Potpourri

I recently purchased a Santa Maria Novella Discovery kit: Acqua della Regina - smells like my favorite Bath Roman Premium Hot Herb Bath Salts (soothing ginger, red pepper, yuzu, etc), but not much the next day, the oddball as the only sample not still shouting 24 hrs later Fresia - a very soapy freesia scent, leaves, potting soil, bright sunshine on a perfect day Rosa Gardenia - that pickled floral that I despise, May roses screeching out for justice, The Perfumers Workshop Tea Rose turned spiteful and pretentious Rosa Novella - wonderfully warm, calm, patchouli-rose. Your mom reading your favorite picture book that you got from the library, a copy that was printed in 1990, after you just did a good job dusting the heirloom hardwood furniture with lemon Pledge. Unrelated to Agent Provacateur (cool-skin rose with warm metallic saffron) or L’Agent (boozey-spicebomb rose). Angeli di Firenze - unripe cantaloupe soap, melon gives my tummy a sinking-feeling Melograno - not what I expected from “pomegranate,” and oakmoss in the ingredients surely helps this become a personal favorite. This pomegranate received the Christmas Orange Ornament treatment and smells like all the best memories. Invokes a bodily response of “everything is going to be alright.” Excellent ally to victory in the battle vs holiday anxiety and car sickness! Tabacco Toscano - delicious, quality vanilla accosted by rubbery hickory smoke Pot Pourri - I was not expecting the Noxema scent, the face cleanser which I once bought to smell simply because it was so soothing and enjoyable, knowing it’s an awful product that has no place in a skincare routine. This is the strongest of the samples and smells just as much like a fresh tub of Noxema 24 hrs later, but now with orange peel demanding attention. 48 hrs later evocative of rose and pine forest and all fae folk who live within. Beautiful, and at no point did I see where this perfume was going.

A very interesting fragrance. It is quite unusual in the perfume world, and frankly, I imagine the audience for a scent like this would be confined mainly to serious Perfumistas, because POT POURRI is by no means a crowd-pleasing kind of number. The whole scent impression is comprised of dried herbs and dried grasses. Nothing at all green or sweet here, not even the orange or clove, and indeed the whole perfume is highly aromatic/medicinal. It's blended beautifully such that no one of these aromatic notes stands out... It goes on quite medicinally... which will be a dealbreaker for many... but amazing for those of us who can hang with a medicinal/aromatic fragrance. With time, the sharp camphoraceous qualities mellow out, and the scent becomes more mellow, like dried grasses or dry hay. It's only then that the scent comes even close to smelling like a classic men's aftershave sort of number, but even THAT is stretch. My experience with a fragrance like this is: They are wonderful when sprayed on during intensely hot weather... They cool the body and clear the head, and give a glorious sense of refreshment and revitalization, even more so than the usual citrusy kinds of summer fragrances. At some point, every serious student of perfumery will need to smell a purely Aromatic olfactive family perfume like this one.

The romantic side of camphorous. It is in fact a combination of savory spices like laurel, rosemary, thyme, and then some drops of lavender and the metallic zing of clove. Orange brings out some sweetness, but this is not the cologne palette, more like the colors of autumn. It is a simple and beautiful scent, once the notes settle down. Balmy and aromatic, once it settles down. This is all I should say. Strange how the context shapes our way of commenting scents: I would often talk about the images they bring to life, the creative or not use of notes, the perfumer's intention, this and that. Here, we're talking 19th century, and I feel so relieved that I don't have to talk this way. It comes from a time when perfumes have often been sold along with remedies and all kinds of preparations in pharmacies, and when you smell Potpourri, this makes sense, too. This being said, if you're into that aesthetics blurring the line between fragrance and remedy, check Pino Silvestre Original first.

If you are into herbals and warm aromatics then you are going to love this. You can just imagine some monks creating this centuries ago. Wholesome and all herbalishisness. It is very unisex and I dont think it smells like the potpourri I remember as a kid. It was all the rage in the 70s. This is all about herbs. Where is the rose? Bergamot, bay, clove, rosemary, carnation, lavender and thyme all come at you at once! If you logically imagine a strong, biting opening then you would be wrong. These herbs are softened by LOTS of peru balsam and patch. It smells like a salve the monks might have created to aid the healing of a knife wound or similar. I have to admit I find it quite addictive as well. It smells so good and wholesome. It must be doing something good for me lol I get average longevity and sillage. This is one strong cologne so go easy when first testing!

