Queen Mab

[klavierbarrette]

Warrior, Trickster and Goddess of Magic and Poets, she is one of the Tuatha De Danaan and the Queen of the Faeries. A very complex scent, both shadowy and fierce: black orchid, sandalwood, night-blooming jasmine, osmanthus, Somalian rose, and Chinese musk.

bottle: i'm assuming this is what black orchid smells like.
skin: black orchid. D: it's either the musk or the jasmine (most likely the musk with a tad of jasmine in it) i'm smelling with it. bought this merely for the jasmine, but it's a lovely blend.

[jasmine]

On the wand, this is dark, sweet (without being sugary), and rich. On my elbow, it is much the same, and I am startled by the beauty of this scent. Everything balances so well that I can’t be confident which aspects I can detect best; the orchid and the rose most, I think, with the sandalwood beneath them, but everything blends wonderfully. This is a much-praised scent on the forums, and I can readily see how it deserves its accolades.

 

It just grows lovelier over time. Rather than smelling layered, it smells complete and whole, like the scent of a single fruit that grows in some countryside that I have never visited. I am appropriately stunned.

 

This isn’t a metamorphic blend. I’m learning that it’s hard to know what will stay in one scent-form on my skin, and what won’t, but that I generally like the ones that stay put best. It grows quieter as it lasts, but it doesn’t mutate at all.

 

I can tell I’ll be wearing this again in the future.

[tinyvulture]

orchid is one of the few florals that i really adore, so i’m glad it’s the first note i smell when i apply this to my wrist. the jasmine and rose are also noticeable. they are slightly soapy but not too bad. as it dries, something smoky comes out. it smells exactly like the smoke from a candle when you blow it out. reading the components, i have no idea what it could be, but it blends with the orchid really well. there’s also something super sweet and fruity. whatever it is, it makes this blend too sweet and “girly” for me to wear often, but i still like it all right.

[myoubi]

Sweet Orchid, with a hint of something dusty-musky underneath -- but mostly orchid. Mmmph. Way too pretty-femenine for me.

[euterpe414]

I was always awary of trying this one b/c of the jasmine, but now that I learned that night blooming jasmine is OK for me, I gave the imp that was sitting around a try.

 

At first on my skin it was all orchid. Nice, tropical lush and velvety.

 

then...the evil dry down.

 

ALL rose and jasmine. It smells very much like the unreleased Vieux Carre that I got a while back. This scent is really really not me. I like orchid very much, but I can't handle the sharp rose with jasmine.

 

off you go, Queen Mab!

[ariosa]

This is really quite a lovely scent on me -- I find myself sniffing it and sniffing it.... only to wish it was a scent I truly enjoyed wearing. I could see myself wearing something like this for special, rare occasions, but as an everyday 'I love this!' kind of scent.... It's rich and soft and quite feminine, but not the type of scent that I truly enjoy. It was included in the imps I received to pass on to another friend who was interested in this blend, and I'll happily do so. It is really lovely though!

[mspixieears]

Queen Mab is delicious the same way Jezebel is, and relaxing the same way Psyche is. So far, it’s very instant love. It’s a very womanly fragrance and not too floral. There is a hint of something gourmandy in it, something that reminds me of almond, perhaps?

[evilbee]

WHY HAVE I NOT REVIEWED THIS??? It's spanking time.

 

Queen Mab is my favourite only second to Kali. Oh Queen Mab, Queen Mab... how you make me feel like a powerful woman... yes, a Queen. All orchid and a husky musk (I thought Chinese musk was white... but it can't be because I don't smell like body odour...) I smell no jasmine, and the sandalwood is just this furry purr vibrating through the juicy, purple, dusky orchid.

 

Hubby likes this on me, but I think everyone else just feels intimidated... GOOD!!!

