Citizen Queen

~ The Lady in White ~ A piece of white lace, unfolded through the corridor, is fading around the corner into another room. Resting on the ground, it's mysterious smell calls to trace it down. A beautiful woman wearing a white off-shoulder dress with lace details is peacefully laying in her casket. Her skin pale and soft as a snow blanket, her hair black as the dead of the night. The blue Moon's shine enters the space, caressing her chest and bare shoulders. Her last sweet words, unspoken, hanging on her luscious lips. In her deep sleep she combs her long hair with her thin fingers. Her sharp nails are weaving the path, guiding you through the long dark night and onto the soft, clean white blanket. -Is it a dream?- You ask yourself. She is luring you into her embrace. Her skin scent emits an exotic mix of flowers sunk in sweetness, like summer warmth with a backbone of dirty indoles accompanied by the cooling breeze. So irresistible, that it makes you want to sink into her skin and breath her in deeply. Perfectly balanced so you become deaf and blind enough to stay close for just the right amount of time. The only thing you're left with is to follow your nose. An intoxicating vertigo of emotions and smells buried deep into a loving embrace, pierces your heart, sealed with a sharp kiss. Once the spinning is over, it's safe to say that you've experienced both life and death and surprisingly, got the best out of it. Because she is after all, also kind and giving. That is how Citizen Queen smells. Timeless, yet modern. Light, with underlying, brooding darkness. Cold, but providing warmth. Clean, but oh so pleasantly dirty. * * * In my opinion it's a romantic vampiric scent. The slightly animalic nature shows us her "fangs", making her not just another basic powdery scent. Right upon application, it smells like crushing white florals, iris and rose petals doused in sweet amber syrup mixed with melted labdanum and resins. There is also a cold freshness to it, until it melts down into the skin and becomes fluffy and warm. Almost like a vibrant orange tinted cocktail drink spilled on a dark red and black sofa with residues of an expensive powdery smelling lotion. The smell of leather is there, dancing with the powder. The aldehydes and iris are making the composition classy, giving a slight retro throw back. A true master-piece by house of JHAG. Scent: 10/10 Longevity: 8/10 Projection: 9/10

Citizen Queen is my favorite from JHAG, with Vengeance Extreme second. I‘m not a huge fan of this house and wouldn‘t wear most of their scents, but this one is really beautiful. It‘s a soft, fluffy white cloud of musk and powder, but soft doesn‘t mean weak or boring. This perfume has a multifaceted composition. It hits just the right spot between creamy and powdery, sweet and clean, warm and cool. It‘s not suffocating like some other strong powdery scents can be, as it‘s not too dry, but it‘s potent. The aldehydes in this are sparkling and fresh, so this smells modern and wearable for those who don‘t always like aldehydes. I usually don't like soapy scents, but it reminds me of soap bubbles in a good way. The leather note feels like smooth nude colored leather. It‘s more detactable when I sniff my skin directly and not so much around me. The musk is warm, but clean, and the iris is very noticeable in the powder scent. Even though it‘s not listed, I smell a hint of vanilla in this, most likely due to the amber note. This gets compared to the classics No 5 and Shalimar in many reviews on here. I get a hint of No 5 from the aldehydes in this, but no Shalimar at all. Anyways, Citizen Queen doesn‘t smell like an older perfume all in all, so those not into the classics don‘t need to be afraid. If you love fluffy, creamy, cuddly powder musks, try this, it‘s beautiful.

I'm not sure if I can review Citizen Queen properly since it always is a new perfume every time I put it on my skin. To own CQ is like having ten different perfumes (in one bottle). Every time I spray it I don't know what to expect, - what will happen this time? However, almost every time it's a more than pleasant experience. One day, while being enamored with LV, LVE and Midnight Oud, I decided to try this perfume too. And all I could say back then was "well, next". CQ worked just like some boring powder on my skin, I don't know why. Just powder and some leather. Nothing interesting, no rose whatsoever. However, I kept the sample and tried again later. And wow, next time it worked. I got the most beautiful iris/rose combination, smooth leather, and invigorating aldehydes. I got hooked and started to wear it every day. And every day it has been something new. One day it works as a leather perfume, bold and strong, another day it is the most sweet, sexy, fluffy powdery iris, next day it's a dewy rose, innocent and intoxicating, and so on. How can it be possible? My favourite variation of CQ is "smells like my skin, but better". My husband even cannot tell if I am perfumed or not when CQ works this way. If you are interested in a perfume which will play with you, try this. In five words: versatile, refined, powdery, leathery, chic.

