carol's Daughter products anywhere to be seen at my Marshalls.

So after looking through the bath and body stuff and not seeing anything of interest (and no Rachel Perry stuff either, darnit) I did see some things I wanted to tell you about.

First of all, when did Marshalls start carrying so many Yankee Candle jar candles? For a minute there I thought I was at a Yankee Candle store! There were too many scents to mention, and I think they were all $7.99. Good thing I'm a tart girl and not so much a candle girl anymore, or else I would have probably gone crazy.

Next, I went over to the fragrance section and didn't really see anything that caught my eye until I saw the adorably packaged Hard Candy eau de toilette. I remember reading somewhere that this was supposed to be a more sophisticated version of Aquolina Pink Sugar, so when I saw that it was only $9.99, I couldn't resist (the retail price for the 3.4 oz bottle is $65). Plus, I heard that this was recently discontinued, so in case I never see it again, I didn't want to regret not getting it here.

[NOTE: I went on the Hard Candy website and there is no trace of this fragrance on the site, which probably means it is discontinued. Also, EVERYTHING on the site is 50% off right now. If you're a fan of Hard Candy makeup, this may be a good time to stock up.]

The first thing I noticed about the packaging of this fragrance is how it is cute and sort of unconventional. Look at the tiny little birdie sticker on the front. Super adorable. And I love how the box unfolds like a present.

The packaging is so girly and it totally matches the scent. I will say that this definitely does remind me of Pink Sugar, but the thing that hits you the minute you spray this on your skin is the spicy pink peppercorn note. But when it's combined with the caramel and musk notes, it actually smells like black licorice or anise. At first whiff, you smell black licorice on a background of Pink Sugar (cotton candy and syrupy caramel). This is actually enjoyable because you don't get that heavy, almost burnt note that a lot of people dislike in Pink Sugar.

But wait 20 minutes and WOWEEE! The dry-down is aaaaamazing. To my nose, it smells just like a big bowl of fresh whipped cream combined with a soft musk. It's light, sweet, creamy and airy. I love! And the staying power is excellent. It lasted a good 6 hours on my wrist.

Final analysis: If you are a fan of Pink Sugar, I am willing to bet that you will love Hard Candy. And even if you're not a fan of Pink Sugar but you're in the market for a fun, feminine and sweet scent that will definitely not break the bank, head on over to Marshalls and look for this. It's also available online at several different websites (but just not the Hard Candy website). One more thing: If you need to buy a present for a teenage/early twenties girl, I'm willing to bet that she will love this as well.