Russian Tea by Masque Milano

Fascinating fragrance: black tea, leather, mint, and raspberry, a super fresh and elegant blend. It’s a hidden gem in perfumery; I’ve worn it and the compliments I’ve received are many. In tastings I’ve organised, Russian Tea won among many gems. No one expects such a wonderful scent with those notes, not even I did. Longevity: 9/10 (approx. 10 hours). Projection: 10/10, beast mode (2-4 metres). Scent: 10/10

,A fragrance that captivates, blending black tea, leather, mint, and raspberry; incredibly fresh and elegant. It’s a hidden gem in perfumery; hardly anyone knows it, but for me, it’s extraordinary. I’ve worn it and the compliments are endless. I organise tastings in my city, and among countless options, Russian Tea came out on top. No one imagines such a wonderful scent just by hearing the notes; not even I did. Longevity: 9/10 (approx. 10 hours). Projection: 10/10, beast mode (2-4 metres). Scent: 10/10

Definitely doesn’t smell the same as L’Occitane Framboise & The Vert Matcha. They share raspberry and tea, but here in Russian Tea, the incense, hop, immortelle, and leather give it a very different twist.

They aren’t identical, but there is a significant similarity to L’Occitane Framboise & The Vert Matcha. Both have practically unique aromas. I should try them side by side to see just how similar they are and their performance. I believe L’Occitane could be a perfect substitute if comparing price/volume. The Masque Milano costs around $150 for 35ml, whereas the 100ml of L’Occitane is about $125.

This review springs from indignation. It’s one of my favourite perfumes; I’ve always had it on my mind, but now that I see they want to TIMAR the 100ml bottle down to a miserable 35ml (which is €25 cheaper), it feels like an insult and a slight on the consumer, especially since it’s a bestseller that’s always out of stock. Sorry, I hadn’t written in a while and it feels wrong to start again like this.

A good fragrance from Masque, just not for me. I appreciate the quality, but I can’t see myself wearing it. It opens with strong black tea and a touch of raspberry; I notice quite a bit of pepper and a slight minty freshness. It also smells a bit of honey, very soft; it must be the tea that makes me think of honey since there’s no honey in it. Then it calms down and the leather, birch, and some incense appear. That’s where it stops convincing me: it’s a good scent but not one to wear. It becomes too dry, projects little on my skin, and the longevity, both times I’ve worn it, has been very short… It seems the perfumes from this brand and I don’t get along; I already had the Tango and I never got used to it either.