Phantom Queen

[Shollin]

Phantom Queen, from Diabolus:

An epithet of the Morrigan, crow-winged Celtic goddess of war, strife and fertility. Adoration of this Goddess is expressed both through the ecstasy of battle lust and the ecstasy of sexual regeneration. Black orchid, apple blossom, meadowsweet, and rue over Irish moss, hawthorn and red clover.

 

First sniff: The same berry idea as in Bewitched, but much darker, stronger, warmer and wilder. There’s a hint of something that reminds me of the slinkiness of Ravenous. I cannot wait to smell this on my skin. (And again I’m smelling fruit that isn’t there, because there’s no berry in the description.)

 

Wearing: As strong and heady as this is in the bottle, it just doesn’t want to stick to my skin. I can smell it if I sniff my wrist, but it doesn’t waft up to my nose at all. Drat.

 

Diffuser: Can’t smell it here either. I’ll let it all burn off, because I did put it in water (silliness), but I’m disappointed.

 

I swapped for another imp of this scent after deciding I hadn't given it a fair chance.

 

Trying again: I must not have put much on the first time I tried this many months ago, or my chemistry was out of whack or something, because now it’s sticking to me wonderfully and is just gorgeous. Dark wild berries and deep purple blooms, with just a hint of powder sprinkled over. This is Unseelie’s older and more assertive sister. It behaved on me the same way Jezebel did, in that after several hours I couldn’t smell it on my wrists but I kept getting wafts of the aura, which stayed surprisingly solid throughout the night. I’m so glad I gave the Queen another try – she’s mine this time.

[Guest]

I *love* this one, its a feminine scent, the flowers are soft not overpowering. This one stays on my skin for a good 4 hours.

[viciousviolet]

It is a deep herbal floral, but not at all soft or weak. It's hard to describe, but I can truly see how these flowers and herbs are sacred to a Goddess of War, despite how gentle they seem on their own. The scent is wild and very Celtic, and does remind me of my own homeland so strongly and of the history we have. The combination is empowering, strong and very "womanly". I feel like I'm making this sound like a harsh scent. It isn't. It's just very bold and brash and "no-b*llsh*t". It's the type of perfume I'd wear to a board meeting when I need to go balls out.

[any_old_actress]

it's a strong and powerful scent, you can really smell the irish moss and red clover. i'll agree with viciousviolet, it's really wild smelling like you've been out in the field during a really big storm and survived.

[janelle_hell]

This one reminded me of my trip to Hawaii-a lovely,deep orchid smell after a fierce storm. It's sweet but not cloyingly so. i had to reapply it several times during the day,though-it doesn't seem to have much staying power.

[divajen]

Wow. A beautiful, rich floral scent. I can smell something green (moss or clover ?), the roses, somethig sweet (the apple), and a slightly deeper floral which I assume is the orchid. Yet again, a gorgeous scent!

 

Jenny

[Sierona]

This one is absolutely STUNNING! Very deep strong orchid... when i first put this on i thought the orchid was a bit overpowering and cloying, after about 30 mins of wear this blossomed into one of the most beautiful, wild, womanly scents i have ever put on my skin. (this is another one the kitty approves of so it seems she keeps on lickin my wrists!)

[eleventhousand]

This one is not good on me...it is SO sweet. Mostly I just smell bubble gum and berries, drying down much later to a dusty green. I like the dusty green, but not enough to wait out the syrup. This one has amazing staying power, though. I really wanted to like this one...

[magpiedee]

I'm amazed at all the different ways this oil is interpreted! It's like asking 5 different people what a person is like-- their husband, best friend, mother in law, worst enemy and grand mother will each paint a very, very different picture of them.

 

Phantom Queen in the bottle, for me, was very sharp and clear and pointed. Like a spike of ice hanging from a branch.

 

On my wrists, it is very sharp and strong, with almost a tinge of metal to it. Reminds me of the ice queen in Narnia, or of a tall, celtic amazon of a woman in silver armor striding across the moors to challenge someone to a duel. It is floral, but no-nonsense, aggressive, strong, confident floral. It brings to mind a metallic blue-green color, and morning dew before daybreak.

 

Sorry to speak in metaphors, but I don't know the floral notes. I just get impressions. I would wear this one for a job interview that I really, really wanted, or when meeting someone to break up with them, when you know they're going to draw the whole thing out and beg you and cry. This scent says, to me, "buck up and kick ass, don't take no for an answer, you're a woman, dammit!"

[amberbella]

OK, so now I know what scent is simply turning me on.....Black Orchid. I got the same feeling from Phantom Queen as I did from Queen Mab....the only common note that I can see is Black Orchid....so that's it for me...I'm on Black Orchid hunt now.

 

In the bottle.....Uh.....Queen Mab. Beautiful, rich, thick, heavy. Totally sexy and strong.

 

On me...warmer and smoother. Still absolutely sexy. I dunno, I may even like this one better than Queen Mab. Phantom Queen is a bit more gentle than Queen Mab. QM, though I LURVE it is slightly headache inducing for me. Not a twinge of an ache with PQ.

 

Drat...it faded very quickly on me....but, oh well, guess I'll just have to buy more.

