Citrus · Natural material · Top notes
Citron
Citron is the fruit of Citrus medica, one of the original citrus species behind many others, known in Indonesia as jeruk sukade. It smells fresh like lemon zest, but softer, drier and slightly sweet. In perfume, citron sits in the top notes and is often listed as cedrat, its French name.
· Written by the FRAG team
What does citron smell like?
Citron smells like freshly grated lemon zest, but less sharp than lemon. There is a dry, slightly sweet side, like citrus peel turned into candy. That makes citron feel fresh without a biting sourness.
On skin, citron shows up in the first minutes and then fades like other citrus. The main component of citron oil is limonene, which is also common in other citrus peels, so citron blends easily with lemon and bergamot.
Where does citron come from?
Citron is one of the original citrus fruits. Many of the citrus fruits we know today came from crosses between citron, pomelo and mandarin. The citron fruit is large, with a very thick rind and dry flesh that holds little juice.
The thick rind is often cooked in sugar to make candied peel, called succade, for cakes. In Indonesia citron is called jeruk sukade or jeruk pepaya, and the Bugis know it as lemo pattasi. Citron oil, also called cedrat, has a long history in perfumery.
What citron does in a perfume
Citron usually sits in the top notes with lemon, bergamot or ginger. It makes the opening bright and clean, with a smoother side than lemon. You often find citron in citrus and fresh perfumes, and in colognes.
Because citron evaporates quickly, perfumes usually pair it with petitgrain or musk so that the fresh feeling carries into the next layer. In hot weather citron evaporates even faster, so the base of the perfume decides how long the clean feeling stays.
When to wear citron
Citron suits daytime, hot weather and outdoor plans. It is light and unsweet, so it is easy to wear to the office or campus without feeling like too much. In humid weather, a small second spray brings the citrus back.