Make no mistake, you'll bow, willingly and without a single protest! You have very little choice in the matter, to be honest. Citizen Queen is just THAT good! BUT, watch out for the first spray, it's a doozy and NOT, for the faint of heart. It's a big, 'chemical' reception, straight out of the aldehyde factory. I think it's meant to serve notice of the power to come. Fortunately, I have the olfactory heart of a lion! Citizen Queen did not scare me off, just the opposite. I was (and still am) drawn to it. A willing subject. Yes, the aldehydes blast out at you, but they soon relent, settling on the skin with beautiful precision. Citizen Queen is very structured to me. It's also wonderfully powdery and I do love a powder bomb! The most insistent notes on my skin, (iris and rose present only on my clothing) leather, labdanum, amber give the powder quite an edge. They even darken the composition for me. A strange occurrence for what is very much a powder puff. So take note of the edge powder lovers, THIS is not a comfort scent, though the powder on the air presents at times milky and slightly sweet. It's not a fragrance that sits cozy around the house while you relax. It walks confident and proud down Wall Street (or a backstreet) to hold court. Signed, Loyal Subject of the Queen

This is my third experience with a Juliette Has A Gun fragrance. Citizen Queen is nothing like my previous two, Mad Madame and Midnight Oud. This scent is sparkling, bright, beautiful, and totally unique. As I look for scents for warmer weather that aren’t "freshies" or like anything else, this fits the bill nicely. It is powdery and a bit soapy, but not in the way that you'd think. The soapiness, normally a huge turn off for my husband and I, is somehow gorgeous here. Another surprise are the aldehydes. Normally, my body chemistry interacts horribly with them, making me smell exactly like a nursing home (not an exaggeration). The aldehydes in Citizen Queen are not the same as those in your grandmother’s perfumes; here they are more effervescent and brilliant. The labdanum and resins add a hint of intoxication and olfactory heft without weighing it down. Other users report a stronger leather note than what I detect. To my husband and I, the "leather" smells more like a white suede note, definitely not a leathery-leather accord. Overall, this is a scent in which the sum of the parts hugely elevates the overall composition above any individual ingredient. It isn’t easy to describe. I am genuinely thrilled with this one *and* it isn’t even a heavy unisex frag! LOL.

Okay, people might think I'm crazy for saying this, but I think Citizen Queen could be Chloe Love's older sister. She's the rebel of the family, the black sheep. She drives a motorcycle and wears a leather jacket, while the rest of her family wear pearls and cardigans. She's been brought up to be classy and demure, but she's fought to become her own woman, and in doing so she will probably have a greater chance at true happiness than her mother or sisters. CQ knows who she is, and doesn't really care whether you love or hate her. Honestly, I'm in love with Citizen Queen. The femininity of the floral powder notes (that I associate with expensive make-up) and the more masculine smooth smokey leather work together so beautifully on this sensual warm amber base. It does need to calm down a bit after spraying it on, because it can be a bit overwhelming the first five minutes (I've never had a coughing fit over perfume before). But CQ is worth it for sure! This, more than any other scent I own, makes me feel like a strong, beautiful, kick-ass woman. I've never lusted after a perfume as much as I did with Citizen Queen!

After ordering JHAG's sampler pack (It's a great deal and everyone should do it. Tell your mother I gave you permission.), I'm quite taken with the whole line. But this is the only fragrance from JHAG that I love from top to bottom and back again. I fell for it as soon as I sprayed it and have not been disappointed yet. Call me crazy, but something about it has a quality of the character and class of Chanel No. 5, except more modern and with a bit of sass and spice. As a powder lover, the opening is fabulous. Somehow it manages to feel soapy and clean and rich and full and dark all at the same time. I'm usually leery of leather in fragrances, but it's seamlessly blended here. Wearing it, I don't smell like someone's new car. Same thing with the animalic aspect of it (even though it's not listed in the notes), it's tastefully done. There's just enough of an edge to make the wearer feel real and warm, but not unwashed. It feels retro and modern at the same time, like Shalimar for Generation X. This would be a great scent for a ladylike rebel.

