Nostalgia

I am nervous to review this scent because I only just purchased it on the weekend. I went shopping for a new signature. Nothing was really speaking to me, and the Santa Maria Novella shop was the last place I wanted to go before giving up. Shoutsout the indefatigable Estelle who came with me and consulted – she works the Gucci counter at the international airport so she knows her stuff. The shop attendant explained the backstory to me. I'm not into cars–I haven't driven a car since my driving test (which I passed with flying colours, I just don't like driving because I get crash premonitions)–and I don't really like Italians, but as a trained Medievalist and the chicest inhalant huffer around this appealed to me. It was love at first whiff. I instantly loved how plastick-y it smelled. It evokes packing peanuts, motor oil, grease, keyboard cleaner, gasoline. The word 'Holy Grail' comes to mind... "It's styrax," said the attendant. "What the fuck is that?" I replied "Burning rubber." "Well, take my money." I wore this for the first time to a gallery opening the night after we 'broke up' for like the fifth time. Of course he showed up. He said I made a good choice and that it suited me. The night was a car crash–How did we end up at a wedding? Why did he leave me on the side of the road? How did I wake up next to him again? Nostal-gia... The bottle is infallible. I like the uncomfortableness of the fogged glass, like a chalkboard, against my nails. It is certainly animalic. It reminds me of pigs, all squished in against one another on a truck, oinking..oinking.... I told myself I wasn't going to get another woody, dark fragrance, but I couldn't help it. It stays very close to the skin though, unlike other woods. My only qualm is that it does not last very long, maybe two to four hours before it fades. I have not had a perfume like this before, one that I have to spray in like five different points (shoutsout Jeremy Fragrance who taught me where the best, most sexiest places are). Be careful because this scent is really seductive. I was turned on for like three days after I started wearing it and, as you read above, we had 'broken up'–FOR THE LAST TIME I PROMISE–so what was I supposed to do except sit on my hands? At $215AUD I think it's reasonably priced. I was looking to shell out that day anyways. I love that it really popped off amongst Fragrantica users in 2011 and since then has fallen somewhat out of favour. It sprays on smelling like a catastrophic spillage coating ten thousand white swans in tar, and dries down pretty masculine. What more could you want.

I must let you know that I [love] this fragrance. NOSTALGIA SANTA MARIA NOVELLA is art. It instantly transports you to another time. Of polished farm-made leather-meets-guilty pleasure petrol. But also of varnished lacquered wood, and antique old world books with covers built of hide. Yet it is art, and despite, I can Not wear this for public or fun. One of your first ideas in the joys of fragrance finding is the idea that strong perfumes are better. I'm sure however that you may enjoy the experience of something in the background over something that reminds you its right next to you all the time. And NOSTALGIA is really strong! I can't stand to wear one spray because it makes my skin too noticeable (of leather polish and a hint of petrol, even!) Another reviewer below me also acknowledges it makes this a bit unwieldy in wearability. However! I found the perfect use of NOSTALGIA SANTA MARIA NOVELLA. Home Spray! Now why would you pay $195 for a glorified home spray? Because NOSTALGIA is exactly IT-- NOSTALGIA SANTA MARIA NOVELLA is the [holy grail] scent to make any home smell of lacquered wood, and polished leather. (And a bit of petrol if you spray too much, but that might just be your thing if your house looks industrial.)

Having first discovered Nostalgia at the Santa Maria Novella boutique in Florence in 2015, this fragrance became the first that I always made sure I had a bottle of. Having worn it consistently since then, imagine my dismay to learn this week that Santa Maria Novella have discontinued this fragrance. I'm unsure of the exact point it stopped being manufactured, but the last bottle I purchased was in October last year (anticipating this fragrance would disappear during the rebranding that SMN went through). The company informed me all remaining inventory has been sold. Nostalgia's aroma, distinguished and unique, will always remind me of evening walks in Florence and aperitivo in Venice. I have one boxed bottle left to ration, forever reviving memories of the trip it was first bought and countless memories beyond. For a fragrance whose name refers to a wistful affection for the past, it seems only fitting.

