Lemon

Bright, zesty and clean, with a green, tart freshness.

The lemon probably originated in the border region of north-east India, Myanmar and China. Most of the world's lemon oil today comes from Argentina; Sicily is also known for fine qualities.

As with all citrus fruits, the oil sits in tiny glands in the peel. It is cold-pressed – usually as a by-product of juice production. The juice itself provides no perfume material.

Lemon is the brightest moment of a perfume: zesty, clean, instantly awake. In our range it sits in the top notes of 152 out of 153 fragrances. Because its molecules are highly volatile, it appears first – and then makes way for the heart and base.

Citrus, fresh and bright.

Lemon trees flower and bear fruit almost all year round; in the Mediterranean the main harvest is in winter.

In our fragrances, it often appears alongside Bergamot, patchouli, jasmine, vanilla, grapefruit, oakmoss, cashmere wood.

Citrus oils have been the heart of refreshing fragrances for centuries: the Eau de Cologne that Johann Maria Farina composed in Cologne at the beginning of the 18th century lived on lemon, bergamot and orange – and gave its name to an entire genre of fragrance.

• In 1747 the ship's surgeon James Lind tested citrus fruits against scurvy – one of the first controlled trials in the history of medicine.
• Citral, the typical lemon molecule, is found in far higher concentration in lemongrass than in the lemon itself.
• Most of the world's lemon oil today comes from Argentina.