I am born and raised in Finland, and naturally certain scents have been ingrained into my soul. Smoke, sweat, moist wood, essential oils of tar, birch and euchalyptus mixed into the sauna water, the heat mixing with cool summer air as you open the door and step outside the sauna to cool down for a bit before going back in. Imagine my surprise when this monastic perfume created in Italy instantly evokes those things! What stands out is the purity: no artificial musks, no sinus-irritating aromachemicals, just a golden breath of piney, aromatic and camphorous herbs, sweet cloves, citrus and balsam. This is also why Pot Pourri doesn't follow a structure from any particular decade: how could things simply plucked out of nature be of anything other than the eternal here and now? I am obsessed, Pot Pourri goes instantly into my top-2.

You can tell from the very first spray, that this is a different perfume. Distinctively different to any other perfume I’ve tried so far. You can tell it’s old. But not outdated, rather in a sense of refined, eternal, transcending time and space. This is the timelessness that many perfumes try to achieve. It’s very herby and spicy, truly genderless and doesn’t have an ounce of artificiality. It has a very calming effect. I don’t think it’s an every day perfume, but for someone who appreciates perfumes, this has its time and space. It could be also a wonderful home perfume. The notes that I can recognize the most are bay leaf and cloves. I think I can tell there is Peru balsam in it, but that’s a very new scent to me. I get a decent amount of hours of this on my skin (4-5) and it projects within arm length.

If you are in the mood for medicinal and aromatic herbs, this old perfume recipe is for you. Pot Pourri is absolutely relaxing, depurative. SMN (Santa Maria Novella) succeeded magnificently in transposing the scent of their pot pourris herbs (in terracota pot, wax tablets, or small bags) into a perfume with a strong longevity and a good projection. The top notes are very aromatic but the dry down is more smoky, balsamic with a good balance beetween dirt and something of more sweetned, fresh. It is a very divisive perfume (so try before to buy), because quite unique in its kind, that we take first for ourselves. Beyond the perfume, there could be a remedy in the imagination that will keep you away from the disease, a healthy gift. Scent : 8/10 Projection : 7/10 Longevity : 8.5/10

Absolutely not a safe blind buy. I keep Santa Maria Novella's potpourri in my make up drawer and love that scent when I open the drawer. It is amazing to keep in your woolen coats instead of the dreadful smelling moth balls. I bought this fragrance to freshen up my potpourri, but also wear it on my skin. So very different, of a different time and place. It transports me out of the world that is going to "hell in a hand basket" at the moment. During covid I craved incense fragrances and now at this point in history I am craving something of "another time". I hear it smells of the shop in Florence Italy, hopefully I'll go one day. I've only been to the Bal Harbor Shop in Miami which I highly recommend.

When worn in very small amounts (a bottle usually lasts a couple of years when worn every day) this woody and aromatic smell is one of the most manly scents I know. FruitDiet claims it's an unsexy scent - I disagree. It's not how a pumped-up, testosterone fuelled action hero would smell (I imagine, haven't met one yet) but more of a tweed clad libriarian who builds log cabins in the mountains and makes great pot roasts on weekends way.

Being completely bored of Chanel no 5 and the other so called hum drum classics, I seldom bothered to wear any perfume at all...until I found this one. At first spray, it is not a particularly pleasant smell as it packs a powerful punch in a way unlike anything I have come across before. Be patient though, and in just a few minutes it will work a strange magic that is intoxicating and irresistible and utterly addictive.

Deeply aromatic, almost camphoraceous composition. A blend of herbs and spices that evokes the scent of potpourri kept in a wardrobe to preserve freshness. These are not withered, ethereal flowers, but a strong, pleasantly intoxicating vintage aroma—herbal, evocative of a rustic Italian estate. Uncommon and distinctive. Long-lasting with a surprisingly strong sillage for a cologne. Perfuming of the highest caliber.

