As a child, I was very fond of tea with bergamot. But the fact that bergamot is citrus, and not an herb like mint or thyme, I, to my shame, learned when I got carried away with perfumery. Bergamot, whose golden yellow thick skin is rich in essential oils, is one of the frequent ingredients in citrus aromas. He is often accompanied by lemon, tangerine and red grapefruit. Citrus is arguably one of the oldest perfume ingredients, which is not surprising given the many amazing properties of their essential oils, from antiseptic to psychotherapeutic.
Pure citrus notes are rarely used. As a rule, they are "assigned" to play the top notes, assigning floral, woody or spicy notes to the role of heart and base. In such aromas, citruses are the first thing that our nose hears (and often this determines the not quite correct impression of the aroma as a whole). It is better to take your time to get acquainted with citrus aromas (most often we are talking about floral-citrus, fruit-citrus or spicy-citruos). Let the scent live on your skin before you announce your verdict. The first impression of most scents is wrong. For citrus scents, this rule is doubly true.
Speaking of errors of perception. Nowadays, aromas with citrus notes are often undeservedly bypassed, considering them too “simple” or even associating them with household chemicals. Believe me, expensive citrus aromas have nothing to do with the smells of chemical lemon. I propose to work together to fight stereotypes using the right examples.
Orange Mood: Eau de Mandarine Ambree, Hermes
What do you associate tangerines with? I bet happy holiday. New Year, gifts under the tree, and a scattering of fresh tangerines on the table. Oh, how fresh crusts smell! The very mischievous Eau de Mandarine Ambree from Hermes evokes about the same associations. The aroma-bully - in the first chord it sounds like you ate tangerines and, as in childhood, accidentally smeared it with juice. However, there is no need to wait for some kind of disclosure. The scent is conventionally simple: Hermes perfumers, as always, are not ready to reveal all the secrets of the olfactory pyramid of the scent, declaring only three leading components - mandarin, passionfruit and amber. But in this simplicity lies its non-triviality. Want a holiday - get it and sign it.
By the way, Eau de Mandarine Ambree is one of five such "mono" fragrances released in cologne concentration. And this is part of the concept of the Les Parfums Nouvelles family: to give the opportunity to concentrate on a specific moment. "Moment" is the key word. Eau de Mandarine Ambree doesn’t have to wait for a perfume to last. The scent of tangerines won't haunt you all day. That is why he is beautiful. Bright, juicy, hooligan, but at the same time unobtrusive. In the end, if you want to extend the charm of the holiday, you can make a new "zilch".
The composition includes aromatic notes of mandarin, passionfruit, amber.
For whom: for her (and a little for him)
Peonies and Citruses: Eau Florale, Victorinox Swiss Army
The rose has thorns, and the Swiss brand Victorinox, famous for its folding (and not only) knives, has a perfume line, which this year, if we are not mistaken, has replenished with its 16th fragrance. Eau Florale is, of course, a celebration of the soul, and the young one (and this is not about age, but about inner self-awareness). A tangerine-currant burst of emotions (with a touch of pink grapefruit), mixing with bright peonies, jasmine and violet flowers - it's hard to say which is more in this perfume, flowers or citrus. All these fresh, sparkling notes end up beautifully on a sensual base of cedarwood, white musk and cashmeran. It opens up on the skin very individually, but it is definitely worthy of at least a "test" (as aromaholics like to say).
The composition includes aromatic notes of mandarin, black currant, peach, pink grapefruit, peony, jasmine, violet, cashmeran, cedar, white musk.
For whom: for her
Lemons and Lilies: Agude Loewe Ella, Loewe
Loewe in 2009 created a perfume ode to flowers and green citrus. Lemon, bergamot and kumquat are clearly audible in it. But they sound soft, even delicate, for which, of course, we should thank the water and garden lilies. Delicate, transparent, fresh floral-citrus flair. Romantic and unobtrusive, the scent will perfectly fit into any dress code.
The composition includes aromatic notes of kumquat, lemon, bergamot, water lily, rose petals, passion flower, bourbon pepper, Moroccan cedar, musk and sandalwood from the state of Mysore (India).
For whom: for her
Jasmine in Lemon Peel: Alien Eau Sublime, Mugler
One of the most beautiful "newcomers" of Thierry Mugler's perfume line. The signature "jasmine" base, which is in the entire Alien line, here sounds against the background of citruses: lemon, orange and tangerine. The fragrance has a frankly citrus beginning, which is confusing, but the next minute the luxurious white flowers of Arabian jasmine are revealed on the skin in the sweet-sour haze of lemon zest with vanilla.
The composition includes aromatic notes of lemon, arabic jasmine, orange, mandarin, galbanum, heliotrope, tare, cherry blossom, orange blossom, cashmeran, vetiver, amber and vanilla.
For whom: for her
Orange, Period: Totem Orange, Kenzo
Orange. Cheeky, real, juicy red citrus. An uplifting fragrance that evokes persistent associations with the main holiday of the year (even though there are no mandarin notes in the pyramid). Kenzo has always succeeded in perfume provocations. This fragrance is no exception. It is persistently addictive: the hand itself reaches for the bottle every time it is cloudy outside the window and the soul asks for a portion of positive.
The composition includes aromatic notes of bitter orange, lemon, lemon blossom, fig tree, peach, vetiver, white cedar and cocoa.
For whom: for her and for him
He's not there, but he is: Pomelo Fizz, Comptoir Sud Pacifique
To (not) believe what was written: inside the bottle with an orange sticker, the juicy pulp of the pomelo really hides, even if completely different notes are responsible for this olfactory illusion. Surprisingly, the combination of grapefruit and black currant gives the complete feeling that somewhere nearby someone was secretly eating a sweet pomelo fruit. 100% citrus, joyful perfume, new in 2017, which you should definitely get to know better.
The composition includes aromatic notes of bergamot, grapefruit, black currant, tangerine, orange blossom, artemisia, musk, myrrh and amber.
For whom: for her and for him
Tactful Mandarin: Mandarine, Il Profvmo
Degree mandarin, unobtrusive, not trailing, slimy to the skin, mixed with woody notes. Not sweet, not bitter. Such a very sedate perfume. Unisex in its pure form - elegantly sounds on a woman, elegant on a man. It is also a great option for experiments on layering, where it will be assigned the role of a base.
The composition includes aromatic notes of mandarin, orange blossom, lychee, heliotrope, calicant, sweet mint and atlas cedar.
For whom: for her and for him
Bergamot tea: AquAllegoriBergamote Calabria, Guerlain
Bright sonorous bergamot, green tea with lemon and ginger, fresh and spicy at the same time (due to all the combination of notes of ginger and citrus). Perhaps a little more masculine than stated ("unisex" is a relative term), a little more brutal than other citrus scents in our collection. Perhaps you should start your acquaintance with this 2017 new product from Guerlain, inhaling the scent from the skin of your beloved man.
The composition includes aromatic notes of Calabrian bergamot, petitgrain, cardamom, ginger, white musk.
For whom: for her and for him
Photo: Marie Claire
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