Ultra Downy Simple Pleasures: Spice Blossom Dare Review

Being single, I don't have to do laundry that often and it's probably one of the household chores that I don't care for that much.  I love the smell of fresh laundry but I hate the folding and putting away.  About a year ago I reviewed the Ultra Downy Tahitian Waterfall fabric softener.  I loved that stuff but as is the case with me; I think they discontinued it so I went back to the original April Fresh for months.  I stayed clear of the Simple Pleasures for some time because they were always too intense for me.  But then the other day I saw this beautiful burgundy bottle.  It was Ultra Downy Simple Pleasures: Spice Blossom Dare.  I decided to see what it smelled like.  I opened the cap and wow!  It smelled wonderful.  I don't quite know how to describe it; except to say if you have ever smelled Bath and Body Works Twilight Woods then this closely resembles it.  

The scent is classy and elegant but not too overwhelming if you are washing men's clothes.  It's like an outdoorsy fragrance.  I think the Spice Blossom might have a hint of sugar and spice or cinnamon.  My concern is that the color of the bottle and the specific name might imply this is going to be more of a holiday scent that won't be in stores for very long.  I really miss the Tahitian Waterfall and would go back to it in a heartbeat if I saw it in the stores.

I got a 41 Fl Oz bottle for $5.00 at Walmart.  It says it can do up to 52 loads but that won't be the case for me because I always use two full caps in every wash.  When you pour it out it comes out as a soft pastel pink and it smells like a bakery.  My first load I really couldn't tell if the scent was going to linger because I forgot to add the fabric softener right as it went into the rinse cycle so by the time I added the fabric softener it was only in the rinse cycle for half the time.  As I removed the clothes I shook them out and smelled each one and they did smell good.  My second load I remembered to put the fabric softener in the dispenser AND I put more in during the rinse cycle.  Those came out smelling as if they had been soaked in the fabric softener for a few hours and it smelled delicious and heavenly.

I am enjoying this fabric softener but I won't be disappointed if it is only on the shelfs during the holidays.  I think the Tahitian Waterfall had a stronger and longer lasting scent.  This one lingers on your hands like a lotion but it's not on the garment that long after it has been packed and put away.  I will continue to buy it if it stays for a while but if not I'll just return to the April Fresh until another one captures my attention.

The ingredients leave a little to the imagination:

Biodegradable Fabric Softening Agents (Cationic)

Hmm...what exactly does that mean?  My only thought is that since Downy is always producing so many new fragrances that they don't want to release the secret to the scent.

The website says the following about Simple Pleasures: Spice Blossom Dare

Challenge your daring side with the mix of sweet spice notes in Spice Blossom Dare. The first traces of scent are cinnamon and cloves, balanced by sugary gourmand notes, with rich amber underlying the scent.

• Luxurious scent that lasts from wash to wear
• Contains Renewing Scent Pearls for fresh bursts of fragrance that release with your embrace
• Infuses fabrics with softness so they feel as good as they look
• Fights against pesky static cling
• Bottle made with 25% or more post-consumer recycled plastic.

Questions? 1-800-688-SOFT

Warnings

Do not use this product: On children's sleepwear or garments labeled as flame resistance as it may reduce flame resistance. On garments made with fluffier fabrics containing cotton (such as fleece and terry cloth) as it may increase the flammability of these fabrics.

After reading the product description I can see that I got some of the "flavors" correctly.  I was thinking sugar, cinnamon and spice.  It's a nice change to the traditional fabric softeners and perhaps it will add a little holiday spirit.

Okay, I just did a load of bath towels and my personal opinion; the scent lingers a lot better in this fabric.