Qitizen qeen opens with a leathery aldehydes burst and has an anemalistic feel to it. Heavenly fragrance and one of my favorites ones from this line , extremely smooth! It's seamlessly smooth and lays on the skin like a glove. It doesn't scream or shout , it's not loud or screechy odd or uncompfortable but it rather just melts Into ones skin to create absolute pleasure and wellbeing. Your skin but better ,a leathery powdery velvet and musky fragrance , it just smells really good like a modern classic fragrance made for today. Almost a retro feel ,I find this one impossible not to fall in love with. The leather is so warm and soft and minimal ( stronger in the beginning but then fades to a very soft suede ) the scent is powdery , creamy and sweet. I can't stop to smell my wrist all day long. Just pure heaven ! Many compliments on this ! Ps , my husband is not a fan of too classical fragrances , he totally loves this one. So it's not your typical oldschool classic, it's edgy and sexy, it's a master piece. 10 out of 10 for citizen queen !

Beautiful, soft, sweet and quite sexy. Something about the Rose notes don't quite sit well with me, it feels a bit too mature for my liking (I'm in my mid 20s) but if you're a lover of sexy powdery roses you'll love this. I love powdery scents but this just isn't *quite* what I'm looking for. I've been wearing this in 20 degree centigrade weather and in 10 degree weather and I'd say it suits both. The florals seem to come out in the heat and the powder in the cool. The leather note adds a sexiness that really makes this special. It's that earthy, almost spicy note in there. It almost reminds me of a toned down Mugler Alien some how. It's that floral-spicy-depth about it. This might work for someone who relegates Alien to "night out" wear and wants something more daytime friendly but still special. I don't love it enough to buy a full size, but it's a very very nice scent to indulge in a sample of. It definitely grew on me as time went on and lasts all day on my skin.

It is a very beautiful fragrance; kind of creamy, and not too strong. Though, I was actually expecting something a little more unique, since it has gotten so many ravishing reviews! To me, this is a mix of Chanel no 5 (maybe Eau Premiere) and a light variant of Shalimar. So, the best ones, obviously! But not so much new, then... (By the way, I feel like this would have some civet note in it - but it is not listed here?) I think my other fragrances from JHAG have more of true originality. I have MMMM, Mad Madame, Romantina, Miss Charming and Vengeance Extreme. I love them all, and this one too, even if it turned out to be something else than I thought. After using it a bit more, I appreciate it a lot more, too! I feel its own personality now, and not just the likenesses to Chanel no 5 and Shalimar. So, that means that I am very pleased with all of the fragrances from Juliette has a gun! ☺️

This one was a total surprise. Not one I was expecting to like I don't just like it, I LOVE IT. As the days wears on it gets even more lovely on me. A scent that seems to stay close, but still has good projection but does not offend. So unique and lovely I am getting stopped more than any other fragrance! A perfume that really seems to divide people in reviews. Seems to be a scent that either works really well or people hate it on. For me this is a keeper. A floral for the non floral lover. I gravitate toward Orientals Gourmands and Chypres. Very feminine. I agree with the reference to a scent that reminds me of a grown up Johnson's Baby Shampoo :) I really can not tolerate Iris and is usually a killer for me. In this it is perfect. The best floral I have ever smelled. This is the first perfume that I can not really pick out one note, it blends into a scent that is all its own.

I'm late to the JHAG party, after being introduced to Lipstick Fever (which became my signature) I was sent a sample of this by a kind stranger on a fragrance group on SM. I'd worn LF the day before, so had residual on my wrist. I gave this a spray on my arm for comparison. My first thought was 'Oh no, she went to all that trouble' as I took in a massive nostril of 80's hairspray and insect repellent. How could this be described as it has been? After ten minutes, it BECAME. I've enjoyed over four hours of the most dreamy divine powdery rosey irisy violety yumyum and I can honestly say this is simple beautiful. I'm a massive gourmand collector and this can sit with the best, but the Ambroxan and Leather lift it slightly away from the sweetness usually associated. I'll be buying a full bottle ASAP!

The smell on opening reminds me exactly of those little wraps of sweets you used to get in party bags as a kid in the UK: Fizzers. Took me right back to being 4 or 5 years old in the late 80s/early 90s. Gradually the vanilla and leather seep through and it's a warm, comforting, fuzzy fragrance. Like a cashmere jumper, big cosy socks, and a blanket on a cold, dark evening when you have the candles lit. On the dry down it has an aspect that reminds me pleasantly of my cat's fur when she's warm from the sun. It's not a powerhouse that announces it's presence 10 metres ahead of you, and refuses to let people forget you've ever even passed through the room, but it gives you a warm presence that invites people closer to you and makes them feel comforted when they are. Bravo, JHAG, another stunner.

