50ml
50ml
50ml
MARISSA ZAPPAS
QUEEN NZINGA
Eau De Parfum
Unisex
Sizes
Starting
$190
Description
Queen Nzinga by Marissa Zappas is an evocative amber fragrance launched in 2022, crafted as an olfactive portrait of the formidable 17th-century Angolan queen. It opens with a bright, tangy tamarind note, which quickly blends into the luscious, rosy, and slightly green character of geranium. The scent then settles into a uniquely seductive, warm, and subtly powdery amber dry down, reflecting both regality and warmth. This fragrance is known for its smooth, resinous quality and impressive sillage, offering a complex yet comforting presence. Perfumer: Marissa Zappas
Scent Profile
Amber
Floral
Spicy
Powdery
Warm
Notes
Top Notes
Tamarind
Middle Notes
GeraniumBase Notes
AmberAbout MARISSA ZAPPAS
Marissa Zappas is a perfumer, scent designer, and poet based in New York City, whose ethereal and nostalgic fragrances blend fantasy, reality, the gothic, and the modern, drawing from her anthropology background and admiration for early 20th-century avant-garde perfumes. Her signature Redamance collection, launched in 2022, features olfactive portraits of overlooked historical women like Imperia La Divina, Ching Shih, and Queen Nzinga, using notes that reflect their eras, personalities, and environments to connect past and present through perfumery. What makes her unique is this poetic, anthropological approach, creating personal and collaborative scents that evoke history, death, and sensory transport.
Perfumer
Marissa Zappas
Marissa Zappas is a New York City-based independent perfumer, writer, and poet whose approach merges her anthropology background with admiration for early 20th-century avant-garde perfumes. She trained at Givaudan, starting as a receptionist and apprenticing under master perfumer Olivier Gillotin for two years before freelancing in 2017, and holds an M.A. exploring perfume's history, death attitudes, and cemetery construction. Her ethereal, nostalgic fragrances like Annabel’s Birthday Cake blend fantasy and reality, gothic and modern, often through collaborations with NYC artists and projects like co-founding Gumamina with Courtney Rafuse.
Reviews
Community Insights
Reviewers often describe Queen Nzinga as a unique and long-lasting amber scent, with some finding it to be a powerful and commanding fragrance. It's frequently noted for its comforting yet regal character, though opinions on its intensity and wearability vary.
Pros
Performance excellence: Many find it incredibly long-lasting with impressive sillage.
Unique composition: Described as a unique and seductive amber, offering a smooth and resinous experience.
Regal and comforting: Evokes feelings of power, grace, and a comforting, huggable quality.
Cons
Intensity and projection: Some reviewers find it piercingly strong, even in tiny applications, or note an aggressive lingering on fabrics.
Scent profile variations: A few perceive it as very masculine, vintage, or resembling aftershave, which might not appeal to everyone.
Situational drawback: One reviewer mentioned associating it so much with intimacy that they feared wearing it outside.
Comparisons
Similar to 1000 Flowers Reglisse Noir: Reviewers have noted an uncanny resemblance, particularly in the opening.
Reminds reviewers of Shalimar Eau de Parfum: It's often compared to Shalimar, but with a more modern feel and a sense of humor.
Similar to Diptyque Olene: One reviewer suggested that those who enjoy Olene might also appreciate Queen Nzinga.
Vibe & Emotions
Regal and powerful: Evokes a sense of strength, grace, and a commanding presence.
Comforting and intimate: Described as comforting, humble, and huggable, sometimes associated with the private sphere.
Earthy and unafraid: The scent is said to feel both regal and human, earthy, languid, and unafraid.
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