As summer approaches and the heat is already well established, it is an article all in freshness that we propose you today. Let’s go together to discover the perfume of lemon and all its shades, this emblematic ingredient with tonic and acidulous notes. Its citrusy essence titillates the sense of smell to make us travel between Sicily and California… Departure soon!
The mythical and ancestral perfume of lemon
The origins of the lemon
If its consumption is widespread throughout the world, the history of the lemon is still rather unknown. It would find its geographical origin in the region of Kashmir. The first traces of its culture go back to more than 3000 years in this area on the borders of India and China. The citrus fruit then travelled along the Silk Road to the Middle East where the Hebrews learned to cultivate it. At the time, the fruit did not have much in common with the lemon we know today. It looks more like a citron, a greenish fruit with a dented rind that is still grown in Corsica today. For some, the lemon that we know well from now on would be born from the crossing between this famous citron, a grapefruit and an orange bigarade.
The Romans and the Greeks then integrated it into their pharmacopoeia and their food. A few centuries later, the Arab civilization spread the precious fruit to Spain, Portugal and the Maghreb. The lemon continued its conquest of the world thanks to Christopher Columbus who brought it to the Dominican Republic and Haiti. At the end of the 15th century, the Portuguese planted lemon trees in Brazil and Florida, where the fruit still flourishes today. Today, it is grown mainly in Latin America, the United States and Italy, especially in Sicily.
A fruit of a thousand virtues
The lemon has more than one trick up its peel! If it has won the hearts (and noses) of the whole world, it is because this small fruit contains a multitude of properties as well as an unequalled taste and perfume. There are many different varieties of lemon, each with a more or less pronounced acidity and different flavors. The yellow lemon is the most widespread and most consumed one. We also think of the caviar lemon, or yuzu or the Hand of Buddha or the famous lime.
This citrus fruit is often considered as a true “alicament”, i.e. a food that heals. Packed with vitamin C, this ingredient is a natural remedy that has been used for centuries to treat infections and headaches. A powerful antioxidant, its juice purifies the skin and is also an ally of your digestion. Its essence is even said to enhance the creativity of those who breathe it… In short, lemon has it all!
The lemon, from the flower to the seeds
Unlike other plants and many fruits, all parts of the lemon can be used. In fact, each part of the lemon tree has interesting virtues and benefits. The leaves and young shoots of the tree can be distilled to produce a lemon petitgrain essence. This fresh material has relaxing and energizing properties. The delicate white flowers can also be extracted to obtain a hydrolat, a true floral elixir. Also, the peel of the fruit is widely appreciated by cooks and cosmetic manufacturers. We also think about the astringent juice and the acidic pulp have numerous applications in cooking and phytotherapy. Finally, the dried and crushed seeds will relieve nausea.
The use of lemon in perfume
Freshness in the peel
Like for all other citrus fruits (orange, bergamot, grapefruit…), lemon essential oil is obtained by the cold expression method. This mechanical process is almost exclusively reserved for citrus fruits since it is the only way to obtain their precious essence. Indeed, the other traditional methods of extraction (of which we speak her), do not make it possible to recover the odorous oil of these fruits. This one is in fact contained in glands, like small bags, which are located at the level of their peel.
Cold expression requires several steps. First, the fruit is carefully rinsed with water. Once clean, the lemon peel is recovered and crushed, then pressed with a large mechanical press. We obtain a kind of juice that contains the essential oil but also water and “fragments”. This juice is centrifuged to separate the essence from the rest. The recovered oil is then steam distilled to produce lemon essential oil. This natural raw material can now be integrated into compositions by perfumers.
Zoom on the lemon perfume
Like its tangy taste, the perfume of lemon is tonic and refreshing. This note is assimilated to the olfactory family of the citrus. The essence of the fruit offers us floral and fruity nuances at the same time. The perfume of lemon essential oil is of course acidic, with a raspy and sweet side. A top note par excellence, lemon reveals itself during the first few minutes of the fragrance and then evaporates gently. A volatile ingredient, it generally ensures a fresh and uplifting start to compositions. It is an essential and indispensable essence in the perfumer’s palette. Multi-faceted, lemon goes well with almost all formulas, both feminine and masculine.
In colognes yes, but not only…
Thanks to its unparalleled freshness, the perfume of lemon has long been considered a basic element in the creation of colognes. If noses still use it in these refreshing and energizing fragrances, lemon has gradually been democratized in all types of perfume. It can then be combined with floral notes to add pep and depth. Its essential oil also marries wonderfully with oriental notes to diffuse a lot of freshness at the top. Moreover, the fruit invites itself in the woody and fern accords and also illuminate the chypre perfumes.
The perfume of lemon & Carrément Belle
At Carrément Belle, we love to tickle your nose with a touch of acidity! All the nuances of lemon are expressed in different ways in several of our compositions…
Lemon and mysterious breath: 555
In a completely different proposition, the perfume of lemon refreshes the powdery and bursting notes of 555. In this mysterious eau de parfum, the essence of lemon is discovered at the start. A citrusy and slightly sweet sensation comes then to titillate the sense of smell. Then, the freshness gives way to the heat of spices and a touch of pepper. It is finally a wake full of sensuality thanks to the amber incense which settles durably on your skin…
Freshness bath with alõ
Let’s end our lemon journey with a cocktail to enjoy with your feet in the water! With alõ, the scent of lemon complements a citrusy and shivering top note where the power of gin and ginger mingle. Once the nose is aroused, a marine heart takes the fragrance to new olfactory horizons. Now reinvigorated, you can quietly let yourself go in the soothing and smoky warmth of a comforting vetiver…
Do you like the scent of lemon?
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