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Genqumes – :
What a sexually-arousing, deep, feminine scent!
A mysterious musky animalic rose scent with a serious edge of patchouli & tolu balsam.
So mature, so attractive!
I fell for it from the first sniff!
A warning nonetheless. It may be too much for some to the point where they don’t like.
Honestly, as a man, if a woman passes me smelling like this, she’ll pull my head toward her by the nose.
Well done, Juliette, well done. You’ve created a magnet.
Sting0777 – :
The animal side of this fragrance is very prominent on my skin, and it contrasts sharply with the rose/berry scent. I also smell the patchouli. I do think it has a very interesting smell,but I don’t think I actually like it. It reminds me of a sweaty, smelly teenage boy who happens to be wearing rose and patchouli oil. It’s less like a Mad Madame and more like Ignatius O’Reilly.
irisvl – :
If you find Miss Charming to be too sweet or innocent and also find Lady Vengeance to be too sharp or sexy … Then I think that Mad Madame is a good in-between. It’s a strong, long lasting fragrance that can smell a bit too crazy if you use too much, but it can be a soft fragrance if you use it lightly.
The rose is the star of the show here (like Miss Charming and Lady Vengeance), but it’s the other notes that transform the rose into something different. The castoreum immediately starts to take over a bit, making the rose smell sharp and almost leathery … But then the white musk comes in to give the rose a soft clean quality to it; it lightens up the strong castoreum. These are the top three notes that stand out the most for me (and on my skin), personally.
A few hours into wearing this, I start to smell the berries and the amber faintly, which adds a subtle sweetness to the floral, animalic, and musky quality to the perfume. And I can’t for the life of me smell the white florals, even the tuberose (which is surprising, because tuberose tends to easily stand out when it’s used in a perfume). Perhaps the tuberose is there to add longevity to the perfume? Near the end of my wearing the fragrance, I pick up on the moss notes quite a bit, which gives everything a surprisingly earthy and green rosy finish.
This is a difficult fragrance to describe, really. I think it is overall a much stronger fragrance than Miss Charming or Lady Vengeance, but it’s also suited as an “in-betweener” of the two, since I wouldn’t classify it as a very sexy fragrance or an innocent and sweet fragrance. Dare I say that I think this is a more masculine fragrance than the other two because of the earthy and musky characteristics?
Overall, I like this one because it’s interesting. I can’t categorize it, exactly, which makes this a fun fragrance. I’d be lying if I said I preferred wearing this over Lady Vengeance or Miss Charming, though.
If I had to classify the fragrances:
-Miss Charming: Girly
-Lady Vengeance: Sexy
-Mad Madame: Diva
blekhs – :
This is so plush and rich and cozy. I’m a huge fan of LUSH Rose Jam and on me this rose wears similarly. Excellent lasting power, gorgeous bottle.
podarokhobby – :
How could I forget this one in my survey of daring perfumes! This one just slashes the air around with an olfactory knife. Or it’s a kind of olfactory whipcrack! If there is a fragrance equivalent of an emergency services siren, I think this has got to be it. Shrieking loud, super pungent, abrasive: possibly one of the most bellicose fragrances on the shelves!
I can’t not say a few more words about this one. Please don’t get the impression from the above that I in any way object to this fragrance. It is light & bright taken to an extreme … and really taken to an extreme! And this is surprising seeing as it has castoreum and tolu balsam in it, both of which I would say are components of the thick and heavy kind. But in this, the pitch of their vibration seems to be raised by about two octaves. That’s quite a feat of parfumistry! Spritzed myself with this on the bus earlier, and then suddenly thought “maybe I shouldn’t’ve done that here!” No-one objected though, thankfully. And that reminds me – haven’t changed my “wearing”. (It’s bound to go out of date very often, though.)
трулям-трулям – :
It seems mad is a relitive term. Somewhere in a English country town where the most interesting news is the weather, perhaps a balsamic rose is risky. This scent appears more trendy and youthful like a discovery while staying in hostels around the would. This person appears educated and worldly.
monstergame – :
This is a pretty and tame version of Lady Vengeance.
No harshness on my skin. I can even smell Miss Charming in this.
Moderate longevity and sillage. Lovely and safe fragrance.