The scent description of SMN Nostalgia was intriguing enough for me to purchase. I found a vintage bottle with the wood cap and the uninspired label on Ebay. First spray and I was in love. The nostril hairs in my nose immediately curled and I harkened back to the time when I used to sniff the leaded gasoline (not habitually, just when I visited the gas station). The top notes of bergamot, petitgrain and styrax are what make this scent unique. Sadly, this intense rush dies down quickly and what remains is a fairly common leather, tobacco scent. Don't get me wrong, even my wife likes the dried-down scent, but I bought it for the gasoline punch and sadly that aspect of this cologne is too short-lived. Re-application is a must.

This is like a shot of high octane testosterone. Smells just like unleaded fuel and vintage leather. It's a splash bottle and I get more gasoline top notes when I spray it, and stronger leather and citrus when I splash it. I'm not sure how they created this vibe without violet (likely Styrax and Birtch Tar) but they hit it out of the park. The citruses used are top notch and I get mostly musk and cedar in the base. Performance is very strong for a cologne concentration. Strong projection was expected, but it also sticks to my skin and clothing for 4 to 5 hours. If you love cars and want a wearable, high quality car scent without use chemicals, this is worth trying if you can find it. ⛽ Scent 9/10 Performance 6/10

I bought this on a whim and on the back of my love of SMN's Patchouli and I wasn't disappointed. I really didn't know what to think of that first spray but after literally two minutes, it was settling into a beautiful blend of tobacco and leather - both scents I adore. After an hour it again transformed into a more familiar and softer vanilla-tobacco although the leather was still lurking somewhere in the background. This is a bit of a mystery scent and you'll either love it or hate it. For me, I love it - it grows on me each wear.

sprayed this on myself at their new york store and ended up buying the discovery set (which does not include this scent) even though nothing else i smelled blew me away as much as this. i spent the rest of the day sniffing its spot on my arm; a hint of the benzene opening still remained on my skin for a fair while. lasts surprisingly long for a cologne. couldn't stop thinking about it for the next few days so i just sprung for the full bottle. i also can't drive.

AMAZING. When I wrote about Fahrenheit I mentioned that I wanted a perfume that smells like straight gasoline and this is IT. I’m so sad Nostalgia is no longer available, I would buy 50-200ml of this immediately. It’s a go kart track: gasoline, rubber tires, hot asphalt. I love it I love it I love it. Message me if you have it for sale.

Total dark horse with SMN—the employees even try to talk you out of buying. It’s become one of my signatures... gives you freshly showered mechanic in leather jacket ready for a night behind the wheel of his favorite whip.

Smells like an old car sat out in the sun, absolutely stunning scent, unfortunately I used up my bottle then returned to Italy and discovered it was discontinued and couldn’t acquire more, I’m in deep regret

Asking the universe to bring this perfume in my life again. Thank you! (Universe, I am in Europe)

Great unique scent inspired by the racing world. Wish it would not be so linear though.

Well, I couldn’t say that I spent much time around vintage Italian sports cars; therefore, I don’t know how close to the brief Santa Maria Novella came when they put together Nostalgia, a perfume that, according to the brand, is trying to capture that certain smell. If I didn’t read anything about the backstory of this fragrance and were to dive into it blind, I don’t think that I would have made that association. Yes, it captures specific smells that to me have a nostalgic feel, but I never would have guessed they were hinting at sports cars. As a perfume, this one is quite an oddity. I would have gone as far as to say the weirdest in their line, but then there’s Marescialla. I think both are unusual and difficult, in different ways, since they smell nothing alike. And even so, something is appealing in both. Some bits make me recoil, while there are also parts that I love. Both of them prove to be a “difficult relationship” case for me, and yet they smell so unlike anything else that owning them is the only way to remind myself of such peculiar compositions. The opening of Nostalgia makes me smile, recoil, crave more, and run for the hills, all at once. It hits on all fronts with no backing off: smoky leather, burnt rubber, plastic, glue, wood laminate, turpentine, and an old-school aromatic accord that reminds me of the vintage shaving foam my grandfather used to use. I still don’t know what to make and how to feel about this introduction. Luckily, it settles down quickly, with the lesser appealing facets dissipating and the more appealing ones sticking through. Hence, once the more “synthetic” nuances burn out, what remains is this smoky leather accord, quite supple, not harsh, paired to the aromatic component that is so prevalent in all the house’s compositions, and an increasingly strong resinous warmth with subtle sweetness. It remains distinctive still, but now it feels more recognizable as a perfume and less as chemical warfare. At this stage, if not for the aromatic component that runs through it, it could have been linked to other resinous, smoky, leather perfumes, but the former anchors it nicely into a slot of its own. It’s quite a bumpy ride, one that starts with a crash for me, only to improve as the race moves on. A race in reverse, if you want. I know some folks love the opening, so I guess for them it starts with the number one finish. So yes, a race in reverse, nevertheless, and whether it’s going to be “a crash” or “a win” upon first sniff, it’s up to you. Just be patient, it gets really good shortly after. IG:@memory.of.scents

