Forbidden

I guess not many people tried this yet -perhaps because the list of notes is filled with potential stinkbombs??? Whoever has ever even touched a Lantana will know what I'm talking about. Of course cannabis doesn't help attract the masses either... or mushroom, or wormwood. The opening is vaguely familiar. A bit strong, herbal and fruity at the same time. After squeezing my head for days I think I can safely say it reminds me a cough syrup from childhood (no my mom did not slip me pot for the cough! We are very respectable!). It is a very quirky opening but nowhere near stinky or... illegal. In reality, the whole composition is arranged around an accord of tuberose and papyrus (nagarmotha). This is the central theme and peeps through the top a few moments after application and never leaves the stage after. Tuberose here is not portrayed as narcotic or voluptuous as we have come to expect but it plays out its hidden medicinal aspect. Papyrus is green, earthy and raspy, and scars the silky petals of the flower. In this battle however the flower ultimately prevails as in the drydown it seems to be more prominent than any other note (strange I know). This is definitely the strangest tuberose fragrance I have ever encountered because of the unexpected route Christi Meshell chose to follow. It was a submission for a natural perfumers guild project and her theme was an interpretation of Ophiuchus (not Oephiucus, I've had it with the misspelling and mispronunciation of Greek names on the net lately) the "serpent bearer". If you keep that in mind then the quirkiness of the perfume immediately makes sense. This tuberose is the serpent. Its white glistening skin is reflecting the moonlight as it moves through the mossy vegetation. The trail it leaves behind smells of poison, but a poison that can also be used as a remedy. The duality of poison and cure is evident in Greek culture as the snake, a universal symbol of danger and death has become (through the mythical doctor Asclepius) a symbol of cure. The same stands for the essences used in this perfume. Most of them have an intoxicating effect deemed illegal but have been used in shamanic rituals as means to attain cure. On with the practical stuff. This is strictly a nocturnal perfume, ideally worn at an outdoors event, garden party, stroll in the woods, seduction on mossy surfaces (!!!). Unisex yes, but seems to have been designed with an occult priestess in mind so if you want to showcase it, evoke the power of the serpent, wear a white revealing dress and a mask and lure your mate with a dance in the moonlight. Use him up and then throw him away before the perfume magic starts to fade (I get at least 6 hours from this with very light application but it is quieter after the first hour or so. I can still detect traces of it after 10 hours).

I had to do some research on these ingredients because I had no idea what I was smelling. I think this damiana (“Damiana: Sweet, fruity, bright, with earthy undertones.”) must be the star of this fragrance along with the tuberose. Forbidden opens as a very warm, almost fruity, moist, and mildly sweet absinthe fragrance underscored by an (unsweet) incense base. The mushroom gives it a great savory wet quality I just love. It really develops quite a bit so give it time on your skin. A year later: This fragrance is delicious and addictive if a little weird. This is one of the few of this brand I've tried that has a clarity vs the dustiness that people associate with HoM. This really smells like nothing else. It's floral, sweet, fruity and ripe, yet also savory, smokey and earthy. I love the marijuana smell in this. This fragrance, and all of the HoM fragrances I've purchased to sample, have 'matured' after sitting for a year; they all have gotten smoother and more delicious the longer they sit. I highly recommend Forbidden, and also, to take your time with this one. It’s definitely grown on me with multiple tries. This is Art.

I’ve not once thought about liquidating my entire collection immediately after smelling a fragrance, but this one did exactly that for me. Note-wise I get illicit-smelling botanical notes that last forever, as well as damiana, with a base of dust, dirt, snuffed resins, and a really unusual and airy leather note. It has a smell that sent me immediately to a thrift/witchcraft/bootleg record/headshop I hung out in all the time in the 90s/early 00s as a teenager. I’ve been slapped in the face with nostalgia before, but the combination of memories, tantalizing dangerous notes and the surprise that it is in fact, an objectively beautiful piece of art— made it an immediate full size for me. I have not smelled anything like this in perfume, and raised the bar for me in my “witchy smells” category. Don’t wear this to the office, but I’d recommend a sample of this to anyone interested in fragrance as an art.