[Kimocean]

Mmmm...Queen Mab, why have I not reviewed you. You are a favorite imp and yet I haven't managed to get a bottle of you...all those limited editions come and go, send me desperately wanting a bottle but you stay here, calm, cool, collected and just waiting for me to return to your succulent summer beauty. I reach out and drip you onto my wrists, my neck, my chest and a waft of dark orchid hits me. So sensuous and rich smelling then a hint of rose, of fruit and a soft smooth jasmine flirting with my nose, you get gentler as you dry, your haughty glamour softening into pure feminine contentment, the notes gently blending and playing together on my skin.

[Elemcee]

Queen Mab is darkly fruity and creamy. This appears to be the scent of a lovely young woman, at first, with long dark hair, but there's a streak of darkness. She's mischevious, but knowing.

 

It's a gorgeous scent, definitely. It takes some slathering, though.

[bryghtrose]

It starts out as a very complex floral, very heady. As it dries I can pick out the orchid and jasmine. It quickly dries to a light, ephemeral floral, but it retains it's complexity. It fades rather fast, though.

[tarotgirl99]

Like some others, I have to wonder why it's taken me so long to review this sweet, but potent floral. It's very feminine, but it's so decorous and flowery that it almost pushes old-ladyhood. I get orchid in a big way, but I can definitely smell the sandalwood underpinning it...I don't think it will ever be an everyday scent on me, but whenever I remember it, I like it.

 

It's just that when you have a lot of scents you love, like gets pushed to the back burner. Especially when it has minimal throw.

Edited May 29, 2007 by tarotgirl

[LadyCrow]

When will I learn? When will I learn about me and light sandalwood-florals?

 

Wet: Sharp, damp floral -- the jasmine and rose together, almost like honeysuckle.

 

Drydown: Goes to powder very quickly, perhaps hurried there by the sandalwood. Then just as quickly poofs away.

 

I dunno. It's very genteel and subtle and all that, but so are the bamboo/tea/cherry blends. Not a winner with my fair skin; the Queen is not amused.

[funkmoppet]

Ohhhh Queen Mab.

 

Oh, this is gorgeous! It's a burst of sweet floral and sandalwood when wet. There's a touch of honey to it, which must be a combination of the florals, reminding me a little of the light honey in Selkie. Can't stop sniffing!

 

Then as it dries down the musk warms up and is soooo soft and sensual. It's like the musk in Buck Moon, and in fact, reminds me of the muskiness in O, but without the horrid cloying honey vanilla that amped up on me. But this - ah this works. It stays close to the skin, not much throw, but I like that this is a quieter blend. Wonderfully intimate.

 

Absolutely MUST have a big bottle - straight to the top of the wishlist with you, Queenie.

[n1k1ta]

Drydown is completely osmanthus. It's dense, romantic and very feminine. I picture heavy white lace when I smell Queen Mab. After about half an hour, the jasmine and rose with a hint of musk join the osmanthus. Queen Mab becomes lighter but keeps the romantic vibe going.

 

After two hours, Queen Mab is jasmine and orchid. There's the sandalwood now with the musk. This is, oh, so feminine without being girlie. Simply lovely.

 

I was not a fan of this perfume when I smelled it in the imp. It was musky and sour floral. However, I've been proven wrong again. Queen Mab is thoroughly enjoyable and delightfully womanly.

[backwards8]

Queen Mab is one classy lady. Seductive yet understated, sexy but not sultry, and very soft. I feel like I need to wear a skirt with this one, or dress up and put on some heels.

 

I'm not good at describing florals but this one is gorgeous on me. A good scent to wear when you just want to feel confident, feminine and pretty without necessarily attracting too much attention.

[aquazoo]

Oily. One of those rich, slightly floral, slightly spicy scents that seems... expensive.

[bombus]

Complex is most definitely right! There is lightness to the flowers but the sandalwood and musk brings darkness. I like the juxtaposition of light and dark, makes it more interesting and deep, it is beautiful.