More Tame Madame rather than Mad Madame!!!
Amottemedpype – :
The rose, peony, patchouli, musk and amber makes this almost a dead ringer for Narciso Rodriguez Fleur Musc For Her, except, of course, for that barn yard fecal smell. That castoreum (i.e animal gland) note in this is predominate and noticeable. It kind of makes an interesting contrast with the pinky flowery sweet vibe of this, but I’m not 100% convinced they are compatible. Poo and sweet flowers? I have to say I’m intrigued, amused and entertained by this one. Kudos to any woman who is daring enough to pull this off.
alexkalen – :
anyone get babies stinky nappies? maybe I should go see nose doctor? That is really what I smell, time to go change diaper, byeee yalll
SmaraVona – :
I’m using this fragrance right now, for almost 2 years. It was a gradual switch from Gucci Guilty, which I like the powdery scent it left but had to shake it off after almost 4 years.
It’s interesting to read the reviews below and I’m surprised by some of the personal descriptions. My own take at first was that this perfume had strong oud in it. I was in Paris when I came across this brand and I was smelling it in the air every time some group of women of certain culture passed by. I was thinking, I’ve got to ask. They told me a name of a brand, but when I sprayed it on me, I was thinking this is not for me.
Long story short, an SA in La Fayette introduced me to this one, and I fell in love instantly. Mad Madame felt like a younger sister of the oud fragrance I searched for, only a bit more confusing, mad and wild.
At first I thought I smell metallic rust. One of my colleagues even mentioned that she thought she’s smelled ginger (???!). But I really do love it, I’m not one to pin point descriptive notes, but this fragrance is really one of a kind, it’s not for girly girl type and it’s mostly a night perfume. I wear it during the day though. I did notice that some stranger had recoiled and face different direction upon my presence one day when I took public train to work. Lols. So yes, it is definitely not for everyone, it indeed chooses its wearer, I feel.
evgin – :
So interesting that others find this to be dirty, it’s pretty clean on me, although it’s not purely feminine and girly which is fine with me since I️ prefer a more unisex feel to my fragrance. Got a compliment from a co-worker on this one which is extremely rare for me since my skin eats up fragrance and no one ever notices my perfume. Longevity is good 6-7 hours on me which is longer lasting than Lady Vengeance at least on me. I think i might actually be in love with Mad Madame.
alex1987771 – :
After I spending my time reading all the reviews about Mad Madame, I have to admit, some of negative reviews had paused my blind-buy idea for this perfume. Especially the one that mention piss and dirty underwear.
But my desire for MM had won over the fear.
Then, the package had arrived. I unbox it and admire the exquisite blood red bottle while thinking that MM will unleash the piss horror or the bewitching rose… I hold my breath and spray it on my wrist…
guess what?
I F****** LOVE IT!
First off, I got whimsical rose. It is a little bit sugary which make it smells modern. (IMO) Then, the ripe blackcurrant comes out. It smells like an expensive wine. The patchouli is not dirty at all. It is very fresh, menthol even. Somehow tuberose and jasmine are distinctive to my nose. They add creaminess and mellow sweet to MM. Oak-moss puts in dry and green vibe. Finally, the main actress of this perfume… Castoreum.
It is dirty indeed but not powerful enough to turn a perfume into piss and dirty lingerie odor. (Though, be proud if your underwear smells like this perfume.) It just darken all moods that express earlier.
It’s like the dark force that corrupts a charming princess, turns her into Darth Vader… wait, no… an evil lustful queen… or, perhaps, just a Mad Madame.
Amber and balsam come out on the dry down to add oriental vibe.
Of course, the limelight is still on the castoreum while rose peek out from the crimson curtain.
Overall, I enjoy this beautiful madness.
rusalan81kg – :
Originally was surprised to find it nice and wearable despite the prominent beaver note; it wasn’t as dirty as I expected. But after a few more wears I felt like the beaver note was actually too much for me. A quality fragrance despite my not liking it.
president1983 – :
Pure musky smell. Similar to original Eli Saab.
Станислав Карбанович – :
What a wild ride this is.