If you'll ever have the chance to visit Florence don't miss the opportunity to go to the Santa Maria Novella's museum / shop / headquarter located in an ancient chapel from 1200 that's absolutely breathtaking for its beauty and majesty. Said that, Nostalgia it's not the kind of scent you would expect form a company founded in 1612 as it's quite modern and somehow weird. Rubber and leather that smell exacactly like the interiors of my grandad's old FIAT 500 during the summertime, when odors are emphasized by the high temperatures of the season. A great fragrance if you like challenging smoky rubber/leather scents a-la Knize Ten / CDG's Garage / Lisa Kirk's Revolution. I do. Downside: the drydown is quite conventional if compared to the opening, but still pleasant. One more thing. In italy SMN is sold at a reasonable price. 100 ml for 75 euros. Rating: 9.5/10 for the opening 7/10 for the drydown 8/10 overall

What is wrong? The reviews I had read of this made it sound like a leather, rubber, and petroleum skank-fest, but the first thing I smell out of my sample vial is sweet, prickly green tea! OK, there’s a leather-like note and a dry woody note that could, with prompting, be construed as rubbery, but they’re not the dominant ones. It’s not all that unusual a fragrance, except in the hype. There are plenty of prickly green-tea fragrances out there, so adding a bit of leather, myrrh, and dry wood does not make it unique. The main phase lasts for 3-4 hours, after which all that’s left is the musk. I would probably have liked this if I had not been expecting to find the smell of a car and/or garage. Nostalgia just doesn’t evoke this image for me at any point.

In my search for a smoky, leathery, unique fragrance, it was suggested that I sample SMN Nostalgia...also, based on the many positive reviews here on Basenotes, I thought I would give the fragrance a try! SMN Nostalgia is a great scent but it is definitely not for me. Yes, it is absolutely a leathery, smoky very distinct fragrance and I like it a lot...but not on me. Oil, petroleum, a little floral here and there...very unique, very nice. But forgive me, it is an extremely masculine scent. I don't want to sound sexist but I cannot vision this fragrance working on a woman!

Santa Maria Novella and Caron have always been my favorite Houses. Nostalgia is a unique and somewhat improbable release from SMN. Take an old Fiat with leather interior and place a few vanilla beans on the driver's seat. Park in a busy auto repair shop for a few years. Drive to a beach, pour some gasoline and oil on the seats and leave the car out in the hot scorching sun for a few weeks with closed windows. I love it! The drydown is quite smooth and vanilla-like and not very original, but overall a manly and interesting release from SMN.

I needed some time to appreciate this perfume - my first experience last year was negative, but after almost a year, this summer I tried it again and it hit me with its original, unique scent, not similar to any other perfumes. Really beautiful on my skin from the very opening to the drydown. I just wish this stunning opening lasted longer. Nostalgia will remind me of last days of my summer holidays spent in a beautiful medieval city in August 2013. Suitable for any season. I will definitely buy the next bottle.

I can't believe this has never been a referenced leather scent! To me it's MUCH more realistic than Tuscan Leather (and many other leather fragrances).. maybe it lacks the fantasy (and sex appeal)? The leather here is a little rubbery but not the screechy kind like in many commercial fragrances; it's much more refined and comforting--smooth like a leather jacket, not animalic like some belts, shoes, or even hides

Holy crap, this hurt my nose at first. The opening is very harsh, is it safe to smell? Smells like rubber/steel/iron being lit on fire But then enters an angelic powdery note to rescue it all. I'm going to keep sampling it but damn, I don't know about that opening. 🥴

The leather is exceptional, like almost everything from Novella. Worth it, but it’s a cologne. A unique kind of gasoline-leather — really good. Reminds me of the grease brought home by someone who works with laminates.

