Though it was my first time visiting Santa Maria Novella, I was absolutely impressed. There's a large variety of different scents - from light & pure to musky & sharp, as fragrances, soaps, candles and more.
But what really sets this store apart is the staff guiding you through the selection process. Momoko was extremely eloquent and knowledgable about the different layers of scents that each fragrance had. It's one thing for a staff to help you find a scent you like but another thing when they are able to draw out the different notes that you won't notice when you first smell it, until you learn to look for it, through her guidance and expertise. There's a lot of subtlety in fragrances that can be missed or under appreciated as smelling is one of the senses we use the least after all.
I remember the fragrances from this store deeply but also the experiences of smelling, learning and understanding as fondly. I will count the days until my next visit and buy more the next time - hoping that Momoko's insight and articulation is there again to guide me through the process.