Santa Maria Novella

The minuscule London outpost of the famed Florentine pharmacy, founded by Dominican friars, sells beautifully packaged lotions, perfumes, eaux de colognes, exfoliating powders, pot pourri, scented paper and soaps. The shop can’t compete with the Italian version, located in a 13th-century frescoed chapel, but the products from one of the world’s oldest herbal pharmacies (the company was officially founded in 1612, though its origins date back as far as 1221) are the same; in fact, the lavender smelling salts and ‘anti-hysteria’ Acqua de Santa Maria Novella are practically unchanged formulas. Other renowned items include orange blossom water and pomegranate perfume.