Queen Mab

[RoseWhite]

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.

You know, I can't decide about this one. I *think* I like it.

This, on me, isn't very strong. I have to sniff my wrist to catch it, and it only lasts about 4 hours, not so good. It comes across as a very dark translucent floral, layered over a shadowy ethereal musk. The musk comes forward more as it dries down.

I have established that I like night blooming jasmine, black orchid and musk from other imps, but this isn't strong enough. It's a very complex and beautiful scent; I'm just still on the fence. Edited January 1, 2008 by Shollin

[Lyrical]

In the vial: flowers, sandalwood and musk.

 

Wet on skin: soft and pretty! I applied quite a lot, but it's barely there.

 

Dry on skin: I can smell rose, and a thick, fruity floral that might be black orchid. The sandalwood and musk are providing a barely discernible woody background to the florals, and it's all very subtle, with practically no throw. It's lovely, and it just gets lovelier - really unspeakably, intoxicatingly gorgeous! Shame it's so faint. I think I need a bottle so I can slather it over my whole body from head to toe!

Edited December 23, 2007 by Lyrical

[etienne]

Initially very sweet and soft. I like it from the first whiff from the bottle and it's just as delicious on application.

 

After several hours on the rose has become the main note. It's still sweet and feminine, and will definitely become one of my everyday scents. I'm glad I got a 5ml.

[fireflower]

Very sweet, soft, and gentle, like others have said. I have to slather it on to smell it more than faintly. It's a pretty floral with all the notes very well-blended. Luckily, the rose doesn't amp itself during any of its stages.. which is amazing, because I almost always amp rose if it's in a blend. I can't really pick out one note more than another, except perhaps for the musk, but just barely. I'm not sure if this is big bottle-worthy, as it's so light, but it is very pretty.

[Christine Daae]

In the imp, this is a light, clear, sweet floral - a bit like Phantom Queen, if I recall correctly.

 

On my skin, this blooms into a really pretty floral - I'm realising that I enjoy osmanthus a lot, it gives blends such a sweet, almost ethereal quality.

 

This is really, really pretty - it's light, and sweet, but with a mysterious quality underneath. It's very well-blended in that I can't pick out any of the notes. I will definitely be keeping this imp!

[LadyLuckDoubt]

In the Bottle

I'm getting a sweet, cheeky smell reminiscent of Alice and very orchidy.

 

On Me

My, my, we have a LOT of orchidness going on here, don't we? Thankfully, I love orchids, and Alice is one of my favourites, so I'm pleased with how this is working out so far. There's a musky sophistication here that Alice doesn't have, and the rose comes through nicely giving it a hit of floral that isn't overpowering or weird. Everything compliments one another nicely here, and it's actually quite hard to detect the individual notes.

 

And I swear I'm getting currents in there somewhere. Honestly... it's odd.

 

That said-- I love it, and shall get myself a bottle.

Edited March 9, 2008 by LadyLuckDoubt

[enderfem]

mp: Orchid and sandalwood dominate, but I can pick out some musk underneath and a hint of jasmine. Very pretty but probably not for me.

 

Wet: I can still smell the sandalwood, but something has gone all plasticky.

 

Drydown: Indistinguishable floral notes. Not me, but pretty and the plasticky went away.

[savage_rose]

Very pretty, but it's so light. I think I smell orchids. I think I like it, but my skin pretty much just absorbs it immediately. Sigh.

[veronicafranco]

In imp – very sweet, floral, and I can smell the sandalwood, but hard to identify the separate components.

On, wet, more of the same and quite pretty.

As it dries, I can sometimes smell a hint of what doesn’t work on me in Othello (rose/musk ickysweet combo), but also the nice osmanthus and orchid, and the jasmine is making it extra sweet but not overpoweringly so. Not 100% sure about sandalwood in this kind of floral, which on my skin is almost giving it a hint of deodorantiness. Alas, it doesn’t feel shadowy or fierce on me. Unless my slight headache is due to it – but I think I just woke up with an impending seasonal allergy thing. I definitely like it enough to try it again, though.

[brsis]

Initial thoughts: I'm probably going to hate this - orchids and osmanthus I don't mind so much, but nothing says 'girly' to me more than jasmine and rose. However, for science!

