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8.2 / 10 62 Ratings
A popular perfume by Santa Maria Novella for women, released in 2010. The scent is floral-powdery. The production was apparently discontinued.
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Main accords

Floral
Powdery
Spicy
Fresh
Green

Fragrance Notes

IrisIris Star aniseStar anise White blossomsWhite blossoms GalbanumGalbanum JasmineJasmine CardamomCardamom CedarCedar
Ratings
Scent
8.262 Ratings
Longevity
6.653 Ratings
Sillage
5.852 Ratings
Bottle
7.547 Ratings
Submitted by Licorice, last update on 04/25/2025.
Interesting Facts
This fragrance was created on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the brand.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
Omnia Green Jade by Bvlgari
Omnia Green Jade
Le Gemme - Calaluna by Bvlgari
Le Gemme - Calaluna
Infusion d'Iris (Eau de Parfum) (2015) by Prada
Infusion d'Iris (2015) Eau de Parfum
Frosted Moon / Lune de Givre by Cloon Keen Atelier
Frosted Moon
Swan Princess by The Vagabond Prince
Swan Princess
N°19 Poudré by Chanel
N°19 Poudré

Reviews

4 in-depth fragrance descriptions
Serenissima

1223 Reviews
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Serenissima
Serenissima
9  
a white porcelain angel leads to a fragrance creation
How am I supposed to organize my countless samples and decants when I keep stumbling upon forgotten (or better: buried) treasures and let myself be distracted by them?
Fragrance treasures that make me wonder how long they have been lying unnoticed among the other samples and why they are not recorded anywhere.

And this time it is particularly special:
I am once again reading the novel "Die Galerie der Düfte" by Julia Fischer; a book filled with a lot of fragrance and beautiful words, which not only tells of one or two love stories over time, no, in the end, there are even four, no, even five!
And all of this takes place against the backdrop of the "Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella," of course in Florence and partly also in Munich.
I was made aware of it here at Parfumo back then; this community is even mentioned there.

But why do I find a decant of the anniversary fragrance "Porcellana," which was released in limited quantity in a special bottle for the 400th anniversary of the company, just now?
How fondly I remember the deep joy I felt when I tested some fragrances from this brand years ago:
The enchanting "Fresia" and the smiling Eau de Cologne "Rosa Novella" touched me, as did "Angeli di Firenze" (created in gratitude for the selfless help of firefighters after the flood of 1966, when Florence was inundated) and of course "Acqua della Regina," a fragrance for Catarina de' Medici I remember fondly.
The sound of one of the other compositions touched my soul like butterfly wings.

But now to the anniversary fragrance:
Perhaps due to the aroma of star anise, "Porcellana" initially feels cool and transparent and truly reminds me of fine, valuable, and thin-walled porcelain, which gave it this name.
White, like the porcelain angel, who plays a minor role in the aforementioned novel during the fragrance creation, many floral notes appear, with jasmine playing a significant, albeit not a leading role.
But this floral splendor is not sultry and sensual this time, but rather virginal: Let the angels carry this fragrance!
The angels of Florence surely also know the powdery aroma of the blooming iris fields that belong to this city in summer.
An anniversary fragrance deserves a fine resinous garnish, here a net of galbanum smoke.
Thus, "Porcellana" becomes a soft, romantic fragrance that is very delicate, yet possesses a graceful personality.

So now it is time for a cup of tea in one of the fine porcelain tea bowls and a few more pages of this romantic tale.
Above all hovers this finely scented white porcelain angel!
5 Comments
7.5Scent
Susan

138 Reviews
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Susan
Susan
Top Review 32  
Clear, calm, transparent.....
I must admit: PORCELLANA smells different than I expected......

The first association that comes to mind is “Citta di Kyoto” from the same house. Although there are no significant similarities in the scent itself, aside from a pronounced iris.....the overall impression is also that of an Asian-inspired fragrance......

Research has shown that this was also the fundamental intention behind the creation of “Porcellana,” as this fragrance was crafted for the 400th anniversary of the company......it is meant as a tribute to a region where SMV was already known in the 18th century: The Far East....with its exquisite materials and textures.....

Just like “Citta di Kyoto,” “Porcellana” is also a very fine, transparent, and extremely fragile scent that certainly evokes the image of the finest, delicate, and easily breakable porcelain and creates a floating meditative aura....

The fragrance opens with a wonderful bright green galbanum note, which is immediately caught and lightly enveloped by iris and jasmine.....the galbanum, often perceived by some noses as “strict” or “serious,” presents itself here - wrapped in a certain floral powderiness - from its gentler and more approachable side....

