Apple
Coconut
Vanilla
Cotton
Iris
Musk
Rum
Cypress
Saffron
Sandalwood
Gourmandgrl
314 Reviews
Gourmandgrl
Helpful Review
4
"Clean girl" vanilla in a cushy saffron robe
If there's anything I could say about Mind Games, it's that almost every fragrance I've tried from this brand is extremely well-blended - and Queening is one of the smoothest, most-velvety of them all.
This opens with a subtle splash of fresh apple, clean linens (iris and cotton), and a hint of coconut + vanilla. The iris isn't overly powdery, and nothing about the impression of cotton is sterile, "screechy" or "laundry detergent-like" - it's clean, but still cozy. The coconut is cream-based, and so quiet you have to hunt for it. The apple is more of a "shampoo" rather than anything edible, and is a subtle support player to keep the blend from turning into an outright-gourmand. Together, it creates a very "clean girl" vanilla impression.
Then as it moves into the mid, a gorgeously-rummy vanilla emerges - made smoother by sandalwood, and also softened by the iris and saffron. While the saffron is high quality and balanced appropriately here (nothing like the overdose in Baccarat Rouge 540 Eau de Parfum ), saffron is still sadly a "death note" for me - as it tends to take over everything on my skin... and Queening was no exception. This powdery combination of saffron + iris unfortunately overpowered all else, but I believe this is an issue with my skin chemistry rather than the fault of the fragrance itself.
Projection was on the softer side, but it provided a lovely scent trail (I audibly said "wow" when catching whiffs of myself while wearing this, especially during the rummy vanilla portion) and lasted quite a bit of time. If I could remove the saffron, I'd buy a full bottle of this in a heartbeat. Even as understated as it is it (nothing from Mind Games has been "beast mode" to me, but I actually appreciate that about the brand), it's stunning and signature-worthy.
This opens with a subtle splash of fresh apple, clean linens (iris and cotton), and a hint of coconut + vanilla. The iris isn't overly powdery, and nothing about the impression of cotton is sterile, "screechy" or "laundry detergent-like" - it's clean, but still cozy. The coconut is cream-based, and so quiet you have to hunt for it. The apple is more of a "shampoo" rather than anything edible, and is a subtle support player to keep the blend from turning into an outright-gourmand. Together, it creates a very "clean girl" vanilla impression.
Then as it moves into the mid, a gorgeously-rummy vanilla emerges - made smoother by sandalwood, and also softened by the iris and saffron. While the saffron is high quality and balanced appropriately here (nothing like the overdose in Baccarat Rouge 540 Eau de Parfum ), saffron is still sadly a "death note" for me - as it tends to take over everything on my skin... and Queening was no exception. This powdery combination of saffron + iris unfortunately overpowered all else, but I believe this is an issue with my skin chemistry rather than the fault of the fragrance itself.
Projection was on the softer side, but it provided a lovely scent trail (I audibly said "wow" when catching whiffs of myself while wearing this, especially during the rummy vanilla portion) and lasted quite a bit of time. If I could remove the saffron, I'd buy a full bottle of this in a heartbeat. Even as understated as it is it (nothing from Mind Games has been "beast mode" to me, but I actually appreciate that about the brand), it's stunning and signature-worthy.
Updated on 11/03/2025
Msmacleod
Razeen03
Gourmandgrl
Jflo
Linea
SayreBea
valhelsingv
Caroleanne81
Snicole41
slaenny
