Where I talk about perfumeries and put in a little give-away. 😉
Even though Paris might sound like the city for a perfumista, Rome definitely has perfume merits of its own. Personally, I am generally not one for Italian perfumery but among all the available choices, even I found an Italian perfume to like. More on that later.
Our perfume wanderings started with the Alé parfum perfumery which we discovered by accident as it was just down the road from where we were staying.
It’s a small shop full of wonders. 🙂 I find it incredible how many different perfume brands were there. The perfumes that stand the most in my memory are Iris Nazarena I finally was able to try and the new Jovoy perfumes which I would need to smell better at leisure. I did like Iris Nazarena just not that much to warrant the price tag.
The next shop on our perfumista quest was HB Profumeria. It is a rather large shop with many cosmetic and perfume brands and here is where we spent the bulk of our perfume money. 🙂
Of all the Italian perfumes I smelled there, I decided to take home Electra by Sigilli which is a really strange perfume with metallic/ozonic vibes and radioactive longevity. It really requires you to spray it sparingly. 🙂 It’s labeled as an amber which it is but only after being so much more.
One of the main reasons to visit this perfumery became obvious after Asali’s talk with the SA after she spied an old version of L’Heure Bleu. 🙂 It seems the owner of HB Profumeria goes out of his way to procure the old Guerlains. So, who knows, if you’re lucky in Rome you might come across one for you.
The last perfumery we visited has several stores in Rome and after visiting the first, smaller one, we were told to go and visit their main store where they have more lines and which they use for perfume events (F. Kurkdjian’s event was this past week which unfortunately we missed).
If you’re going to visit just one Campomarzio 70 store, my advice is to go to the flagship store at Via Vittoria 52 and hope the beautiful blonde, blue-eyed SA is there. Unfortunately, I don’t know her name and didn’t think to ask at that point but it is very rarely you come across such a great SA. After learning a bit about our general taste in perfume, she proceeded to offer perfumes to try that would fit with what we had said. And she was guessing unbelievably well. As luck would have it, they ship all over Europe so if I decide I need a bottle of Isabey’s L’Ambre de Carthage, I’m getting it from there. She was also kind
enough to help me on that way by giving me a sample. 😉
She also gave us Giulietta Capuleti perfume to try which you get on a cloth tissue. It has 20 different rose essences in it (and the price shows it, over 400 Euros for 100ml) but smells wonderful (if you like rose perfumes).
This ends our Rome perfume journey and as it was such a good one, I would like to share a 10ml decant of Electra with one lucky winner. Just state your interest in the comments. 🙂
Pics for Ale Parfum and Giulietta taken from their respective sites.
Tagged: Ale Parfum, Campomarzio 70, Electra, Fragrance, Giulietta Capuletti, HB Profumeria, Iris Nazarena, perfume, Rome, Sigilli
All I am - a redhead 
Sounds like Rome has a lot to offer the perfumista, though you are right that Paris rather steals the European show. And do I infer that Asali was with you on this holiday as well? How lovely if so.
Oh, I am not sure that Electra would be my thing exactly, so no need to enter me in the draw. ‘Radioactive longevity’ is a bit of a red flag to me, hehe. Or an amber one, even. 😉
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Yes, perfumista holidays would not be holidays if it weren’t for Asali. 🙂
Knowing you, I would guess Electra would definitely be one you might want to avoid. 😉
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I’m thoroughly enjoying reading the accounts of the Rome trip both on Suzanne’s and your blog. I need to bookmark this post for all the perfume info, for when I visit Rome again (which I very much hope will happen..:))
The Giulietta Capuleti sounds gorgeous- but that price tag!!!
oh and please enter me in the draw..:)
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Thank you Lavanya. 🙂 Suzanne certainly did quite a story on our Rome adventure.
Giulietta is really gorgeous – who knows, I might get really rich some day and then I would choose it as my perfectly elegant rose perfume.
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I’ve added the link to the Perfume Shopping around the World page on my blog and Ines will get an updated version for her site soon as well so no need to make any bookmarks.
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Thank you! 🙂
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Heya Ines,
Stating my DEFINITE interest! I really like the Sigilli line and have a FB of Athunis. YUMMO!
Portia xx
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Portia, you’re in. I can definitely imagine you wearing Electra and rocking it. 🙂
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Rome is eternal ! draw sounds great
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Eternal is a great description. 🙂
Good luck.
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great posts on your roman journey, hope you’ll return there for more..
would love to win “Electra”- it sounds so tempting
Thanks a lot
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I was just told today by a colleague that since I haven’t thrown a coin in the Trevi fountain, my return to Rome might be in question. 😉
Not if you ask me though. 🙂
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Dear Ines, thanks for making me remember and relive our perfume sniffing. I found Guliletta the other day unpacking, and it really is a great rose perfume. And the blond girl really was wonderful, as you said rare to find a SA seeking out perfumes for you who actually guesses right. Since I already tried Electra no need to enter me 🙂 Good luck to everybody else though
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I know! I’m a bit upset with myself that I didn’t remember to ask her name so I can point everyone in her direction. Although I guess even by description she wouldn’t be hard to recognize.
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Ines, I’m really glad you posted this as it made me realize that I want to look up the notes for The Party in Paris, which I smelled at that first boutique. And now I know the name of that uber-expensive and exquisite rose perfume. (You also made me realize that I mistakenly reported that I bought Prada Infusion d’Iris at Campomarzio 70, when in fact I got it from HB.)
I thought all of the sales assistants we had in Italy were outstanding, but that beautiful young blonde at Campomarzio 70 was even more so, as you noted. She was on the same league as Francois Henin in Paris!
No need to enter me in your drawing. Enjoy your Electra!
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You’re right, we did get some outstanding SAs in Italy. 🙂
But the blonde girl was really amazing, I couldn’t agree more with your sentiment.
Thank you – and you enjoy your Prada, and let us know what kind of comments you receive. 😉
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The only name (other than Asali and Suzanne) that I recognized in your story was Guerlain 😉 It sounds like you all had a great trip – perfume and otherwise.
Please, enter me into the draw.
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Actually Undina, before Rome, Guerlain would have been the only name I recognize as well. And Iris Nazarena. 🙂
You’re in.
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No need to enter me in the draw, but thank you for sharing pics from your trip! 🙂 It looks so fun, and I’m jealous I couldn’t tag along (not only for the company, but for the shop that procures old Guerlain – eek!). So glad you had a good time.
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Thank you Natalie. 🙂
At least to cause some jealousy in you after we all jealously followed your European tour this summer.
It would have been wonderful to have you along though. 😀
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I have now also caught up with Suzanne’s account, where there is incontrovertible photo evidence of Asali’s attendance on your Roman holiday!
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The evidence exists, it’s just well hidden. 😉
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[…] was one of my purchases while in Rome with Suzanne, Mark and Ines last summer. I like to buy fragrances while away as a memory, so in this instance it was important […]
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