Mind Games: a guide to the house and its perfumes

Mind Games takes its whole vocabulary from chess. The house was created by Alex and Mariana Shalbaf, who appear as The Creators on the brand's About page, and it calls each perfume an aromatic movement that mirrors a move or an idea from the game. Our ten are in the Mind Games collection.

What the house stands for

The perfumes are composed with the master perfumers of the fragrance house Symrise, and each product page credits its perfumer. Christelle Laprade wrote five of our ten, Nathalie Benareau two, and Alexandra Carlin, Carlos Viñals and Emilie Coppermann one each. The range is organised in collections: Artisan, Soulmate, whose pawn-themed perfumes can be worn alone or layered, and Perfumer Extraordinaire, where Mentor belongs. The brand calls every perfume unisex or genderless.

What the perfumes have in common

Every full-size perfume is an Extrait de Parfum in a 100 ml bottle, as each product page states; our explainer on concentrations describes what an extrait is. The flacons are heavy glass in black, silver or white, with a metal cap shaped like a chess piece. The brand publishes a three-part pyramid and a scent family for each perfume. Some entries in those pyramids are ingredient trade names, such as Ambrostar, Cuir Velours DI and Rouge Groseille DI. We print them exactly as the brand writes them, and use a plainer word only where the brand's own description does.

The perfumes we list

Ranked by the number of Parfumo ratings in a snapshot from mid-September 2026, highest first. Fragrantica counts are missing from our research for Mind Games.

French Defense

A self-assured cherry perfume by Christelle Laprade, in the family the brand calls Fruity Woody. Cherry, violet leaves and chamomile open it, and the perfumer speaks of liquor-saturated red fruit that hooks you from the start. Geranium Madagascar, rose absolute and mimosa run through the heart, and amber, cedarwood and blonde wood form a velvety base. It has the most Parfumo ratings of our ten, 651, and the brand lists it among its best sellers.

Blockade

Smooth, calculated and dynamic are the brand's words for this Woody Leather, which it ties to turning vulnerability into transformation. Mango skin, pink pepper, tomato leaf and Bergamot Capua are the top notes, lavender, mango flower, watery cyclamen and star anise the heart, and Cuir Velours DI, patchouli, Ambrostar and oud the base. Christelle Laprade likens it to the metallic armour of a knight.

Queening

The idea is reaching a goal and coming out of a hard road stronger. Clean cotton accord, cypress and apple open Christelle Laprade's Gourmand Amber, orris, rum and saffron follow, and whipped vanilla bean, fluffy musk and coconut make a base the brand calls cocooning.

The Forward

Nathalie Benareau balances fresh and gourmand in what the brand files as a Floral Gourmand. Lemon, Mandarin Madagascar and pomelo shimmer on top, jasmine sambac and tonka bean meet a salt accord in the heart, and Vanilla Madagascar, Sandalwood Drêches and Cashmeran give a creamy base.

J'Adoube

The name is the chess call for adjusting a piece without moving it. Nathalie Benareau's Fruity Leather opens with Rouge Groseille DI and mandarin oil Madagascar, places bright red pomegranate and Damascene rose in the heart, and rests on Ambrostar, Benzoin Vintage Leather and patchouli oil Sulawesi. The brand's text calls the opening red currant, and the perfumer ties the bold leather base to the strength of the rook.

Mentor

A gourmand built on contrasts, from the Perfumer Extraordinaire collection and composed by Carlos Viñals. Salted caramel, Italian lemon and dark plum are on top, amber coffee and crème de cassis in the heart, and Boya Oud, sandalwood and tonka bean in the base. The brand describes the oud as smoky and earthy and the tonka bean as honeyed.

Grand Master

Alexandra Carlin wanted the creamy and the dark-roasted side of coffee in one perfume. Black currant, rose water and Pivoine make a soft floral opening, Rose Centofolia Vitessence, Kona coffee and wild violet form the heart, and myrrh, incense, panettone and ebony wood give the strength the brand talks about.

Lionora

An elusive celebration of grace and beauty, in the brand's words, and a Fruity Floral by Christelle Laprade. Passionfruit, tonka bean and Ginger Madagascar open onto apricot skin, Osmanthus Delaire and freesia, and the base is sandalwood with Tonkalactone Captive and Eco Musk.

Double Attack

The chocolate perfume of the range, filed under Gourmand. Orange bitters, pimento oil and Pink Pepper Co2 open it, agave flower, Cinnamon Madagascar and geranium are the heart, and dark chocolate, Vanilla Madagascar, Vetiver Bourbon and Indian sandalwood the base. Christelle Laprade compares its woody side to biting into cacao nibs.

Gardez

Emilie Coppermann's Floral Leather is about the sacrifices made willingly to protect love, freedom and the future. Apricot and blackberry leaf open it, orris, jasmine sambac, rosewood and cassis fill the heart, and black leather, cedarwood and popcorn close it. The perfumer describes the contrast of black and white on the board: soft florals and fruit against leathered woods.

Where to start

If you are choosing from a description alone, our guide to choosing a niche perfume without smelling it helps you narrow things down.

• Fruit over woods or leather: French Defense for cherry, Blockade for mango, J'Adoube for pomegranate.
• Soft and creamy: Queening with whipped vanilla bean and coconut, The Forward with citrus and a salt accord, Lionora with apricot skin and sandalwood.
• Coffee and chocolate: Mentor, Grand Master and Double Attack.
• Flowers against leather: Gardez.

Houses with other themes, from myths to music, are on our brands page.

Frequently asked questions

Are the Mind Games perfumes all Extrait de Parfum?

Yes. Every full-size perfume is an Extrait de Parfum in a 100 ml bottle, as each product page states, and that goes for all ten we list.

What do names such as Ambrostar and Cuir Velours DI mean?

They are ingredient trade names that the brand prints in its pyramids, for example in the base of Blockade. We copy them exactly as written. The brand's own description of Blockade speaks of leather, oud and amber.

Why are the perfumes named after chess terms?

The brand calls each perfume an aromatic movement that mirrors a move or an idea from chess. J'Adoube, for instance, is the call for adjusting a piece without moving it. The names are never translated.