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Italy’s lemon perfumery

Italy’s hidden perfume gem: a celebration of Southern Italian lemons

positano perfumes

The drive from Naples airport along the Amalfi Coast Highway to picturesque vacation town of Positano is famous for its hairpin bends, zigzags, and breathtaking views of the Mediterranean sea. The road it literally cut into the mountain and you’ll peer over the narrow road straight down over sheer cliffs onto rugged shorelines. The Campania region is a popular vacation destination and by 11 am in the morning, the road is crawling with scooters, buses, produce trucks and rental cars. Much of the traffic comes from mammoth cruise ships who port for the day in Naples.

positano

Thank goodness for the cliffside lemon groves and terraced vineyards. Weary travellers can pull up to little produce stands that offer the most delicious lemon granitas (an icy beverage made of chopped ice, fresh lemon juice and sugar. Thanks for the volcanic ash from nearby Mount Etna, the lemons grow to mammoth proportions. They look more like small melons than the small fruit we see at our local grocery stores. Even better, the aroma of these lemons is unlike anything you’ve ever smelled.

lemon tree in positano

“The best lemons in the world are grown in Southern Italy,” explains Gennaro Barba, a fourth generation perfumer who operates one of Italy’s most interesting niche perfumeries. “The climate and the soil are ideal for growing lemon, bergamot and oranges and you’ll see groves that hug the mountain in terrace gardens.” It was these lemons that inspired his great grandfather Giuseppeto open a tiny perfume shop in 1922 called Profumi di Positano that began by making soap and then citrus-based scents.

profumi di positano lemon soap

You can still buy the original soap formula from 1922 that is incredibly moisturizing thanks to olive oil produced nearby. “We have just recently reformulated the original soap keeping the same scent and qualities but using sustainable ingredients. As you can imagine, many of the ingredients used in 1922 are no longer appropriate for this generation.”

gennaro positano perfumer

Forth generation perfumer Gennaro Barba

Gennaro and his wife Filomena live with their family behind the tiny Profumi store at Via C Colombo, 175, mere steps from one of Italy’s most luxurious hotels: Le Sirenuse. The view of the town is breathtaking and you will often see multi-million dollar yachts moored in the bay below. DSquared designers Dean and Dan Caten can often be spotted on their yacht during the day and at the beachside nightclub into the wee hours. “This is a passion for our family and we work to make the very finest fragrances. There are ten to choose from that range from pure lemon citrus to florientals and woody greens.

profumi di positano

Aqva Avrea is one of the finest lemon scents I’ve smelled thanks to the quality of the ingredients. “This is the one you buy if you truly love the scent of fresh lemons.” The formula boasts lemon leaf & blooms, lemon essential oil, lemon zest, lemon wood and wood moss. It’s perfect for both men and women and has a clean, fresh effect.

incanto fragrance profumi di positano

Incanto is a fizzy citrus scent that is meant to evoke summer in the Mediterranean. It contains bergamot, lemon, mandarin, verbena, ginger, myrtle, yellow peach, pomegranate, vetiver and wood moss. There is a gentle aromatic feel that balances the citrus notes nicely.

profumi di positano

“I think the biggest mistake I see when people buy perfume is they rush too fast. They come in and buy the first one they smell. Perfume shouldn’t be rushed and the experience should be pleasurable. Take the time to try a fragrance on your skin. Close your eyes and see what images the fragrance brings up in your mind. I recommend you buy what you love, not what may be in style.” He has a jar of coffee beans ready to clear the palette.

 

profumi di positanoLi Galli is the latest creation and it is constructed using a more formal structure of top, middle and base notes. The fresh woody-green scent has notes of lemon, orange, grapefruit, jasmine, fig leaf, cedar and wood moss. “This is one of my favourites,” he says smiling.

lemons in positano

In the background I can hear rustling and his son Giuseppe has just returned home from school. “Giuseppe is my son. He’s eleven. And last year, he decided to make perfumes for his classmates. For the girls, he made a perfume that smelled like bubble gum. For the boys, he made one that smelled like lemon. He even created labels with the names of his classmates. They actually sold very well and were so popular we stock both in the store now.”

giuseppe barba

The influence of this tiny store may be more profound than you could imagine. The Barba family created a scent called Lime Basil Mandarin in the 1970s. A famous British perfumer would launch a very similar scent in 1999 which became a global smash. It isn’t farfetched to imagine she might have come across this store on vacation and found inspiration.

thepositano view

The view of Positano from the Profumi di Positano boutique

25 Comments

  • Reply
    Yolanda Davis
    June 28, 2018 at 7:42 am

    Great article. You’ve made it sound really lovely. I’d love to be your winner’
    #@yoeydabvis

  • Reply
    Kiri Taylor
    June 28, 2018 at 5:20 am

    I love everything in the article it b very refreshing for the summer

  • Reply
    Paula D
    June 28, 2018 at 5:19 am

    I need this in my life! Where can it be purchased?
    @laspjs

  • Reply
    Anna Roszak-Robinson
    June 27, 2018 at 11:26 pm

    I love everything about this article.

