Queen of Sheba

[maika]

... Her scent is a bounty of golden honeyed almonds and a whisper of African and Middle Eastern spices.

In the imp, honey, almonds and saffron. Utterly gorgeous!

Wet, the almond becomes more intense, but the spices are out too, so they balance out beautifully.

Dry...the spices overpower everything. Sadly it's not working on me, which is a shame, because I wanted to love it. Off to swaps.

[shoogaqube]

One of my first samples from BPAL, it's already a favorite.

 

This is amazingly sexy without being too overtly "fuck me now." It's more like a "wallow in my glory" kind of esteemed sexy. The throw isn't too strong, but snuggled up to somebody it does call some attention to me.

 

Although on me, it literally burns when I apply it. Maybe it's coming from the open pores (sweat, after-shower application), but I can't help but notice it happens often. Only after sitting on my skin I get a strange allergic reaction to something in it, and my skin gets red and burns for a couple of minutes or so. I wonder if this has happened to any one else?

 

But that is not keeping me from using this scent! I love it and can't gush more about it.

[Methos]

There were some nice notes in this one, but they were hard to discern around the almond. That almond note really put me off. I usually like the scent of almonds, but this one... ick. It goes into the share pile.

[voodoocatwoman]

in the imp and wet: Honey and almonds with spices so strong I got slightly queasy.

 

Dry: Whew! That's over with, thankfully. The drydown is pretty much almonds. The honey is still there but not so sweet anymore. There's a powdery plastic there as well.

 

Nix.

[le fey]

Age:

Brand new

 

In the bottle:

Mmm...almond and honey, creamy and smooth

 

Wet:

woooow.... the spices are subtle but keep this from being too sweet. This is very rich and languid. Nice!

 

Dry down:

The spices are rising - there's just enough honey to keep them from seeing dry. The almond smells like nuts rather than cherries (yay) and the overall effect is exactly what I'd hoped for.

 

Sadly, it is gone entirely in less than two hours - but very pleasant for as long as it last.

 

This one creates a strong sensory memory for me of a honey almond pastry my mother used to make as a child, and yet - in spite of the rich delicious scent, it doesn't feel entirely 'foodie' to me.

 

I will definitely be keeping this and seeking ways to get the scent to linger for longer than it did.

[crebbsgirl]

Holy almonds Batman!! This is unreal! (Let me just state I'm not really a fan of foody scents). Wet this smells remarkably like pure almond extract on my skin. As it dries, it takes on a spicy mixed nuts kind of vibe. I'm blaming skin chemistry here, but Queen of Sheba and I do not get along!

[laforetnoire]

Honey covered almonds and spices! It's a very lovely scent.

 

Unluckily for me, once it dried, it became baby power and spices. I've go to be incompatible with that delicious almond scent...

[zankoku_zen]

Honeyed almonds and spices. This one is a sexy, female scent that screams femme fatale. Not so femme that she's prissy. She's fun, flirty and hellagood in bed.

 

Mmm... almonds.

[Caerphilly]

In the imp: Sweet almonds. At first I thought it was over-ripe fruit until I read the description. The sweetness almost gives that impression. Marzipan.

 

Wet: It's a very light scent. And it made the inside of my elbows burn a bit. Probably the spiciness. But it only lasted a few minutes. It doesn't have much throw.

 

Dry: Almost gone. It doesn't last that long on me.

 

Overall: To me, it's nothing special. It's nice and light and sweet and a bit spicy. But it doesn't last. It burns a little. I wore it to work this morning, and in the afternoon I had to think for a second which BPAL I wore today because it is really nothing spectacular to me. It is pretty in the imp, but I don't know if I should keep it or swap.

[GalaxyLei]

Ack! I don't really get any of the subtlety here that everyone else seems to...on me this smells just like marzipan--oversweet marzipan. Is swap time!

[Molls]

Not really loving this one... I'm not sure if it's the almonds or the spices, but I'm getting a dry, bitter smell. I keep waiting for the yumminess I see everyone gets from this, but it's just not happening for me, I guess...

[PinkoCommie]

This was my first bottle and I really loved it. Now, it seems bitter and piercing and headache-inducing. I'm not sure if my tastes/chemistry/nose has changed or if my bottle (which is in the old cobalt bottles and of indeterminate age, bought second-hand from LJ) has finally gone off. Originally, I'm certain I got primarily almond and fantastic spices.

[Kittenish]

Wahh. I wanted to like this one, but all I can smell is almonds and plastic. It makes me queasy to even sniff the bottle. On the wrist it's super strong and headache-inducing. On the drydown it calms down a lot, but not enough to be enjoyable.

[serafina pekkala]

Almonds almonds almonds at first, yum! Then I get wood, very strongly. After this stage, it turns into a weak, somehow standard, oriental note. I'm very sorry this scent dissolved in such an unimpressive way, because I wanted to like it.

 

I would like to know what base note it is that collapsed in a feeble dusty poof on me in other scents as well.

[veronicafranco]

wet, this smells like almond extract. i was prepared not to like the almond scent when wet, because i don't in other blends, either, so i avoid it for a moment as it dries...

 

on me, this smells uncannily like a middle eastern pastry. not as sweet as i would have expected. it even has that rosewater type scent a lot of ME/north african desserts have.

