The King of Hearts

[aidenraine]

Rosewood and black cherry with white musk, red rose, red musk and a spark of lavender.

 

 

Ok, I need to begin by saying that I hate rose in perfume.

Hate.

 

But I barely smell it in here. The lavender shouldn't be listed as the last note, because it really dominates. It's right here smacking me in the face (softly). When wet, I initially smelled the cherry as well, and a bit of the red musk. It was delicious.

 

It gets light and airy really quickly though, and starts to disappear on my skin. The lavender swallows up all of the other notes and sits lightly. I can barely smell it after about ten minutes.

 

I wonder if this would be a good blend for sleeping, but the vanishing act it pulls makes me hesitent to invest in more.

[mountainwitch]

Woods and cherries! This is a nice one: bright, just a little sweet, happy. Not a lot of staying power, and not really a stand out for me . . . But it turns out that my boyfriend is apparently the king of wood and lavender blends. I had some reservations about trying this as a men's scent--specifically because of the cherry and rose notes--but on the right guy, this can turn into a fresh, masculine fragrance.

[Voleuse]

This smells so odd to me at first--a murky swirl of rose and cherry and lavender. It's cool and almost creamy, but the cherry spikes through it every time I sniff. As it dries, the rose eventually disappears, and the cherry fades. In the end, this is a quirky lavender scent on me, with the barest hint of musk.

[aine]

Very much in love with King of Hearts.

 

I love that it is such a cohesive melding of notes, all contributing to the chorus, none vying for soloist. This is the nicest lavender fragrance I've tried. It is also the nicest rose fragrance I've tried. Actually, pair those notes up with subtle wood, short-lived cherry and a gentle musk it is one of the nicest fragrances I've tried full stop.

 

On me, this has medium throw and lasts all day. It is like pulling on a soft luxurious jumper that fits beautifully and makes you feel special. King of Hearts is the scent I reach for when I want to smell gorgeous without Making A Statement.

 

Easy Top Ten.

 

Almost forgot, it's good for a giggle too - my little boys nearly pee laughing when I wear this one because they think it is called King of Farts .

[WidgetAlley]

Ahh, the King of Hearts. Nearly as crazy as his wife, if a little kinder. Or, if you want to go the playing cards route, "the suicide king". This was a freebie from the lovely Lab. Thank you Labbies!

 

In the Imp: Cherry, but light and sweet and cool, not overpowering, and lavender, fresh and biting, layered over soft musks (white and red! My two favorites!), and the slight spice of rosewood. No actual rose as of yet, which is good news, since my skin does horrible horrible things to it and I want this to work.

 

I have to say, when I read the description, I was not expecting something this coherent and pleasant. It's not spiky at all-- just pleasant, interesting, and appropriately cologne-ish without being overwhelming.

 

Wet: Herbal lavender, incensey rosewood, a breath of fruit, and a slight soapiness that can only be the rose. *sigh* But underneath there are the most incredibly gorgeous musks you could ever imagine-- velvety and sultry and clean all at once. It's gentle and cool-warm and absolutely gorgeous, and has the same sexy-but-genteel feel as Old Scratch.

 

Dry: This is fading quickly, which is too bad, but it's still a beaut. The soft lavender still dominates, warmed and rounded by cherry and rosewood. Unfortunately the powdery rose is sort of trying to take over, but that's no one's fault by my own skin's (rose never works on me.) The musks in here are really gorgeous... not quite as sultry and in your face as red musk, nor as clean and quiet as white musk, but somewhere between the two. It's the lovechild of Old Scratch and Othello with a drop of fruit.

 

If the rose didn't do that weird thing on me, and if it lasted a bit longer, this might have been a favorite. Unfortunately, as it is, I don't think it'll be nudging Old Scratch out as my favorite herbally-lavender-awesomeness blend. I may pass it on to the boy, though-- I'd love to smell him in this.

[furygrrl]

In the imp: Cherry and lavender.

 

On wet: Cherry, lavender, and I'm pretty sure that the smoothness underneath the two of 'em is the white musk.

 

Drydown: The cherry faded almost immediately, leaving the barest hint of lavender wafting up from my skin. If I mash my nose against my wrist, I can smell the soft sweetness of the white musk.

