Papaya Exfoliating Shower Cream, St Barth: we already know what you are thinking – exfoliating will ruin your tan? But no! In the first few hours, the exfoliant revitalizes the circulation, but stabilizes the tan in the long term. This exfoliant by Ligne St Barth contains Jojoba wax pearls and natural enzymes, to purify and regenerate the skin but soften it at the same time.

Aloe Face Body Gel, Santa Maria Novella: paraben-free, this Aloe Vera-based fluid gel is also ideal as an after-sun, to protect the skin from redness and irritation. With a light fragrance thanks to essential oils of lavender and lemon balm, for a delicate pleasure.

Blue Lagoon Shower Gel, St Barth: simply, the ocean in your shower. Based on water from the Caribbean Sea, this shower gel enriched with coconut oil gently cleanses the skin leaving a pleasant sensation of iodized freshness.

Eucalyptus Body Wash, Molton Brown: Our list couldn’t fail to include this classic best seller. Eucalyptus helps to release tension and tone the skin after a long swim in the sea (or a mountain walk!). A note of ginger relaxes the muscles and stimulates circulation. The perfect moment of rest.

Basil Body Cream, Le Labo: this buttery cream is ideal for repairing and moisturizing hot skin. Like all Le Labo products, it is produced without parabens, phthalans and artificial colors. Basil is accompanied by citrus notes of verbena to refresh, avocado to ripen and shea butter ‘to nourish deeply.

Roucou oil, St Barth: Roucou oil is practically magical. It has a natural skin protection factor 6, and at the same time helps to stimulate the development of melanin, for a lasting and even tan. And as if that weren’t enough, keep mosquitoes away!

Acqua Soave, Santa Maria Novella: simply legendary. This tonic with citrus essential oils gently refreshes and hydrates the whole body. A massage after shower or bath will be enough to make your day lighter and more fragrant, even during the hottest hours!

During a trip to England that Giovanni discovers a small shop that underpins the principle of the Sacred Heart: specialization.

The profile also known as Sacro Cuore has brought virtually unknown brands to Italy over the years, such as Diptyque, Santa Maria Novella, Floris and Creed.

Sacro Cuore then becomes one of the very few perfumeries in Italy to supply the products of Editions de Parfums de Frédéric Malle, creating a reserved display corner inside the shop.

And it is precisely the space of the shop that becomes a fundamental part of Sacro Cuore, in the pursuit of continuous excellence and in the intention of being “the most beautiful shop in the whole city“. Although there are now three shops: the central one is joined by the space in Galleria Falcone-Borsellino and another shop in Via De ‘Fusari, entirely dedicated to Le Labo, a very successful French-American brand.

A story of continuous evolution and innovation, dictated by the motto: “… and the research continues“.

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And it is to the restless genius of Kinski, that another little genius of the perfume world, the German Geza Schoen, had wanted to pay a tribute on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of his death. Geza Schoen is a perfumer who has made a lot of talk about himself for having proposed minimal creations at the limit of the conceptual: the Escentric Molecules line, which includes fragrances without construction, obtained by diluting individual chemical aromas in alcohol (almost the equivalent of a canvas monochrome, or even objet trouvé).

As much acclaimed as criticized for this choice, it cannot be said that the boy did not have a nose, being, these, among the most loved and sold perfumes of recent years in the field of research perfumery. Kinski, however, could only follow a more complex and difficult trajectory. It is a perfume as bold and edgy as the character that inspired it. If an accord of oceanic freshness is declared at the center of the fragrance, don't be fooled: he is not a marine (forget the various Motu and progeny) and to tell the truth he is not even fresh.

If there is freshness, this is covered with aromatic notes of juniper berries and black currant leaves that give green but acrid notes, and on the bottom, those that in perfumery we call "animal" notes await you quietly but on the alert: intimate, dry, unsettling scents. The ocean of this perfume is not resumed on the surface, but in depth. And, don't ask us why, smelling this perfume, as well as Kinski, we are reminded of the splendid images of the underwater reportage on women of the sea made by Fosco Maraini in Japan in the 1950s.

To those who objected: - But what sense does it make, Master, it will not be possible for the spectators to smell the perfume! , the director replied: - It doesn't matter, because the extras, the actors and all of us will breathe the smell of Sicily. And it will make it all more true. And this will feel.

