Citrus in perfume: The notes behind summer’s freshest fragrances

Fresh & bright: Why citrus is our summer muse

Summer is almost knocking on our canal-side doors, and at Mmoire, we are embracing sunshine in a bottle. Nothing says “light, clean, and sparkling” quite like citrus. These zesty notes are the perfumer's equivalent of a crisp linen shirt fresh from the breeze, bright, invigorating, effortlessly elegant.

Whether it’s the uplifting sillage of bergamot on your pulse points or a whisper of grapefruit lifting woody undercurrents, citrus opens the senses and sets a playful, breezy tone. In the heat of summer, we gravitate toward these clean, transparent notes for their sheer joy and simplicity.

The love affair between perfumery and citrus is centuries old. Lemons were brought to Europe by Arab traders around the 10th century, while sweet oranges followed about 500 years later, a citrus tidal wave that forever changed fragrance history.

By the 18th century, classic eaux de Cologne reigned supreme, compositions saw aromas of lemon, bergamot, orange, mandarin, and petit grain dancing together, cornerstones of freshness.Perfumes like 4711 and Dior’s Eau Sauvage leaned into this bright blend, mixing citrus fruits with aromatic herbs to craft timeless, invigorating scents.

Citrus notes are not just about brightness, they are structural. They form the head note, the “smile” that greets you. And as perfume families evolved, floral, woody, oriental, the citrus family remained the touchstone of energy, clarity, and playfulness.“Citrus” isn’t just one smell, it’s an entire family. We can sum it up in three overarching scent. Firstly lemony, incorporating lemon, thyme, lemon basil, citron, verbena and bergamot.

Then there is the orange family, there on can finds scent such as mandarin peel and rind, sweet orange communelle, orange bigarade. And lastly the grapefruit family with pomelo, clementine, yuzu and lime.

Perfumer-chemist Sylvaine Delacourte says citrus notes are “tonic, sparkling and sunny,” able to dress other families with vibrant light.These notes have a special ally in modern synthetics like dihydromyrcenol, a molecule that boosts their electric freshness, originally popularised in Davidoff’s Cool Water.

At Mmoire, our formulas are rooted in transparency, curiosity, and crafted to spark memory, just like the shimmering silk textures that inspired our name. In Sur Arize, bergamot is one of the star top notes. In citrus perfumery, bergamot is considered the crown jewel. It is rich in limonene, linalyl acetate, linalool, but its magic comes from a complex blend.

In Sur arize, its top notes are Italian bergamot and coconut, calling to mind summer sun, sea spray, and that clean, post-shower glow. Indeed, the juicy, bright bergamot top gives way to a lavender-coconut heart and woody base.

This transition, bright light evolving into soft warmth, is quintessential Mmoire: fluid, individual, memory-making .

Citrus is a unisex ingredient by nature, indeed, citrus notes are fresh and spirited, making them ideal for gender-neutral scents, vibrant and inclusive. Furthermore, looking at composition we always make then vegan, cruelty-free, and free from phthalates, GMO’s, BHT, and more. Citrus oils naturally align with this ethos, offering clarity without compromise. Lastly, citrus notes are often tied to vivid moments, first peel of a lemon, seaside grapefruit, early-morning zest. They leave an impression and carry emotion, just like the moiré movement in silk and memory in scent .

Did you know some birds rub citrus peel on their feathers to ward off lice? The Crested Auklet even produces a natural “cologne” to repel bugs,and attract mates,using its own citrusy scent glands! Certainly primal, certainly fascinating.

As summer blooms around Amsterdam, we invite you to meet our sunlit creations if you haven’t already: Sur Arize, with its radiant bergamot heart and warm-wooded finish, is a snapshot of late summer sunsets, balmy evenings, and moments that linger. It's bright, but subtle. Citrus, but nuanced.

In every spritz, feel the burst of freshness, then give it space to marry with your skin, your chemistry, your story.

To fully experience the allure of Sur Arize, simply apply it to your pulse points, including your wrists and neck. As the fragrance blends with your body heat, it gradually releases the captivating scent of ambroxan, harmonizing perfectly with your own pheromones to create an aura that draws others in. Other people experience your pheromone perfume, or better said: human pheromones strengthened by a fragrance.