Why Citrus Perfumes Are So Popular Within Scented Products?
Usually associated with the warmer months of the year, citrus perfumes are generally characterized as those containing notes that are fresh, zesty and include fruits such as: sweet orange; juicy clementine; green, sunny mandarin; uplifting grapefruit; dynamic and fresh lemon and clean, sharp lime as well as citrusy raw mate.rials such as gingery lemongrass, delicate and delightful verbena and slightly floral and highly faceted bergamot
They represent a unique olfactory family, as they are known to enhance all fragrance family themes.
Despite their dynamic nature and power, citrus notes are fleeting and volatile.
The citrus fragrance family has a rich and colorful history dating back to the glory days of Alexander The Great, who upon returning from an Asian expedition, transported citron plants to Greece.
Their use spread in the 10th century to Arab Mediterranean cultures who cultivated bitter orange. Bergamot first appeared in Calabria during the 15th century.
The first citrus notes used in perfumery date back to 1370 with the creation of the first perfumed composition, the Queen of Hungary water, which contained rosemary, sage, cedar and bergamot.
The birth of the citrus scent as we know it today occurred in the 17th century with the development of the world’s first eau de cologne, which contained lemon, bergamot, petit-grain and neroli.
Why Are Citrus Scents So Popular?
The term, citrus, applies to a wide range of olfactory formulations.
It may refer to either natural orange, lemon, grapefruit, lime, bergamot, mandarin, tangerine, or even citronella, which is not a citrus fruit but odor-wise, still fits into this category.
Citrus can be juicy, bitter, sulfurous, herbal, green, tough and leathery or sparkling fresh and clean.
The citrus perfumes created by our master perfumers are piquant, sparkling and pleasing, and their bright, invigorating character, which derives from the rich essential oils present in fruits, renders them ideal for daylight hours.
Scents like lemon and orange may be well known for their Vitamin C properties, but simply by sniffing the fruit, they also are energy boosters.
They also provide ideal aromatherapy for anxiety, and research from the U.S. National Library of Medicine indicates that lemon and sweet orange oil, among other citrus scents, have a positive effect on physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing.
This occurs because the smell of citrus has a beneficial effect on the limbic sector of our brains, which controls emotions and memory formation. Its aroma is calming and soothing.
Citrus notes are absolutely fresh, rendering perfumes extremely airy and light.
They are subtle, rather than potent and pure, lively, fresh and light.
Citrus oils, which are sometimes referred to as “liquid sunshine,” can help reduce feelings of anxiety and irritability.
They blend well with other botanical elements as well such as: lemon thyme and lemon basil.
The genetic constitution of these two particular types produce oils dominated by citral and geraniol, which render a totally different olfactory impression from standard conventional oils.
Relevant Citrus-Related Studies
A white paper entitled Scents and Moods written by Susan Minamyer, M.A. in Psychology, from Roosevelt University, indicated that animal studies using citrus oils of bergamot and lemon found that inhalation in rats affected mood altering hormones.
It further revealed that inhaling pink grapefruit essential oil regulated the nervous system, affecting both blood pressure and appetite.
In the case of humans, inhaling citrus scents, reduced stress levels in elementary school teachers, less anxiety in patients awaiting surgery and in anxiety in both men and women awaiting a stressful dental procedure, and less fatigue in healthy women.
The effects of a pleasant citrus fragrance on work-related behavior were also examined.
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Subjects were asked to complete a word construction task featuring both low and high stress levels, and it was noted that the presence of a pleasant citrus fragrance significantly enhanced performance under both conditions.
