Top Notes 
Heart Notes 
Base Notes 
09/01/2023
PetitePinup
26 Reviews
PetitePinup
1
Turns you into a sniffing magnet
As soon as I acquired this fragrance early 2022 it was an immediate favourite.
While I understand the fragrance has a tendency to become sour (plum) on some and jaw-breakingly sweet (praline/fruit) on others, I had the luck to push forward the intended scent >> a sensual boozy sweet plum-rose with a warm woody-amber dry down. This is, thank whatever deity, exactly how it smells on me. The plums and roses are definitely the strongest notes in this perfume, but there are a few extra note to add to this red queen.
In the opening - the sweetest moment - you get a very sweet jammy rose, which turns into a slight boozy combination of ripe plums and luscious red roses with a plate of milk chocolates next to it after 15min or so. The mahogany acts as a solar note, giving everything a warm hug and a slight spicyness reminiscent of light ginger. When the amber steps in it becomes even more sensual and by that time you will still have some sweetness, but it's all balanced out. The dry- down is a warm ambery sweet boozy rose. Sexy as heck.
Once Regina has been standing longer on the shelves the plum, amber and rose become an even louder trio in a sultry-sweet way. While the praline was noticeable at first, it was merely a softer extra touch. After at least a year of maceration it is a note that definitely swims around in the scent bubble, probably making this Regina as syrupy as she is: love! Funny thing: I can absolutely smell it around me, as part of the overall blend, but once I dive skin to nose she becomes softer again. Neat trick! I've never gotten the passionfruit - thank heavens - and didn't get it after a thoroughly macerated juice either. The tiny spicy accord has disappeared, and while Regina still feels 'warm', it's less of an obvious effect through the mahogany. I'm a tad disappointed, but this fragrance is still luscious, so this'll be my only complaint.
Regina is absolutely a fragrance for a mature woman who knows who she is and who is confident in her sexuality. That woman can be in her early twenties as well as in her fifties, for example. I'm not really seeing an age.
It's a shame the longevity is really not that great. In spring and summer I get 3-4hrs and a faint skin scent after that. In Autumn - when Regina shines because of the scent profile imho - she can give me even less when it's cold: 2 hours before skin scent. (Disclaimer though: my skin is very dry and has a perfume eating chemistry. This outcome is average). The projection and sillage are above average just after spraying, but take a nose dive after the first hour.
Projection and longevity both have improved a bit with its maceration, but don't expect too much, never expect beastmode from Regina. Honestly: the strength is pretty okay and suits the scent. Making such a sultry syrupy fragrance ultra strong might lead to some fainters at work/school/ home. And not from adoration...
Overspraying is (and remains) a bad idea with such a sweet perfume (and it rarely ups longevity anyway). Moisture, or layer with a similar scent and that'll work fine. In both instances: make sure you acquire a perfume pod/travalo and then a reapplication is easily done when you need one. Actually: maybe you're lucky. A friend of mine, whose skin isn't dry nor 'perfume eating', tried it and could still smell it vaguely on her skin at night. I'm seeing slightly green now, but hey... it might mean the longevity for Regina is above average on you too.
If you can get it cheap and know if this pyramid will suit you I'd definitely recommend this perfume. Whether you have similar perfume skin, or not. I love it, that's for sure. The only reason I don't douse myself in it weekly, with an empty bottle as a result, is because some idjit at Ajmal discontinued it and I've not been able to acquire a new bottle. I'm treating her as a vintage.
Last but not least: Regina can be a yearround fragrance if your country doesn't have very hot, long summers. Otherwise keep her for Spring, Fall and moderate Winter days. If you can wear it to the office depends completely on... well: you. I personally don't do labels that much. I like a wide variety of fragrances and pyramids, and the latter is what convinces me. Not Homme or Femme. I also think you should wear whatever, whenever *as long as you don't bother anyone's nose*. Up to your discretion I think. But, if you categorise fragrances this will most likely be considered a date night/ evening + colder weather type of scent, simply because it's sweet, syrupy and sultry.
*She writes when she's just sprayed it on, on a (cloudy though) summer day. Ha!*.
