Queen of the Chess The Dua Brand 2024

Probably 90% similar which is insanely impressive for something that is 90% cheaper than the OG. After letting it sit for a month, I can say she finally shined and I absolutely appreciate the juice. Like most Dua scents you have to let them macerate. Upon initial smell, I really cannot detect this at all. After about a month, I sprayed it on a sleeve of my sweater and it’s still lingering even after a little over a week, which is insane for a $33 bottle. Today I got to test it with the original Queening by Mind Games and I am so surprised by how close it is. They lasted the same amount and had similar projection (the OG was a bit louder but not by much, maybe 15% more silage). I think the OG is more rounder and cohesive but this has the exact same notes and smelled so so similar I don’t think anyone would detect a difference. It’s just not as fluffy as the OG but for literally a quarter of the price it’s perfect.

I cannot believe how close this is to Mind Games Queening; I’ve been skeptical of Dua and avoided them for a while due to some questionable actions and things they’ve said, but I couldn’t spend $400 on one fragrance from Mind Games so I got this second hand. Today I ordered a backup bottle.

The Queening DNA is signature scent-worthy for me and easily one of my top 3 fragrances ever. I’m thrilled that Dua was able to get 99% of the same feel for much less.

It lasted significantly longer than Queening, about 7-8 hours compared to 3-4 with Queening. The bottle sprays a beautiful fine mist, and I like that the name is printed on the side. The bottles are smaller than I anticipated, but adorable and because these are extraits, I get it. I’m not a fan of their only AI generated artwork, however.

Queen of the Chess is hard for me to describe because I can’t pick out any specific notes—it’s just so smooth and well-blended that it feels like a complete experience instead of something I can break down. On my skin, it leans a little cotton candy-ish, kind of like 12:00 Eau de Parfum or Baccarat Rouge 540 Eau de Parfum , where there’s that soft, sweet airiness.

If you like that type of sweet, musky DNA, there’s a good chance you’ll love this. It’s sweet without being too much, and it has depth without being heavy or overwhelming.

I never would’ve guessed there’s apple and coconut in here—they don’t smell like the usual fruity notes and just blend in beautifully with everything else.