 

i certainly hope this won't be taken the wrong way, but i feel that on someone genetically closer to the actual queen of sheba, this could be spectacular. when i work out/dance with friends of african descent (or who just plain are from africa), i can't help noticing many ladies have a richer, sweeter natural skin scent than mine, one that would utterly rock this blend. on my lily white @$$, it's more for the wow, that smells eerily accurate file.

[pinkstardust420]

Ok...this is gross...I hate to say it! In the bottle, it smells like the breath of somebody who just got done smoking a cigarette. When applied, it smells the same, with a hint of almond. Ew.

[chimera87]

I thought I'd love this Oh well, one less bottle to buy or extra imps to purchase.

 

This mainly smelled to me of SLIGHTLY honeyed almonds and saffron. The saffron soon fades...which is odd, because it usually doesn't. I also expected more spice. Spices and me are friends. No such luck...

 

It's pretty at this point, a lightly honeyed almond, with something in the background I can't identify...then it starts going kinda soapy on me. Not nice almond soap like Lush Snowcake, but it reminds me of this one soap my step grandma or great grandma used to use...I can't remember. It was nice up until this point, but even if it hadn't reminded me of that soap, I still wouldn't have purchased a bottle or another imp. For me personally it's nothing to write home about, but I can see a lot of people loving this.

[Tallen]

 

I love this scent...though when I first opened the imp I was almost tempted to tip it down the drain!

 

First impression - sickly, overpoweringly bitter smell of almonds which nearly made me gag.

 

I perservered and tried it on my skin. After a few minutes, the smell of almonds disappeared and left behind the most gorgeous scent of honeyed spices and cherries...still very sweet, but rich and juicy as opposed to cloying and sickly.

 

Overall: I love this, it has fast become one of my favourites and I'll definitely be getting the large bottle.

[kbrighton]

Received what looks like an aged imp from a generous forumite.

 

Wet: I smell fruit, I don't see fruit in the notes, so it must be the almond=cherry some people report.

 

Dry: the fruity/almond scent disappears quickly and I am left with a sweet spicy incense.

 

There was a moment during drydown when I felt I must get a bottle IMMEDIATELY--but that magical moment was fleeting and while I enjoy the spices that remain I am not compelled to purchase a bottle. Will have to try this in the scent locket, if that holds the magical not wet/not dry scent, Oooh la la!

[jwhxtna]

IN THE IMP: Very strong, heavy spicy almond. My initial thought was actually dragon's blood, which comes across as spicy and kind of cherry-ish to me, and the almond here is a bit cherry-ish.

 

WET: Oh, this amped into something really unpleasant. It smells like nail polish remover, I don't even know how.

 

DRY: Okay, the nail polish remover scent is almost gone. It's very dark bitter almond, slightly spicy. Too heavy for me.

[blacklacestatic]

In the Imp: Very sweet almonds, with a hint of something citrusy and spicy that reminds me of my kitchen.

 

Wet on skin: It's not quite as sweet now, the sweetness gets tempered by a hint of something spicy coming forward, kind of stinging my nose a bit. It's not terrible though.

 

Drydown: Ah, here we go. A lot more subtle and creamier than before. Quite pleasant, kind of like a frosted cereal, but in perfume.

 

Overall: This made me hesitate, as it was so strong in the imp, but on my skin it's quite beautiful. The perfect amount of sweetness with an exotic kick. I think there may be a bit of saffron in this, which I normally amp, but it's so perfectly blended through. I'm happy with Queen of Sheba.

[WidgetAlley]

Frimp from the Lab!

 

Imp: Whooooaaa momma! Incredibly strong, bitter, snarling saffron-- and I like saffron. I get a tiny hint of very bitter almond, way down at the bottom. This smells like it should burn your skin off. No honey, none of the sweet cherry I normally associate with almonds. Just nose-hair singeing saffron. It smells almost exactly like lovage tastes-- a mixture of old celery and curry.

 

Wet: Stale popcorn and spicy plastic at first, then a tiny bit of almond finally emerges from under the saffron. It gets lighter, creamier and more pleasant... I agree with BlackLace's estimate of frosted cereal, but with spice. Indian food! That's what I get out of this. The combination of a spiced curry and almonds and creamy rice. Eventually something lovely and sweet comes up underneath it.

 

Dry: Now it's creamy spiced sugared almond milk, which is much more pleasant... but it still reminds me of an Indian grocery or maybe Jordan almonds. It's pretty, but I would never wear it. I have a Syrian friend who might love it though!

Edited June 15, 2009 by WidgetAlley

[juniperus]

bottle: sweet almond

wet: same, but with more depth

dry: the spices are rich and lovely, and the honey has come to the fore.

later: it's all deepened - gorgeous, sensual... I love!

[topazphoenix]

Wet, Queen of Sheba smells like the almondy marischino cherries in eclipse, with a slightly woody tinge. As it dries I get a more true almond scent, almost hazelnutty. It's not really warm or golden, but has a rather dry dusty quality. After a while the almonds fade slightly and the spices come out. They're woody too. Smells like cinnamon in there. This also is similar to Bengal imo. I like Eclipse better for almonds, though, the amber makes it warmer and more approachable.

[tragedy]

The almonds in this put me off. It really doesnt sit well with my nose and makes me a slight bit quesy.

Swaps.