Trader Joe's Just Dropped a New Spring Candle & People Have Strong Opinions About the Scent
People are passionate about Trader Joe’s candles, and it’s a big deal when the grocery chain drops a brand new scent. But when shoppers caught a whiff of the newest spring fragrance to hit TJ’s shelves is…eyebrows raised and scoffs were scoffed. Can Tomato Leaf really smell all that good?
Shannon of the Trader Joe’s fan Instagram account @traderjoesobsessed announced the arrival of Tomato Leaf in stores at the end of March. “I love TJ’s candles so I’m here for this!” she wrote in the caption. According to the label, this candle supposedly smells like “the seasonal aroma of freshly picked tomato leaves with hints of bergamot, rhubarb and geranium.”
And when Shannon tried it, she declared it a winner — in her opinion, noting that this one isn’t going to be for everyone.
“The new Tomato Leaf candle is strong & delightful but it’s a scent that most either love or don’t ($9.99; 9/10)!” she wrote in the caption. “We have a 50/50 split at my household but I personally like it! It smells like a mixture of pine, spice with a hint of sweet mint/grass. FYI it doesn’t have a crackling sound like the green tea one. Have you smelled it yet?”
And Natasha from the @traderjoeslist Instagram account agreed that it’s either a love or a loathe.
“We all love a candle and for me, I absolutely love this fresh garden smell,” she wrote in an April 3 Instagram caption. “My local Trader Joe’s has a sample on display and I feel like this scent is going to be either a LOVE it or ABSOLUTELY NO. I’m on team LOVE as I find the scent fresh and reminds me of gardening (which always puts me in a happy mood). I tend to enjoy citrus and herbal candles vs. ones that smell like cookies but the candle world is vast, there is something for everyone! If this is for you, you get to enjoy up to 40 hours of tomato leaf-scented candle!”
And the people in the comments section of these posts agree. “As a crazy tomato gardener, I’m going to have to say that this is a no for me,” one person wrote on Natasha’s post. “I honestly thought this was a post from April Fools Day.”
Another person added, “I liked it at first but now it’s making me nauseated. It’s so strong. Also, it doesn’t smell like tomato leaf…it smells like laundry detergent just a heads up. I’m sad, I was hoping for the garden remix.”
But others seem to be impressed with the scent, with one commenter writing on Shannon’s post, “Just lit this baby up! I love the smell!!! Smells like spring.”
If you’re intrigued, head to your local Trader Joe’s to pick up one of these new candles for just $10. It may become your new favorite scent (or the exact opposite!).
Before you go, check out these candles that are guaranteed to mask even the toughest scents: