Classic Bath & Body Works scents, ranked
This post is part of Mashable's You're Old Week. Break through the haze of nostalgia with us and see what holds up, what disappoints, and what got better with time.
Perhaps it was a body spray you kept stashed in your locker. Perhaps it was a shower gel you pulled out for special occasions (homecoming, the Sadie Hawkins dance, your big science presentation on porpoises). Or maybe it was a body lotion that you slathered all over your legs before debuting your fresh new bubble skirt.
Whatever it was, it was your signature. Your calling card. Your favorite Bath & Body Works scent.
You May Also Like
Now, a lot of those fragrances are technically retired -- although you can still find most of them on the Bath & Body Works website. Others, like Sweet Pea and Warm Vanilla Sugar, are still going strong. And, according to a rep, the store brings back a few old favorites each year as part of its semi-annual sale.
But which classic scent reigns supreme? We realize everyone's loyalties are different, so it's hard to pick a true, objective winner. But that's never stopped us from ranking anything before, so we pooled our nostalgia resources here at Mashable (which are sizable) and did it anyway.
14. Pearberry
We had a hard time finding anyone who remembered Pearberry, a scent that combines two okay smells -- pears and berries -- into something that is also okay. Would be better as a room spray.
13. Country Apple
Country Apple does not necessarily match its name. It smells more like cider than an apple in the open air. As one reviewer pointed out, though, it mostly smells like "straight up shampoo."
12. (Sheer) Freesia
A scent called "Freesia" is currently featured on the Retired section of the Bath & Body Works website. We assume this is an updated version of Sheer Freesia, which was a delightful, even delicate scent; however, as we learned from the deeply upsetting reviews, it sucks now. Sorry!
11. Cotton Blossom
A pleasant scent, but not one particularly unique to Bath & Body Works. Plus, seems suited for a candle, not for a spritz before AP Chem. What if Jeremy thinks you smell like laundry?
10. Twilight Woods
This is the rare Bath & Body Works "night fragrance," which refers to a fragrance that is definitely to be worn at night (before curfew). Twilight Woods is not the best night fragrance at Bath & Body Works, but it is good. Think vanilla, fruit that is dark in color, a musk of some kind. Perfect for a cozy night of pretending to watch Almost Famous with your high school BF.
9. Sun-Ripened Raspberry
In the early aughts, sticky bottles of this cloying scent occupied the wire bathroom shelves of teens everywhere. Yes, Sun-Ripened Raspberry is iconic, but we do not recommend smelling it in 2018. Let the haze of nostalgia win this time.
8. Plumeria
The light, floral Plumeria was a surprising favorite among Mashable staffers. It also has by far the most beautiful name -- if you, for some reason, wanted to downplay the fact that you're wearing Bath & Body Works, please know that "I'm wearing Plumeria" sounds fancy as hell.
7. Mango Mandarin
A citrus icon! Mango Mandarin is one of those scents that feels distinctly middle school, which is great, because a lot of people wore it in middle school. It smells like an orange Creamsicle, but if someone tried to make them healthy.
6. Juniper Breeze
We are extremely inspired by the color of Juniper Breeze, which falls at the exact median of its two components: juniper berries and "evergreens."
5. Moonlight Path
Moonlight Path is Bath & Body Works's foremost night fragrance. It has a devoted following -- one Mashable staffer even called it her "ride or die." It is also by far Bath & Body Works's sexiest offering. Do with that information what you will!
4. Japanese Cherry Blossom
This is a scent for cool people. If the inside of someone's locker smelled like Japanese Cherry Blossom, that locker also contained a neon plastic mirror and a collection of glitter stickers so vast, they were visible from a full twenty lockers away. Even today, the delicate fragrance is a real "crowd pleaser" -- even if glitter stickers are still waiting for their true renaissance.
3. Cucumber Melon
Honestly, we don't have jokes to make about this one. Cucumber Melon is a crisp, classic icon -- the flattering mid-rise jean of fragrances. It's even... subtle? Dang.
2. Warm Vanilla Sugar
Now and forever, Warm Vanilla Sugar will help you take your cozy scent game to the next level. Candles, lotion, hand soap, shower gel -- there's no such thing as too much Warm Vanilla Sugar, because you're going to smell like a cookie no matter what. Plus, smelling like food will probably make dogs lick you! Incredible.
1. Sweet Pea
Sweet Pea, queen of scents, embodies everything that makes Bath & Body Works so great. Think about it: it's pink. It has a name that could also be the name of a show pony. Its scent is extremely vague but somehow still overpowering. It's perfect. Douse your life in it.
Related Video: Sky Dancers were meant for battle
Topics Beauty
Chloe was the shopping editor at Mashable. She was also previously a culture reporter. You can follow her on Twitter at @chloebryan.