For the first few seconds of the initial spray, I only smelled chemicals and roses. Then the black currant hit like a whip crack, biting into the rose, leaving it neither sweet nor sour, but giving it an olfactory urgency. Then castoreum burst forward and underscored that urgency, making it deeply carnal. As if that carnality weren’t potent enough, the musk appeared.
For the first 45 minutes or so, this juice needs a safeword. It’s lust with nails and teeth. Sure, the nails are blood red and well-manicured, and the teeth are perfect. It’s unabashedly primal, just well groomed.
On me, the amber didn’t appear until about an hour in, and initially, it made the composition metallic up close. I could taste it. (The same thing happened with JHAG “Not a Perfume,” which is all ambroxan.) That metallic “note” faded, thankfully, and the amber became warm. This for me was the afterglow stage, the time for sharing secrets, which Mad Madame does after she has her riotous way: only then could I detect the vanilla, the tolu balsam, and the sweet florals.
In the dry down, the vanilla and tolu continue to sweeten the remaining rose, amber, castoreum, and musk. With the heart notes receding, the animalic notes become urgent again, but the overall sweetness makes that urgency tender. Needy still, yes, but we’re going slow this time. Almost achingly slow. Mad Madame is nowhere near finished.
I’ve been wearing this for seven hours, and this has finally become a skin scent. Not once have I detected patchouli or oak moss. I’ve looked for them, but on me, they’re not coming forward at all. I got at least a peep of everything else. The castoreum is so strong, though, that I’m not surprised some notes become hidden entirely.
I’m not sure whether I love this or loathe it. I’ve waffled all day. At times, I’ve drank this in, thinking “this is so nasty,” but continuing to drink. I’m unable and unwilling to stop the madness and scrub her off. She’s bewitching, really. I’ll have to let her wear me again before I make up my mind. I wouldn’t be surprised at all were I never to make up my mind about her. She is mad, and perhaps part of her plan is to drive me mad, too.
ETA: I wore Mad Madame again, this time ahead of some deep cleaning (vacuuming, scrubbing baseboards, etc.) My goal was to see how she would behave once I got really hot and sweaty. She was even more herself, but better, and I highly recommend wearing her at such times. The experience was amazing, almost heady. I felt invigorated in a bizarre way, and did more work than I’d planned. I didn’t even want to shower afterwards because I didn’t want to wash her off! I think I love her now.
andrei1612 – :
Scent – animal fur & rose musk.
Season/Time of Day – I prefer to use this one in the colder months, during the day.
Projection – I didn’t get noticed, I didn’t get a compliment.
Longevity – I get 8hrs consistently.
Alechka – :
A very interesting rose! Grown up, but still a bit sweet, and – for a Juliette has a gun perfume – a lot of ooomp. Not for shrinking violets, but not headache inducing either. Good. Full bottle worthy. On wishlist.
lwm052Diobtetty – :
Sexy big plump rose with a dash of dirty patchouly, tuberose and castoreoum. This is glamorous and very grown up.
vardanyan – :
got a sample from Sephora and sprayed myself. It reminded me of the Middle East fragrance of rose and oud. I felt like I should have been in a hookah bar smoking shisha. smelled nice but not for me.
AVALS66 – :
After days of tamer, fruitier fragrances, I wanted something different. Something I was a little afraid to try. I do love roses and the color red, but I tend towards greens and soft florals. The reviews didn’t help: unwashed? Urine smells?? And the comparison to Paloma Picasso, which gave me a migraine when I accidentally spilled some all over my hands (long story). But I bit the proverbial bullet and sprayed some behind my knees, my safe spot for risky fragrances.
Wow, I’m glad it was colder today, cus this one has heft! Scented the bathroom for hours by default. It’s one big spicy slightly dirty ROSE. Reminds me of my mother’s Fragrant Cloud rose bush; huge spicy strong coral-colored blooms. You don’t want to sniff too deeply or you might get dizzy.
Then the patchouli comes out, but then again my chemistry takes patchouli and just runs with it. This wasn’t as obnoxious as other patchouli fragrances on me however. Good thing the rose stuck around.
