Review: New Bath & Body Works Fragrant Waters Collection

I've got to level with you. My BBW obsession goes back to before some of you were born. There's just no denying that I love this brand and I scoot my booty on down to my local BBW the moment I hear that they have a new scent or collection. There's just something that's so comforting about being inside of a BBW to me...can't really explain it.

So I was over the moon excited when I received some of the new Fragrant Waters fragrances recently for review. If you haven't heard of this new collection, think of it as a "reinterpretation" of some of the most popular BBW fragrances. These new versions are geared toward summertime use, so they are more "crisp" and "bright" and "refreshing" than their original versions. Um, I'M IN!

The fragrances in the Fragrant Waters Collection that I selected for review were based on my love for the originals. Since I own the originals, I can easily compare the two scents side by side. Here's what I selected:

Sweet Pea
White Citrus
Black Amethyst
Japanese Cherry Blossom

Let's begin with White Citrus, which I received in the large spray bottle version ($17.50, 10 fl oz). Um, let me just say that this bottle is HUGE (the bottle itself feels like it weights over a pound!) and it's made of extremely thick, heavy glass. Seriously, if you were to accidentally drop this on your toe, it would hurt. I've got to say, this is a departure for BBW--I've never seen one of their body mists packaged like this before and I like it! It just feels so substantial when you pick it up. Very cool.

So on to the scent itself: I loooove it. I'm already a huge fan of White Citrus, so I knew I'd love any varation of this scent. They really played up the lemon and orange notes from the original, plus they added spearmint and a hint of melon to this new version. What you're left with is a light, uber-refreshing mist of sheer citrus coolness. I literally feel like my body is cooler when I wear this. I would drink it if I could. Love!

Next we have Japanese Cherry Blossom, which I received in the roller-ball packaging (retail: $7.50, 0.28 oz):

What I'd like to say first is that I've never used a roller-ball delivery system for anything other than an oil-based fragrance. So this was a very neat experience because the product is alcohol-based. So you when you press the ball against your skin and roll it, you expect to get the usual tiny gush of oil on your skin but instead you're getting the body spray formula, so it's MUCH easier for your skin to absorb and you don't have to spend a few minutes rubbing your wrists together to get it all absorbed. It quickly dries on your skin and all you're left with is the fragrance. So cool!

Now on to the scent: According to BBW, "This sparkling interpretation of the award-winning fragrance enhances the airy floral notes of the original, illuminating the scent for a fresher effect." To my nose, this smells like you took the original fragrance and added some citrus notes to it to make it a cleaner, zippier fragrance. I really like this one. If you're a fan of the original, this is definitely worth checking out because it's just different enough to warrant a purchase.

Next we have Sweet Pea, which I also received in the roller-ball design:

Of all the scents I tested, I think that this is the one that varies from the original the least. At first sniff, you're probably going to say that you really can't tell the two apart. But the dry-down does offer some differences. BBW has added some lemon zest, tangerine and Granny Smith Apple to this version and you can definitely smell a tiny bit of those notes in the dry-down. Think of this as Sweet Pea with a teeny bit of tartness. It's still got the sweet floral base, but now the top note is more tart and citrusy.

Lastly we have Black Amethyst, which I also received in the roller ball design:

Let's not mince words here. Black Amethyst is one of those love or hate fragrances. I happen to be on the love side, but even I'll admit that I wouldn't dream of wearing this fragrance in the summertime. It's a deep, rich, woody and floral fragrance that is absolutely amazing to wear in the fall and wintertime. So I was extremely curious how BBW could reinterpret this scent for use in the warmer months. Well, in my opinion, they did a fantastic job! With the addition of orange, lime, cantaloupe and spearmint, they've managed to keep the basenotes intact but they'd added this citrusy feel in the background that makes the new scent a little lighter and more playful without taking away what we (the Black Amethyst lovers) like about the original. Bravo, BBW! I think this one's my favorite of the bunch. And I should also add this this fragrance had the best staying power of the bunch.

Final Analysis: The Fragrant Waters Collection is meant to be light and airy, so keep in mind that the staying power of some of these fragrances might be a tad weaker than the original versions. But if you have a favorite BBW fragrance that you're a little burned out on, I would highly suggest trying out the Fragrant Waters version. Think of these as a "twist" on your old favorites. But be careful because the new version of your old favorite might just become your new favorite.

For a complete list of the Fragrant Waters scents now available, click here.

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and gratis samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.