Orange Perfumes

Limonene and decanal: the molecules in orange

For perfumery, the oil of the sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) is taken from the peel – by cold pressing, without heat. It is mostly a by-product of juice production; Brazil is the leading producer. The main constituent is limonene (C₁₀H₁₆) at more than 90 %, specifically the (+)-form, which smells of orange. The typical character, however, comes from aldehydes in small amounts, above all octanal and decanal (C₁₀H₂₀O). Decanal has a waxy, orange-peel smell. When terpenes such as limonene are partly removed, concentrated so-called folded oils are obtained. Unlike the peel oil of the bitter orange (Citrus aurantium), sweet orange oil is not considered phototoxic, even when cold-pressed.

In a fragrance, orange is round, sweet and juicy – warmer and less sour than lemon. It opens a composition and fades comparatively quickly. With bergamot and mandarin it feels bright and zesty, with cinnamon or cardamom warm and spicy, with vanilla or amber soft and ambery.

In this selection, orange sits in the fragrance pyramid – mostly in the top note.