Regardless of when and where you'll wear her, Regina is bound to have people sniff the air around you wondering 'what is that luscious scent? '. If you don't mind being a magnet for a day (or 365) then go for it!
SIMILARITIES
Armani Si and La Belle Le Parfum are often mentioned as 'very similar', or even dupes, so I wanted to dedicate a paragraph or two to that.
ARMANI SI > I don't like Armani Si, nor Si Passione (though tad better). They're not blegh, but I certainly miss something in order for me to repurchase. I don't think Regina is close to it in any way shape or form - at least how both smell on my skin. In case you were wondering: Si didn't have a yammy, syrupy rose on my skin, and certainly no plum. It has sweet floral notes, but they are much cleaner. That could be because of the Ambroxan - which on my skin is quite strong and gives me more of a fresh salty airy accord than the ambery warmth I was looking for. Lastly: Patchouli. Too much of it.
If you're thinking of getting Regina if you can (lucky you) for the purpose of getting an Armani Si dupe I advise you to look elsewhere. Dupe Country is full of Si clones. Actual clones.
LA BELLE LE PARFUM > While I consider La Belle (Le Parfum) not a dupe either, I can understand why people have put that one there, particularly if the praline is a strong note on your skin. As said, they're not dupes - Regina has that strong yammy rose, while LBLP has some kind of 'spicy praline-pear' - but they have similar DNA. I wouldn't be surprised if JPG has secretly gotten some 'Arab inspiration' (trust me, it happens more often than they want you to know). Especially once Regina has sat a while, they get a more similar vibe. With notable differences, but close enough I would dare to recommend LBLP to a Regina lover and vice versa. Both have the power to let you keep sniffing the air around you. Plus these type of scents are each feminine in a girly* way, as well as sexy in a more mature way: the ultimate combination. (* Any man who has worn any of them, please tell your experience. I love sweet scents on men and also applaud anyone not giving a sh* about "feminine leaning"). Both are Regal Red Queens. If you don't have a Gaultier budget and you can acquire Regina still (please tell me where??), then absolutely go for it. You might not smell identical, but you will certainly get to enjoy the same warm yammy fruit sweetness.
While I understand the fragrance has a tendency to become sour (plum) on some and jaw-breakingly sweet (praline/fruit) on others, I had the luck to push forward the intended scent >> a sensual boozy sweet plum-rose with a warm woody-amber dry down. This is, thank whatever deity, exactly how it smells on me. The plums and roses are definitely the strongest notes in this perfume, but there are a few extra note to add to this red queen.
In the opening - the sweetest moment - you get a very sweet jammy rose, which turns into a slight boozy combination of ripe plums and luscious red roses with a plate of milk chocolates next to it after 15min or so. The mahogany acts as a solar note, giving everything a warm hug and a slight spicyness reminiscent of light ginger. When the amber steps in it becomes even more sensual and by that time you will still have some sweetness, but it's all balanced out. The dry- down is a warm ambery sweet boozy rose. Sexy as heck.
Once Regina has been standing longer on the shelves the plum, amber and rose become an even louder trio in a sultry-sweet way. While the praline was noticeable at first, it was merely a softer extra touch. After at least a year of maceration it is a note that definitely swims around in the scent bubble, probably making this Regina as syrupy as she is: love! Funny thing: I can absolutely smell it around me, as part of the overall blend, but once I dive skin to nose she becomes softer again. Neat trick! I've never gotten the passionfruit - thank heavens - and didn't get it after a thoroughly macerated juice either. The tiny spicy accord has disappeared, and while Regina still feels 'warm', it's less of an obvious effect through the mahogany. I'm a tad disappointed, but this fragrance is still luscious, so this'll be my only complaint.
Regina is absolutely a fragrance for a mature woman who knows who she is and who is confident in her sexuality. That woman can be in her early twenties as well as in her fifties, for example. I'm not really seeing an age.
