Santa Maria Novella
ALBA DI SEOUL
The top notes smell a little like a traditional men's aftershave. The top green notes smell like melon. The heart becomes more unisex. The pine is lovely and serene, but this is not a dry cologne like I expected. It is deliciously balsamic and moderately sweet, as though they used more pine sap than pine needles, which helps to bring some femininity to an otherwise masculine cologne. There is no mention of fruit anywhere in the notes, but I distinctly smell sweet red berries. This is another perfume where I get vivid images of a dark coniferous forest.
It contains a good dose of spice, but the spice is not ticklish like black pepper. It smells like ginger, nutmeg, and clove. The spice blend seems to develop or intensify with time. The beautiful sweet pine resin blended with freshly baked gingerbread is music to my nose!
This perfume reminds me very much of Del Rae's Bois de Paradis, except Alba di Seoul leans into the men's aftershave category with the quasi-aquatic green top notes.
It's fairly strong for a cologne and will not fade into oblivion an hour after application. It is indeed a cologne, with a refreshing and translucent quality, yet the raw materials used are very rich. I would definitely recommend Alba di Seoul for men, but I would suggest that ladies sample before buying. This hauntingly beautiful cologne will be a pleasure to wear during the holiday season. (Oct 2013)
The top notes smell a little like a traditional men's aftershave. The top green notes smell like melon. The heart becomes more unisex. The pine is lovely and serene, but this is not a dry cologne like I expected. It is deliciously balsamic and moderately sweet, as though they used more pine sap than pine needles, which helps to bring some femininity to an otherwise masculine cologne. There is no mention of fruit anywhere in the notes, but I distinctly smell sweet red berries. This is another perfume where I get vivid images of a dark coniferous forest.
It contains a good dose of spice, but the spice is not ticklish like black pepper. It smells like ginger, nutmeg, and clove. The spice blend seems to develop or intensify with time. The beautiful sweet pine resin blended with freshly baked gingerbread is music to my nose!
This perfume reminds me very much of Del Rae's Bois de Paradis, except Alba di Seoul leans into the men's aftershave category with the quasi-aquatic green top notes.
It's fairly strong for a cologne and will not fade into oblivion an hour after application. It is indeed a cologne, with a refreshing and translucent quality, yet the raw materials used are very rich. I would definitely recommend Alba di Seoul for men, but I would suggest that ladies sample before buying. This hauntingly beautiful cologne will be a pleasure to wear during the holiday season. (Oct 2013)
ANGELS OF FLORENCE
What a soft, delicate, carefree and innocent scent. Sometimes I think it's more fruity than floral; other times it's distinctly floral and not so fruity. It's a gorgeous bouquet, mostly consisting of white flowers, but I can smell the purple lilac too, which is wonderful. Peach is often too sour for me in perfumery, but here it's more like a sweet white peach.
Angels of Florence is fresh, fruity, and youthful. Complex despite its soft sillage (it's a cologne, but it lasts). I can smell gardenia, jasmine, ylang ylang, and lilac distinctly from one another.
Like all perfumes by this house, this is casual and easy to wear. Well crafted.
What a soft, delicate, carefree and innocent scent. Sometimes I think it's more fruity than floral; other times it's distinctly floral and not so fruity. It's a gorgeous bouquet, mostly consisting of white flowers, but I can smell the purple lilac too, which is wonderful. Peach is often too sour for me in perfumery, but here it's more like a sweet white peach.
Angels of Florence is fresh, fruity, and youthful. Complex despite its soft sillage (it's a cologne, but it lasts). I can smell gardenia, jasmine, ylang ylang, and lilac distinctly from one another.
Like all perfumes by this house, this is casual and easy to wear. Well crafted.