Soon, cardamom and star anise float to the surface.....here is where, for me personally, “Porcellana” begins to lose my initial affection.....this is only because star anise (and to some extent cardamom) is a scent note that I find very unpleasant.....so it is something very personal and has nothing to do with this great fragrance itself......

The cedar, which (depending on the dosage) can also be quite challenging for me, remains friendly and delicate......and skillfully supports the other fine-fragile scent notes.....

In summary, one can say: “Porcellana” is a clear, calm, warm, and meditative fragrance that, in its composition, reminds me of some Ellena scents....

For the rating:

The fragrance: 9
My personal taste: 6

Overall: 7.5

My heartfelt thanks go to Gabi, who continually touches and inspires me with her generosity and expertise.....
18 Comments
ParfumAholic

257 Reviews
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ParfumAholic
ParfumAholic
Top Review 42  
A Scent Like the Flutter of an Angel's Wing
At our Parfumo meeting in Cologne, thanks to Calliste's efforts, I had the pleasure of experiencing a truly special fragrance: "Porcellana" by Santa Maria Novella.

And I must confess, this scent really blew me away. And, what is truly rare, from beginning to end! I can't really make a classic division into top, heart, and base notes.

I primarily perceive the white flowers and iris. Shortly after spraying, one gets the feeling that the scent of just broken porcelain is in the air. The fine white dust is briefly visible, and in the fragrance, this is represented by the iris: dry, powdery, and with a slight hint of chalk scent. This scent mixture conveys a subtle yet extremely lasting impression of warmth, clarity, and purity.

When I had this fragrance on my skin, we were sitting in a bistro on a lively and bustling street, but for a moment, thanks to "Porcellana," I could block out everything around me; this scent captivated me so much.

"Porcellana" is for me a white, radiant, ruthlessly innocent, and exceedingly fragile fragrance, perhaps just the hint of a scent. In any case, it has deeply touched and enchanted me.

Dear Calliste, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this wonderful scent experience! If it were still available for purchase (which unfortunately is no longer possible, as it is a limited edition), it would definitely find a place in my collection.

At least I am left with the vague memory of an exceptional appearance of a different kind in the fragrance firmament.
21 Comments
Partyqueen

25 Reviews
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Partyqueen
Partyqueen
7  
Boredom in a Porcelain Bottle
Since I have fallen for niche fragrances, I have rarely encountered something as one-dimensional as Porcellana, which is supposedly produced in a strictly limited edition.
I can’t smell star anise, cardamom, or iris; for me, it’s just white flowers and yes, maybe cedar, but neither is really well composed or even surprising, rather very classic, to say the least, uninspired.
Sorry for that, I don’t like to write negative comments, but I just want to warn you against ordering this overpriced boring little water, especially without having tested it.
2 Comments

Statements

23 short views on the fragrance
37
28
*Silence in the Morning*
the first rays of sun on
dew-kissed blooms -
powdered iris!
Delicate green & musk skin -
fragile as porcelain;)
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28 Comments
4 years ago
28
19
Anise-like herbal sprinkles
on
dewy meadow green
Finest powdery floral grace
on
alabaster skin
Transparent dream
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19 Comments
22
15
Cool-powdery, precious and fragile
the porcelain from Imari shines in the moonlight.
Sea-green flowers envelop
the pure white base with a hint of bitterness.
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15 Comments
5 years ago
22
15
Powder Pure. Dust-dry flowers on galbanum. Completely unsweet. A hint of leather in the dry down. Makeup bag. I would have guessed Chanel.
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15 Comments
18
12
Salty damp skin, a flower crown in the hair.
Delicate motifs of exotic beaches fading on old porcelain shards.
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12 Comments
19
9
Traveling from distant spheres, they sprinkle dreams into our sleep. Soft as blossoms and transparent. Moon powder on milky white night wings.
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9 Comments
17
15
Precious white China bone, hardly sweet. Flowers beautifully cushioned by galbanum and powdery iris. A delicate gem from SMN. It's so refined!!
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15 Comments
17
4
Another scent that I can only mourn now. Like L'Original by Putman, it was a true oasis of calm in my collection.
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4 Comments
16
5
Translucent, delicate "bone china",
you whisper softly,
they are endearments,
you must become even quieter,
sinking into iris powder.
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5 Comments
16
2
Meissen porcelain: fragile, precious, spicy, white, dusted with powder, entwined in gold-green, strangely distant, femininely sweet and gentle.
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2 Comments
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