Masa, from Lattafa Perfumes was released in 2023. The perfumer behind this creation is unknown. It has the top notes of Lemon, Mango, Pink Pepper, and Saffron, middle notes of Ginger, Orange Blossom, Osmanthus, and Violet Leaf, and base notes of Amber, Mineral Notes, Patchouli, and Suede.
Or: why do I keep on blind buying these middle-eastern clones?
There's a massive blast of musty mango and saffron in the opening..subtlety is not the order of the day here. Despite the force of the scent, it still manages to be both insipid and sickly.
Then, one extreme to the other, it dries down to a powdery ozonic suede, mixed with sweet citrus, at which point it more or less becomes a skin scent.
This phase isn't unpleasant, but this is lacking something, something sharper and harder to contast with or emphasise the dominant notes. As it is, it's rather anonymous and, worst of all sins, ultimately rather boring.
And to answer the question as to why I keep on buying these? Because a) they're cheap and b) occasionally I'll encounter the occasionally absolute banger of a scent. Masa, alas, is not one of these. Pass.