Floral · Accord · Heart notes, Base notes
Lotus
Lotus is the flower of Nelumbo nucifera, known in Indonesia as seroja and often called teratai. In perfume, lotus smells soft, clean and slightly watery, with a thin floral sweetness. The lotus note is usually a recreated accord and most often sits in the heart notes.
· Written by the FRAG team
What does lotus smell like?
Lotus in perfume smells soft and transparent, like flowers at the edge of a clear pond. There is a cool, dewy feel, a little green and a thin floral sweetness. Lotus is never dense, so it feels clean and light on skin.
The real lotus flower actually smells sweeter and warmer, like honey and earth. The version used in most perfumes is made lighter and more watery, so it fits fresh and modern floral perfumes.
Where lotus comes from and how its scent is made
Nelumbo nucifera is an aquatic plant whose flowers stand upright above the water. In Indonesia it is called seroja, lotus or padma. People often call it teratai, but teratai is really Nymphaea, an unrelated plant whose flowers appear to float on the water.
Lotus absolute does exist, made by solvent extraction, but the yield is small and it is expensive. So most lotus notes in perfume are accords built from watery, green and light floral materials, such as hedione.
Lotus in a perfume
Lotus is most often placed in the heart notes. It bridges a fresh or watery opening and a soft musk base. You often find it in aquatic perfumes, fresh florals and perfumes meant to feel clean without much sweetness.
Good partners for lotus are aquatic and green notes in the opening, jasmine and peony in the heart, then musk in the base. Together they give a bright, dewy floral. The lotus accord itself is light, so musk in the base carries much of the scent, and how long it lasts still depends on skin, weather and concentration.
When to wear a lotus perfume
Lotus suits daytime, hot weather and everyday plans. It is light and clean, so it feels comfortable in humid air and polite in offices or closed rooms without bothering people nearby. With fruity notes, lotus also suits relaxed weekend plans.