CAPRIFOGLIO (HONEYSUCKLE)
Clean and natural honeysuckle. The top starts out so orangey that I was sure there was both orange and orange blossom in it. The heart became increasingly focused on honeysuckle, only to dry down into a mossy benzoin base. It's a nice, sweet, spring fragrance. It is like a subdued version of Seville a l'Aube, with its zesty opening and resinous base. I wish this was more of a honeysuckle soliflore, but I do like it. As with all perfumes by Santa Maria Novella, it smells like very fine quality materials, not aromachemicals. (Mar 2015)
Clean and natural honeysuckle. The top starts out so orangey that I was sure there was both orange and orange blossom in it. The heart became increasingly focused on honeysuckle, only to dry down into a mossy benzoin base. It's a nice, sweet, spring fragrance. It is like a subdued version of Seville a l'Aube, with its zesty opening and resinous base. I wish this was more of a honeysuckle soliflore, but I do like it. As with all perfumes by Santa Maria Novella, it smells like very fine quality materials, not aromachemicals. (Mar 2015)
FIENO (HAY)
This perfume is lovely. It's a classic Italian-style talcum powder cologne. It could be a child's sweet, powdery splash. After some time on the skin, the powdery-ness subsides and what is left is the sweet smell of hay (i.e. dried alflafa and clover). I have a farm, so I know the smell of hay well. I love the scent of hay because it is similar to tobacco, but much lighter, and well...grassier. Fieno turns out to be a major winner. SMN creates perfumes of truly excellent quality. (Oct 2013)
This perfume is lovely. It's a classic Italian-style talcum powder cologne. It could be a child's sweet, powdery splash. After some time on the skin, the powdery-ness subsides and what is left is the sweet smell of hay (i.e. dried alflafa and clover). I have a farm, so I know the smell of hay well. I love the scent of hay because it is similar to tobacco, but much lighter, and well...grassier. Fieno turns out to be a major winner. SMN creates perfumes of truly excellent quality. (Oct 2013)
GINESTRA (BROOM)
This cologne might be as simplistic as a cologne could ever be. It smells like soap or shampoo. It starts out zesty and vegetal, like celery leaves, giving the illusion of citrus, yet there is truly no citrus to be found. It also seems spicy and made me wonder for a moment if it contained hyacinth. It's a very green perfume, like a bar of Irish Spring soap, but it becomes sweeter and a little more floral as it wears. Totally unisex, seemingly appropriate for any occasion. I prefer to use it casually, yet I could imagine wearing it to a spring wedding. Maybe even my own spring wedding if I were to have one. It's beautiful enough. Reminds me of spring flowers after a rain shower.
This cologne might be as simplistic as a cologne could ever be. It smells like soap or shampoo. It starts out zesty and vegetal, like celery leaves, giving the illusion of citrus, yet there is truly no citrus to be found. It also seems spicy and made me wonder for a moment if it contained hyacinth. It's a very green perfume, like a bar of Irish Spring soap, but it becomes sweeter and a little more floral as it wears. Totally unisex, seemingly appropriate for any occasion. I prefer to use it casually, yet I could imagine wearing it to a spring wedding. Maybe even my own spring wedding if I were to have one. It's beautiful enough. Reminds me of spring flowers after a rain shower.
MELOGRANO (POMEGRANATE)
A tangy note of pomegranate makes its debut along with its powdery top notes, like many classic Italian colognes, but from there Melograno is a drop-dead gorgeous chypre. It became full-bodied; a true perfume in the classic sense of the word loaded with woods, resins, oakmoss, and vanilla while maintaining a powdery base. This is one of the most likable and potentially crowd-pleasing chypres I've ever smelled. It's so rich and elegant that I would consider using this at night while on a romantic date. Very highly recommended as one of the best from Santa Maria Novella. (Oct 2012)
A tangy note of pomegranate makes its debut along with its powdery top notes, like many classic Italian colognes, but from there Melograno is a drop-dead gorgeous chypre. It became full-bodied; a true perfume in the classic sense of the word loaded with woods, resins, oakmoss, and vanilla while maintaining a powdery base. This is one of the most likable and potentially crowd-pleasing chypres I've ever smelled. It's so rich and elegant that I would consider using this at night while on a romantic date. Very highly recommended as one of the best from Santa Maria Novella. (Oct 2012)
MUSCHIO (MUSK)
This is an unusually delicious musk. In fact I don't think I have ever found musk to be edible before Muschio. At times I can't tell whether I am smelling white musk or white chocolate with steamed milk! There is a vanillic creaminess that is really cozy and sweet. This is conjuring the same images of snow banks that I think of when I would wear Malle's L'Eau d'Hiver. What Muschio has going for it is that the sillage is much better than L'Eau d'Hiver. If you don't mind not having that little bit of green in Malle's perfume, Muschio is a worthy substitute. I don't mind! (Mar 2015)
This is an unusually delicious musk. In fact I don't think I have ever found musk to be edible before Muschio. At times I can't tell whether I am smelling white musk or white chocolate with steamed milk! There is a vanillic creaminess that is really cozy and sweet. This is conjuring the same images of snow banks that I think of when I would wear Malle's L'Eau d'Hiver. What Muschio has going for it is that the sillage is much better than L'Eau d'Hiver. If you don't mind not having that little bit of green in Malle's perfume, Muschio is a worthy substitute. I don't mind! (Mar 2015)
TABACCO TOSCANO
Tabacco Toscano was quite impressive. A tobacco perfume that most definitely smells like tobacco but isn't overpowering or harsh in any way. This smells like a mellow amber, woody, tobacco that is gently sweetened and easily unisex. I find this perfume to sit somewhat close to the skin--it's no sillage bomb like Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanille. But that's what I like about it. Comfortable and familiar. (Oct 2012)
Tabacco Toscano was quite impressive. A tobacco perfume that most definitely smells like tobacco but isn't overpowering or harsh in any way. This smells like a mellow amber, woody, tobacco that is gently sweetened and easily unisex. I find this perfume to sit somewhat close to the skin--it's no sillage bomb like Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanille. But that's what I like about it. Comfortable and familiar. (Oct 2012)