To be honest I was a little disappointed. The name Mad Madame and the color of the bottle remind me so much of an antagonist from Lauren DeStefano’s Chemical Garden trilogy, an older brothel madame who wears crazy outfits and tons of costume jewelry and smells like oriental perfumes and the heavy incense she burns constantly. And is often on mind altering substances. I would have liked a little incense added. But I guess that Madame would just wear vintage Opium, and I know that doesn’t agree with my chemistry at all.
I’ll stick with the roses.
vasya.homik – :
Mad Madame..
How I wanted to love you…Your notes, idea of a big chypre…all dashed with my allergic reaction to ISO-E Super. I smell this beautiful rose perfume .(dont worry this isnt vintage at all..more like “vintagesque” but very modern)…then..ACHOO! Big sneeze letting me know Iso E is present, throat tightens and well thats the end of it for me.This is a beauty if she resonates with you..dont be afraid to try her. I just wish she liked me!! 🙂
sinewlad – :
I was gifted a JHAG discovery kit from a friend here on fragrantica! Mad madame was one of them in the kit. I think this is stunning and sexy. I thought i didn’t like casterom or civet, well i was wrong! I love it in here! It gives this perfume depth, warmth and a slightly dirty musky sex appeal. At first spray it smells very similar to Red Door . After it mixes with my skin chemistry it turns into a powerful red rose, musk, woods and i do smell moss and casterom. After hours it dries down to a soapy musk. From the discovery kit this is one of mine and my husbands favorite. Longevity is 8 hours on my skin ,sillage is a good 2 to 3 feet for the first hour and after that it’s soft to moderate. Imo its worth the money. Please dont let the casterom scare you off, this is blended so well and this perfume wouldn’t be special or even warm without the casterom.
Alex Jr – :
Mad Chypre!
The chypre label seems an olfactory category all over the place in perfumery at the moment. Modern chypre (while lovely) bear little resemblance to the oakmoss laden powerhouses of the past. For me though, traditional chypre has a rather distinctive, olfactory structure. One I frequently give a wide berth,
Mad Madame is very much in the traditional chypre vein.
First and most importantly, it has that “chypre bite”, which is beautiful, but can also be extremely off-putting and disturbing when left to approach you unchecked.
Mad Madame is chypre sharp, but not so much as to turn you away. It strikes me as a starter fragrance for those left feeling a bit bullied by chypre releases of years past. It has a powerful presence and is somewhat over the top and heavy, though not unbearably so. Just enough so to make you feel you are making a big, interesting statement by your choice.
Noteworthy Notes
rose
moss
castorum
patchouli
and the sense that there’s something both old and new here
Mad Madame is a rosy, green, mossy, bossy throwback chypre. Not all the way back, but far enough 🙂
denyka – :
I was hoping for a lovely rose and patch scent rather than the musk explosion here. It’s too much. For musk lovers I’m sure it would be a beautiful scent, but that is really all I get from it.
idontainnex – :
I was hoping for a lovely rose and patch scent rather than the musk explosion here. It’s too much. For musk lovers I’m sure it would be a beautiful scent, but that is really all I get from it.
RotidE – :
I think I’m in LOVE! Blind bought despite warnings because I was attracted the the pretty red bottle and the other JHAG fragrances were a huge hit. I’m so glad I got it! I didn’t think I would like it based on many of the notes and some reviews.
Mad Madame will definitely be my winter signature this year.
Rose, Peony, jasmine, moss?? A touch of patchouli and a blast of musk! YES! It smells gorgeous and with the temp cooling down, even better. Lasts about 8-10 hours on me. Goes strong for the first few then calms down a bit. I would say sillage is moderate on me.
Only one problem…. Hubby doesn’t like it.
keepeesh – :
It opens with beautiful rose and something that smells like my dad’s cologne growing up. Luckily, freesia quickly swept up that mess and laid rose down. Masculine animalic musk surprisingly draws me in.
She might be a Madam, but her scent lingers on her men in a way that does not betray his secret because he can wear this too. Easily unisex.
ZewArerve – :
i love rose in many forms-especially strong and/or dirty ones, so i was hopeful upon trying this one. my pet peeve with this and many other modern scents- these start off SO strong and chemical. first off i smell rose, some black currant and a strong musk and maybe some castoreum but not much, if any. i definitely get the metallic thing others have mentioned as well. the peony amps up to 11 as it often does and it just smells like chemical flowers. i am wishing it was more rosy but it’s rose with tons of peony and chemicals, unfortunately. after being on the skin about 20 minutes i do get more rose and that peony calms down, but the rose is very metallic.