A beautiful herbal and aromatic fragrance! I'd say cloves and rosemary are the strongest in this for me. Smells like you walked into an apothecary or a pantry full of herbs. I absolutely love it, and it lasts longer on me than most of the other SMN fragrances i've tried

The name, Potpourri is a misnomer. Yes to medicinal vibes but this is also a very natural herbal scent, much like what I imagine a retreat at a chalet in the Alps might smell like; a remedy for a relaxing and a therapeutic escape.

I really enjoy this. I don't see much of the VapoRub connections; both of them contain camphor and that's it. It smells very medicinal and herbal. It smells like an apothecary cabinet in a good way.

it’s very very herbal and medicinal but in a good way. it smells like a natural healing remedy, i find it extremely comforting and it blends with my skin better than i thought it would

I spritzed myself with the sample of Potpourri this morning and found that it was surprisingly comforting to me! It's not a rosy sweet potpourri; he combination of laurel, rosemary, thyme and clove give it a more spicy and medicinal edge. Definitely a unisex fragrance, which I tend to like, but not sure if this is one I'll want to wear regularly. When I asked my boyfriend's opinion, he said it reminded him of 70's men's colognes like. . . Brut. Brut! My very beloved grandfather wore Brut- this probably explains why I find Potpourri so comforting. Now that I've placed the smell, I am probably less likely to keep wearing it, but will keep the sample for whenever I want to smell like an old school, tweed-swaddled English teacher.

First impressions: noooo idea where I'd wear this. but! It's well-done. There are several Santa Maria Novella scents that are more so real-world-smells than perfumes, to me. Other perfumes might remind me of something, but it smells like a perfume- it was made for a person to wear. Some, like this, I'm not even sure I'd recognize as a perfume. Like this one puts me in church- not during mass, but when we'd work on projects in the back. Sunlight on the red carpet. It's as if other perfumes are paintings, and this is the first photograph I've seen.

Very spicy, very camphoraceous potpourri, that opening sends the head reeling! Just laurel, cloves, thyme, and rosemary, major aromatic bomb. Eventually dries down and becomes slightly woody and musky as the herbal notes are forcefully pulled back into the background (against their own will seemingly). It never loses its medicinal aspect, I think this would be quite fitting should you have a head cold or some form of congestion. Best suited to cool/cold weather, too much heat would be repulsive. Got around 8 hrs on skin with this.

This is not a pretty plate of candy-scented dried flowers and fruits. SMN’s Potpourri stoic, medicinal and meditative. A herbal potion with a formula dating back to the 1800s. Like an ancient disinfectant to cleanse and protect. The dry-down is my favourite part. A smokey, sensuous and seductive musk lurks beneath the blend of aromatic bay leaves, rosemary, thyme and cloves macerated in citrus mulled wine. Sniff and compare Potpourri with SMN's Marescialla - another stunning camphorous composition from the house.

Go easy on the spray as this is quite powerful! It reminds me actually of men's colognes such as Old Spice. The bay leaf is deep green, lovely herby and fresh thyme etc, but intense. Though it's intense it's also reassuring and relaxing. It must be the medieval instincts kicking in as this is the kind of scent that would have been prevalent around houses hundreds of years ago - to keep the bugs away and cut through the animalic miasma haha! Big like, though I'd say it leans more masculine

pot pourri is a super unique aromatic ~spiced~ cologne- heavy hand on the herbs- i immediately get thyme and clove, with a bit of rosemary. it dries down to a more soft spice/musk- less herbal and citrusy than the first spray but still holds onto that medicinal, retro cologne feel. i like the inclusion of laurels since they are such a prominent symbol of italian history! honestly even if you aren't into the 70's dad/grandpa cologne vibe, i think this is a really cool scent.

A friend of mine (below) recommended I try this. Another friend happened to have purchased the discovery set and let me check it out. I did not expect to like this because I HATE the smell of pot pourri. This smells nothing like that. First impression was spicy smooth goodness. And also suprisingly strong on my skin. I didn't get to really break down the scent because we were with a group of friends, but my takeaway is this smells great.

VERY spicy, almost smells like cinnamon red hots :) Really nice aromatic scent, reminds me a little of the smell of Tiger balm. An excellent perfume for a rainy day to make you feel warm and cozy. Spicy but still fresh and doesn't feel smoky or thick, I do wish it lasted a little longer but super enjoyable to test, and made me feel like a very cool, old-money New England gentleman who has a big dark wood office in his mansion by the sea.