 

ETA: This is the only scent I wear that illicits compliments from both men and women. Infact, it seems men are drawn to smelling my neck when I wear it. I put this in one of those necklace perfume bottles so I can reapply often.

Edited June 5, 2004 by amberbella

[Astarte]

This is really lovely, initially it smelt of soap but after a minute that passed, at the moment it smells very wet and green, honeysuckle comes to mind, now its a lush succulent floral, with a womanly bearing.

[isyche]

I really like this - as others have said, the image I get from it is of running through a wild, grassy, clovery field at night...or riding... maybe the initial charge across a battlefield?

The orchid is a bit too sweet and heavy for summer, but I think this would make a great autumn scent. And it stays on me for a decent amount of time, too.

[kcat]

Wet: sharp, almost rose and lemon... ah... maybe the apple blossom? Definitately a fruit note somewhere

 

Dry: queen mab but better, the apple blossom lingers for about an hour, and then it's the deep mysterious and oh so familiar scent which I can only think is black orchid. This is so reminicent of... something... I keep thinking of London and the Anais anais I used to wear... is the same note? I can't tell if I'm remembering the perfume, the apartment, or the fresh flower guy at the tube station.

 

3 hours later: it's still there, true to the initial dry down, intoxicating, warm, purple-black and mysterious. I'm wearing a mannish t-shirt and jeans today, and while I was working in the lab, a postdoc came by and he couldn't seem to leave....I feel like a femme fatale! I love this AND it was a free sample from the lab...THANKS GUYS!

 

kcat

Edited June 25, 2004 by kcat

[paperdoll]

Initial Sniff: This smells like a meadow in full spring bloom. Mostly sweet green, but the floral is definitely there too.

 

Wearing: This is fairly true to the bottle scent on me. It is a beautiful sun-drenched meadow when wet and when dry. Gorgeous. It does lack staying power, however - I'll have to really slather it on next time.

 

Final Impressions: I am loving this. I have a red clover soap that I am just dying to pair with this... I see a big bottle in my future...

[hypothermya]

Why did I want to try Phantom Queen? The moss, and the clover, for sure. But also because of the apple blossom, and probably because of the reference to the Morrigan in the description. I'm a sucker for those sorts of references. But also because there were a few reviews that mentioned it being an icy sort of scent.

 

First Sniff

 

Sweetly floral. The orchid knocks me off my feet. It adds just enough to make me not recognize the apple blossom right away (which, once recognized, is a lovely scent...the same one making this a sweet scent). I don't really smell any moss or clover under that strong floral though.

 

Wearing It

 

It cools down a lot when I put it on. The orchid becomes a sleek mystery ingredient, making it floral, but not being very recognizable. But the main body of the scent is this wispy, sweet apple blossom, and the heavy scent of red clover. It reminds me of grass without reminding me of lawn mowers. In the end, I picture a grassy/mossy nook of forest, with sweet, light flowers everywhere. A heavily green scent. And I'm relieved that even though I'm mildly allergic to orchids, these don't really give me a strong allergic reaction.

 

Lasting Power

 

It stays for a while, but unfortunately after an hour of wearing it the scent has become so muted on my skin that it's hard to identify anything besides a grassy floral scent. None of that heavy clover or beautiful apple blossom. Oh well.

 

 

This doesn't seem so icy; it seems more ethereal than cold. There's a wispiness about the scent that's grounded by the clover and moss (and hawthorne, I'm guessing). I like it, but it's probably not an everyday scent for me. First, I'm not a fan of florals, and, secondly, the second phase of the scent doesn't really do it for me.

[Ms. MSGirl]

I can't believe I didn't try this before. Someone recommended it to fans of Queen Mab, so I tried it, and OH DEAR GODDESS. This is quite simply the most beautiful floral I have ever smelled. It goes on like a warm, thick summer evening, initially sweet and dark, and dries out into more freshness, almost but not quite a touch of lemon.

 

I compared it with Queen Mab immediately, because I loved it so I wanted to see why Queen Mab had previously been my favorite and how similar they were. Queen Mab is much dryer, much woodier and sandalwoodier to me. This doesn't have that woodiness, it's just the most divine, dark, flowers I have ever smelled. If Midnight is anything like this I am going to love it. I can't believe I just now tried this for the first time. It is exquisite. It is all the beauty and strength of Queen Mab, only sweeter. Must be the apple blossom making the difference -- and the orchid must be the divine thick heady smell I smell.

 

I truly don't think I've ever smelled a BPAL scent I adored as much as this one. I know it is probably redundant to have big bottles of both this and Queen Mab, but I don't care. I've got to get one. This is too beautiful for words.

[Lorencita]

I absolutley love this scent! It is so beautiful! I cant get enough of it, it is a very femenine floral... not old lady at all! I got a really nice compliment from a guy a work that I have a bit of a crush on, he asked what it was and I told him phantom queen... he then proceeded to sing "phantom queen" in the beat of dancing queen! Very cute. I will be using my imp sparingly until my bottle comes! I patiently wait to get a really nice collection of BPAL... Thank you Beth and crew... you guys are the shiznit!