 

In the imp: A dull, slightly musky floral. I'm not well educated enough to pick out different florals from this - it's quite well blended.

 

On the wrist, wet: Rose and jasmine. Musk. Maybe a bit of sandalwood. It actually smells fairly generic commercial floral perfume on me, complete with chemical tang. Ich.

 

Ten minutes later: Cheap commercial floral pefume. Definately not my style.

 

Vedict: Swap pile

 

Tl;Dr: Fairly average, mild floral with a hint of musk.

[megank4]

I really like the IDEA of these notes. However, after a brief nice moment upon application, they become "a bouquet of flowers left in the vase with water that hasn't been changed in a week" heading towards rotten.

I think BPAL florals just don't work on me. Now that I think about it, perhaps commercial flowers don't work either.

[ladyver]

in bottle & wet on skin: yummy floral - which is a description I thought I'd never use. This just keeps getting yummier... (is that a word?!). i can see why this is a favourite! another imp i've tested today that i'll be using up to contemplate a bottle.

[starwild]

This strikes me as a sweet, clean, light floral. It's like the floral version of Sea of Glass, one of my favorites. Doesn't have much throw on me though. Pretty and gentle, this is one fairy who just wants all to end well. I don't get any sandalwood at all.

[Indigo78]

Straight from the imp to my nose this is softly floral, a tad dark, and sweet. Wet on the skin, a blast of orchid which, as it warms, becomes drizzled in honey. The scent is not sweet, delicate, or immature at all. It's just a very clean, sexy, all-purpose scent. Perhaps a little commercial-smelling for my own taste, but beautiful nevertheless.

 

Slightly above-average throw, average wear length.

[AEris]

In the imp, there is a sour quality to the scent. However, on the skin, Queen Mab starts out as a lovely, dry, powdery floral. The orchids are beautiful, the jasmine isn't harsh or stinky (something that's happened to me many a time), the rose is not easily picked out and well-blended.

 

I agree with starwild, who said that this reminds her of the floral version of Sea of Glass. Good call!

 

It's fresh and sultry at the same time. It may be perhaps a bit too "safe" and "perfumey" for me to wear it often, but it's got a lot going for it.

 

Like, but not love.

 

3.5 out of 5

[thelaurenator]

This is a lovely blend. The orchid really jumps out on me, and with dry-down there is more sandalwood. This one is a keeper... but I don't know if I love it enough to purchase a 5mL bottle.

 

**EDIT** I've changed my mind. I've bonded with this scent a little more and it's now one of my favorites. Then again, that's not hard to accomplish since I don't even have a top 5 yet.

Edited July 1, 2008 by thelaurenator

[Coldfire]

Lab frimp

 

 

Imp: Jasmine first and then sandalwood

Wet on Me: more sandalwood now, then comes

the jasmine and then that touch of musk

Drying Down: Sweet now. sweet floral with

incense to my nose.

Dry: More 'incense' than floral now. And I can almost

detect a trace of spice in there.

Throw/Stay Throw is short and stay is decent.

This is a good scent to wear when you don't want to stick out scent

wise. Like work, school etc.

[terrenity]

Lab frimp. Approximately three weeks old.

 

In the imp: Jasmine! Now that I finally know what that smells like, it really jumps out. Can't pick out much else, though.

 

On: It takes a minute for the jasmine to calm down, and then this is a very light (but deep) floral. I'm getting a note that reminds me strongly of Dorian or Theodosius... I thought it was tea, but maybe it's white musk? It hits me right at the end of the inhale. My GOD this is beautiful! I've found that most florals smell relatively similar on my skin (I amp both jasmine and rose), but something here is keeping everything in check. This is walking in the moonlight, wearing an ethereal shift that flutters in the slightest breeze; sitting in an abandoned castle garden in the dark of night. It's beautiful and at once dark and light and a little bit wild.

 

Verdict: LOVE this one. It's perfect for summer nights. I'll definitely use my imp, and may need some more in the future! I bet it'll be awesome layered with Dorian.

 

Color association: Deep purple

[mgrazulis]

In the vial: dark floral, jasmine!

 

Wet on skin: sandalwood and orchid peeking through soft musk

 

Drydown: Mellows down nicely with a delicate rose and honey warmth, very understated, veiled and captivating.