аlexanldr21 – :
Whoever put that it smells similar to Paloma, I KNEW there was something familiar about it!! It’s a little different though, I get a little rusty metallic smell. Which I don’t mind, it’s just strange. A bold choice for sure, it almost takes your breath away. Use with caution. The jury is still out on this one…
Taylora – :
I tried a few JHAG fragrances today. Please, no offense to those that like these fragrances. Here are my findings:
Lady Vengeance: Smells like industrial cleaner.
Mad Madame: She’s mad alright. So mad she pissed on herself.. in her dirty underwear.
Not a Perfume: Got that right. Can’t smell a thing.
And they have the nerve to charge $135 for these?? Sorry, not a fan!
filaret – :
Exploring the JHAG discovery kit…
Maybe I’m finally ready to embrace my inner pervert.
Skankfest. That’s what this is. An extremely dirty metallic rose with equally filthy jasmine (very much present on my skin). Add some patch, tube, musk, castoreum…Oh yeah…You get the picture! I’m usually repulsed by strong indoles and they are definitely there right from the beginning, but for some reason I find them fascinating and almost erotic in this one. I’m forced to sniff repeatedly with disbelief: how can something so repulsive smell so intriguing?! It gets more polite as time goes by, but this won’t be an inoffensive clean scent at any point.
Of course Mad Madame’s performance is close to beast mode. It’s long-lasting and projects quite heavily. I’m not sure if I’ll have the guts to wear it in public because it’s so obscene and easily gives out a very kinky impression. I might save this one for the private smutty moments. 😀
Bakman – :
Unfortunately this madam is mad from old age. It smells horrible on me, like an old woman’s perfume. I don’t recommend this one at all.
Вовочка – :
Not kidding, it has the dry down of old sun dried manure on my skin. Manure that had grown a single dirty and sad Charlie Brown-esque rose out of its petrified remains. Soooo terrible, I couldn’t believe how bad this was. I have queued a few other from this line, as I have high expectations from the grandson of Nina Ricci, but its not a good start so far…
moseykov – :
This is perfume! It is remarkably scented. I even dare say it is a unisex perfume. How do I know this you ask? I tried it on my brother first! Lol, I make him my little guinea pig sometimes because I like to see what different people smell like with the same perfume. But, I can say it is definately a very sexy, perfume. It makes me think of ladies in noir genre movies. The mysterious lady, with beautiful features, but she hides a secret. She is bold, and it shows in her taste of luxuries. Mmm, so delicious.
zimconquaer – :
I’m dying to try Mad Madame.
I would love to trade for sample of anything in my collection. Most of mine are vintage, just FYI
MERCI
starschina – :
I bought a sample of this perfume and expected a heavy, young and wild scent.
Unfortunately, for me this smells like a perfume for an old lady, or a flowerish toilet spray..
teorema – :
@Nefaria I bought this because of the notes and the reviews. I lost my sense of smell in the mid 80s due to surgery but still retained my love of perfumes. Everytime I wear I get compliments. I really like this house because the perfumes have good sillage, bring compliments and are a step outside of the common scent trails going on today. Nefaria, you are too funny. I am aged, have 39 cats, have a wonderful life and I am a DIVA. No fur coats but a few faux suede. Not covered in cat hair. True divas are meticullous in their cleanliness. I loved your review, you made me laugh. Thankyou. Now im even prettier with my beautiful smile and my so, so sexy perfume ; )
Stahtoowl – :
This madame is more a bewitching enchantress than mad. The rose comes through but it is a deep, rich rose. It is what a Black Baccara rose should smell like. The rose gives way to slight freesia and muskiness but is tempered by the softness of amber which keeps it from becoming too sharp and abrasive. This is a perfume for evening or when you are wanting to drawn someone near. I hear Nina Simone singing “I Put A Spell On You” in the background! I put this on and my husband happened to come home and actually said I smelled “amazing”. His descriptives of my perfume and cologne choices rarely get more than an “it’s ok” or “alright” response if any. This JHAG really worked with my chemistry which is not usually the case. This is not a scent for someone who enjoys soft, subtle scents or light fruity florals. Mad Madame is beguiling and intense without being too extreme and if you can handle her she’s waiting to take you on a sensual adventure.
