Acqua Della Regina

It's really amazing how much of an effect the marketing of a fragrance can have on people's perception of it. This fragrance is a perfect example of that here on Fragrantica. This is the exact same fragrance as the one listed as Acqua di Colonia on this site (also known as Acqua di Santa Maria Novella). That one is perceived as a unisex fragrance, even leaning slightly masculine according to the votes, but because this one is mistakenly labeled as a woman's fragrance, it is perceived as decidedly more feminine. Maybe because the word "Regina" (queen) is in it, people think this is for a woman. This was not made for Queen Caterina de' Medici; she asked for a fragrance that she could gift to her husband, King Henry II, for their wedding. Santa Maria Novella says this themselves on their website. They decided to give the classic colonia its original name for the 800th anniversary of the monastery in 2021. I would suggest that Fragrantica change this from a woman's fragrance to unisex, because I'm sure there are a lot of men who would like this, but may think it's too feminine and so miss out on this beautiful fragrance. If you're a fan of classic cologne fragrances, then you will probably like this one, as simply put, it is the ancestor of all colognes. I would describe it as a combination of 4711 and Acqua di Parma, but I think it is closer to Acqua di Parma Essenza. It is not as fruity as 4711, but at the same time it is not as floral / green as Acqua di Parma Essenza. It is somewhere in between, and I think this is the perfect balance. It's hard to recommend this to someone unless they absolutely love old style colonia fragrances because the performance is really not great. I would say projection and longevity are slighlty longer than 4711, but slightly less than something like Acqua di Parma.

When you thought you know it all, this diamond comes along. Imagine someone with well over 100 💯 fragrances to choose from totally excited about this royal gift to himself. The ingredient list is short, so there is no doubt that they are of the highest quality. Fresh, clean and absolutely delicious and perfect. When you thought the British fragrance houses had it down in terms of a perfect citrusy cologne, think again. No funkiness during the lifespan of this wonderful fragrance. It’s royal thru and thru. I’m deeply impressed and humbled to have discovered the brand and the many colognes that they offer. Acqua Della Regina is great all around and fit for any occasion. You will absolutely love it. Thank me later. “Fragrance for Women” makes me smile. Fragrantica displaying lack of energy. If you like my thoughts, hit the like 👍 button.

Currently I’m studying abroad in Florence and I wanted to get a scent to remind me of the city. I really adored this one out of all the choices Santa Maria Novella had and it smells like lemon verbena to me. It is definitely up there with some of my loves but I wouldn’t ever put this in my top 5 and I probably wouldn’t repurchase just because the lasting power isn’t great. I maybe get 2-4 hours out of it and I have freshies that can last all day on me. So overall it’s a lovely perfume that just has lasting issues. I recommend checking it out though. This reminds me of royalty. It is citrusy with the lemon verbena and lavender like as it dries down. It makes me think of Jason from the Percy Jackson Series funnily enough. I’m not entirely sure why? It just does.

This is not just an ordinary cologne — it’s a piece of history, a living heritage. But above all, it’s a mood-lifter, a true emotional reset. It’s a high-quality citrus–herbal composition. The fruits are distinctly tart, slightly bitter, while the herbs are aromatic and carry subtle medicinal nuances. And somehow, this very combination brings an immediate sense of calm and relief — it soothes the nerves, relaxes the mind, and creates a feeling of inner balance. The projection and longevity are moderate, but reapplication becomes a pleasure in itself — a small ritual of self-care, a conscious pause, a moment to breathe and return to yourself. Something truly beautiful — worth knowing, owning, and wearing.

Zesty, juicy citruses and biting petitgrain burst off the top, leading into a herbal heart centered around a slightly soapy neroli. A little floral, green, aromatic. Not quite aquatic, though the juiciness of the fruits give it a similar watery texture. The quintessential fresh and vibrant eau de cologne, but with a hint of warm spicy undertones from the clove. Soft projection for 2-3hr, longevity 5-6hr. Scent-wise, this is at the top of my list for a classic cologne-style fragrance. It has the performance to match, unfortunately, but so it goes with this style of fragrance.

I smelled this blind and I'm surprised it's listed as a women's perfume. Definitely unisex IMO and strong resemblance to offerings from Acqua Di Parma Colonia and other neroli frags that riff on this genre. Maybe it reminds me also of Prada Infusions D'iris Cedre but without the iris and cedar. Ingredients are very high quality and this is a powerhouse for a couple hours and then it's a skin scent that sits close to skin. First impression so take it for what it's worth, but my opinion is it's beautiful and natural with the expected performance of an Eau De cologne.

cloth test The citrus freshness is there but it's not harsh at all, it's refreshing. It's got a bit of spice in the freshness but it's not sharp or spiky. It reminds me of a flowing stream, smooth, fresh, reflecting light, surrounded by trees. I detect the herbal note of rosemary. skin test Fresh, citrus, green, cool. It wafts just a hint of spice and herbiness as it dries. I tested this in November but I bet it would be wonderful in the summer. It feels very cooling. I love it! This is everything a cologne should be.

Strange and unique scent, it opens up very bright and with an almost vegetal quality, but dries down quickly into something more clove-y. I've never smelled anything like this. Patchouli in the base is a tad strong for my taste. Sadly it's barely lasts at all on my skin and I hit base notes before i've even worn it for an hour. Otherwise I'd want to buy a bottle of this, but with how weak it is I would never :/

This fragrance opens very much like a classic cologne, reminiscent of 4711, crisp and clean. Quite quickly a lovely warm clove note emerges, giving the scent a truly special character. If this fragrance were more long lasting, I would definitely consider buying it. Unfortunately it fades within an hour, which makes it hard to justify. Still, wow, that clove note is simply unforgettable.

