Lime (Citrus aurantifolia) belongs to the citrus family. Although very similar to lemon, it has a more intense, fresher, and sharper scent than lemon, and at the same time, juicier. When you smell the lime in the perfume, you can almost feel the juice of this hesperidic fruit spilling over your tongue and invigorating you. Due to its sharpness, airiness, and vibrant freshness, it is used in perfumes as a top note that awakens, energizes, shocks, and to a lesser extent, seduces our senses.
Originally from India and East Asia, lime was used in ancient tantric rituals to purify the body from evil spirits. Lime was brought to Europe in trade by the Persians. Today, it is grown all over the world, and Mexico has the most significant production.
Lime has found its application in culinary specialties, alternative medicine, cosmetics, and the perfume industry.
Perfumers and perfume lovers adore its fresh, light, and energetic fragrant note. Like other citrus notes, lime is usually used in perfumes as an intense top note. It combines best with other citrus fruits and attracts extraordinary attention in combination with floral notes such as cyclamen, lily, and rose. Like some other citrus notes, the fragrant note of lime adds clarity to many compositions, enhancing the rounded freshness and fullness of the top notes.
The essential oil of lime, which is used to make perfumes, is usually obtained by manual or machine squeezing of the rind of green limes. Squeezed oil is produced in much smaller quantities than distilled and is, therefore, much more expensive. The production of pressed essential oil is most present in the West Indies and on the islands of Grenada, Montserrat, and others that specialize in the production of hand-squeezed oil.
Its rich, intensely fresh, and the sweetly juicy scent is one of many perfumers’ favorites. It makes an exciting combination with neroli in colognes and chypre compositions and an enchanting modern note in aldehydic perfumes. Perfumers characterize it as an irreplaceable top note in too sweet fragrances. To avoid a slightly tiring feeling, which too sweet notes and compositions can give, lime is added to “break” them and complete the perfume with the intense freshness it offers.
Citrus scents are popular because of their energetic properties and their ability to improve our mood. During hot summer days, cologne with lime, like Jo Malone Lime, Basil & Mandarin, is all we need to refresh and evoke fresh sea air, even though we are in the middle of the city, surrounded by streets and skyscrapers. However, the power of this citrus fruit does not stop there. Combined with vanilla and coconut, lime imagines us back to the hot sand, tropical bar, and drinking pina colada under the shade of the straw umbrellas of a local beach bar.
Perfumes with dominant lime fragrance note:
- Areej le Dore Siberian Musk
- Atelier Cedrat Envrant
- Atelier Pacific L.
- Bond no 9 I Love NY for Fathers
- Creed Erolfa
- Creed Virgin Island Water
- Demeter L.
- Escentric Molecules Escentric 03
- Guerlain Homme L’Eau Boisee
- House of Sillage The Classic
- Issey Miyake Bleu Astral
- Jo Malone Lime Basil & Mandarin
- Maison Francis Kurkdjian Aqua Celestia Forte
- Mancera Lemon Line
- Nicolai Balle de Match
- Nobile 1942 Estroverso
- Oriflame Aloha L.
- Ormonde Jayne Isfarkand
- Penhaligon’s Extract of Limes
- Tom Ford Azure L.
- Versace Vanitas
- Zara Lime Tiare
