In Florence, beauty is so omnipresent that you risk being overwhelmed by it at every corner, yet beyond everything we know there is something else, if you manage to go beyond the usual addresses, and experience the city as a perfect beauty destination, at least for once. Perfumes, first of all. There is no other Italian city where tradition is as deeply rooted as here, because it is precisely here that Italian perfumery developed in the Renaissance era, and even today the traces of that glorious past can be traced back, like perennial trails that reach up to to us. In Florence, however, it is not only the past that tells the story of beauty: here there is one of the very few Italian Hair Spas, there are discreet retreats where you can take refuge for wellness treatments, and beautiful shops that are love at first sight. hit. Ready to go? The journey begins.
Rome: all the beauty addresses not to be missed
A journey through the Capital, to discover the right addresses where you can indulge in a beauty break. From unexpected spas to historic perfumeries, from the coolest hairstylists to secret salons, perfect refuges for cuts, blow-dries and chats. Far from the crowds and the outside world
Officina Santa Maria Novella: the kingdom of perfumes
In Florence the Santa Maria Novella Pharmaceutical Perfume Workshop It is a true institution, you cannot visit the city without stopping by what is most likely the oldest pharmacy in the world still in operation.
The Santa Maria Novella Perfume Workshop.
The Workshop was founded in 1221 by a group of Dominican friars, who obtained a concession of a small church outside the walls, Santa Maria Inter Vineas. The friars started a production of herbs and medicinal plants, which over time also became the production and sale of scented waters. The turning point was during the period of the Black Death, when Rose Water began to be distilled, used to sanitize environments and as a medicine. In the mid-fifteenth century “herbs and roses were distilled”, we read in a document. The modern history of the Officina begins right here, together with that of perfumery. Today the Officina is a brand, as well as a beauty destination: the historic headquarters is in Via della Scala, 16, in the same environments where it was born. A museum boutique, where you can find perfumes, candles, soaps, household and bathroom products. A wonderful journey between history and present.
A detail of the interior of the Workshop.
From Aquaflor, to create a tailor made perfume
No less suggestive is the story of Aquaflor, which has always had its home in Corsini Antinori Serristori Palace, a few steps from Piazza Santa Croce. Perfumery here has always been an art and retains a somewhat magical charm, thanks to an underground laboratory obtained from the historic cellars of the building, where all the fragrances are made by hand as in the past.