So let's try to smell this perfume in the air too ... And among the many orange blossom perfumes that exist, which one will we choose? Obviously that of the Pharmaceutical Workshop of Santa Maria Novella: Acqua di Colonia alla Zagara. For two reasons. The first is that we like to talk about a place that is a source of pride for Italy and that in terms of history is no joke: it is one of the oldest pharmacies in the world, created by Dominican friars from Bologna upon their arrival in Florence. , at the beginning of the 13th century. In the cultivation of officinal herbs for the preparation of medicaments and balms, they were facilitated by the fact that the basilica was in the open countryside (do not think of it as it is now, we are talking about 8 centuries ago !!) so much so that it was called Santa Maria delle Vigne, in reference at the location.

The Officina Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is the place where the origins of cologne can be traced: the famous Acqua della Regina, still on the market, specially composed for Caterina de 'Medici on the occasion of her marriage to Henry II who crowned her Queen of France. The second reason why we choose Santa Maria Novella is that Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, in the book from which the film is based, makes Angelica wear the cologne "à la maréchale", a very spicy fragrance of great character linked, depending on the version. , to several strong characters (from Leonora Dori Concini to the Countess D'Aumont) united by the fact that they did not exactly a beautiful ending: all accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake.

At this point we just have to invite you to review Visconti's masterpiece or reread the book wearing one of the two fragrances, perhaps after having visited, in via della Scala 16 that magical place that is the Santa Maria Novella Pharmaceutical Workshop. P.S. We like to close the circle of this post cinephile by remembering that it is precisely here that in "Hannibal" by Ridley Scott, the second chapter of the saga of "The Silence of the Innocents", Dr. Lecter buys the perfume for Clarice. But if you haven't seen it and stopped at Jonathan Demme's film, you have done well. But this is another story.

Little by little, the love for perfume is inserted among the creations of furnishing fabrics: first by presenting to their customers fragrances of the English tradition then little known in France, and then with candles and perfumes of their own creation. And it is difficult not to recognize that Diptyque has been and is a unique point of reference in the world of research perfumery.

To Diptyque we owe one of the best fig fragrances ever created: that Philosykos composed by Olivia Giacobetti, a refined and impressionist fragrance that for decades has fascinated us with its talk of Mediterranean landscapes saturated with light. But it is from the very beginning that Diptyque stands out for its absolute originality and independence from fashions: in 1968, in the midst of contestation, where everyone rides the wave with essences of patchouli and surroundings, what do they do? They dust off a 16th century English recipe for potpourri and pomander: a very refined blend of flowers, citrus and spices. Thus was born L'Eau, their first fragrance.

The second act of this fragrant adventure shows, however, that Diptyque knows how to be even more daring: L'Autre (1973). L'Autre is not only "other" than the first perfume, but it is "other" than our Western idea of perfume, our idea of pleasant. And the smell of places and cultures we are not used to. Suffice it to say that there are perfumeries that, despite selling Diptyque perfumes, this Autre no, do not want it.

Too weird. An oriental perfume with no trace of sweetness or softness. He does not want to seduce or be romantic, he wants to tell a story or a dusty landscape: Middle Eastern markets, unbearable heat, powerful smells. A lashing and cutting explosion of dry and aromatic spices, including: cardamom, pepper, nutmeg, cumin. And it is cumin, perhaps, the problem: to many noses it suggests associations that are not exactly pleasant (which is why L'Autre should only be worn if dressed impeccably). Not everyone will like it, but those who have the courage to wear it will be rewarded with the opportunity to experience a decidedly new sensuality.

Fracas, however, was not simply a tuberose perfume but THE tuberose perfume: a point of reference for half a century. It is said that every time a perfume house asked for a tuberose, they started from there: “We want a Fracas, but greener”, “It would be nice to have a Fracas, but sweeter”, and so on.

Not Frederic Malle.

Founder of one of the most uncompromising Maison of all on the quality and exclusivity of the creations, he intends to market an original and revolutionary tuberose perfume.

Moreover, during his many travels in California (it is there, from nearby Mexico that the tuberose comes) the idea of accentuating the more solar and carnal aspects of the flower matures.

The result, ça va sans dire, is spectacular.

Carnal Flower is a fragrance of disruptive beauty: the narcotic notes of the flower, accompanied by euphoric and airy green notes, are the most classic and at the same time modern you can expect.

Perfectly multi-faceted and orchestrated, the fragrance sways between warm and sensual shades (Jasmine, Ylang Ylang) and fresh and sunny (Watermelon, Orange Blossom), while the musk cocktail on the bottom guarantees an exceptional hold on the skin.