Meyer Lemon Perfume
July 7, 2021 10:34 AM Subscribe
Can you help me find a perfume that smells exactly like Meyer lemon peel?
I LOVE the smell of a freshly picked Meyer lemon (or maybe other hybrids here in NorCal, but not like...your standard regular lemon). I love the smell of the juice and the flowers, but that is NOT what I'm looking for. I've tried Pacifica Malibu lemon blossom or something--nope. Closer were 2 Origins citrusy scents but still no. Jo Malone orange blossom? No.
I will take any recommendations!
I LOVE the smell of a freshly picked Meyer lemon (or maybe other hybrids here in NorCal, but not like...your standard regular lemon). I love the smell of the juice and the flowers, but that is NOT what I'm looking for. I've tried Pacifica Malibu lemon blossom or something--nope. Closer were 2 Origins citrusy scents but still no. Jo Malone orange blossom? No.
I will take any recommendations!
Here's how to make a much purer version by spending more money. Might even need to spend almost as much as a perfume retailer would charge for 10% of what you'd get from your first extraction batch.
posted by flabdablet at 11:27 AM on July 7, 2021
posted by flabdablet at 11:27 AM on July 7, 2021
If you’re okay with additional notes like vanilla, amber, and white musk, Ganache Parfums has a perfume called Sunny with a Meyer lemon note. “Notes: Sicilian lemon essential oil, Meyer lemon essential oil, vanilla absolute, natural vanilla accord, natural amber accord, lemon accord, white musk”. The Meyer lemon oil should give the scent of the peel as opposed to juice.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 11:31 AM on July 7, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 11:31 AM on July 7, 2021 [1 favorite]
Perfume and the buying and sniffing of samples became a habit with me during lockdown, though I don't think I've run across a Meyer lemon fragrance.
That said: Ayala Moriel New Orleans is not cheap, but it has a Meyer lemon note and it gets good reviews. I haven't sniffed any of her work yet; people whose opinions I trust like scents crafted by Moriel because she makes botanically sourced 'fumes that don't disappear from your wrist after 90 minutes. (The bane of natural perfume.)
posted by virago at 11:35 AM on July 7, 2021
That said: Ayala Moriel New Orleans is not cheap, but it has a Meyer lemon note and it gets good reviews. I haven't sniffed any of her work yet; people whose opinions I trust like scents crafted by Moriel because she makes botanically sourced 'fumes that don't disappear from your wrist after 90 minutes. (The bane of natural perfume.)
posted by virago at 11:35 AM on July 7, 2021
You can also extract citrus peel by putting it in alcohol (e.g. everclear) for two weeks. This should give you about a cologne level of fragrance depending on how much peel you put in. You will get a different scent profile than cold pressing, however, because you are focusing on alcohol soluble not oil soluble compounds.
(yes, this is also how you make limoncello.)
posted by goingonit at 11:35 AM on July 7, 2021 [2 favorites]
(yes, this is also how you make limoncello.)
posted by goingonit at 11:35 AM on July 7, 2021 [2 favorites]
Buy Meyer lemon essential oil and perfumer's alcohol and dissolve in a ratio of 1 part oil to 3 or 4 parts alcohol and put it in a little spray bottle.
You can do this with any scented essential oil to make your own perfume, although it works best if you are using a single note scent, rather than trying to blend oils. This is how I make my own version of my favourite (but expensive) perfume, Molecule No. 1, by purchasing the base molecole oil ISO-E Super (for about £20 per half-litre, which lasts for years). A whole lot better than £100 for a tiny bottle of perfume.
posted by essexjan at 12:02 PM on July 7, 2021 [17 favorites]
You can do this with any scented essential oil to make your own perfume, although it works best if you are using a single note scent, rather than trying to blend oils. This is how I make my own version of my favourite (but expensive) perfume, Molecule No. 1, by purchasing the base molecole oil ISO-E Super (for about £20 per half-litre, which lasts for years). A whole lot better than £100 for a tiny bottle of perfume.