It's a shame the longevity is really not that great. In spring and summer I get 3-4hrs and a faint skin scent after that. In Autumn - when Regina shines because of the scent profile imho - she can give me even less when it's cold: 2 hours before skin scent. (Disclaimer though: my skin is very dry and has a perfume eating chemistry. This outcome is average). The projection and sillage are above average just after spraying, but take a nose dive after the first hour.
Projection and longevity both have improved a bit with its maceration, but don't expect too much, never expect beastmode from Regina. Honestly: the strength is pretty okay and suits the scent. Making such a sultry syrupy fragrance ultra strong might lead to some fainters at work/school/ home. And not from adoration...
Overspraying is (and remains) a bad idea with such a sweet perfume (and it rarely ups longevity anyway). Moisture, or layer with a similar scent and that'll work fine. In both instances: make sure you acquire a perfume pod/travalo and then a reapplication is easily done when you need one. Actually: maybe you're lucky. A friend of mine, whose skin isn't dry nor 'perfume eating', tried it and could still smell it vaguely on her skin at night. I'm seeing slightly green now, but hey... it might mean the longevity for Regina is above average on you too.
If you can get it cheap and know if this pyramid will suit you I'd definitely recommend this perfume. Whether you have similar perfume skin, or not. I love it, that's for sure. The only reason I don't douse myself in it weekly, with an empty bottle as a result, is because some idjit at Ajmal discontinued it and I've not been able to acquire a new bottle. I'm treating her as a vintage.
Last but not least: Regina can be a yearround fragrance if your country doesn't have very hot, long summers. Otherwise keep her for Spring, Fall and moderate Winter days. If you can wear it to the office depends completely on... well: you. I personally don't do labels that much. I like a wide variety of fragrances and pyramids, and the latter is what convinces me. Not Homme or Femme. I also think you should wear whatever, whenever *as long as you don't bother anyone's nose*. Up to your discretion I think. But, if you categorise fragrances this will most likely be considered a date night/ evening + colder weather type of scent, simply because it's sweet, syrupy and sultry.
*She writes when she's just sprayed it on, on a (cloudy though) summer day. Ha!*.
Regardless of when and where you'll wear her, Regina is bound to have people sniff the air around you wondering 'what is that luscious scent? '. If you don't mind being a magnet for a day (or 365) then go for it!
SIMILARITIES
Armani Si and La Belle Le Parfum are often mentioned as 'very similar', or even dupes, so I wanted to dedicate a paragraph or two to that.
ARMANI SI > I don't like Armani Si, nor Si Passione (though tad better). They're not blegh, but I certainly miss something in order for me to repurchase. I don't think Regina is close to it in any way shape or form - at least how both smell on my skin. In case you were wondering: Si didn't have a yammy, syrupy rose on my skin, and certainly no plum. It has sweet floral notes, but they are much cleaner. That could be because of the Ambroxan - which on my skin is quite strong and gives me more of a fresh salty airy accord than the ambery warmth I was looking for. Lastly: Patchouli. Too much of it.
If you're thinking of getting Regina if you can (lucky you) for the purpose of getting an Armani Si dupe I advise you to look elsewhere. Dupe Country is full of Si clones. Actual clones.
LA BELLE LE PARFUM > While I consider La Belle (Le Parfum) not a dupe either, I can understand why people have put that one there, particularly if the praline is a strong note on your skin. As said, they're not dupes - Regina has that strong yammy rose, while LBLP has some kind of 'spicy praline-pear' - but they have similar DNA. I wouldn't be surprised if JPG has secretly gotten some 'Arab inspiration' (trust me, it happens more often than they want you to know). Especially once Regina has sat a while, they get a more similar vibe. With notable differences, but close enough I would dare to recommend LBLP to a Regina lover and vice versa. Both have the power to let you keep sniffing the air around you. Plus these type of scents are each feminine in a girly* way, as well as sexy in a more mature way: the ultimate combination. (* Any man who has worn any of them, please tell your experience. I love sweet scents on men and also applaud anyone not giving a sh* about "feminine leaning"). Both are Regal Red Queens. If you don't have a Gaultier budget and you can acquire Regina still (please tell me where??), then absolutely go for it. You might not smell identical, but you will certainly get to enjoy the same warm yammy fruit sweetness.