[Isil]

I ordered this in the first place because I'm a daughter of the Morrigan, so its ties to Her intrigued me. I was NOT disappointed. Wearing and smelling the scent, I feel the same kind of euphoric beauty and strength that I do during ritual-work with Her.

 

The smell in the bottle is SO familiar to my nose, but for the life of me I cannot place it. On the wrist, it fades to slightly more floral, less green and herby, but is still delightful. It is one of the only floral scents I've been able to wear. Usually they make me feel insufferably girly and prissy and as out of place as a hair-bow on a pitt bull. This one just makes me feel beautiful, powerful, and sexy.

 

It (along with Oneroi, which for some odd reason reminds me of a "male" version of Phantom Queen, even though they have nothing in common) will definately have an order for a large bottle placed in the near future.

[Eris]

This one is quite possibly a rival to my beloved Penitence, though in a very different way. I don't usually think of myself as a floral lover, but this is divine stuff. The apple blossom in it comes out loud and clear, but it's much smoother in this mixture than in a single note, so I think it's being backed by the orchid. Overlaying all of this is a green, herbaly smell which must be the moss and clover. All in all, Phantom Queen is a sweet scent, but in a very wild, powerful, and pastoral type of way, as opposed to a cloying, girly type of way. Definitely a scent for 'real women' everywhere. Go Morrigan!

[serafina pekkala]

This is extremely flowery in the bottle, with green plants underneath. This is potent stuff!

 

Unfortunately, the orchid turned unbearably strong on my skin, and gave me a headache. After I suffered through it for a while it calmed down. It smelled 'mrs'-y, like a mature lady in a powersuit. I understand the Take No Shit-attitude of the Morrigan, but it does not work on me at all. I was relieved when it was gone.

 

Too bad, because I wanted to like a Morrigan scent, but I suppose she has no truck with pacifists like me. On a hanky and the person I gave this to it was much nicer and subdued, the apple blossom stood out more with the green in the background.

[Dianella]

I had high hopes for this scent and I was NOT disappointed.

 

In the bottle: The top of the imp came off surprisingly easily, I almost spilled this all over the place. Almost. Thank goodness for small miracles. In the bottle this smelled like a fresh floral. I really got the apple blossom.

 

Wet: Wow! This smelled very green, the red clover started to come out on my wrist.

 

Drying: The clover recedes in the background and the apple blossom peaks out. It's a lovely floral with a green edge.

 

Dry: The orchid takes over. It's a very haunting scent on me and it made me feel very confident. Lovely lovely stuff. It's sorta how I thought Unseelie might be. A bottle might be in order...

[VelvetSky]

I LOVE Phantom Queen.....so much so that I wanted a big bottle of it the minute I swiped the imp on my wrist. Love at first whiff.

 

This is all red clover at first, sweet and wild and just a little green. It's very herbally sweet, almost honey-like.

 

After a while, the apple blossom pushes forward with that tiny little tang of something citrusy. This note is so fleeting, I almost doubt I'm smelling it, but yes, for about a minute there I'm getting something lemony.

 

I honestly don't pick up any orchid at all in this blend until the very end of the drydown, just before it fades away.

 

Phantom Queen is an exquisitely beautiful floral, wild and almost magical. I must have it in my bottle collection.

[grrrlennyl]

phantom queen

 

at first: the lab included this as a freebie in my order. this is beautiful. it was a bit floral, a bit herbal, and a bit fruity. very interesting and nice.

on: floral, but soft. oh, here comes a bit of soapy floral. that's usually not a good sign.

1 hour later: softer and a bit sweet. almost creamy. very nice.

5 hours later: very pretty. i can't really pick anything out, but it's still creamy, with a hint of floral and sweetness.

overall: i might not have gotten around to buy this for myself, but i'm glad i got to try it. i don't think i'll get a bottle, but i'll definitely enjoy using up my imp.

[Ina Garten Davita]

This was a decant from the lovely paperdoll!

 

First Impression: That gorgeous orchid note like in Queen Mab and Regan.

 

Second Impression: Phantom Queen has more spirit, more bite than either Queen Mab and Regan. It's like the beautiful flower that will spit poison at you if you lean too close.

 

Final Analysis: I love this, the more I sniff at my wrist, the more I love it. This is going to replace Queen Mab on the bottle wish list.

[Azrhiaz]

In the vial: apple blossom and orchid.

 

Wet: the orchid note predominates. It *does* smell strong and no-nonsense, yet it isn't overly aggressive, for all that. Very female, but not at all weak or girly, which is as it should be.

 

Drydown: it's so well blended that I can't pick out the other notes, although I assume it may be the moss giving it a certain warm depth.

 

Verdict: I do like it, although it isn't wanting to stick to my skin. It faded out in about three hours, which, in my still-limited BPAL experience, was definitely on the short side, considering that some others have stuck for twelve. Also, I'm feeling a little headachey and nauseous, but I honestly think I'm on the verge of getting sick, and that it isn't Phantom Queen's fault. I'll have to try it again when I feel better to decide. For now, it's in the "nice, but not enough to buy a big bottle" category.