posted by essexjan at 12:02 PM on July 7, 2021 [17 favorites]
Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab has a lot of perfume oils with lemon/lemon rind. I have a couple faves but unfortunately they've been discontinued or were limited editions. I love perfume oils because I don't have to deal with perfumer's alcohol, which makes me sneeze like mad. This one sounds good and I saw a couple reviews that said it's a nice bright lemon, not lemon Pledge furniture polishy at all (which some people think many lemon perfumes smell like)--Italian Lemon Peel & Orange Blossom from their Duets limited editions. I don't know how long it'll be up for, but I myself am thinking of getting it. And here's a Green Tea & Lemon Peel one that's also still available.
You can also search on their site and look for the notes you want. I'd also recommend maybe trying some other e-tailer niche perfume oil sites, or trying etsy, because you'd be amazed how many little shops are out there making interesting scents.
posted by kitten kaboodle at 12:37 PM on July 7, 2021
You can also search on their site and look for the notes you want. I'd also recommend maybe trying some other e-tailer niche perfume oil sites, or trying etsy, because you'd be amazed how many little shops are out there making interesting scents.
posted by kitten kaboodle at 12:37 PM on July 7, 2021
Lemon-y/citrus-y BPAL scents in production: Zephyr, Embalming Fluid. Astrid's Lemon Summer III scents.
This Italian Baking Extract Is So Bewitching That I Wear It as Perfume (Bon Appetit, June 15, 2021) (In the piece, the extract is Fiori di Sicilia, a "combination of citrus and vanilla with a pleasingly floral aroma.")
Meyer Lemon Extract; DIY basic 1, 2 (w/sourcing info) & w/electric pressure cooker.
posted by Iris Gambol at 1:54 PM on July 7, 2021 [5 favorites]
This Italian Baking Extract Is So Bewitching That I Wear It as Perfume (Bon Appetit, June 15, 2021) (In the piece, the extract is Fiori di Sicilia, a "combination of citrus and vanilla with a pleasingly floral aroma.")
Meyer Lemon Extract; DIY basic 1, 2 (w/sourcing info) & w/electric pressure cooker.
posted by Iris Gambol at 1:54 PM on July 7, 2021 [5 favorites]
I really like Fresh's Sugar Lemon scent and think it smells Meyer lemon-y. I might check the reviews to see if it's what you're looking for.
posted by jessamyn at 2:38 PM on July 7, 2021 [5 favorites]
posted by jessamyn at 2:38 PM on July 7, 2021 [5 favorites]
You definitely want to try some lemony flutter from LUSH. They sell it as a "cuticle butter" and it is a great moisturizer but the true beauty of it is the lovely strong lasting pure lemon scent. I rub some into my bits and pieces and the glorious citrus aroma follows me around all day.
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 6:43 PM on July 7, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 6:43 PM on July 7, 2021 [2 favorites]
Demeter, which is known for true-to-life fragrances, used to make a Meyer Lemon scent. It's been discontinued, but perhaps you could find a bottle or decant on ebay or somewhere?
posted by shadygrove at 6:57 PM on July 7, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by shadygrove at 6:57 PM on July 7, 2021 [3 favorites]
One of the co-founders of Demeter started his own perfume company called CB I Hate Perfume. I only see a few ready-to-wear scents for sale right now but he used to have lists and lists of single note "accords" (basically ultra premium Demeter) that were available in his shop and sometimes online. I remember seeing at least six different variations of "smoke" so I'm sure he could create a lemon that's distinctively Meyer lemon. The website and online shopping experience are a little idiosyncratic, but you might reach out and see if there's a Meyer lemon that you could special order or something.
posted by yeahlikethat at 1:28 PM on July 8, 2021
posted by yeahlikethat at 1:28 PM on July 8, 2021
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