Vaniglia / Vanilla
Santa Maria Novella (1828)

In profile, Vaniglia is more related to vanilla bean than the processed, sugary vanilla common in modern perfumery. Even so, it isn't in any way photorealistic. Vaniglia seems somewhat abstract, an impressionistic portrait of its subject.

Vaniglia is very balsamic, with leathery tones, animalic flickers, and a good dose of smoke. It's a fascinating, round aroma, a kind of vanillic old-school musk with an "antique shop" tone. After some hours on skin, it dries down to a lovely, comforting, soft cacao powder, which is its most genuinely gourmand phase.

I'm giving it a thumbs-up for uniqueness, but I'm uncertain that it's a complete perfume. It feels like a terrific base in search of a top/mid.

This is not a light/cakey vanilla like you'll find in many modern formulas. This vanilla is thick, almost oily (like actual vanilla beans). As Vaniglia opens there's something animalic in the scent profile but it disappears pretty quickly so don't panic. There is a hint of smoke that lingers throughout and the cocoa takes some time to unfold but by the dry down it's fully revealed itself and is a beautiful complement to the vanilla. Vaniglia is a stunner IF you're looking for an old fashioned vanilla. If you want something sweet/fluffy, you should sample before you buy.

Vaniglia is one of the few vanilla-centric vanilla perfumes I own, and to be honest, I am not sure why it became such a big part of my rotation over the summer other than the fact that my children, on their school holidays, blocked my access to my perfume collection with a rickety tower of soft toys. Since 1st September was the earliest I could yeet it off my summer tray into the deepest depths of my cupboard where it belongs, I decided to go ahead and review it.

Vaniglia is a Jekyll and Hyde vanilla. In the air, it smells like a scoop of artisanal vanilla gelato, thick with egg yolks and stiff with tiny, crackling particles of vanilla bean. People have accused Vaniglia of smelling a little like extract, which it does, except it is probably more accurate to say it smells like vanilla bean paste, which is woodier and has less of an alcohol shriek. The sillage is thick, unctuously creamy, and even a bit sticky or cloying. Like many of the richer Santa Maria Novella perfumes (Muschio, for example), there is a Biscoff undertone running through the lower register that strikes me as obscene in a perfume meant for grown-ups. But because there’s the slight bitterness of the booze in which the bean has been preserved, or a dusting of something cocoa-ish at the edges of this aroma, you do have that rather alluring (and yes, vanilla extract-like) contrast between the very expensive and the very cheap.

Smelled this way, I can take Vaniglia. It is a little disgusting in its biscuity foodiness, but since it has survived several collection culls, I obviously have some sort of feeling for it. Smelled up close, however – my God, what a shitshow. The vanilla eggnog thing completely disappears, replaced by the ugly aroma of melting plastic, which assaults the nostrils relentlessly for the first couple of hours. Given that Santa Maria Novella is one of the more traditional, and therefore, naturals-heavy brands, I will give the benefit of the doubt here and say that this is possibly an overdose of a latexy myrrh or an inherently plasticky jasmine material.

I am leaning towards the latter because this repulsive banana-plastic-acetone-industrial-fire aspect reminds me very much of Vanillary by Lush, another scent that burns my nose hairs when I get too close to it. My solution for Vaniglia is not to get too close to it.

This has vanilla with a hint of smoky spice. I agree with the other comments below, that it's just not a "sweet" vanilla. The longevity was excellent.

There are two fragrances listed for Santa Maria Novella's "Vaniglia". This one is listed in English translation and is correctly marked as unisex or undefined. The LAFCO website claims that this fragrance is suitable for men or women. The other listing on basenotes, under "Vaniglia", which simply means Vanilla in Italian, is incorrectly marked as a feminine fragrance.

This is a delightful fragrance. It is sweet, but not excessively so. It has some light spice and a wonderful sharpness to it. Sillage is decent, especially considering the eau de cologne concentration. Natural vanilla is expensive. For me, it is also a comforting smell. This composition is extremely well done. It is very rich and even a little boozy. A very captivating smell, and despite the gourmand aspect, extremely clean. Great for the office or an evening out.

I also recommend the Vanilla shower gel/shampoo from the same company.

A completely un-objectionable vanilla. Very very .... ok. Astonishingly.... unremarkable, except that in a sea of horrendous vanillas for every pocketbook (from L'Artisan's ugly and harsh Vanilia to the creepy synthetic of discount-store's Coty Vanilla Fields), at least there's nothing really wrong here (except the price).It's vanilla. It lasts a while. It will not offend anyone. For the money, Kheil's could cover you better, should you be looking for a straightforward single-note vanilla scent.or McCormicks.