Fresh · Natural material · Top notes, Heart notes
Juniper
Juniper is an essential oil distilled from the berries of Juniperus communis, a conifer shrub from the Northern Hemisphere. It smells fresh like pine needles, a little peppery and slightly sweet. Juniper most often appears in the top or heart notes, alongside lavender, citrus and woods.
· Written by the FRAG team
What does juniper smell like?
Juniper opens with a sharp freshness, like crushed pine needles and cold forest air. Behind it there is a peppery note and a touch of sweetness. Many people know the smell from gin, since juniper berries are its main botanical.
Once the opening settles, juniper becomes cleaner and slightly woody, with a thin resinous feel. Juniper is not sweet like vanilla, so perfumers use it when they want a fresh, tidy effect.
What are juniper berries?
Juniperus communis is a conifer shrub that grows widely in cool regions of Europe, Asia and North America. What we call juniper berries are actually small fleshy cones that look like purple-black berries.
Juniper oil is steam distilled from ripe, dried berries. Producers include the Balkan countries, Italy and India. Oil from the twigs and needles also exists, but it smells harsher, close to turpentine, so perfumery prefers the berry oil.
Juniper's role in a perfume
Juniper most often sits in the top and heart notes. It brings a cool, woody freshness to the opening and links citrus at the top with woods underneath. Because it evaporates fairly quickly, juniper is clearest in the first minutes.
In aromatic perfumes, juniper usually meets lavender, rosemary and black pepper, with bergamot at the top and cedar or vetiver in the base. Juniper turns up in many fresh and woody perfumes.
When to wear a juniper perfume
A perfume with juniper is comfortable in hot weather because it feels fresh and unsweet. Blends that pair juniper with citrus suit daytime and work. When juniper meets woods and spices, it gains depth and works in the evening too.