This is absolutely stunning. It is like a white floral version of Blackbird (Black No.1) minus the leather, with better performance. It is a white floral fragrance, but a moist, dirty, quiet one. It’s not one of those heady, sweet ones mostly seen in the market today. On me the dry down is earth and cannabis. In humid weather this lasted 6+ hours through drinking and smoking. Slight cannabis smell still detectable after showering. I hope Christi releases 100ml options because this one is a keeper. Edit: I think performance differs greatly for each person, so test first. I have worn this several times now and on me it lasts 10+ hours, however most reviews here claim poor longevity so I think this perfume relies heavily on skin chemistry.

Of all scents in the HoM sampler pack I received, it was to Forbidden and Coco Blanc I attached my little silver sticker and etched a pentagram. (Silver sticker means good/possibly buy a FB, and silver sticker with a pentagram means excellent/buy a FB. I still don't know exactly what it is with this one for it to merit FB status (especially at their prices!), but it's mesmerizing; definitely one of my faves from HoM, and definitely not just for women. I'm a 37-year-old man and I say this stuff is simply incredible. Christi really knows how to make a fragrance ascend.

Beautiful earthy scent. Earth goddess of pagan times. If I smelled this in a crowded room I would feel a woman would be wearying it rather than a man. It is still unisex, just feminine leaning. In my imagination this is what a fertility dance of Celtic women on a spring day surrounded by grasses, trees, damp earth and a little home brew shared by all would smell like. House of Matriarch perfumes are unique- always a joy ride for the senses but complicated so I would recommend sampling.

I really love this fragrance, HoM is amazing at making earthy scents wearable. That being said, although it is unisex, I think it's not something I'd wear as a man. But yes, witchy, earthy tuberose, as someone else said, it seems like something Amouage might make (but not quite). If I smelled this on a woman it would not only smell good but it would be very intriguing. Like, "what secrets are you hiding?"

OMG the tuberose is tamed by the earthy, soil tincture elements. I really like where this is going and how it gets there... That said, there are a lot of similarities between this and Kyphi, and by extension LHE. I really like this one. I really REALLY like it.

Forbidden - the fragrance containing ingredients that were illegal to use in the past (with cannabis still being illegal all around the world). It smells like the woods in the morning whilst you're looking for some mushrooms. And this forest is full of them, as they exude their thick fragrance (with the help of tuberose). I really hate tuberose, but here it is done very well, so I cannot complain. However, it is quite daring and I could not see myself wearing this out and about. I don't want to smell like mushrooms in the public, that is why I would class this as a novelty scent, much like Albatross and it's smell of a ship port filled with old sea growth. It projects quite well for about an hour and a half, then coming really close to the skin, like any other HoM fragrance. Same as every other review I had of this house, cannot justify spending the $330 for a 50ml bottle just to enjoy the fragrance myself, as nobody gets any whifs of it (not even me, have to bury my nose on the spot I sprayed). If the prices get lowered at some point (I heard that HoM has gotten some commercial success, maybe they'll attract more customers), I could see myself going for Coco Blanc, but for now... no thanks.

What a beautiful trip! This takes you for a walk and is nice to look at ... type psilocybin! The notes are many and I can recognize a few separately. I have the absinthe initial sprint, tuberose bubblegum, clean mushrooms, a strange flower, whiffs of skin, green leaves and maybe tobacco. In my head it brings me back to memories of school desks and the smell of ink from colored pens ... especially the green ones! Summing up: The tuberose as a main note and a more botanical and less romantic general approach. A more versatile thread on a fairly modern woman. Medium sillage and longevity a little short. Bello doll-style drydown. ... Magic mushrooms. 9/10

right off i smell tuberose, mushroom and earth, which is a bit smoky. i guess that is the 'baked' earth. i am smelling subtle leather and very subtle woods as well along with the papyrus, which seems to intensify over time, as the mushroom dies down a bit. after the drydown it smells like an earthy stick of incense. not an incense note, but actual incense. at this point it has very low sillage as well. an interesting scent, i've not smelled anything quite like the opening before.

I have 3 samples of this and I will be purchasing a full bottle. It’s musky and earthy and reminds me of an Amouage scent: very spicy with an incense smoky vibe. It’s definitely different though. The sillage is not beasty but it leaves a trail. I would save this for cooler weather.

Truly witchy. I'm obsessed! It smells rare and unfamiliar, even scary. Forbidden. The tuberose doesn't add what I'd call pretty or sexy, but gives me the confidence to wear it in public. Feminine imo but totally unisex.