[MaidenGenevive]

Queen Mab

 

This is a lot lighter than I expected. I figured this would be a heady floral, with jasmine being dominant and rose being a close second. But, this is actually quite quiet on me. As it wears, it picks up a bit, as rose mixes often do, but overall, it's warm and lightly floral.

 

[3 - Like]

[Brianne]

This started off nice enough - lightly sweet floral. Reminded me of sweet pea actually. But then it turned into stinky jasmine and heady rose

[radishbaby]

In the Imp : Oh sweeeet. I smell orchid and light sandalwood and other florals.

 

Wet : Why hello there wrist you are smelling mighty fine today if I do say so myself with your super fine combination of Rose! Orchid! and Osmanthus! And what lovely throw - I keep getting whiffs of it as I type. I can definitely detect a difference between the "black orchid" in this and the other orchid scents The Lab uses; this is more deep and sweet and lacks that buttery feeling the other orchid scents have. I remember describing the orchid in Oberon as "big and white" where as this one, true to it's name, is a soft and silky black. This actually is reminding me a bit of the few CD scents. I can't stop sniffing my arm - this is like pure faerie crack! @_____@

 

Dry : The sandalwood has really made an appearance and there's a slight tang from the Chinese musk. My beloved orchid is still there but it seems to have gone from fresh and wet to dry.

 

Over All : I'm glad to see that orchids seem to take a liking to me since I love the fragrance and Maab is no exception.

 

Big Bottle Worthy : Do not pass go. Do not go to jail. Buy big bottle NOW.

[cosmicjellybean]

I have to agree with the other forumites that this scent, were it a color, would be purple. A dark, rich purple.

 

In the bottle I don't smell much other than a vague muskish, flowerish scent. On me...well. As a floral, I didn't think it would be anything spectacular on me, or if so it would fade within an hour. Queen Mab was nice enough to stick around for at least three or four (darn this dry winter skin...and it's only October ). Even nicer is that she didn't go powdery or soapy on me, although I can easily see her doing so on other people. On me she's mostly the flowers: jasmine, orchid, rose and a little musk, with the sandalwood just barely peeping out, and very little change from going on wet to the drydown to a very long and subtle disappearance. Mab is very steady and creamy to me, and I quite like her a lot, both as a day scent and even more as an evening scent.

 

I wouldn't call this scent powerful, by any means. Mab is very smooth and calm in my opinion. An early summer night is what she most reminds me of, when the flowers that bloom later in the season are just beginning to do so. Someone earlier, I think, said that this is the perfume that the generic, grocery-store stuff attempts to be, and I quite agree. Mab is much prettier, softer and more complex than those perfumes. If I ever have the means again, big bottle for sure.

[TheOneTheyCallLuna]

This is delicious, and so incredibly complimentary with my body chemistry. I can't pick out a single note in it, it is beautifully blended, and it is indeed a scent fit for the Queen of the Faeries! A dark, lush, and rich nightime floral. Delicious orchid, blooming jasmine and, my love, sandalwood in the background. This one is going to get a ton of wear. Big bottle will be necessary!

 

I agree with previous posters, the color of this scent is dark, regal purple, and the scent is evocative of an early summer eve...in a scenic meadow, with the gorgeous multicolored late sunset streaking the sky, the temperature would be just perfect. I looooove this. Mmmmm!

[dluszcz]

I ordered Queen Mab as an imp and was really excited to try it out- I love sandalwood and musk and was intrigued with the idea of those notes mixed with floral. But when it dried on my skin, I found it oddly reminiscent of Crabtree and Evelyn's "Nantucket Briar" scent from the mid-late 1990's- which recalls powder room potpourri and soccer moms. Not my idea of what the Queen of the Fairies smells like.

[hkhm]

imp: sandalwood, orchid and musk. this is a very light, sweet floral.

 

wet: jasmine and orchid. this has a faintly aquatic feel to it, not really an aquatic scent but a feel.

 

dry: still that unusual aquatic feel, very soft sandalwood with light florals. this is a very light, springy scent.