Angels of Florence

I bought a bottle of this from Santa Maria Novella when I was in Florence in 2014 during the summer for our first anniversary. This perfume reminds me of that beautiful trip, full of hot, sunny days roaming Italian streets eating gelato. We traveled to Venice shortly after, and I remember wearing this on the Grande Canal drinking a Bellini, thinking the scent reminded me of the drink and location: a breezy white floral overlaying light fruity-sweetness, just like a fizzy Bellini made with a floral-fronted Prosecco. There is an Ozonic element to this fragrance, but nothing marine-like or beachy, and it passes quickly once it starts to drydown. I used up my whole bottle long ago, but I adored it, and this perfume will always be special to me. Highly recommend it, and if you do ever get the chance to visit Florence, make sure to visit Santa Maria Novella’s flagship store - it’s utterly exquisite, and a really fun experience, even my husband enjoyed going there! Edit: Writing this review made me miss this perfume so much, I bought a new bottle! Can’t wait to smell it again!!

Delicate, no-frills, everyday floral. Green and aromatic, it is inoffensive and likely to be enjoyed by everyone. It smells like walking into a florist shop in spring or a morning at a botanical garden. Not just the scent of those scenes, but the feeling. Evokes goddess vibes, like Demeter or Persephone, feminine, floral, and knowing. There is something to be said about perfumes that have some sort of extra interesting aspect to them, whether it be the bottle, the story, the background, etc. This one is definitely a conversation starter: when someone compliments it, you can tell them that it's from the oldest pharmacy in the world, nestled inconspicuously within a row of tightly packed buildings on the street of the lovely Florence, Italy. It is extremely long lasting. It's easy for anyone to wear. And yes, it smells a little like J'adore to me.

Perhaps SMN's Angel of Florence reminds us the classic notes and compositions, yet she possesses an luminous side. Citrus opening, gardenia and fresh violet leaves, tinted with a tamed musk, she's all about air and water. The notes progress quite elegantly, and end clean. She paints a watercolour image of those 'blue hours' by the Arno. Imagery: A gentle smile, a tender caress. She likes to walk in white dress in spring. Echoes of forgotten years and whispers of rains. At times, the elegy does not have to be melancholic, but a kiss in the wind, a prolonged farewell. The Angel has approximately moderate sillage with outstanding longevity for a cologne. A polite conversation for 5 to 6 hours. Pure but not naive, pure yet sophisticated, a flowy fragrance for young artists and dreamers.

This, like the name, is what I imagine the fountains in heaven to smell like; aquatic, fruity, creamy, and light. I've owned a bottle for quite some time and enjoyed it whenever I sprayed this, but I didn't seem to reach out for this somehow. I love fruits, white florals, aquatics, and powdery frags, but somehow all those profiles combined into this didn't reach my expectations. I get peaches, I get melons, I get gardenia, and I get lime, but I also get violet leaves and vetiver which I don't enjoy as much. Very feminine and very elegant yet stays youthful.

Freshie, fruity, aquatic fun. Reminds me somewhat of Bond 9 Astor Place.