Goji Berries is a fruity accord inspired by the small orange-red berries of Lycium barbarum, the Chinese wolfberry. Because the fruit has a faint scent of its own, perfumers treat it as an interpretation, giving a tangy, lightly sweet red-berry effect with a slightly herbal, dried-fruit edge.

What does Goji Berries smell like?

In perfume, goji usually smells like a tart, juicy red berry, somewhere between cranberry and redcurrant, with a hint of dried fruit and a gentle, almost tomato-leaf greenness. It is less candied than strawberry and less violet-like than raspberry, and brands often use it to add a healthy, modern-sounding fruitiness. Versions vary widely, so the note is best read as a bright red berry with a slightly exotic twist.

How perfumers create Goji Berries

There is no goji extract in fine perfumery, so the note is composed. Perfumers typically start with a red-berry base of raspberry ketone and fruity esters, add a tart facet from blackcurrant or citrus materials, and use a touch of damascone or dried-fruit notes to hint at the dried berries most people know. Green or herbal materials can add freshness.

• Also known as: Goji, wolfberry, Chinese wolfberry, Lycium barbarum
• Fragrance family: Fruity
• Type: Accord (created by the perfumer)
• How it's obtained: Red-berry accord with tart and dried-fruit nuances
• Key aroma molecules: Raspberry ketone, fruity esters, damascones

Goji Berries in perfume history

The shrub is native to China, and the Ningxia region has grown it along the Yellow River floodplains for centuries; it was introduced to Britain in the 1730s, where it earned the name Duke of Argyll's tea tree. Goji has no perfumery history of its own and only appeared in note lists after it became fashionable as a health food in Western markets.

Goji Berries in modern perfumery

Goji is used mainly in mainstream fruity florals, body mists and shower products, where its name adds a fresh, wellness-flavoured appeal. It is rare in niche perfumery.

How Goji Berries wears and what it pairs with

Goji is a top-to-heart note that fades within a few hours into florals and musks. It pairs with pomegranate, pink pepper, peony, rose, freesia, white musk and light woods.