What does Blood Orange smell like?
Blood orange smells of squeezed zest, but with denser flesh than regular orange: you catch raspberry, redcurrant, sometimes a hint of bitter grapefruit. The opening is fizzy and sunny. Like all citrus notes it fades fairly quickly on skin, handing over to the heart, yet it tints the whole impression of the perfume with a lasting fruity liveliness. Think of a Sicilian breakfast glass rather than a candy.
Origin and production
Blood oranges are varieties of Citrus sinensis such as Tarocco, Moro and Sanguinello, grown mainly in Sicily around Mount Etna, where cold nights encourage the red pigmentation. Blood orange oil is cold-pressed from the peel. In many perfumes, though, the note is rebuilt as an accord, blending sweet orange, mandarin and red-berry notes to amplify its fruitiness and improve its presence in the formula.
How perfumers use it
Almost always placed in the top, blood orange opens a composition with a flash of colour. It pairs with fresh spices, honey, white flowers and ambery woods. Jean Paul Gaultier uses it to light up the honey of Scandal, Tom Ford pairs it with peach in Bitter Peach, and Givenchy opens L'Interdit Rouge with it. It gives a more sensual, more vivid energy than bergamot.
How to wear it
Mostly a spring and summer note, blood orange suits people who like cheerful citrus with a little more sweetness than a classic cologne.
