Santa Maria Novella • Zagara • Fragrances

NoraKathleen on 4/29/2013 4:49:00 PM more reviews by NoraKathleen

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I'm not really a big orange blossom fan in fragrances, but I am a Santa Maria Novella fan.
Saying that, I love this. Love it. It's an elegant, yet soapy kind of scent that wears especially well on warm summer nights. And other occasions too, :)

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*TOP REVIEWER* GlamDiva on 12/31/2011 6:30:00 PM more reviews by GlamDiva

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Other, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

Zagara is a rich, soapy orange blossom, very natural, very Italian, luxurious, full of love for life. Magnificent.

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SerendipitousAerie on 12/23/2011 11:48:00 AM more reviews by SerendipitousAerie

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Sensitive, Tan, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy   Eyes: Blue    

I don't know about this one. In a word, or two, "soapy indolic"? Not a combination I think of as workable and I'm not sure it works, but I'm not sure it doesn't work either. I like it, sort of, but I still wonder if I should give it a thumbs down.
It is certainly gifted with a natural-ish aura and therein lies a credit, so I did indicate I would repurchase. Possibly.
Heavy on the indole as one can expect in a white flower, but paired with soapy I just don't know. It's perfect for some occasion, and sometime I'll remember exactly what that occasion is. Maybe until then I won't repurchase.

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*TOP REVIEWER* stephhamilton on 3/19/2010 1:23:00 AM more reviews by stephhamilton

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

Not too keen on this its just too soapy and harsh an orange blossom . Its very clean and fresh but its just like rubbing a bar on soap on my wrist unfortunately. There are orange blossoms out there that i love a lot more.

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rooney on 6/10/2009 10:50:00 PM more reviews by rooney

Age: 30-35   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

Smells like fresh, clean soap. Like you just came out of a shower. I wear this in the summer along with Annick Goutal Hadrien EDP. Both have an "eau de clogne" feel. Fresh and uplifting. Light. Perfect for hot summer days.

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debrsl on 5/11/2008 5:38:00 PM more reviews by debrsl

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

This is too much orange blossom in the topnotes.

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oreolady on 8/22/2007 9:12:00 PM more reviews by oreolady

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Today I sampled this for the second time. Applied lightly yesterday and didn't have strong feelings either way. Today I dabbed a lot more and then had to drive about 1 1/2 hours (the true test of whether I really like something - be stuck in the car with it). It was nice for the first few minutes, then got too heavy and cloying and I wished I could wash it off. Now it's 10 hours later and very soft and clean and flowery - gorgeous. I would never spray this on again b/c of the heaviness of its first 2 hours, but wish I could fast forward to the base notes, which are very lovely.

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*TOP REVIEWER* nancybridget02091979 on 3/8/2006 9:38:00 PM more reviews by nancybridget02091979

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

Citrus here and something green and floral. Pretty, but nothing I'd ever wear. Kind of boring.

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*TOP REVIEWER* PeeShee on 12/3/2005 11:52:00 AM more reviews by PeeShee

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

This is sooooo lovely. I have tried most Orange Blossom fragrances available and settled on SL Fleur D'Oranger. I had a sample of this laying around after I placed my SMN order for Mughetto. I decided to finally try this and I am in love. I had to place an order right away for a full bottle. This is one of the most beautiful Orange Blossom fragrances I have ever had the pleasure to try. It is so comforting and gives me such a warm and cuddly feeling I can see wearing it in the winter months as well as the summer. Its floral and a bit soapy(in a good way). I think I may like it better then my beloved FdO by SL. This is a must have fragrance for Orange Blossom lovers.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Maller on 8/1/2005 7:21:00 PM more reviews by Maller

Age: Unknown   Skin: Other   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Beautiful fresh orange blossom. Opens with a strong, bright zesty orange note and then gently mellows to a slightly spicy (cinnamon?) orange blossom until finally it become a soft, grounded blend of floral notes and sandalwood in the dry down. Layers beautifully with sandalwood scents. It's doesn't have the soapy note I find in IPdF Zagara and has a softer, more floral dry down than Norma Kamali's Zagara (my other favorite).

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rottenj on 5/14/2005 1:01:00 PM more reviews by rottenj

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

This is my favorite Orange Flower. If you know of a better one let me know. Yes the lasting power is awful but it does smell more natural than 90% of the perfumes and colognes on the market that claim to be natural. I guess that's the way nature intended it when it is natural.

