Life is like an orange, a little sweet, a little sour. Picture a basket of oranges in your mind and you are immediately reminded of tropical and rain forests. As you are aware, orange is an excellent source of Vitamin C and was planted by sailors along their sea route as a means to counter the spread of scurvy. The colour orange is pleasing to the eye, its many hues beautifying the surroundings as the sun rises and sets. Owing to this, orange colour is also associated with a sense of liberation and happiness. Thus, orange scents in perfumery are called ‘bright’ and denote zestiness.
The most popular use of oranges is in the food industry for making juice. A by-product of this is the orange peel, from which is extracted Sweet Orange Oil, for use in perfumery. It may interest you to know that in traditional Indian society, particularly in East India, a few droplets are squeezed from the orange peel into the eyes as a natural cleanser as it causes the eyes to water, thereby removing unwanted particles. Sweet orange oil, which gives the fruit it’s sweet and fresh aroma, is extracted by cold pressing the peel of the fruit. The fresh and tangy smell of Sweet Orange Oil makes it a preferred choice for use in floral perfumes.
The most important ingredient in perfumery that is associated with oranges is Orange Blossom, extracted from the flowers of the bitter orange tree using volatile solvents. Another important component that is extracted from the bitter orange flowers is ‘Neroli’, which is extracted through steam distillation and has a spicy, heady fragrance. The orange tree is also a source of other perfume ingredients such as Bitter Orange Oil and Petitgrain (steam-distilled from the leaves and buds). Petitgrain has a distinct orangish-woody aroma.
Having read about orange ingredients in perfumes, we are sure that the next time you peel an orange or sip its juice, you will be reminded of its many uses in perfumery.
Orange/ Orange Blossom has been used in the following Hvnly perfumes: -
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Author: Sandipani Padhi