5 Masque Milano Perfumes Worthy of Sampling
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Masque Milano might be the next perfume House you need to investigate – especially if you enjoy your perfume with a drop of drama! Keep reading to get my thoughts on some I have tried recently from this House.
Masque Milano is an Italian perfume House that was established in 2010 by two musical directors, Riccardo Tedeschi and Alessandro Brun. Driven by a fascination for fine fragrance, the two artists decided to apply their skills for blending musical notes to olfactive ones and thus their Opera Collection was born. Teaming up with some of the best Noses in the industry, the Opera Collection spans four Acts, each with four Scenes.
I have recently had the pleasure of discovering some fragrances from the Masque Milano line, and I share my thoughts below, which I hope will help you to get an indication of which ones you might also enjoy. I cannot wait to try more!
1. Kintsugi
Kintsugi by Masque Milano is a modern chypre and the perfumer behind this one is Vanina Muracciole. It opens with a crisp bergamot note but there is a suede note that is immediately apparent, also.
In fact, to me it is primarily a suede-y fragrance which is very dry (most likely from the vetiver) but it also has a hint of sweetness. The sweetness stems from a raspberry note, as well as vanilla and benzoin, but in this is quite subtle.
There is a floral theme that carries through the mid to late stages of this fragrance and I understand it to be primarily magnolia and rose, but I feel there could be other florals in there too.
All in all, I find Kintsugi to be mostly dry, grassy and leathery and also maybe a little bit smokey, but the magnolia imparts a creaminess as well.
This smells a bit expensive actually (admittedly, it is!) and I also get great longevity, a characteristic have come to associate with Masque Milano fragrances.
Mid Notes: Golden Suede, Centifolia Rose Grasse absolute, Violet Leaves absolute.
Base Notes: Benzoin, Raspberry Leaves absolute, Patchouli Coeur, Vanilla absolute.
2. Tango
Tango by Masque Milano is an amber fragrance, the perfumer behind this one is Cécile Zarokian.
Tango a hot sweaty night. You’ve been out dancing, you got sweaty, you got up close and personal and now you are getting even MORE up close and personal.
This is carnal amber. Its sweet perfume mixed with hot skin, mixed with sweet sticky cocktails and liqueur and maybe a whisper of cigar smoke. Sometimes it is way too much for me but there have been times even since just getting this bottle a few months ago, that it has been the perfect thing.
I feel like I sense a cherry note in here, even though there is none listed.
Mid Notes: Sambac jasmine absolute, Damascena rose, cumin, patchouli.
Base Notes: Vanilla bean, tonka bean, melilot absolute, amber accord, leather accord, benzoin, musk.
3. L’attesa
L’attesa is Masque Milano’s signature iris fragrance featuring …champagne! The perfumer behind this fragrance is Luca Maffei.
L’attesa opens bright and quickly turns to creamy, root-y iris. Transitions to more translucence during the wear and I feel this is a terrific example of a more floral-leaning orris note. Some sharp elements emerge in the mid, giving me pause… A mix of earthiness and …plastics? (maybe, but I think it is the woody facets of orris coming through).
Minimal sweetness but I do enjoy the hint of mossiness that blends into a beautiful leathery, woody iris in the base. Never overwhelming or cloying, not very powdery, either. Stunning iris showcase, but wont be for everyone.
This is not one that I can wear everyday, but when it fits, it is perfect. I love it. For the iris lovers, in all of its facets.
Mid Notes: Italian Iris absolute, Italian Iris Root Butter, French Iris Root Butter, Tuberose absolute, Ylang Ylang Madagascar.
Base Notes: Sandalwood Mysore, Oakmoss, Leather accord.
4. Lost Alice
Lost Alice is a gourmand-leaning, lactonic woody floral fragrance. The perfumer behind this fragrance is Mackenzie Reilly.
When Lost Alice was released I didn’t get too excited about it because everyone was saying it smelled like carrot cake. It is a gourmand leaning fragrance but I don’t find it to be heavy and cake-y.
Actually, I get lots of iris from this, especially in the opening. The orris isn’t waxy or especially dense, but rather it quite fluffy and airy.
The carrot note in here reminds me of an Indian dessert (Gajar Halwa) using steamed grated carrots, sweetened and spiced with quite a bit of cardamom.
There is also quite a lactonic bent to this fragrance and coupled with that spiced, sweetened carrot element I immediately think of sipping a milky chai whilst enjoying a delightful bite of Gajar Halwa.
Lost Alice is extremely addictive sample at your own risk!
Top Notes: Bergamot, Ambrette Seed, Clary Sage, Black Pepper.
Mid Notes: Carrot Heart, Orris Concrete, English Tea, White Roses.
Base Notes: Sandalwood, Broom, Steamed Milk Accord.
Many thanks to MaxAroma for providing me with this Masque Milano bottle for review.
5. Times Square
Times Square by Masque Milano is a fruity floral fragrance with a twist. The perfumer behind this fragrance is Bruno Jovanovic.
This might be one of those perfumes that I cant wear now, but I will sample more and then one day it will just click and suddenly I will love it.
The inspiration for Times Square, as the name would suggest..is New York. You have some pretty great smells in here, but it is tinged with a bit of …something – like a like a ‘dark side’ that One might try to mask about themselves. A bit of urine on the corner near the flower shop, or the smell of rotting trash wafting up an alley near a prestigious upmarket clothing label, which is pumping perfume through the store at a rate of knots to hide the stench from patrons.
New York is a city of contradictions, most cities are – but usually there’s a bit more space between the very fashionable, airy and spotless loft apartments of the uber rich, and the grungy depths of basement bars and houses of ‘ill-repute’. Here in Times Square, the grunge and the elegance are jumbled on top of each other in a state of organised chaos.
What I love: The osmanthus, lushious, fleshy and sweet. The woods, steadfast, opulent and dry. The violet, innocent and clean.
This perfume to me is a little bit like a car crash, somewhat repulsive and I want to turn away… but something keeps drawing me back and I am compelled to smell it again. Intoxicating, but with an edge.
Incredibly interesting, worth smelling even if you can’t get past the edginess.
Mid Notes: Osmanthus, Tuberose.
Base Notes: Sandalwood, Guaiac wood, Styrax.
Thank you to MaxAroma for providing me with this bottle to review.