Citizen Queen on me is a glorious scent! I instantly feel dressed up when I wear it, just like adding a diamond rind or studs to your outfit. To me the leather in this scent is cold with some metallic undertones. Rose and iris is well blended together and it is one of few fragrances with iris that I can wear. The aldehydes are very subtle and add a bit of a green note to the scent. Amber and labdanum deepen the scent making it a well-rounded composition. It is definitely a queen of scents in my collection. It is sexy, but cold...a look-but-don't-touch perfume! Citizen Queen can also change her mind as often as she pleases...sometimes it is a sillage bomb from just two sprays...other times it is a soft and powdery sexy skin scent. Nevertheless I always feel great when I wear it.

Well, well, well! What a surprise that I like a JHAG scent more than Not A Perfume. I tried a couple of others from JHAG but this one... I get mostly a rosy kind of powder, Ambroxan, and resins. I don't get any leather really. On me, this plays soft and really pretty in a grown-up-but-girly kind of way. It can seem both sexy and sweet. I love it. For some reason, it reminds me very slightly of Donna Karan's Cashmere - so maybe I do get a little bit of the musk. The thing is the iffy longevity. I have to either spray a cotton ball to tuck in my bra or else give myself good dabs behind my ears for this to hang around - and it does, for a while. It is not "eternal" on my skin. For that reason, I am glad that I got an affordable-sized decant instead of buying a full-size bottle.

I am wearing Citizen Queen for the first time today. We are slowly getting acquainted. I am finding it to be very pleasant as I try to identify the notes and entire composition. I wanted it to "knock my socks off" immediately but it doesn't. I was certain I would LOVE it so I'm a bit disappointed. Perhaps like will turn to Love after a day. I prefer to be the immediately bowled over by fragrances. So I was disappointed at first. However as the day passes its emanating a prettier scent. I'm not Rose crazy but I don't find it overwhelming here. I like to own a scent from each prominent line so I'm not sorry I bought it. I might offer some to others since I got the large flacon. That will make me feel better! It's a good frag, but I don't think it will ever make my top 5.

A labdanum lover's dream! This is chock full of labdanum, smells like the French labdanum used in Habanita L'Esprit (which smells nothing like the original Habanita btw). I like this WAY better than L'Esprit...but the labdanum note smells similar in the dry down and if you like CQ you should give L'Esprit a shot. A hefty dose of aldehydes gives this a throw back feel. It is almost like the love child of L'Esprit and Chanel No. 22. Citizen Queen is an old school meets modern fragrance. Lady meets street chic. Florals are minimal, you do not think "floral" fragrance. This is all about aldehydes, powder and sweetened - yet dry - animalic notes. I can see how CQ can be polarizing but for me it is LOVE. Sampled once and bought a full bottle the same day!

Citizen Queen is the scent of secrets whispered through layers of vintage powder and worn-in leather. There's a paradox here — soft yet assertive, feminine but defiant. It conjures the image of a ballerina after the curtain falls: the grace still clinging to her movements, but her costume slightly creased, leather pointe shoes broken in and warm with memory. The leather isn’t sharp or industrial — it’s tactile, lived-in, and human. Powdery aldehydes give it a halo of softness, like a veil of antique makeup on a velvet glove. It’s not clean, not dirty — just intimately close, like a perfume kept in an heirloom box lined with suede. Wearing this makes me feel like I’m stepping into a forgotten story. Melancholy, sensual, and unapologetically unique.

I haven’t tried all the JHAG perfumes, but this is the best one I’ve tried. For longevity and smell. It’s quite unique but I ‘group it’ together in my mind as powdery, slightly dirty, smoky. Along the lines of Habanita, Putains de Palaces, even Divine ‘Enfant. I love those sort of fragrances, I know they’re not for everyone. I do get compliments from them. I had a tester of this and decided to buy a full bottle (if I could as apparently discontinued) as even though it starts off a bit skanky and strong but dries down into a complex feminine, powdery floral imo. It stays on clothes and skin until the next day. I managed to get a bottle on eBay, not overpriced so I was lucky. I’d probably just go for Habanita if I couldn’t get it though.

This is such a gorgeous scent that gets so much less recognition than others from the line up. It's iris and leather but it's perfection. I found Guerlain Shalimar to be beautiful, but very strong on the civet...so I moved to Guerlain L'Initial. This is much more palatable, but a little bit too citrus/aldehyde sharp for me. I love it, but I do find it a bit much. Then...Citizen Queen. She is what I have been looking for. She is L'Initial, but so much more beautiful and soft. She is comforting, delicious and intriguing. There are few perfumes that to me don't feel like wearing a scent, but rather being wrapped in a cozy blanket that surrounds and comforts you during the day/night. This is that scent for me.