Caterina de' Medici

caterina de medici smells as if you are walking through a renaissance mansion in late spring. after a morning of heavy downpour, you walk to the out house of the palace to a surprise of flowers in the garden. you enter the outhouse and you're met with a delicately designed shared family room. soft floral colored space, adorned with lace appliqués and chiffon curtains. the powder room is plastered with floral print wallpaper custom made in India. sitting in the coffee table are imported Turkish delights and chamomile tea with a spritz of a citrus fruit rind. upstairs, in the outhouse, there is a studio embraced with walls of cedar. i stumbled into this perfumery on a walk through florence, italy, at 8 am. it was low season in europe, august 16th i believe. i walked through the store, in awe at their surplus collection of parfum, concentrates, delicate soaps, tea, and supplements. i was delighted to have been the first customer of the day, it was simply serene to be in there so early and alone. the shop attendant was kind and to herself - just what i needed. there was quite an array of fragrances, i went with the bottle pictured above. i was simply taken by this scent. i made the mistake of not buying the full size, because i have been dreaming of it since, and the bottle i purchased is not available to ship to the US. (other scents i liked from there were Asli, and the tuberose concentrate. i would like to try their skincare, as well.)

At long last I have found a fragrance that reads on my skin like the delicate first blooms of Spring. I have tried several the past couple of years and they just do not work for me. I would love to have a Bluebell one work for me but this is what I have searched for in reality, and it is truly heavenly. No powder. No spice. Just tiny flowers kissed by a gentle Spring mist of rain. Though gentle whispers waft past my nose it is enduring. It is the first weeks of October and first snow yesterday and 15 degrees early this morning. I told myself I was not ready for this so soon. Then I sprayed this gift of Spring, I received through Amazon, yesterday. Out into the chill before the crack of dawn and I was ready for the day. This is keeping the hop in my skip today. I had been wearing my Autumn fragrances for a month and was clueless as to how perfect this was going to be for me today.

Very nice. Green, light floral, and somehow mixed so that three very familiar notes have sparkle and depth. Wearable on many different skins. Good longevity--I put it on at 4pm and could still smell it at midnight. Sillage is was a few inches from my skn and the same on the other person I was with.

Bought this in Florence on a whim, and LOVED it. Simple yet completely unique floral with a hint of powder and spice. Great for daytime wear, gets compliments.

This is a fantastic Iris!!Clean, perfectly balanced with the rose which quits its natural soapyness... Absolutely celestial, despite its name!