lokkkcprqagkoa – :
As a kid, my dad had a little toy we called the “stinkyman,” a hollow rubber figure that wafted a smell when you squeezed it; I’m pretty sure that it must’ve been castoreum inside there. Mad Madame smells just like L’Eau De Chloe, if L’Eau De Chloe were stored inside the “stinkyman.” A bright green, bitter (not unpleasantly so) opening and then PatchiRose; nice enough, just like L’Eau De Chloe. But overtop there’s the huge waft of dirty, musk and castoreum. I usually like musk and I don’t mind dirty, but these notes/accords don’t blend well for me.
NARUTQ – :
Mad Madame is a bad bitch and I love her. She has such a loud, vivacious, unforgettable personality. She is the type of girl that says what everyone else is thinking but are too afraid to admit. I imagine Amy Winehouse– retro glamour, red lipstick, cat-eye liner, big hoops, chain smoking cigarettes. She is a mad, sultry, vixen with depth and animalistic tendancies. She is flawed and beautiful– yes “thorny”. I love wearing this for a night out of debauchery. (Just as a warning, the animalic notes get louder and louder as the night goes on.)
bigbenni – :
A complex but coherent scent. This is a heavy, velvety, deep red rose. There is an animalic quality to Mad Madame, heady and ripe and indolic, which contrasts with a sharp aluminum odor. I can detect a sweet jammy note and a creamy vanilla, and like other reviewers mentioned, something like rubber.
I was instantly attracted to the presentation of this perfume; even the feel of the heavy opaque bottle feels luxe. Like the sweat of a beautiful and angry Disney villain.
wrqarepour – :
****
this was an instant love for me, i had to buy it on the spot after i tested it! it’s a thorny malicious rose with a lot of animal hide in it. a lot of something kinky and bizarre and maybe hard to approach. the rose is almost unrecognizable, it’s not sweet jam like, or even a true-to-nature type of rose, but a chemical almost caustic flower drained in animalic notes. i can almost hear it hissing when i apply. there’s harshness and austerity in it but also awe inspiring beauty. whoever said there was no beauty in evil? a gorgeous villain, like poison ivy.
edvard7074 – :
This JHAG smells like luxury. Luxury of having robust personallity, luxury of being able to express yourself and maybe show off…but in a classy way!
It really has something special. It’s strange, loud-ish but you cannot forget it and want to smell it again and again.
I don’t really admire rose smell but in this perfume I like it. Probably because it’s not soapy. In fact, it develops the concept of a rose : soft beauty showing it’s spikes.
To me personally it shares the concept of cold/warm beauty with Ange ou Demon. Many yars ago I used to think that the latter has that strange cold note but it got me interested and eventually I fell in love with that smell. Well, comparing to Mad Madame it’s a soft and fluffy smell. Mad madame is stonger, louder, more brave but still has that soft (in this case rosy) ethereal side.
Allison_fromAC – :
What I wish Agent Provocateur had smelled like! This is a very sexy rose: deep, musky, animalic. I clearly smell the castoreum more than anything else. When I smell this, I think of my mother’s old coats and shawls that you’d put on a few days after she’d worn them and they smelled deeply of perfume mixed with the scent of wool and fiber. This perfume has sweet undertones as it dries down, due to the white florals and the black currant, perhaps. It’s interesting as the top is very heavy, and the undertones are more light-hearted and fresh. I really like this perfume – it’s sexy in the bold 80s style. Even one spray lasts and projects well – be careful not to overdo this one!
4 out of 5 stars 🙂
karvet007 – :
Carefully searched, thought about it and blind bought this baby last year and boy it was not a disappointment! It shocks you with that metallic icy rose at first -nope I was not afraid, I knew this was coming- and then it turns into that soapy, powdery but filthy patchouli rose monster with a whiff of currants. It does not smell that animalistic to me- which is a shame, I really wanted it to- but I’m so happy how it mixes well my skin. It’s an on your face screaming fragrance, but I know I can carry it well and it kind of hangs tame on me but I also know it’s not for a goodie goodie girl. You need to show your balls to sport this one. Great sillage, people almost always notice it and also it stays forever on you.