 

Adore Queen Mab!!! She is very mischievous as she emerges from the darkness, plotting her next move. A great sister scent to Aeval!! A lovely creamy floral with a dark edge. A trip to the underworld. Lots of hidden power to this scent...full of feminine resourcefullness...nothing frilly!!!

 

[Iceblink]

A nice blend of florals when wet. Dried down into jasmine city on me and reminded me a bit of bug spray. Grrr!

[crebbsgirl]

I was rather surprised at this one. I am not a fan of florals by any stretch of the imagination but this one was absolutely breathtaking. Even on my skin! It was subtle but still noticeable (if that makes sense). The rose didn't come out at all for me - which may be why I liked it so much. But the jasmine and black orchid were blending beautifully with the musk and sandalwood. I'm not sure if the osmanthus was present or not, but I suspect it was as there seemed to be a dimension to this one that I couldn't quite pin down. All in all, a wonderful scent.

[eatingthesea]

queen mab is a beautiful floral but it's probably a bit too light to be a favorite, plus after it's been on my skin awhile, it's just a bit too simple -- hence a good choice for the workplace, but that's about it. i must say its beauty, for me, peaks not in the middle or at the end, but at the very beginning. in this stage, it would be classified as a "yummy dark floral," a category in which i actually am able to fit in a lot of great BPAL scents. i'd say black lily belongs in the same family as queen mab. oh yes, that black floral thing. i also wondered to myself if there was honey in mab, it was that smooth and gently sweet. reminded me a lot of harikata. looked up the notes -- ah, osmanthus. i do love when you appear. but the appearance is short-lived, alas. i am perplexed by the inclusion of sandalwood and jasmine in this blend, though...i pick up on neither. rose - a smidgen, maybe? musk, yes. it is the groundwork upon which this honey-smooched black floral scent grows. i'd likely never buy a bottle of queen mab because it's too unspectacular on my skin, but i will be keeping my imps -- i've got several of them -- for workdays or when i want to be the least unobtrusive as possible.

[skepticism]

Vial: absolutely delicious floral that had me itching to try it.

 

Wet: Sweet, with a light hint of sandalwood.

 

Dry: dried down to a powdery, very sweet intense jasmine.

 

I really have to be in a a certain mood to wear sweet florals, and I'm not quite sure about this one just yet. I love the application when wet, but the dry-down was a bit disappointing.

[femmefatale]

Wow, at first it was JASMINE!!! As it dried down, the rose came out and perhaps some of the orchid? I *think* I'm picking up some sandalwood as well.

I'm having a hard time with this one. It's really well done. A bit perfumey for me, but still very nice. Not sure if I would wear this much though, so I sent it off to someone who will hopefully love it more.

[donnatron]

Bottle: Very floral. Definitely getting the jasmine and orchid. The rose is really unique and although I register it as rose, I honestly can't picture the colour or shape of this rose. The sandalwood and musk are lurking in the background, just sort of hanging out and keeping an eye on the florals.

 

Wet: Queen Mab has a brief, strange phase where it hits my skin and smells like gross, cheap soap. I'm not sure if that burns off quickly or if jasmine and rose just take turns kicking it into submission. The musk lends a smokey sweetness to the blend.

 

Dry: A nice unusual floral. The sandalwood really develops and lends a soft grounding quality. The sandalwood puts me in mind of Veil although I would say that this is definitely a lot more... brusque than Veil. I find the florals in Veil to be profoundly teasing and very sultry and sensuous. Queen Mab's florals are more crisp and defined. I can smell each floral distinctly and they blend together as a bouquet rather than in a haze. Completely dry this is sweet and smokey jasmine touched with rose, orchid and sandalwood.

 

Throw: Personal.

 

Overall: I'm glad to have the bottle just so I have something I can slap on in the morning without thinking about whether or not I'm going to stink everyone out at the office. It's not my favourite floral in the BPAL catalogue but it's pretty and unusual and has a bit of soft feminine allure to it without being completely "come hither." I'll probably never touch it on the evenings or weekends, but considering that I, you know, work five days a week, it will probably see heavy rotation in my scent wardrobe. Definitely check it out if you're looking for something unobtrusive but a bit personally empowering for the office or if you like distinctive floral blends.