As a beauty director, I'm lucky to receive a lot of perfume, which means that my fragrance collection is extensive and full of the best perfumes. As long as any given scent doesn’t make me turn my nose up at first sniff, I’ll usually add it to my shelf. The reason for this is that my job is to try as many products as possible and get a feel for them, even if they’re not to my usual tastes. But when it comes to new perfumes, this can be tricky business.
In order to give each fragrance in my lineup a proper go, I try to mix things up every single day. While one day I might try a head-turning oud, the next I might opt for a light musk or spring-like floral. Not just because variety is, of course, the spice of life, but also because I have found that it is the best way to take others by surprise and gauge reactions. And so, after many years of subjecting those around me to hundreds of smells, I feel as though I am now at a stage where I can spot patterns. One thing I know for sure is that citrus perfumes are without a doubt my most complimented scents. These are, undoubtedly, the best out there...
The Best Citrus Perfumes
- Best everyday citrus perfume: Narciso Rodriguez Narciso Neroli Ambree Eau de Toilette, £71
- Best zesty citrus perfume: L'Occitane Mint Verbena Eau de Toilette, £65
- Best woody citrus perfume: Jo Loves Jo By Jo Loves A Fragrance, £118
- Best elegant citrus perfume: Penhaligon’s Quercus Eau De Cologne, £140
- Best holiday citrus perfume: Maison Francis Kurkdjian Aqua Vitae Cologne Forte, £185
- Best sweet citrus perfume: Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Pera Granita, £91
- Best high-street citrus perfume: Zara Gracefully Madrid, £30
- Best uplifting citrus perfume: D.S. Durga Italian Citrus, £155
- Best evening citrus perfume: Sana Jardin Berber Blonde, £115
- Best herbal citrus perfume: Miller Harris Rêverie de Bergamote, £105
- Best clean citrus perfume: Ouai Dean Street, £54
- Best power citrus perfume: Eauso Vert Boozy Patchouli, £141
1. Narciso Rodriguez Néroli Ambrée
Best for: Easy, everyday wear
Key notes: Neroli, frangipani, musk, orange blossom, amber, cedar, cashmeran
With neroli oil and orange flower petals, this spritz is fresh at first but has a musky, woody dry down that means it lingers on skin and is perfect for warm summer evenings. It's one of those perfumes that are virtually impossible to dislike.
2. L'Occitane Mint Verbena
Best for: A zesty, uplifting scent
Key notes: Grapefruit, mint leaves, green lemon, ginger, bitter orange, verbena white musk, white woods
This eau de toilette is quite possibly one of the most mouthwatering, zingy perfumes I have ever come across. It combines lime and grapefruit with verbena and spearmint, so you'd be forgiven for thinking it might be sickly sweet. In fact, the mintiness mixed with woods and musk makes it irresistibly fresh, like an ice-cold mojito on a sweltering day.
3. Jo Loves Jo by Jo Loves
Best for: A warm, woody perfume
Key notes: Grapefruit, bitter orange, lime, cedarwood
Jo Malone CBE actually made this delicious grapefruit perfume for herself (hence the name). It combines grapefruit and bitter orange with lime and spearmint to create the ultimate fresh fruity cocktail. But again, it doesn't have a sticky smell. Instead, woody notes and pepper mean it melts into the skin to leave behind a warm scent that oozes midsummer sunshine.
4. Penhaligon's Quercus
Best for: Elegant special occasions
Key notes: Lemon, lime, mandarin, bergamot, jasmine, lily of the valley, cardamom, oakmoss, sandalwood, galbanum, musk, amber
Out of all of the perfumes in my rather extensive collection, this one is by far the most asked-after. One spray has people flocking over to ask what I'm wearing—and so it should for that eye-watering price tag. It combines zesty citruses with billowing florals and a hint of spicy warmth that together smell like a sophisticated garden party. Enticing, comforting and slightly mysterious, this bottle has it all.
5. Maison Francis Kurkdjian Aqua Vitae Cologne Forte
Best for: Getting in the holiday spirit
Key notes: Italian bergamot oil, Italian mandarin oil, solar floral accord, sensual musky accord.
Francis Kurkdjian himself described this perfume as the feeling of lying down your head on a sun-drenched pillow, and quite honestly, I couldn't possibly say anything more fitting. With musk, sandalwood, mandarin and bergamot, it captures that sort of humid Mediterranean stuffiness while still smelling fresh and free. Not a day goes by that I don't at least give this stuff a sniff.
6. Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Pera Granita
Best for: A sweet citrus
Key notes: Pear, grapefruit, lemon, apricot, osmanthus, musk
This is the first perfume on this list that I would probably describe as sweet. But not in a sickly, vanilla sort of way, rather like a sugared grapefruit sparkling in the sunshine. It's the sort of perfume I reach for when I'm a little bit bronzed and want to embrace my inner J.Lo, put on some gold hoops and wear a low-cut top. I don't think I have ever worn this without someone giving it a compliment.
7. Zara Gracefully Madrid
Best for: A high-street citrus perfume
Key notes: Bigarade, bergamot, lemon, basil, mint, musk
Both invigorating and clean-smelling, this is one of my favourite citrus scents, which was created in collaboration with Jo Malone CBE for Zara. Orange and geranium burst onto the skin before the musk leaves a subtle, skin-like quality that's smooth and refreshing. It's one of my favourite Zara perfumes.
8. D.S. Durga Italian Citrus
Best for: An uplifting summer scent
Key notes: Pressed lemon, Chinotto, blood orange, incense, green mandarin, violet, copaiba balsam, musk ambrette, oak moss
Whatever citrus perfume you come across, just know that this stuff is the citrus perfume. It wasn't the first, and it might not be the most well-known, but it is, in all interpretations of the word, a citrus perfume through and through. It's lemony but warm, fizzy but warm, floral but sweet. If you ask me, no one has and likely ever will create a citrus perfume that comes close to matching the pure brilliance of Italian Citrus.
9. Sana Jardin Berber Blonde
Best for: Nights out
Key notes: Moroccan orange blossom, musk, neroli
Unlike most citrus perfumes around, this stuff isn't particularly fresh. If you prefer strong, warm smells, this one is definitely for you. With orange blossom, neroli oil and musk, it has the same lightweight freshness as your typical citrus but also has the lingering power of musk. It's a citrus that can be worn just as easily in the winter as it can in the summer.
10. Miller Harris Rêverie de Bergamote
Best for: A refreshing herbal boost
Key notes: Bergamot, rosemary, vetiver
A herby blend of tangerine and bergamot, this spritz is earthy and grounded in nature. Imagine you're smelling fresh citrus fruit directly from the tree, and you might be able to conjure just a fraction of the joy this yellow bottle of greatness can evoke.
11. Ouai Dean Street
Best for: A clean citrus scent
Key notes: Mandarin, grapefruit, apricot, grapefruit, rose, magnolia, violet, amber, linden blossom, musk
Ouai's haircare products are renowned for their delicious scents, and this perfume, based on the uplifting, lively vibes of London's Dean Street, doesn't disappoint. With lemon, mandarin, grapefruit and apricot, as well as a bouquet of delicate florals, this perfume is lightweight and clean-smelling—like a shower of summer freshness.
12. Eauso Vert Boozy Patchouli
Best for: Making a citrus statement
Key notes: Italian Bergamot, lemon cedrat, pink pepper, rose, Moroccan neroli, orris, patchouli, Turkish rose, vetiver, amber
A lot of the appeal in the best citrus perfumes lies in their splashy, sunshine quality—they’re lightweight scents and easy to wear. Which is lovely, but if you like a really statement-making scent, then you’re unlikely to gravitate towards them. This one from Eauso Vert, however, will turn heads. The smell will transport you to a dimly lit, sultry corner of a chic cocktail bar, sparkling with spice from pink pepper and the warmth of amber but elevated with a stickiness from Italian bergamot and zesty lemon. It’s complex, alluring, and deeply moreish.
What Makes the Best Citrus Perfume?
For me, citrus perfumes are something of a crowd-pleaser. They’re fresh, inoffensive, and have an ability to tickle the nose with a type of zestiness that whisks you off to faraway lands. And I’m not alone in my fondness for them—perfumers agree. “A good citrus perfume is all about balance, as while citrus notes help to lift the composition of a fragrance and impart freshness, brightness and clarity, their staying power can be fleeting,” explains Cherry Cheng, founder of fragrance brand Joussiance. “However, paired with natural notes like neroli, orange blossom, petitgrain…soft woods or light musks, you can round out a citrus scent and help the citrus to shine for longer.”
What Should I Look for in a Citrus Perfume?
Personally, over time, I’ve found that not only have citrus perfumes become some of my favourite summer scents ever, but they’re guaranteed to earn me the most compliments when I wear them. But I was interested to know what an expert thinks we should look out for when choosing a citrus scent, beyond the classic orange and lemon notes. “Unquestionably, bergamot oil,” says Cheng. “It’s a beautiful and versatile note—a citrus that imparts florality….and brightens everything.” Cheng also rates mandarin oil, with three different types available (green, yellow and red) depending on your tastes. “My favourite is green mandarin, which is the most bitter and green of the three with a scent profile that’s close to neroli—floral and pollen-like,” Cheng explains.
