Citrus · Natural material · Top notes, Heart notes
Neroli
Neroli is a fragrant oil steam distilled from the blossoms of the bitter orange tree. It smells fresh and green like citrus, with a honeyed floral side and a faint metallic edge. In perfume, neroli usually sits in the top or heart notes, bridging a citrus opening and the flowers in the middle.
· Written by the FRAG team
What does neroli smell like?
Neroli smells like orange blossom up close, only fresher and lighter. There is a green side, a slight bitterness and a honey-like sweetness. Some people also pick up a faint metallic or spicy edge. Overall it smells clean and bright.
On skin, neroli starts fresh and then turns more floral. Compared with orange blossom, neroli is lighter and greener, while orange blossom is sweeter, warmer and denser.
Where does neroli come from?
Neroli is made from the blossoms of the bitter orange tree (Citrus × aurantium). The flowers are picked by hand from around late April to early May and then steam distilled. Today the main producers are Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt.
The name is linked to Anne Marie Orsini, princess of Nerola in Italy, who in the late 17th century used bitter orange blossom essence to scent her gloves and bath. From the same flowers, solvent extraction gives orange blossom, which smells different.
How perfumers use neroli
Neroli can sit in the top notes for a fresh opening, or in the heart as a light flower. It is a key part of classic cologne alongside bergamot and lemon. In floral perfumes, neroli makes white flowers such as jasmine feel lighter.
Neroli's natural partners are the other materials from the same tree: bitter orange, petitgrain and orange blossom. Musk in the base softens neroli's clean feel. Neroli placed in the heart usually stays noticeable longer than neroli in the opening, though it still depends on skin, weather and concentration.
When to wear a neroli perfume
Neroli suits daytime, hot weather and occasions that call for a neat scent, such as work or family gatherings. Its clean character also works well for formal daytime events. Paired with musk or jasmine, neroli also carries well into the late afternoon.