 

Overall: I failed to detect any trace of rosewood, red musk, or red rose in KoH - and to be completely honest, I rather liked it that way! The white musk's powdery softness proved the perfect grounding for the sharpness of the lavender, pinning both notes firmly in place against my skin, where they lingered quite happily for several hours. A lovely blend! 4/5

[Ajila]

In the bottle - Lavender backed by cherry, odd...

 

Wet on me - Something soapy (possibly the rose) and cherries.

 

Dry on me - At first the aftershave note of the lavender dominates, then the sweetness of the cherries sits on my skin

 

Overall - I like the dry down, but it doesn't last very long and there are others that work better for me.

[The_Merf]

In the imp: Very cherry. I fear for this. I don't mind the almond/cherry smell, but it is usually rather strong and renders the other complexities of the blend nonexistent.

 

Wet: At the initial application, the cherry is very strong, but the other notes, particularly the lavender and the musks, start to blend right away. The resulting scent is a light, creamy cherry that is actually quite appealing.

 

Drydown and wear: The scent continues on the same trajectory during drydown, with the cherry becoming less prominent and the lavender and musks gaining in strength. It does fade quicker than most scents, but I still think it is an excellent scent for those who are looking for a more subdued cherry. I won't get a bottle, but I will keep the frimp, and as always, I thank the Lab for their generosity.

[sofaking6]

I really like this blend, I'm glad I took a chance on a big bottle.

 

In the bottle: All cherry sweetness and wood

 

Wet: Whoomp! Cherry!

 

Drydown: Lavender makes a short appearance, but doesn't stick around on me. The rosewood comes out to play with the musks in a really nice and clean blend.

 

What I find interesting is that the musk has pretty good throw, and the rosewood stays close to the skin. I don't think this is too masculine - I'm not gay, but I am kind of macho so take that for what it's worth.

[harmonyfb]

When I first put it on, all I could smell was sharp red cherry. It was nice, if a little loud. Then the cherry faded out as it dried, and now it smells kind of perfumey, and VERY VERY LOUD.

 

The dry scent is mostly carnation and musk, and it smells very like a commercial perfume (which means it's a no-go for me.)

 

Why do the scents I dislike always have such a big throw? ::scrubs arm a third time::

[Galatea]

In the Imp: Hmmm, can hardly make out anything from just the imp. A bit of lavender perhaps.

 

Wet: The lavender jumps out, as well as the rose. Alas, I get not cherry at all. So sad.

 

Dry: Very white and clean and unfortunately a bit powdery. The white musk? The rose? I have no idea. Lavender and red musk never go powdery on me at all. Red musk is typically a winner for me. Almost all the blends with it in it are on the top of my list.

 

Throw: Meh.

 

Overall: Disappointing. All of the ingredients, excepting the rose, are scents that usually work well on me and I really love. This blend, just doesn't. It doesn't even last very long either. Two hours tops is the wear on this one.

 

Rating: -

[Iceblink]

A strong blast of cherry quickly morphing into lavender, with the wood just under the surface. This is quite delicate for a king, very pretty, even. And something I could wear when in close proximity to people who can't stand strong scents, because it's very...quiet. Nice!

[perclexed]

On me, this is a very light scent. I can definitely pick out the white musk, but most everything else seems to blend in/fade/get eaten by my skin. Perhaps the slightest touch of rose and lavender, but really, it's mostly white musk on me. It wouldn't surpise me if it faded w/in the hour, but it's fabulous while it lasts. Very comforting, very homey, just really nice.

[supremegoddessofall]

Spicy! I really like the whole Mad Tea Party line - lots of spice. Definitely smell the musk and rosewood. A bit of teak, too. Me like very much.

 

Score: 4 out of 5

[minnalavender]

When I was looking up different Mad Tea Party scents and read the reviews of this one, I had to try it! I tend to like the more gender neutral/"masculine" blends a lot - also, rose, red musk, and lavender are three of my favorite notes.

 

In the imp, the King is another immediate blast from the past - this is a dead ringer for some perfume I used when I was a teen! I couldn't remember the name if you paid me, but like faces, I never forget a scent. I can smell the cherry, lavender, and musk all mixed together, the combination as sweet as candy.

 

At first application, my skin amps the lavender and musk, and I can detect hints of the other notes as well. The throw is non-existant but it's okay, because it's the kind of scent that smells best close-up. I keep sniffing my wrists!

