Orange is a juicy, sweet citrus note from the peel of the orange fruit, most often the sweet orange, Citrus × sinensis, and sometimes the bitter orange, Citrus × aurantium. It is the most familiar of all citrus smells, cheerful and sunny, and it appears in countless fragrances, from colognes to ambers.
What does Orange smell like?
Orange smells sweet, juicy and bright, with a zesty top and a warm, fruity body. Sweet orange is round and friendly, like freshly peeled fruit; bitter orange peel is drier, greener and more aromatic, with a bitter, slightly floral nuance. The bitter orange tree also gives neroli (from its blossom) and petitgrain (from its leaves), so orange sits at the centre of a whole family of materials. In perfume, the orange note usually refers to the peel oil; orange blossom is a separate floral note.
Where Orange comes from
The sweet orange is a hybrid of pomelo and mandarin that originated in southern China. It is now grown worldwide, and huge quantities of peel oil are produced as a by-product of the orange juice industry, particularly in Brazil and the United States.
- Also known as: Sweet orange, bitter orange, Seville orange
- Fragrance family: Citrus
- Type: Natural and synthetic
- Main origins: Brazil, United States, Mexico, Spain, Italy
- How it's obtained: Cold expression of the peel
- Key aroma molecules: Limonene, decanal, octanal, valencene
Orange in perfume history
Bitter orange reached the Mediterranean with Arab traders in the Middle Ages, and the sweet orange followed in the 15th and 16th centuries, carried by Portuguese traders, which is why the word for orange in several languages resembles Portugal. Orange was part of the early citrus colognes, and later became a key component of the fruity, sunny fragrances of the 20th century.
Orange in modern perfumery
Orange is one of the most used natural raw materials in perfumery, partly because it is abundant and inexpensive. It appears in colognes, fruity florals, ambers and gourmands. Modern perfumers often combine it with synthetic aldehydes to give a juicier, fresher effect.
How Orange wears and what it pairs with
Orange is a top note lasting 20 to 40 minutes. It pairs with neroli, petitgrain, orange blossom, vanilla, cinnamon, clove, amber and woods.
Fragrances featuring Orange
- Hermès Eau d'Orange Verte (1979)
- Acqua di Parma Blu Mediterraneo Arancia di Capri
Safety and regulation
Bitter orange peel oil contains phototoxic furocoumarins restricted by IFRA; sweet orange oil is not generally considered phototoxic. Limonene is an EU-declarable allergen.