Potpourri is the coldest fragrance I know. The temperature instantly drops 10 degrees. It feels like the Grim Reaper has entered the room, the cold breeze of death. Or a Dementor is floating outside your window staring in. Or you're looking down an ancient stone well you can't see the bottom of, cold moist air inciting you to jump down. Potpourri is fantastic. Really unique, nothing like it.

I spray this fragrance on the core of toilet paper. Every time I enter the toilet, I enjoy the refreshing scent of rosemary and lavender. I think this fragrance is more suitable for scenting the space rather than applying it to the body (especially for women). Since I started applying this fragrance to toilet paper, I have stopped using cheap-smelling air fresheners in the bathroom.

well, certainly a product of its time. to me, it smells like dried fruit with a hint of herbs and a TON of cloves. very reminiscent of all the strange concoctions my family would make around the holidays. i'm not saying it smells bad, i like it a lot! i just can't imagine anyone wearing this as a fragrance. it's way too photorealistic.

Dry mixed herbs dampened with a heavy spray of citruses, like a very freshly made version of its namesake. Intensely aromatic, a slight bitter green edge, an uplifting combo of fizz and spice and camphor. Medicinal, warm and comforting, anchored by sweet patchouli and cedar shavings. Moderate projection for 3-4hr, longevity 10-12hr.

Bitter, herbal, medicinal scent. Definitely not a safe blind buy and not a crowd pleaser. However if you like this kind of scent, I think it’s quite well done - it’s refreshing and zingy, would work well as a palate cleanser in hot weather. It reminds me a bit of a Mediterranean garden. Quite weak sillage and longevity.

I enjoyed wearing this. Somehow it managed to be clean, and even soapy, in a pleasing way. But it is also deep, woody and spicy. Quite a complex, non-linear fragrance. Predominantly rose, clove and cedar/"woody", for me.

I wouldn't say that it is repulsive but it smells a bit like chinese medicinal oil/balm so you wouldn't want to wear this next to an Asian.

This one is hard to describe so bear with me. First off it smells nothing like the bowl of pot pourri in your grandparents' bathroom. S Maria Novella's Pot Pourri is a warm, spicy, herbal and otherworldly aromatic. Its opening has a strong bay leaf note with thyme (think chicken stew!) overlaying a thick, medicinal clove spiciness with bergamot and camphoraceous patchouli underneath (think floor disinfectant!). It's like eating your dinner in the restaurant kitchen at the end of the night after cleaning up. But please don't be put off by this description — Pot Pourri is such an interesting perfume, it needs to be experienced to make sense of the note list. It's a good deal darker on skin than the blotter and as it develops the Peru balsam joins with the cloves, shifting the tone to spicy and resinous. The bay leaf now provides an arid quality that holds any sweetness from the clove in check. In the background a very faint bitterness of lavender & rosemary fougère emerges but this is extremely subtle so don't be discouraged if like me that's not your thing. Overall I'd describe the main accord as bay leaf–clove–Peru balsam–patchouli. A curiosity that deserves more attention and one with a cult following.

For some reason, I imagine pot-pourri as dried rose petals. So that was what I was expecting to smell. My mistake. I should have read the description first. This is very aromatic herbs, distinctly medicinal if not unpleasant. What’s the right term: camphorous? mentholated? Someone who thinks of perfumes as a fashion accessory will be taken aback. I think it reminds me Pino Silvestre Original in its non-perfumery character. However, if you are looking for aromatherapeutic experiences, this may do it. One can also get the same experience from cheaper rubs, oils, ointments, etc. But the concoction makes sense in light of the company’s origin story. The blurb says the series of scents that includes this one is a tribute to ‘the founding friars who started it all’ in the Middle Ages.

Very strong clove scent that fades nicely into a lavender. The scent is nostalgic when given further consideration. I think of my Mother throwing some cloves on the stove and letting them warm their spice all throughout the home during the fall and winter. Reminds me of back to school shocks of illness, recuperating in bed with a cup of earl grey tea. The fuzzy tail end of this perfume curls around your wrist sweetly. This isn't a scent I'd carry around with me, but would much rather enjoy as a room spray! I love it, but not for personal utilization. I could see myself camping out with loved ones on a couch as a fireplace crackles... potpourri draping the air.