It’s my signature scent now, love love love it.
valik.svs – :
This was walking into a broken down Art Deco greenhouse.
There are roses, blowsy and beautiful, earth and rusty metal. Berries bake in the manufactured heat somewhere near by. A lady sits sweating on a chaise in the back, reading a leather-bound book with a glass of Rioja.
The image is as strong as the fragrance. Sillage is massive, and it lasts – a scarf I had worn wafted the ghost of it days later.
Totally worth a try if you love roses, and this is unlike any rose frag I’ve tried thus far, what with the moss and metal mixed in.
Gentle suggestion: 1 spray will suffice!
shaiz – :
I have sampled this perfume 3 times, all under different circumstances, to better grasp its essence. I often have to do this with aldehyde-heavy compositions such as this. Last evening’s cold temperature and moderate moisture proved the perfect testing ground for this tightly wound Patchouli Rose. Like some red wines, it was bitter, almost tannic to start off. It needs the warmth of skin- but not ambient heat or mugginess- to bloom. After ten minutes, I found Mad Madame to be fairly linear-Aldehydes, Damacscan Rose, and Patchouli. Sillage was modest but longevity quite good.
I truly admire the Rose-Patchouli genre, it is one of my favorites. However, Mad Madame never seems to calm down- she’s always on the verge of shrieking. I do find her to be very close to my beloved David Yurman signature, but without the requisite roundness I require in a patchouli base. If you are a fan of this genre, may I suggest: “Deneuve” by Catherine Deneuve/Phenix/Avon, “Fantasque” by Louis Feraud/Avon, “Elle” by YSL in both EdT & EdP versions, and “Paestum Rose” by Eau de Italie.
fredka240686 – :
Mostly a rich, full, jammy rose with a hint of craziness in the background. Not as complex and animalic as I would have hoped, but still a pleasure to wear.
Also, that fur could be vintage (I don’t want animals killed cruelly in the present, but we can at least appreciate the beauty of fur, especially in antiques) and the image of a crazed woman is very clearly portrayed by their ads, what with the juxtaposition of a luxe pelt and (what I find to be ugly) “trendy clothing”.
bond007120191 – :
This is a great scent for autumn/winter. Smoky amber, red roses and tar. Yes, tar! You get the faintest whiff of it at the deepest level. Just right for roasting chestnuts outside. I love it!
zema160 – :
If Madame is mad, she’s mad for roses, which show up as a full bouquet right off the bat. This is an animalic, almost oily rose… even almost sweat-laden rose. Very rich. This smells like a daring young sophisticate who isn’t afraid of leaving an impression.
There’s just a hint of sweet berries in the background, as well as more than a hint of what I’m sure is ambroxan, a trend that runs deep through all of the JHAG fragrances. If it weren’t for that note, which becomes more overwhelming as it goes, I’m sure I’d like this one.
It gives me “Doctor Zhivago” feelings, if that makes any sense. It’s what I imagine a wealthy woman wrapped in furs might smell like on a cold winter’s evening, alluring and bold and warm.
pavb1 – :
Wow, my skin chemistry must really be clashing with the castoreum note here, because a very sharp, synthetic rubbery note is overpowering the rest of the composition for me. Every once in a while I think I smell a waft of rose, then I smell an overriding pungent and sharp rubber note. Clearly for my skin, castoreum does not translate to “warm”, “animalic”, or “leathery”. I’ve had it on for over an hour, which is usually more than enough time for a scent to dry down on me, yet I’ve sensed no change. I’m disappointed I can’t actually smell the composition as a whole!
Sne07 – :
I personally do not find it green, nor fresh, it is heavy at first,like a boozy rose scent, but it evolves rather fast, it reminds me of Citizen Queen, in the blast of patchouli, then the drydown gets lovely, smooth, warm, sensuous, the Madame isnt so mad anymore. there is a hint of leather….I can see the red color in part due to the punch of the top notes..I find it classy actually, and really fit for all women out there…this spe