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*TOP REVIEWER* DunandaFalls on 2/10/2005 12:54:00 PM more reviews by DunandaFalls

Age: 25-29   Skin: Other   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Green    

Santa
Maria Novella Zagara
(Orange Blossom) is a soapy, neroli fragrance that wears very clean,
fresh and smells great. Sometimes neroli fragrances can be too
strong, unbalanced and harsh, but not SMN Zagara. Santa Maria
Novella is just so right on with their perfect simple blend of oranges,
neroli and sandalwood. It's just divine on a scorching hot summer
afternoon. 4.5 out of 5.

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cheenchu on 9/24/2004 8:58:00 AM more reviews by cheenchu

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I may have an initial positive bias since I generally favor colognes & light perfumes over thicker perfumes. But, I love this cologne. It smells so clean & it's especially potent in the summertime. While plenty of reviewers critiqued it for not being "long-lasting enough", I don't see that as a problem since it's not supposed to be as strong as perfumes anyway.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Elyse on 7/23/2004 9:00:00 PM more reviews by Elyse

Age: Unknown   Skin: Acne-prone   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

when i was younger and would only wear gourmand/vanilla fragrances, i smelled this just once and swore it was the nastiest scent ever. this is a soapy clean yet tangy and juicy orange blossom fragrance. very clean and bright. totally uplifting, i cant help but smile when i wear this. it lasts HORRIBLY but i dont care, this is soooo heavenly.

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*TOP REVIEWER* roseamber on 6/8/2004 1:22:00 AM more reviews by roseamber

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry   Hair: Red   Eyes: Green    

Lovely smell upon application (very similar to iPF Zagara but more of a solifore), but turns bitter and disappears quickly. Orange Blossom must be an extremely hard scent to capture in a fragrance...while many are appealing, none have come close to SL Fleur d'Oranger in meeting my romantic hopes for orange blossom...

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*TOP REVIEWER* annieytown on 5/30/2004 6:11:00 PM more reviews by annieytown

Age: 30-35   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I thought this was the sharpest orange blossom I have ever tried. The initial blast is so strong and overpowering but it quickly settles down into something slightly pretty. However the lasting power was very limited and the drydown turned into something amberish.

I never plan to purchase this one. The lasting power and drydown really ruined it for me.
Not too many lippies from me for this one.

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LaureAnne on 4/9/2004 8:53:00 AM more reviews by LaureAnne

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

This is the conumdrum: how to rate a fragrance that is one of the most heavenly I've tried, yet is also one of the most ephemeral? SMN Zagara is the essence of orange blossom. It is a perfect replication of early summer's perfect flower, minus the traces of orange zest and leaf that are found in I Profumi di Firenze's Zagara. Perfection is always fleeting, unfortunately, and so is this fragrance. If I could afford to bathe in this fragrance, to reapply it throughout the day, I would, but I can't. As it is, I'll stick with the Firenze Zagara and Cote Bastide's Fleur d'Oranger toilet water,which though also light, has greater staying power and is less expensive than the SMN. POST SCRIPT: I gave in and later bought this one! It is just so gorgeous, who cares if you have to reapply it through the day ;D. I sometimes layer it with IPF Zagara for a real orange blossom orgy!

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gratefuldave on 1/31/2004 2:58:00 PM more reviews by gratefuldave

Age: 25-29   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

Zagara (Orange Blossom) is absolutely brilliant. It's a nice, sharp, and vibrant orange of which I never tire.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Kate123 on 12/23/2003 9:48:00 AM more reviews by Kate123

Age: 30-35   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I find this fascinating. I keep trying to figure it out. I knew someone who wore this scent in my childhood, (or a scent very similar) but who? I keep smelling it and smelling it. It's right on the edge of my brain... oh well. Anyway, the opening is a powerful slightly bitter, bracing, masculine, sharp citrus scent -- and does anyone else smell a cedar note under the neroli? I like it, but it's a little intense. It quickly dries down and becomes more feminine and floral, more sweetly orange blossom. For a few minutes it's divine! Then it fades. Overall, it's unique and refreshing and invigorating. Something to put on when you get out of the shower on a hot sticky summer day, to wake up and keep a clean fresh feeling. BUT it doesn't last on me, or if it does, it's so faint it's hardly worth it. Ah well, on to the next scent.

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*TOP REVIEWER* tigrushka on 11/17/2003 2:17:00 PM more reviews by tigrushka

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Grey, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Green    

A very good and very fresh orange blossom scent. Crisp and outdoorsy.

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