One of the world’s oldest pharmacies, Santa Maria Novella was founded in 1221 in Florence by the Dominican Friars who started making herbal remedies and potions to use in the monastery. Their reputation became world renowned and the pharmacy, sponsored by the Grand Duke of Tuscany, opened to the public in 1612. Today Santa Maria Novella still produces all its products in the Florentine region, where each batch is handmade and supervised according to age old recipes and artisan methods.

Armenia Papers: One of Santa Maria Novella's oldest and most intriguing products, Armenia Papers (Carta d’Armenia) are small paper slip soaked in a mixture of infusions of resins and oriental spices. It can be used two ways: it burns without flame and the resulting vapor purifies and perfumes the air like an incense. It may also be used like a sachet to perfume clothing by placing it intact in drawers, suitcases, or closets. 18 scented papers per box.