I Found Florence’s Perfume Secret… and Left With Five Bottles
- carryonsandcouture
- Feb 4
- 3 min read
With Florence being a hub for art, history, food, and fashion, it is hard to know which places are the ones that cannot be missed, especially when it comes to shopping. On my first day in Florence, I knew I wanted to do as much local shopping as possible. I must have gone into at least twenty leather shops and fifteen jewelers along Ponte Vecchio. As our day was drawing towards night, I was fortunate enough to stumble upon a perfume shop that had been on my radar, and I couldn’t have been happier to walk into Profumeria Invicta.
Profumeria Invicta Florence: A Hidden Gem for Perfume Lovers
Located steps from the Duomo, Profumeria Invicta is an apothecary and perfumery with a gorgeous selection of niche, higher-end perfumes. The selection in and of itself is impressive, but it’s the staff that truly deserves the recognition.
My mother and I were lucky enough to have been helped by the owner's incredibly thorough and passionate daughter. We must have spent nearly an hour in the shop discussing and smelling different perfumes and colognes, coming out with five unique scents that surpass any collection I’ve ever curated of my own perfumes.
While the shop primarily stocks perfumes, it also has a second room with gorgeous and luxurious hair accessories, as well as some skin- and haircare goods. Even if you are not in the market for a perfume, I recommend popping in for a luxurious new hair clip or styling pin from Profumeria Invicta.
How to Find Your Perfect Vanilla Perfume in Florence
Our perfume shopping experience started off with me asking for recommendations of vanilla-based perfumes, as that's typically what I prefer. After smelling a few, I described the notes I liked, the ones I didn't, and the notes I wished the perfumes included. Through this process of trial and error I came out with three uniquely different vanilla perfumes for myself, and a perfume for my mom, who, although she usually doesn’t like to buy a new bottle until hers is finished, found herself truly in love with the scent she selected.
One of the perfumes I bought was Bon Parfumeur’s 402, which highlights notes of vanilla, caramel, and sandal(wood)?; this has turned into my favorite perfume purchase to date. I also bought Maison Tahité’s VaneXstasy, a warm and welcoming vanilla perfume. If you, like me, prefer vanilla perfumes, you will most definitely find a perfect one for you here, as this line exclusively focuses on vanilla-based scents. Finally, I ended up with an unexpected third bottle, Federico Cantello’s Gourmand Power, which is a very powdery and sweet vanilla that, I found, pairs extremely well with VaneXstasy. Although these scents all have vanilla-based notes, they really shone as standalone scents, and I simply couldn’t stop myself from indulging in all three bottles.
As I was about to pay, I mentioned that my boyfriend was looking for a new cologne as well and was curious if she had any recommendations. I mentioned scents he's worn before and ones he had liked in stores (as well as a few I didn’t prefer), and through A LOT of smelling we found what I thought was the perfect scent. It might sound funny, but shopping for a scent for someone who isn’t with you is a bit nerve-wracking, especially when buying a higher-end cologne. When I got home from this trip though, I was thrilled that my boyfriend loved the smell more than any cologne he’s had before. It was quite the ego boost, I can’t lie. And I also can’t lie that smelling it over and over when I get to see him is quite the compliment as well.
Tips for Visiting Profumeria Invicta: VAT Refunds and Extras
When we were finally ready to pay for our five perfumes, we were also given a few lovely freebies from the owner's husband. It’s important to note as well that Profumeria Invicta does do VAT refunds, so make sure to ask when paying so that you can get some money back if you’re not an EU citizen. Because we bought so much, the refund nearly equaled the amount of one of our perfume bottles.
Out of all the amazing food we ate, wines we drank, items we bought, and art we saw, I must say that our time at Profumeria Invicta was within the top three highlights of my trip to Florence. While we happened upon the shop by chance, I am so grateful for my shopping experience, and if I ever find myself back in the beautiful city, I am certain this shop will be one of my first stops upon entering the city center again.
What To Wear in Florence:
Elevate this look with Ralph Lauren wide leg pants or a Ralph Lauren sweater! Throw in a Celine belt and a Prada re-edition to stun in Florence.
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