Instant love!!! Don't wear it much because I find it very weak, I wish they had made it stronger but whatever, I love smelling it and am happy I own a bottle.

smell of tires braking on the asphalt, many used brakes and clutch, car mechanic smell, smog, oil and car grease. nice but not wearable.

What a wild fragrance. The opening smells unequivocally of gasoline, spray paint and automotive plastics. Then it dries down to an intriguing leather with some soapy-clean floral shampoo nuances. It's a love-or-hate fragrance if there ever was one, and niche to the max. Smells like a very greasy auto mechanic who took a shower and got cleaned up, but still had work-stained hands and black under his fingernails. There are lots of auto and biker types out there, men and women, who will really enjoy this highly singular number. Not for perfume beginners, and probably not a blind-buy. I am impressed with it as perfumer's art, but it smells a little too dirty/greasy for me. YMMV.

With a promising opening that literally smells like fresh paint to my nose mostly gasoline derived things Unfortunately it didn’t live up to the beginning of the fragrance I would’ve hoped for a better performing scent I know it has weak concentration but not performing for more than 3 hours To me it’s unacceptable

Simply awful. Smells like you spilled gasoline all over yourself at the gas station, then your buddies peeled out and sprayed burned rubber all over you, leaving you there stinky and alone.

If someone asks why I turn to the experience of scent, one of the main reasons is for nostalgia. Where does it take me in my path? Is faded youth once more illuminated? What memories are conjured up in the ether? It could very well explain my penchant for the classics and scents that a "normie" might think is "dated" or "hasn't aged well." Santa Maria Novella's Nostalgia, though released in 2002, does hit a lot of buttons, and in a startling manner. The opening is the most shocking gasoline/petrol note I ever experienced in a fragrance—one might think it shouldn't even be inhaled. It's that realistic, and it's fascinating. The blast is brief, much like the flash point of gasoline and would otherwise be overwhelming if it persisted, but I love that it exists in this composition, as it serves as a perfect introduction to the fragrance as it warms into leather, rubber, hot asphalt under the scorching sun. Styrax and birch tar along with what seems to be fractionations of petitgrain serve to create this whole effect. It dries down musky and vanillic, with an echo of car grease, and oiliness perhaps contributed by ambrette seed. I see checkered flags as I daydream. If those who were supremely disappointed with Penhaligon's Sports Car Club, they may find the experience they need with Nostalgia. For me, it takes me back to visits with my Dad to ADAP or NAPA auto parts shops when I was a kid and the overall feel of vehicles from that time, when there was far more leather, rubber and metal than the plastic of today. The wafts of exhaust and fumes, while thankfully a thing of the past due to reduced emissions, still carries with it something somehow wistful to me as well. So as not to put too fine a point on it, Nostalgia is worth the experience if any of the above appeals to you.

Years later, there is still nothing that smells even remotely like this. Ignore any fragrances in the "reminds me of" section above. They're all wrong. This is the type of scent that you just have to experience. When you first spray it, you will be confused. You will ask why they thought it was a good idea to make a fragrance that smells like spray paint fumes, gasoline, and a dental office disinfectant. It definitely grows on you (I LOVE those top notes), but it's a nightmare decision from a commercial standpoint, seeing how customers will spray a fragrance in a store and most likely buy based on the top notes. Please please please stick with this fragrance through the journey. What starts as a nosedive into benzene dries down into an absolutely gorgeous creamy, resinous woody leather. The smokiness of the birch is tamed by the creamy amber in a way that brings out the best qualities of each. This is not a compromise between notes, but rather a collaboration. Nothing is lost, only gained. Nostalgia is very masculine, but surprisingly warm and inviting. It's not nearly as macho as you would expect in the drydown, but rather quite seductive. My only negative is that it doesn't perform quite as well as you would expect from something with this note composition. SMN is an old school house without all the new releases and flankers you expect from some bigger, modern houses, so don't expect an Extreme or Parfum version any time soon. But man, I wouldn't mind seeing them tune up this engine a bit or start iterating on this wonderful creations with some flankers. Nostalgia Bleu Extreme? Sure, why not.

