Summer Scent Series: Sweet Citrus

There is something inexplicably refreshing about citrus fruit with its tart, acidic bite. It gives a feeling of vibrance, and a nod to sunny summer days.

I was spoiled growing up with citrus trees in my yard - orange varieties, grapefruit, lemon, kumquat, and even cocktail citrus trees. Rinds were sweetened to perfection under the sun, and the fruit was only picked during peak freshness. But having abundant access to home-grown citrus also ruined my expectations.

It became difficult obtaining anything that measured up. When I moved away from my childhood home, citrus from the grocery store didn't seem fresh or ripe enough in comparison to what I'd had before. I soon realized that finding fragrances to accurately portray the citrus I remembered wasn't an easy task, either - as these notes frequently come across as too-sharp, "cleaner-like", or synthetic.

Over the years, I've been thankful to eventually stumble upon some true citrus masterpieces. So as an ode to sweet citrus, I share with you my favorite sugary-citric summer scents:

🍋 1. So Pink Eau de Toilette

This opens with a burst of just-squeezed, sugar-topped pink grapefruit: the juice-filled flesh of the fruit sprinkled lightly with white sugar, and the slightly-bitter but oh-so-fresh rind. The middle has a bit of greenery with a white floral lift, and dry-down brings the after-taste experience - like the juice dried on a grapefruit's skin.

So Pink is incredibly realistic - no part feels synthetic. It will forever be my number one favorite citrus fragrance, and has been since it was released (I remember buying my first pink metal bottle in the late 90s/early 2000s, so it's been a while!).

Although the OG was discontinued and the newest reformulation is sadly quite different, you can still find sealed boxes of the original formula every now and again if you set up search alerts. It is worth the hunt!

🍋 2. Lemon No. 1999

Lemon notes can often veer into the too-sharp/"lemon cleaning product" or "Lemon Head candy" categories - but Lemon No. 1999 has none of that. It is instead a delightfully hyper-realistic, whole lemon. I get:

- Refreshing, just-grated lemon zest
- Fresh-squeezed lemon juice (only fruit - no added sugar)
- Lemon rind with a hint of solar sweetness, making it bright

Just pure, authentic lemon - in the way nature intended it to be.

🍋 3. White Citrus Fragrance Mist

To me, the "secret weapon" in White Citrus is its ginger flower note. The zesty spice augments the freshness of the grapefruit and lemon zest, amplifying their ability to fulfill a fragrance thirst you didn't know you had. This is a well-blended and unique citrus profile, smelling much more expensive than it is.

Honorable Mentions

🍊 Seville Orange Perfume Oil

Seville might be in the top 3 most gorgeously-composed citrus fragrances I've ever smelled. My nose interprets it as a true-to-life pink grapefruit, with a bit of vivid mandarin orange to sweeten it.

But as lovely as it is, Seville Orange Perfume Oil unfortunately fades fast - within 15-30 minutes of applying (even when generously drenching my skin), it vanishes to nothing more than a whisper of what it was. I understand citrus notes are notorious for longevity issues, but the lasting power here was too poor with my own skin chemistry to justify splurging on a full bottle.

🍊 Pomelo Eau de Parfum

While So Pink Eau de Toilette is a sweet pink grapefruit focused on the fruity flesh, Pomelo Eau de Parfum conveys a more complete picture of the entire branch. To me it's a realistic + acidic grapefruit, bitter pulpy rind, and green leaf + stem. Citric, fresh, and green - not super sweet.

🍊 Tangerine Boy

This is a lifelike "fragrance photo" of a very-ripe tangerine: ultra juicy and sweet with a bit of rind, in all its orange glory! Sadly, it disappears too quickly for me to consider it one of my favorites - but its beauty and realism is still worth mentioning.

Do you have a favorite citrus fragrance? 🍊🍋 I'd love to hear about it below!

If you're looking for other summer scents --

• Coming soon:
  • 🌊 Aquatic Refreshers
  • 🏖️ Budget-Friendly Beach Getaways
  • 🎪 Carnival Fun Fragrances
• Available now:
  • 🌞 Favorite Summer Scents