Aqua Della Regina evoked childhood memories for me, because it smelled very similar to the Spanish children's cologne Nenuco. (Of course we all know ADR came first). It's a quintessential clean, safe fragrance. Honestly, I love it. Douse myself with it after a bath. Great on a sweltering day. A cooling and uplifting scent.

They say this is for women but it’s very similar to classic masculine colognes. Fresh neroli citrus petitgrain lavender patchouli. Similar to acqua di Parma colonia in style but more neroli lavender forward and less citrus. Lovely.

classic italian men cologne style, I don't know why its gendered more female... Tried the other vials while buying this bottle, fell inlove with Lïris & Melograno, its on my wishlist.

I recently bought the discovery kit from this brand, and this was the fragrance I was most excited to try because of the history behind it. It’s overall a fresh, aromatic, herbal scent. I definitely get the neroli upon first spray, as well as the herbs and even a hint of the clover in the background. It reminds me of walking through an herb garden. Not floral or sweet at all. Kinda soapy. It’s honestly giving me similar vibes to Byredo’s Gypsy Water - they have similar “herbal” vibes and if you like that one, you may like this one. I think this would also layer REALLY well with the recent Neroli Bergamot fragrance mist from Victoria’s Secret, if you happen to have that in your stash. From a historical perspective, this is definitely an interesting insight into the type of perfume that would have likely been worn in Catherine de Medici’s time. Granted, I don’t know how similar this really is to the original scent; I’m assuming, like many older/classic perfumes, it’s probably been reformulated and tweaked slightly for modern noses. But it does make sense to me that a fragrance in that time would be more “natural” and “herbal,” reflecting the ingredients available. Overall, not a favorite for me, but I don’t dislike it. It will be refreshing in the summertime. EDIT: Wanted to add a quick note about lasting power, it’s not great. About what you’d expect from a light eau de cologne concentration. 1-2 hours before reapplying.

Zesty, citrus heaven! Somehow, despite its regal past, there’s nothing fussy or outdated about this fragrance. It smells clean, light, and fresh. Unmistakably Italian... timeless, sun soaked, and rich with stories. As a history lover, what makes Acqua della Regina really special is its past. I first smelled this on my honeymoon in Florence Italy, and the story behind the perfume blew me away. First crafted in 1533 for Caterina de’ Medici, a queen to be departing Florence for the French court, this was not just a fragrance... it was a farewell, a gift, a bottled memory of home. Imagine her, young and uncertain, crossing borders with this scent tucked among silks and personal belongings. A thread of neroli and juicy citrus tying her to the sun drenched hills of Tuscany, even in the cool, formal chambers of her French palace. This perfume really makes me feel like a time traveller. As with most of SMN’s perfumes, I really wish they lasted longer and projected a little better. The longevity is particularly poor on this one, 30 minutes to 1 hour max.

A very pretty Eau de Cologne, except this was created 100 years or more before actual Eau de Cologne! I love the story behind it - Catherine de Medici had such a difficult life, but at least she had Renato Bianco to create this lovely uplifing scent for her, and for her marriage. It appeals to my imagination as I imagine Renato as a devoted friend who wanted to gift Catherine something uplifting to help her face an upcoming marriage to a total stranger, and she was only 14! This is bottled sunshine - less herby than 1411, more floral and pretty, but refreshingly citric too. Doesn't last long, but that's the nature of Eau de Cologne. Big like!

Nothing too special, but it's a pleasant light summer fragrance. I get a bit of herbal spice on the first spray. Its zesty bitterness definitely reminds me of an essential oil (probably the lavender/rosemary/citrus blend). Downsides: No longevity at all. It's like you're walking past someone's herb garden. Stop and smell, because it won't be here for long. Its opening also reminds me of hand sanitizer? Likely due to its herbal citrusy-ness. Luckily, its sterile sharpness quickly fades into a gentler, woodier base (and then, into literally nothing).

I was curious about the brand and have purchased a large amount of samples. So far, they've all had a bit of a performance problem (sit close to the skin and are -very- ephemeral) but they're complex and have that old-world feel to them. Acqua Della Regina is very citrusy and fresh on the opening, and the dry down isn't as sweet on me as some other reviewers have mentioned, but rather turns into a lovely herbal musk.

A little acerbic upon first spray...but it’s beautiful. If you layer it with a vanilla, it gives you a Christmassy scent. Or Frootloops. That’s what I’ve been doing since it’s winter, to warm up the fragrance a little. By itself it’s clean & bright. My biggest complaint abt it is the same complaint I have abt almost all SMN scents...very little longevity!!!

I’m a world history teacher. I bought this fragrance because I enjoy it, but I also love the story behind it. I brought it in for my students (when I taught about the Medicis), sprayed it on a card, and passed it around. They found it super interesting, but were not impressed with the fragrance...but I like it anyway!

Classic zingy cologne with herbs. Smells like Colonia. I liked reading the story below from DovelineGirl, it helped me connect to the scent more and tie this neroli/petitgrain/rosemary scent to a sunny place. Makes me want to visit Tuscany to smell traces of this scent in real life.