I really wanted this to smell like the interior of an Austin Seven, all leather and petrol with a smattering of tobacco and oily rag. Sadly, it was not to be. It just smelled like petrol spillage and rubber tyres. A bit too "in your face" to be the real deal. The day a nose comes up with a fair representation of the interior of an Austin Seven/Ford Prefect E93A, will be the day I, and a host of folk just like me, hot foot it to the stores, baying like savages whilst hammering our credit cards into their eager POS terminals. Til then, I will continue to persuade vintage car owners to wind down their windows as they tootle past me. Beep Beep, Toodle pip. Update: 2021. OK, I concede. I have grown right into this. Tell you what did it for me.... Caron En Avion. SMN and En Avion go together like rice and peas, I'm all WW2 Air Ace meets Simon Templar at the race track with a piss pot helmet and biggles goggles. I've also gotten right into the vibe of room spraying it in moderation, and definitely a bit in the wardrobe before slamming the door shut and waiting for the glory to reveal itself. I was also subjected to a fair level of "dissuasion from purchase" by the staff at SMN, WHY??? For gods sake, it's a triumph (see what I did there?) also my favourite motorbikes and producers of the legendary oily rag.

A bit of a tease, this one. The gasoline/leather top notes give the expectation of a true gas-pump fantasy. But along with gasoline’s scent, Nostalgia has gasoline’s volatility. Still, the crackly woody drydown of Nostalgia is a wonderful scent in its own right, top notes or not. And for those of you who like woody fragrances but don't want a warm, harmonious feeling, Nostalgia remains fairly cool, carrying the chill of evaporation that gasoline has on your skin. Two thoughts. One, this is an interesting option for those still mourning the loss of Fahrenheit’s original formulation. Two, Nostalgia points out that in the language of perfumery, gasoline is a woody note.

The re-edition doesn't have the scent of leather. In few words, this perfume during the opening is very very unusual...the first sniff will make you cry :) It smells on tyres, pit stop, road, gas, rubber, cars, colors, like the store which has everything for the house - 'do it yourself'. The smell is fantastic hehe, after a while it settles down and becomes powdery and sweet, very conventional, it has a lot of similarities as Le Dandy D'Orsay in the drydown. This is a must try for everyone who love perfumes and the art of perfumery! P.S. Sillage and logivity are good enough, regarding the smell, I expected that will last for days..

I'm so upset! It took me a long time to order this fragrance, because I was skeptical that anything could smell like an old school race car. And I was right. I don't get any notes of leather or fabric or old plastic or anything like that. Nothing I would associate with an automobile or a garage or an auto-parts shop or anything else that has been described here on the internet. It's pleasant, but nothing but a generic men's cologne. I'm so disappointed!

I heard about this fragrance on Michael Malice's show YOUR WELCOME and wanted to try it. It is one of the most interesting ideas behind a fragrance and the notes really come together in a nice smelling masculine fragrance. The leather note is most prominent and the others come together for a little smokey smell for a nice scent. It lives up to the idea of the smell of a classic car. I remember driving in my father's old MG and it brings back memories.

FERRARI AUTO REPAIR I could also called this 'Elegant Benzoin'. The gasoline opening is challenging yet intriguing. The other notes are present and accounted for, even if they can't be specifically named (at least, by me). After time, the complex notes sparkle more than the Benzoin - and this fragrance keeps pulling me into it's unique, luxurious heart. I just may need to own this.

I love love love this perfume. Not for the fainthearted nor the heavyhanded. Best worn on autumn as it can get too heavy for summer yet it lacks that certaint 'warmth' necessary for winter. Very avant-garde, surprisingly sexy.The funny thing is that my husband loves it on me but not on him.

this scent doesn't cover new ground, remember Vintage Bulgari black?Now mix it with Gomma by Etro and you will get half an idea, add vintage Fahreneit and you will get the complete picture! It doesn't last really long!

Anyone looking to sell a bottle/partial or decant? Located in the US. Pretty please.

Anyone have a bottle of this to sell? located in Europe

desperately looking for a bottle