I really thought I’d love this one after all the rave reviews. I’m usually a fan of white florals, but this one doesn’t sit well on my skin. It started out very medicinal and sickly sweet, so much so I got a headache with only two small sprays. This became a skin scent on me within a couple hours, thankfully. Three hours after spraying it is barely noticeable but has mellowed out significantly to a soft, sweet floral. Definitely not worth the price. The marketing is fantastic though.

Forbidden is my favorite fragrance of all time <3 If I had to wear only one for the rest of my life, this would be it for me, hands down. Brilliant! Dark & seductive. Makes me feel like a femme fatale on a mysterious mission. A truly brilliant composition that is truly intoxicating. One of a kind.

Very luscious, bold absinthe. It's different from every fragrance I have and everything I've sampled. I only tried it because I thought it was neat to see a lantana note, since I love it in a garden. But. I hate licorice--both black and red. It's a disgusting, inexcusable, plastic substitute for candy that engenders the absolute worst bad breath. Here, I love it. LOVE. Forbidden pairs straight-up black licorice perfectly with tuberose and a subtle lantana. Green freshness with a downright subversive depth. Next, I don't usually care for boozy fragrances. Like patchouli, the only thing that stays on my skin is the bourbon or rum. Not successful to date. This however is classy, retro-glam absinthe. It is NOT absinthe at a Gatsby-themed party with cheap, anachronistic costumes. It's delicate glassware with a filagree'd spoon, lipstick and beaded fringe. No trace of irony. It's glorious. Grown-up. Long-lasting, particularly for natural perfumery, and especially if you spray it on clothing in addition to skin. I don't think it projects very far. But, I keep snuffling my wrist and if I think about tuberose, I smell it. If I focus on absinthe, I smell that instead. I'm feeling way classier than my jams this morning. And I've been very happy to re-discover it on scarves I've worn over the last few weeks.

Even though the notes don't match at all, Forbidden reminds me alot of Vero Profumo Onda for the first hour or two. It could 100% be my skin chemistry since House of Matriarch uses alot of natural ingredients but I get Onda's same aromatic topnotes, kind of a mix of medicinal herbs and berries, the scent of organic valerian root extract from Whole Foods. This part will appeal to some even if it doesn't sound that appetizing from me. Conceptually the whole perfume is very Snow White and the Huntsmen. If you like the idea of a feminine perfume that transforms from poison apples deep in the forest to sunshine on glittering angel wings, you might want to try this. After the edgy absinthe and damiana comes a heart of sweet, marshmellowy tuberose. Very much the opposite feel of the opening. The drydown is peace restored to the village, sunny fields of sweet grass and warm skin. 3 out of 5.

I have tried coco blanc, the longing, orca, black no1 and this from the house. I am a man and I think Forbidden is very interesting. I do not understand why this is categorized as women fragrance at fragrantica? IMO its perfectly unisex. Maybe I like it because it is "forbidden"? The smell capturing the energy of a sacred forrest with elfs and creatures of light taking care of the holy vegetation. Its not dark night, but the sun is penetrating trough the high treetops. Its very green, but also abundance of flowers and mushrooms. Far away I can hear a small waterfall with crystal clear water. It is mystical and happy forest. I actually use this as aromatherapy and to alter my state of mind. I get in a very spiritual mood when I smell this. And I can always escape back to this happy place as long as I have the magical portion that opens the portal. 9/10 UNISEX fragrance

Forbidden's opening is a wower with its blast of green and straight-froward indolic tuberose. There's also an overall mushroom-y vibe going on but it's nowhere close the incredibly realistic (and slightly off-putting) one in, say, JAR's Jardenia. The fragrance then morphes into a tremendously solid green white floral that's thick but not overwhelming. Well refined and bold without the heaviness which is often typical of tuberose-centered fragrances. A fragrance that pushes the boundaries of floral perfumery as only Lutens or Vero Kern have been able to do. Heady, narcotic and completely tremendous. Rating: 7-7.5/10

I got this lovely fragrance as a free 3.3ml sample when I bought Coco Blanc from their website. I ended up giving it to a friend who immediately fell in love with this expertly made concoction. While this wasn't a favorite of mine, the scent was nevertheless enjoyable. To me the scent made me feel as if I had stepped into an old forgotten forest in the middle of fall right after a downpour. I kept getting hints of tuberose mixed with wet earth and a subtle saltiness from the mushrooms. The silage is moderate but turns into a skin scent around hour four and longevity is about average at 6-7 hours.