Mia Murza

I've had a real struggle with this perfume house as they always have the same sharp/herbal opening I simply cannot bare. The other thing is with what the perfume turns while developing. "Mia Murza" is surely my favorite of this house. I advise to applying and waiting 50 minutes before the first sniff. "Mia Murza" on my skin opens sharply herbal, a scrubber I'd even say, but the drydown is an amazing feminine patchouli and leather combo, remind me of bonfire, burnt wood and the smell of dump earth. The leather here at the drydown is so well behaved that this could be a safe choice for everyday use. "Mia Murza" is a lovely surprise from this rather harsh and misunderstood niche house, surely worth a try for every leather/patchouli lovers out there.

Mai provato niente di peggio, nauseante, è di gran lunga la peggior fragranza mai provata- 0/10

Fragrance composition: Topnote: Bergamot Heartnote: Immortelle Basenote: Patchouly, Labdanum (Rockrose), Balsam of Peru Mia Murza is supposed to be perfumer Xavier Torre's tribute to immortelle (aka helichrysum), a flower that's typical of the mediterranean island of Corsica which is Torre's homeland. All of his fragrances are supposed to be composed using 100% organic essential oils containing no petrochemicals or synthetics products. When possible, says Torre, the ingredients are sourced locally and, in any case, they have to come strictly from certified organic farming. What Mia Murza smells like? It opens with a green bergamot note paired with immortelle. The helichrysum is devoided of most of the typical syrupy aspect and emphasized on its aromatic-woody quality. The initial accord is pretty soon joined by a remarkable amount of patchouli with just a tad of sweetness provided by labdanum. Overall, Mia Murza could make a very nice option for anyone who's usually not into immortelle-based compositions as it completely avoids the typical heavyness of most of the fragrances listing this note among their ingredients. My only complain is that Mia Murza is more of a patchouli than a proper immortelle-centered fragrance but, that being said, it's honestly quite well blended even if a tad too simple and fast in its evolution. Projection and lasting are both average (expecially considering this is an all natural fragrance). Nice, but not particularly exciting. Rating: 6.5/10

Mia Murza does not do what it says on the tin. It's supposed to be an immortelle fragrance, but really, it’s all about patchouli. The immortelle is there—and it’s a hops-esque profile that’s showcased (immortelle can be quite mercurial depending on the form of the raw material)—but it’s far from being spotlighted. There’s a white floral at the outset that rears its head for the first thirty minutes or so, but after that it’s patchouli-fest all the way. It’s a really good patchouli all the same—earthy, thick, green; it’s not bogged down with the acrid muck that certain patchouli harvests can bring. This one’s primped and polished for show, and it displays itself well. The line is “all natural”—which can be a massive red flag or a red herring, depending on the scent. “All natural” scents tend to perform strangely, and in many cases, their performance is over within minutes. Because of the massive patchouli, Mia Murza actually holds up quite nicely, sticking around and remaining fairly consistent following the initial white floral burn-off. While the immortelle is clearly distinguishable upon application, that’s really the only place it stands out. And so what you end up with is a scent that feels far more hippie / counterculture than that of the wilds of Corsica—which is a bit of a letdown. But if you’re shopping for a solid, streamlined, and natural patchouli, this one’s really solid as the materials themselves are lovely.