 

It's a very difficult scent to classify, I think because of the lavender. It's not an herbal lavender - def. flowery - but it keeps the King from smelling completely like a girl. It's not jarring, nor uncomplementary, and blends so beautifully with the musks! But it gives the scent a gender-neutral kick.

 

And I must have the oddest body chemistry Evar. Six hours later I can still smell the musks on my skin, as soft and powdery as a baby's butt. Loves Baby Soft? lol Maybe that's what I remember!

 

I really enjoy it, regardless. I want to slather it, if just to revel in the musky drydown.

[sofiaviolet]

Black cherry attack! This is strong enough when King of Hearts first hits my skin that I'm not feeling too optimistic. But it fades fast, leaving behind rosewood and lavender. I don't really smell any musk, though. I love red and white musk so much!!!

[chrisann]

When wet: Cherries, medicinal lavender. They fight and clash against each other. This is where I'm tempted to wash it off, but I perservered.

 

Some time went by: Hmmmmm this smells like it's going to work! The cherry smell is almost all gone, and the lavender just smells faintly herbal. Not as sharp, and acid. There is a creamy, clean, powery scent that has taken it's place now.

 

Drydown: I'm not a fan of powdery or lavender perfumes. But, this does morph into something very wearable. It surprises me. I keep smelling wafts of it emminating from my skin, and darned it! I like it! It's a great work/day scent. Light to medium staying power. I'm going to continue to use my imp to see if I need a bigger bottle later.

[TrailerTrashPrincess]

lavender-black cherry-almond

 

i don't get any woods or any rose or any musk, strangely.

 

without the lavender and almond, this would be nice.

[forspecial_plate]

Nice, sweet and spicy at first, with a gentle wood note flitting about. Then not 3 minutes later my skin turns it straight to strong powder. This doesn't work for me at all. : (

[Emma2403]

In the bottle: sharp, sharp, sharpest cherry. And the trace of musk.

 

On my skin: still lots of cherries but it gets nearly watery. I couldn't say why. White musk is slowly and shyly showing… it makes it much better.

 

After a couple of hours: and now here comes lavender. It's all white musk and lavender now, cherries have totally disappeared.

 

Verdict: I'm not big on cherries, so I wouldn't become a fan of King of Hearts because of the initial phase. But cherry lovers should give it a try for sure.

[storme]

In the imp: hmm, lavender and cherry, sweet and sharp at the same time.

 

On me, wet: lots of cherry over pale musk and very soft lavender. It's a bit powdery-sweet.

 

On me, dry: very faint, and now it's just pale lavender over even paler musks. No rosewood here, and even the cherry is gone now.

 

Verdict: not to my taste, I think - even if it hadn't faded to nothing so fast.

[Shollin]

First sniff: Nutty-musky. There’s cherry in here, but it’s nicely subtle.

 

Wearing: It’s very, very rare that I buy a full bottle of a GC scent unsniffed. I fell in love with the King from his description and made an exception… and I think I was right. On my skin, it’s lavender and musk, mostly that wonderful shimmering white musk I love so much, with a hint of woodiness. Simply brilliant.

[Druby]

In the bottle it smells like medicine and maybe a little bit flowery, the cherry is very overpowering. On me, the cherry calms down and I can smell lavender and white musk, maybe some rosewood. Seems to smell nice on me, might give this a second chance. I was initially put off when I smelt it in the bottle because of the medicinal smell.

[zankoku_zen]

In the imp: Very hard to describe. Sharp, slightly green herbal, a bit woody and something fruity sweet.

 

On Skin: I get a very sharp herbal top note, which I think is from the lavender, and there is a polished wood smell underneath. I smell something kind of floral, which after reading the description would have to be the rose/rosewood but it's not a feminine smell but rather very robust and masculine.

 

On Drydown: Still has a sharp green edge to it. Smoky almost. Very warm.

 

After about an hour or so, the sharpness has receded and I can clearly smell the rose now. And it's not feminine. It's a very deep, green rose with something warm and spicy and woody in the background.

 

Verdict: This is a very regal scent. Very masculine on me. It doesn't have a lot of throw... since it disappears after like an hour and a half.

 

And yes, the King of Hearts does come to mind. A beautiful blend. Now, I'm gonna go swab the boy with it....

[maribouquet]

I love this so much at the beginning: soft, rosy cherry with light musk. So nice. But rosewood tends to turn powdery on me, and it certainly does here. Boo.