What does Orange smell like?
Sweet orange recalls the fruit as you peel it: juice, pulp and oily zest, with an almost candied sweetness. Bitter orange, or bigarade, is drier and greener, with an elegant bitterness. Either way the smell is sparkling and bright. On skin it is volatile, so its sparkle is short-lived, but it colours the first minutes of a fragrance and leaves a fruity warmth that melts into the heart notes.
Origin and production
Sweet orange, Citrus sinensis, is produced in vast quantities in Brazil and the United States, notably Florida, and its oil is a by-product of the juice industry, obtained by cold-pressing the peel. Bitter orange, Citrus aurantium, grown around the Mediterranean, also yields neroli and petitgrain. Rich in limonene, orange oil is one of the most affordable natural materials in perfumery and a historic pillar of eau de Cologne.
How perfumers use it
Orange nearly always sits in the top. It pairs with bergamot, lemon, neroli, spices, vanilla and woods. Acqua di Parma's Colonia weaves it into classic citrus freshness; Terre d'Hermès combines it with grapefruit and vetiver for a mineral woodiness, and Hermès's Eau des Merveilles pairs it with amber for a bright, salty contrast. It gives any composition an instant smile.
How to wear it
Orange suits spring and summer, and winter too in spicy compositions. It appeals to people who like cheerful, sunny, easy fragrances.