  • Reply
    Trisha Currey-Porter
    June 27, 2018 at 9:30 pm

    I truly loved this inspiring piece Dave! Well done! ????

  • Reply
    HeatherSchell
    June 27, 2018 at 7:26 pm

    This is so beautifully written. You transported me there for a moment, thank you Dave.
    @heagiedonald

  • Reply
    Cynthia Knisely
    June 27, 2018 at 7:21 pm

    Thank you for sharing this information. I would like this fragrance for summer. @cynderma

  • Reply
    Emily Mitton
    June 27, 2018 at 4:27 pm

    This looks and sounds like heaven!!!

  • Reply
    Cynthia Beckwith
    June 27, 2018 at 3:04 pm

    Thank you Dave, for introducing me to this little slice of heaven. I could smell the lemons and the ocean through your words and photos. I gravitate toward citrus scents. One of my favourites is Bulgari Extreme for women.
    @Cynthia_in_TO

  • Reply
    Cynthia Sacks
    June 27, 2018 at 2:32 pm

    Thanks for this incredible story. Now I want to go to Italy even more. Lemons forever!

  • Reply
    Cathy Schell
    June 27, 2018 at 1:50 pm

    How wonderful! Dave, do you know if these folks ship outside Italy? I’ve been crazy about lemon scent my whole life and would love to get their Aqva Avrea
    Thanks and enjoy your trip! I’m sure enjoying it vicariously!! 😀
    @CBSisme

  • Reply
    Claudia Davis
    June 27, 2018 at 1:35 pm

    Can we order from this store?

  • Reply
    Leona Coleman
    June 27, 2018 at 12:49 pm

    Hi Dave

    Love lemons and adore Italy. That would make a fantastic holiday. ????????????

  • Reply
    Pamela M
    June 27, 2018 at 12:46 pm

    I so enjoyed reading this. I felt like I could smell the scents as they were being described. I do love the fresh scent of lemons. The Aqva Arvea sounds amazing. Thank you for such a lovely read this morning Dave ! ???????????? I’d love to know if these are available online ? Thank you ????

  • Reply
    Maryann Currie
    June 27, 2018 at 11:54 am

    WOW! That sounds wonderful. I love the smell of citrus I sure would love to try that

  • Reply
    denise
    June 27, 2018 at 11:28 am

    I bet it smells divine

    @momof3boysj

  • Reply
    Kay
    June 27, 2018 at 11:12 am

    Lovely – hope to get there sometime. Love lemons and citrus of all descriptions. Thank you.

  • Reply
    September Dee
    June 27, 2018 at 11:00 am

    I’ve been bonkers for all things lemon this summer! This article really showcases the region and pays hommage to the loveliest little shop. Hope to see it one day. The beautiful photos make me want to go right now!

  • Reply
    Christine
    June 27, 2018 at 10:25 am

    Thank you, I so enjoyed reading this. I went to Positano a few years ago and the scenery was incredible, but most of all the lovely shops selling lemon soaps and products. I don’t remember this store in particular but it makes me feel like going back to visit it.

  • Reply
    Flossie
    June 27, 2018 at 9:30 am

    I could almost smell the lemon sent, what a beautiful article and those pictures are beautiful , I think I’m going to put this on my bucket list, what a beautiful place to sit back and take it all in

  • Reply
    Linda L
    June 27, 2018 at 8:44 am

    Such an informative article ❤Dave! I’m proud to say my parents were from the Campania region and I have visited a few times. My father loved Positano while working in Salerno. The lemon trees are amazing and perhaps why my father’s cologne always had a lemon scent. @linlett60

  • Reply
    Robbin Goff
    June 27, 2018 at 8:26 am

    CATHY WAYNE…. I am so jealous!! Have a wonderful trip and enjoy!

  • Reply
    Cathy Wayne
    June 27, 2018 at 8:19 am

    I am going this summer! Thanks for the tip…i will check it out!!

  • Reply
    Allie Futterer
    June 27, 2018 at 7:30 am

    AHHH I adore Positano so know I’d love this!

  • Reply
    Barbara Wallace
    June 27, 2018 at 7:24 am

    Thank you for transporting me to Italy this morning Dave! What a beautifully descriptive article. And my love of citrus scents has been elevated to a new level after reading and imagining the views and scents you experienced. I just make this bucket list desire a reality very soon!

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