We were drowned in a deluge for a couple of miserable days, sodden and waterlogged. But the sun has come out again now and I am ready for big, honest blooms with no fuss.
These lovelies from SMN will do the trick. I like all three of these traditionalist, but unbound, flower colognes- all estival ease and no pretence (and in gorgeous glass-frosted bottles) : a collection tuat I discovered for the first time the other day at the Santa Maria Novella concession in Yokohama.
ROSA GARDENIA
As though you wearing a light talcum rose with a pretty top-up of Chanel Gardénia : nothing tropical or fungal plumeria, but nothing dainty or twee either : this is musky and full blown with rose de mai and almond blossom (I do like Penhaligons’ violet-tinged Gardenia also, but it is sometimes a little self-consciously clematis-cleaved English summer cottage). The unabashed Italianate romanticism is well judged here, tremulous and full, but still with the potential, certainly, to throw a bit of a wobbly.
ROSA NOVELLA
Far more sombre and solemn – a rose patchouli sunk delicately into itself as an Italian garden – for days, perhaps spent wandering the weeping angels at the foreigners’ cemetery in Testaccio, I want to try this on skin, properly, for the duration, to see where it leads me.
FRESIA
Fresia made me grin out loud. The young woman at Maria Novella smiled watching me smile. A powdery dose of pure positivity, this is not the lemony sherbet variety of keening freesias on the stem but a full bouquet guarding the entrance of the bathroom at an expensive old boutique hotel in the heart of Florence :soap, soap, and more soap (which I love). With an inherent promise of compressed floral freshness, this sudsy caprice is a beneficent delight.
Thank you!
I was wondering about these. Now I have to have every one of them. I love SMN’s classic Italian style.
Me too
VERY blousy though ( but lovely )
I want them all as well
I find blowsy to be nice in hot weather?
Yes – and I somehow know you are gorgeous in such scents
They sound gorgeous, especially Fresia (though a note of ‘Western skunk cabbage’ is funny). Ordered a discovery kit which has 2ml each of these three and five others, plus a free l’Iris, for £25 – excited!
I very much trust you on soapy perfumes – Equipage Geranium for my husband and L’Eau de Metal for me were directly influenced by your posts and I love them.
Delighted you wear Eau De Metal – the idea thrills me.
These Novellas are soapy but also powdery – that is a turn off for a lot of people ( not me )
They have a shop here in Los Angeles, so I should go check them out. I struggle with the idea of paying $100 for eau de cologne, which I can’t often smell, and If I can, vanishes rather quickly. Unless it’s really spectacular.
but 100 is so cheap in the current context !
I love Santa Maria Novella and also their colognes. From what I remember, it was formerly a monastery. Whatever it used to be, it is still a beautiful place.
I really want to try Fresia. I have only tried Tobacco Toscano from SMN and liked it a lot.
I love the word “blousy.” When I think of blousy, I think of Ethel Merman in “Gypsy Rose Lee” or Rosalind Russel in “Mame” (God, could I be any gayer?) or Lesley Manville in “Another Year.” I was curious to see if I have been using the word correctly, so I went online and there are different meanings–bosomy, buxom, loose, flowing, disheveled, unrestrained, unkempt, exuberant, shabby. The word is sometimes spelled “blowsy.”
There is also a Miller Harris perfume called Blousy. Have you tried it?
Oh, by the way, one of Ethel Merman’s big numbers in “Gypsy” is the song “Everything’s Coming Up Roses.” I came back to type this because that song could be the soundtrack of your post. I know from one of your previous posts you are not a fan of musical theatre (I have to be in a mood for it, to be honest).
I like the odd song though, especially when woven into a mix !
All of these sound glorious! Once again, I will have to try these out and experience them firsthand. Can you believe I have never owned a SMN fragrance? Many of the soaps over the years, sublime, but never a proper scent. One of these could be the one.
I mean they are very powdery and over the top in a way but they have that self-confident whoosh to them I like in a scent, without any of the tedious niche back story and bullshit. Just flouncy and happy. Musky and aldehydic and fresh.
They sound perfect!!!
I love anything by Santa Maria Novella. Not easy perfumes to test mind you unless you’re travelling in mainland Europe. There’s one called Rosa Nova which is beautiful, as a simple floral perfume anyway. It almost reminds me of old fashioned men’s cologne when it goes on but it develops into a beautifully balanced spring floral, it’s fresh not sharp, but has incredible longevity.
Have you tried Melograno? I’d love to know your opinion on it if so. I haven’t tried it yet
L’ADORO !!!
https://theblacknarcissus.com/2021/01/06/melograno-di-santa-maria-novella-1965/
Want to smell Rosa Nova now.
Quite frustrating at the boutique the other day ; the ultimate SMN, Garofano ( Carnation ) I knew had been discontinued but they didn’t have Tuberosa, Frangipane, Patchouli or even Pot Pourri so I was disappointed until i got to smell tjeee new ones.
There is something about their prodotti…
Totally agree, I wonder what the secret is to their perfumes? Just read your review of Melograno –
“the hawthorn/ fern / iris / oakmoss heart of the perfume soon dries down to a powdery labdanum amber opoponax vanilla that you would never have even known was there if you were concentrating solely on the snowy ice crystals of the opening facets of the scent”. –
That sounds perfect, I’ve got to acquire it!
How about a swap? I have a three quarters full bottle of Rosa Nova and can send a 5ml decant your way, but no worries if your supply of Melograno is running low 🙂
I wore it when I got married – just three weeks ago! Adam wore Vetiver Extraordinaire, which was suitably soft and green-ish as we got married on the Isle of the Iona. Rosa Nova will therefore be associated forever with happiness!
I love it x
Love Rosa Gardenia, it’s irresistible!
It is !
………..and proudly non Niche!
Or else the ultimate niche …