Imagine going to an anthropology museum. There's a mock apothecary/ pharmacy from the high medieval ages - medicinal, herby, astringent, slightly spicy, aromatic, and the scent is being pumped into the museum. They could literally buy this fragrance to pump into a museum for education. Or, do like other reviewers have said and get some Tiger Balm. It's an astounding blend. I kinda feel like I've been educated and taken back to 1221 when SMN started by the monks. I really don't hate it, I'm just not going to get a full bottle once I finish the discovery set.

very medicinal scent, i could never wear this on me as it is too herbal for my liking, but i must say... it is quite pleasant to sniff on. it does smell like vaporub and it also opened up my entire respiratory system when i first smelled it, so i will for sure keep it for the days i feel sick. it’s also slightly comforting. i don’t understand why they made it into a fragrance as it feels like it’s not meant to be worn as one, but other than that, it’s pleasant (as long as you enjoy the smell of herbs).

I was gifted a sample and I was very interested since I love this firm, Santa Maria Novella and its history (is a venerable brand). At first the laurel and bergamot made it for me quite sophisticated, not exactly my cup of tea, but hey, why not. After a while, laurel + clove + mint made me think of a lentil stirr + mint pills which was quite perturbing honestly. I ́ll finish the 2ml sample but it ́s not sth I would buy (at least by now)

Weird and not my thing, but not bad. Very herbal and aromatic. Bitter greens and spices. Vicks vaporub. Medicinal. I also get the sauna associations. There is a tinge of bbq, which I am attributing to the peru balsam. But I definitely get the rosemary and thyme. This house is a miss for me. Haven't liked anything from them.

it's quite unique, smelling like a herb cabinet in a old traditional medicine shop. Dry, spicy, not sweet at all. I'm still testing out and I'm not sure if I'll like it. It will take some time to get used to. Anyways, I don't hate it, so we are having a good start.

A very old fashioned scent but not in a bad way. It's interesting and pleasant but maybe not how I want to smell. I have a sample and won't buy a bottle but I think the sample will be used on days with a cold, it seems like it would sooth a blocked nose.

Spice cabinet meets asian camphor balm. Intensely dry and medicinal. It reminds me of a athlete friend of mine who constantly bathes in tiger balm because of sore joints and tendons. It's not unpleasant, but I don't really see it's practical use.

Oof yes Vicks vapor rub camphor cooling smell but on top of that is a salty quality from the thyme. My initial reaction was Woa this smells like some savory meal. But indeed it smells like medicine. Not bad if this is your thing

This reminds me of all the summers I spent growing up in China, wearing those yellow-and-orange-packaged mosquito-repellent stickers. Very nostalgic.

Smells like a strong, spiky patchouli/clove combo. Very medicinal, astringent, is basically a "Tiger balm" scent. Nothing to write home about.

Much like the actual pot pourri, it’s a mixed bag of things that lacks a central theme. A dizzying array of smells.

Bright, herbal, purple floral, balsamic Patchouli, unisex, same target group with Melogranco

I'm not trying to offend anyone, but I'm honestly unsure why anyone would want to smell like this...as Rozalina said, this IS Tiger Balm. I just...am kind of at a loss as to what this is for. Like what would you use this for? I can't think of a single use-case LOL. I guess the drydown is nice and gentle but you have to fight through at least an hour of straight camphor...

I used to bring those oils from China that I would rub on my feet when I was getting a cold, or on my sore lower back. That’s how it smells to me. I tried getting past it, but every time I used this fragrance I felt like I was getting a cold and a sore back.

Unfortunately this does not work on my skin. The smell of camphor. But regarding the brand - Santa Maria Novella is one of my favourite. Fortunately their other perfumes are beautiful on my skin. Top quality Italian brand.

Aromatic rosemary Italian sausage doused with ye ole apothecary ointment. Original and old world, but completely unwearable on me.

Natural old perfume that couldn't build a character over more than a century... I feel so sorry for it!