MASQUE MILANO
TERRALBA

2013

PERFUMER
Delphine Thierry

clary sage
lemon
green tangerine

myrtle
thyme
curry leaf
immortelle

mastic
juniper
cypress
cedarwood

‘“Terralba” is the name of a small town in Sardinia. Not only it sounds beautifully: in Italian is a name full of imaginery, as “Terra” means “earth”, and “Alba” means “Dawn”. Every time we utter that word, our memories of summer vacations in Sardinia are immediately recalled. The Mediterranean shrubland – so earthy, so rough, almost wild – might seem in stark contrast with the “lightheartedness” of the sea breeze. Yet there is a moment in which the two different sensations are perfectly balanced: if you will ever have the chance to take a short break in Sardinia, when the world is still asleep, you must take an early morning hike through the shrubland. At sunrise, the salty and fresh breeze coming from the sea and the deep resinous smells of the thick vegetation would mingle and create the magic smellscape that we wanted to capture with Terralba. Terralba is a shimmering snapshot of that dry intermediary traverse of sand-stuffed tussocks of grass, sedge and hillocky verdancy that separates pure beach from the wood, forest, road, gîtes, campsites and demi-occupancy holiday homes. Barrier, merge and Maginot line. Sometimes it is barely a strip of sand embroidered with threads of knotted grass and tough-anchored nubs of worn green that the sands gather around with scratchy debris. Once you start wearing Terralba, it is hard to shake its memory, right from the signature opening: a radiant solar lemon and fresh and saline air of the Sardinian coast. Delphine seasons Terralba, suggesting sand and herbaceous ozonic air, a mix of metallic dampness, the ocean weeping. Her rub of salted blue-grey sky over the woody mastic, juniper and woods is wonderfully atmospheric.‘ – Masque Milano

Terralba’s opening is really unique; I get a lot of juicy and tangy lemon. It’s almost sparkling and very refreshing, but at the same time it quickly becomes quite spicy and it has a green backdrop.

Cedarwood is prominent in the base, with some herbal touches and those herbs smell very natural and uplifting (sage). The spices is why this wasn’t a love for me; there’s the addition of a curry leaf that’s very present on my skin. As much as I tried to let it go, my mind kept going to taco seasoning when I got a good waft of Terralba. I think the curry will be a make it or break it factor for a lot of people, in the same way a cumin note often is. For me it sadly landed on the wrong side of the decision.