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07/25/2020
Yatagan
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Yatagan
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Russian waters are deep
Uncommented fragrances No. 155
My father was already over 40 years old when I was born, had been drafted into the war at the age of 18 and was soon to be taken prisoner of war by the Russians. He was lucky to have had not only horrible but also good experiences and maintained a love for Russia for the rest of his life, a love which some contemporaries find inexplicable. He spoke Russian, travelled Moscow and Leningrad with my mother in the 80s (not a matter of course during the Cold War), listened to Radio Moscow regularly, used Russian leather as after shave (even if it came from Farina in Cologne), but was still not a Russian spy, as some might assume.
That's probably why I also have a strong sympathy for things with a Russian trademark. Also "Russa" - like Russian leather - does not come from Russia, but from sunny Italy, from one of my favourite brands: Santa Maria Novella. The fragrance house from Florence traces its history back to its founding year 1612, although some fragrance recipes are said to be even older (such as the brand's simple Colonia), as the historically guaranteed Farmacia dates back to a monastery pharmacy of 1221. This would probably make it the oldest known pharmacy in the world.
I also like the fact that all products, including those from cosmetics production, are manufactured without animal testing, and that they are made exclusively using natural herbs and lipids. Recently there is also a flagship store in Germany in Munich (mdc-core.de).
Furthermore I was once again looking for a new after shave, if possible natural cosmetics (see my collection 'Grooming'). I have had particularly good experiences with sensitive skin with many monastery products (e.g. Lotion opaline, Caldey, Ganagobie) and this is also the background of my sympathy for Santa Maria Novella, even if it is no longer a monastery product.
In this respect a whole series of good reasons to test the After Shave / Dopo Barba Russa of Santa Maria Novelle.
This is not a Russian leather product with a birch tar, resin or ambry base, as is often the case, but a light, but thoroughly spicy product similar to cologne. Citrus, bergamot, petitgrain and green notes stand for hesperidic freshness like a cologne / a light cologne, the clove provides a dark colouring and the Russian temperament (Attention: cliché!). Benzoin should provide a resinous-balsamic base note, it does, too, but not as strong as some might expect, but very subtle, very weak, rather subdued. Both fragrances fit well into my collection of black colognes (see there)
My father was already over 40 years old when I was born, had been drafted into the war at the age of 18 and was soon to be taken prisoner of war by the Russians. He was lucky to have had not only horrible but also good experiences and maintained a love for Russia for the rest of his life, a love which some contemporaries find inexplicable. He spoke Russian, travelled Moscow and Leningrad with my mother in the 80s (not a matter of course during the Cold War), listened to Radio Moscow regularly, used Russian leather as after shave (even if it came from Farina in Cologne), but was still not a Russian spy, as some might assume.
That's probably why I also have a strong sympathy for things with a Russian trademark. Also "Russa" - like Russian leather - does not come from Russia, but from sunny Italy, from one of my favourite brands: Santa Maria Novella. The fragrance house from Florence traces its history back to its founding year 1612, although some fragrance recipes are said to be even older (such as the brand's simple Colonia), as the historically guaranteed Farmacia dates back to a monastery pharmacy of 1221. This would probably make it the oldest known pharmacy in the world.
I also like the fact that all products, including those from cosmetics production, are manufactured without animal testing, and that they are made exclusively using natural herbs and lipids. Recently there is also a flagship store in Germany in Munich (mdc-core.de).
Furthermore I was once again looking for a new after shave, if possible natural cosmetics (see my collection 'Grooming'). I have had particularly good experiences with sensitive skin with many monastery products (e.g. Lotion opaline, Caldey, Ganagobie) and this is also the background of my sympathy for Santa Maria Novella, even if it is no longer a monastery product.
In this respect a whole series of good reasons to test the After Shave / Dopo Barba Russa of Santa Maria Novelle.
This is not a Russian leather product with a birch tar, resin or ambry base, as is often the case, but a light, but thoroughly spicy product similar to cologne. Citrus, bergamot, petitgrain and green notes stand for hesperidic freshness like a cologne / a light cologne, the clove provides a dark colouring and the Russian temperament (Attention: cliché!). Benzoin should provide a resinous-balsamic base note, it does, too, but not as strong as some might expect, but very subtle, very weak, rather subdued. Both fragrances fit well into my collection of black colognes (see there)
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