Neroli Fragrances to Freshen Up Your Summer

Neroli originates from the blossoms of the bitter orange tree (Citrus aurantium amara), which is native to regions across Southeast Asia, China, and India. Although its botanical roots are in Asia, the name comes from 17th-century Italy, and today, the oil is predominantly produced in the Mediterranean.

In nature, the bitter orange blossom is rich and sweet, but the neroli oil used in perfumes presents a more sparkling, herbaceous version of that scent. Extracted via steam distillation, the oil serves as a classic, bright top note in perfumery, offering a fresh, green, and slightly soapy citrus aroma.

Let’s take a closer look at the following fragrances that feature neroli as a central note.

1. Tom Ford Neroli Portofino Acqua EDT

Neroli Portofino Acqua by Tom Ford features both a neroli and an orange blossom note. Since neroli is an orange blossom in its own right, you might be wondering what the difference is. It boils down to how the flower is processed. Neroli is steam-distilled, creating a green, citrusy scent, while orange blossom is solvent-extracted, yielding a sweeter, honey-like floral aroma. Therefore, Neroli Portofino Acqua perfectly balances the freshness and sweetness of both.

2. Byredo Sundazed EDP

Sundazed by Byredo, on the other hand, is a more nuanced fragrance. While it does start off very citrusy and fresh, it dries down to a sweet, slightly warm finish due to the cotton candy and white musk at the base. Overall, it has a sweet, clean, cotton candy profile. It’s still a light fragrance, but it’s more youthful and fun.

3. Diptyque L’Eau De Neroli EDT

L’Eau De Neroli by Diptyque is a perfect example of a singular-note fragrance; in this case, the note being neroli. This right here is a lovely aromatic daytime scent for summer. It feels like peeling a fresh orange in your backyard on a hot summer afternoon. Cooling, refreshing, and nostalgic.  It is also slightly sweet due to the orange blossom note found in the heart.

4. Maison Margiela Replica Flying EDP

Flying by Maison Margiela is part of its Replica collection; therefore, it’s a fragrance aiming to replicate the feeling of taking flight. It is airy yet slightly heady. It feels like that first breath of crisp air you take when you step outside into the cold. The florals present here are on the sweeter side, and the base of musk and moss adds a bit of warmth and overall depth to the perfume.

Fun Fact: Flying was part of a specific sub-collection released in 2016 called the Replica Eau de Parfum line (housed in black bottles instead of the usual clear ones). While the original clear bottles aim to replicate memories (like Jazz Club or By the Fireplace), the black bottles were designed to replicate fantasies and dreams; in this case, the fantasy of flying.

5. Van Cleef Neroli Amara EDP

Néroli Amara was created by master perfumer Quentin Bisch for Van Cleef & Arpels. I personally tend to like most of Bisch’s creations; however, this one is a bit polarising for me. I did hesitate about including it here, but the thing is, I sometimes love it. When I first tried it, I didn’t, though. There’s nothing necessarily offensive about this fragrance, but it feels too peppery to me sometimes. The best thing you can do is give it a try and see for yourself.

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