What does Citrus smell like?
A citrus accord is, first of all, a spray of zest: tart, sweet and faintly bitter, like the fragrant oil that beads when you fold a peel. Lemon brings liveliness, bergamot a floral, tea-like nuance, orange a sunny roundness. On skin this freshness is brilliant but brief, lasting a few dozen minutes at most. It then hands over to flowers and woods, while colouring the entire first impression of the perfume.
Origin and production
Citrus oils are obtained by cold expression: the peel is pressed mechanically to burst its oil glands, without heat. Italy, especially Calabria and Sicily for bergamot and lemon, remains a benchmark, alongside Spain, Brazil and the United States. Citrus lies at the heart of eau de Cologne, born in eighteenth-century Cologne, and of the whole tradition of fresh colognes that followed.
How perfumers use it
Up top, citrus provides the initial lift and the urge to reach for the bottle again. Perfumers pair it with neroli, petitgrain and aromatic herbs such as rosemary, then anchor it in vetiver, musks or oakmoss to extend its freshness. Hugo Boss Boss Bottled opens it onto apple, Gucci Flora sets it over a sparkling floral, and Parfums de Marly Galloway pairs it with pepper.
How to wear it
Citrus is ideal for spring and summer, at the office or on holiday, and suits anyone after an easy, clean freshness.
