Queen by Parlux for Queen Latifah 2009

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Post by Dionne

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Hello,

Being a frugal perfumista, few things make me happier than smelling fab without spending a lot of money. In my Cheap Thrills category, Queen by Queen Latifah sits at the very top. I bought a bottle about three years ago from the discount shelf at my local Shopper’s Drug Mart, and after all this time it’s still a favorite.

Queen by Queen Latifah: Big, Bad and Beautiful

Queen Laifah FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Italian Bergamot, Mediterranean Mandarin
Heart: Baie Rose, Jasmine Noir, while Cognac, Moroccan Coriander
Base: Indonesian Patchouli, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Tonka Absolute, Egyptian Incense, Musk

I find that when I talk about perfumes I use a lot of different ways to describe them: visual images, quirky phrases, songs, food, textures, feelings, whatever seems to “fit” that particular perfume. The very first time I sprayed Queen, a full scene popped into my head, and it’s how I’ve described this fragrance ever since. Imagine a dark and smoky jazz club; slow and sultry music is being played and everyone’s sitting back feeling languorous and nodding their heads slowly to the groove. Now we’re zooming in on the upright bass player: he’s wearing a hat and shades. Zoom in even further to the bottom of that upright bass, and we discover it’s slowly dripping maple syrup on the floor.
Basically, this:

In less atmospheric terms, Queen is dark, sweet and boozy. So dark, only my Black Cashmere sits in the same category. It’s chock-full of vanilla, but no worries, this is not your little girly-girl vanilla; she’s all grown up because of the incense, cognac and patchouli. And when Queen goes out for a night on the town, she’s out aaaall night. 24-hours-and-a-shower later, I still smell fabulous.

Queen-Latifah BodyShapeStylePhoto Stolen BodyShapeStyle

There is only one caveat about this fragrance, and it’s one where Portia and I have a difference of opinion. I think the bottle is Ug-Uh-Lee, and she delights in the trashiness of it. In my opinion, the fragrance is a great fit for the woman, and I adore Queen Latifah, the bottle…. not so much. However, since we’re all responsible perfumistas and keep our bottles in their boxes in dark, cool closets or fridges, (you are doing that, right? Riiight? Do I need to come over there and give you my mom scowl?) it’s not that big a deal.

I spent some time looking for just the right fit for this review, and the one and only Stan Getz fit the bill. However, I did have a lot of fun going through the semi-finalists. If you’ve got a mo’, see below and check out Queen Latifah’s spots in Chicago “When You’re Good to Mama” and Hairspray “Big, Blond and Beautiful.” Isn’t she just fabulous?

Further reading: NowSmellThis
GalaxyPerfume has $20/100ml
MyPerfumeSamples starts at $2/ml up to $6/5ml
Happy smellin’ y’all!
Dionne

32 thoughts on “Queen by Parlux for Queen Latifah 2009”

  2. Uhm …… I have to go with the scary bottle view. That, on it´s own is enough to stop me even trying what´s in it. BUT it does sound extremely nice, and perhaps I will just have to get over myself. One day. xxx

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  3. Hey Dionne,
    Another great secret favourite. Now everybody knows and the prices will skyrocket above the $15 mark. Thanks for this great review, I can’t wait to get back to Sydney and douse myself.
    Margeaux, I have a bottle and you can come try it anytime.
    Portia xx

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  4. What a great review Dionne! OK. I’ll put my perfume away. Scores (hundreds?) are already in the dark, cool, closet. But I HAVE to keep more than a few out for emergencies!

    That being said, several of those stored bottles are Queen. I couldn’t resist at $5.49 US for 50 ml. There is also a Queen sitting out ready to spray. I think she is my favorite of Demercado’s boozy Parlux scents. Even the top notes are pleasing to me, something I can’t say about most celeb frags. Yes, the bottle is tacky. The gold colored trim looks tarnished. Fortunately the scary, red, raised bumps have a function and make the bottle easy to hold onto. The other Queen Latifah, Queen of Hearts, looks better in clear, bumpy glass, but has none of the boozy punch of her older sister.

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    • $5.49? That IS a good deal! Makes my $20 sound extravagant.

      And hey, if you’ve got that many stashed away, I see your point about keeping some out for easy grabbing. My full bottles only take up one shelf of the little closet that’s hidden away behind my bedroom door, but as my collection grows I could see a possible future where bottles get placed in boxes when they’re out of season.

      Someday I want to bring everything out and do a photoshoot, like I so often see within the community. My cheap thrills like Queen, Black Pearls and Par Amour Toujours would be mingling with the Chanels and Guerlains. I’m an equal-opportunity perfume hound.

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      • OH! I love Black Pearls too! I especially like the little quarter ounce pure perfume bottle with the crystals and fake black pearl on the top. I too am an equal opportunity perfume hound.

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      • Azar, I popped over to the ‘bay to check out the parfum version, and you’re right, that is a lovely bottle.

        I think of Black Pearls as one of my “Va-va-va-voom” perfumes. I tried Tom Ford’s Black Orchid, and it was horrible with my skin chemistry (although fantastic on my evil scent twin), and to my mind, Black Pearls has a similar glam vibe. Not bad for $12. 😉

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  5. I just ordered a big bottle for $12.49 and free shipping on EBay..It seemed just such a good deal. And I love a good vanilla/patch oriental. Thanks for the tip. My wallet thanks you, too.

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    • I’m not normally one to do an unsniffed buy, but for $12.49….. I’d be right there with you if I didn’t own it already myself. Just call me the cheap thrills enabler. 😉 You and your wallet are most welcome, I hope you love it!

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  6. I actually got this as free swag when I worked perfume retail. I like it a lot too! If Austin were colder in the winter, I think I’d get more wear out of it… I need to make an effort to wear it more.

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    • One of the advantages of a long, cold winter is that I can reach for this kind of stuff on a regular basis. I’ll remember that the next time I’m having an existential “Why am I living here again?” moment. Queen is one of my favorite sleep scents, and my sheets get to smelling pretty fantastic.

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    • Thanks, Katrina. The jazz club analogy came to me full-blown out the side of my head à la Athena, so I’ve got to give credit to my subconscious for that one.

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  8. I had a small bottle of this and actually used it up. It’s cheap and it’s pretty good. I love that it’s not too sweet or dessert smelling. I don’t often want to smell like cake.

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  9. This doesn’t sound like my kind of thing, but it does sound like a lot of fun that breaks the celeb frag mold, and I am all for that!

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    • Natalie, if you’re not a fan of the family tree that’s descended from Thierry Mugler’s Angel, this likely won’t be for you. But you’re right, it’s so nice to smell a celeb frag without berries in it.

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  10. Thanks for the review! I would never have thought to try this, don’t really go for celeb scents or those kinds of bottles, but dark, deep, sweet, boozy, vanilla, boooooze…mmmm…. I want to sample this now and give it a real chance.

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    • You’re most welcome, Mim. One of the things I enjoy about being part of the APJ team is that Portia has definitely set a tone of equal-opportunity sniffing here. It would never have occurred to me to try Jessica Simpson’s Fancy Nights if I hadn’t read the recent review. I hope Queen works out for you. 🙂

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