Invigorating Grapefruit Scents
If you remember the famous diet books of the 1970s and 80s such as the Scarsdale Diet, you’ll know that breakfast always consisted of half a grapefruit. The tart, juicy citrus fruit grown in Florida groves offered a healthy dose of vitamin C, minerals and some fibre with almost no calories. And while it was a little sour to swallow, the aroma was instantly energizing, invigorating and uplifting. One spoonful of grapefruit immediately woke you up in the morning.
Fast forward to 2025 and grapefruit is enjoying a renaissance in modern perfumery. Grapefruit has a fresh, tangy aroma that is similar to lime, but a little sweeter. Perfumers will use pink grapefruit if they are looking for a sweeter aroma. White grapefruit tends to be more tart. The scent is often described as zesty and lively and it is classified as an aromatic-citrus ingredient.
Surprisingly, the juicy fruit isn’t used in perfumery. It is the grapefruit rind that produces a fragrant oil through a pressing process. The oil is literally pressed out of the rind. Did you know the name grapefruit originated from how the fruit grows on trees, in clusters, like grapes. It’s official Latin name is citrus x paradisi.
One of the main reasons perfumers are using grapefruit today is that it offers a ‘clean’ character or facet to a composition. It almost smells like clean laundry drying outside. Many laundry detergents feature grapefruit notes.
Here are five of our favourite fragrances that feature grapefruit essential oil.
Five Grapefruit-themed Fragrances:
Lacoste L.12.12 Rose Eau Fraiche
Lacoste L.12.12 Rose Eau Fraiche is a watery-citrus-spicy scent for her built around fruit notes of black currant, blood orange and grapefruit. Watery ozonic notes add a fresh, aquatic vibe while rosy pink pepper adds a joyful facet. We’re intrigued with the combination of smooth cedar and cinnamon that works beautifully.
Scent Style: a citrus-spicy fragrance for her
Key ingredients: grapefruit, blood orange, ozonic watery notes, black currant, pink pepper, cedar, cinnamon
Bvlgari Le Gemme Tygar
Bvlgari Le Gemme Tygar is a fresh citrus-woody fragrance for him that opens with a burst of refreshing grapefruit. You soon smell the smooth, precious woods and a hint of ginger. Made in Italy.
Scent Style: a fresh citrus-woody scent for him
Key ingredients: grapefruit essence, ginger from India, ambrette seeds, ambrox, precious woods, vetiver, patchouli
Jimmy Choo Man Aqua
Jimmy Choo Man Aqua is a fresh aquatic scent for him that blends a marine accord with a woody-ambery base. Grapefruit adds the perfect kick to this scent.
Scent Style: a fresh aquatic scent for him
Key ingredients: grapefruit, geranium clary sage, cardamom, amber, woods, salted moss
Versace Dylan Blue
This modern woody-fougere fragrance for him balances crisp Calabrian bergamot, grapefruit and fig leaves with mineral musks, incense, saffron and tonka bean (smells like vanilla). Throughout, there is a fresh aquatic note that adds a fresh character.
Scent Style: a modern woody-fougere scent for him
Key ingredients: Calabrian bergamot, grapefruit, fig leaves, aquatic notes, violet leaf, papyrus wood, organic patchouli, black pepper, ambrox, mineral musk, tonka bean, incense, saffron
“I have always believe men should be strong, passionate, proud, expressive and unafraid. I love that in today’s world, men feel able to reveal their true natures, to share their passions and their beliefs. It’s there in the fragrance, which is strong, fresh and seductive,” explains Donatella Versace
DKNY Be Delicious
DKNY Be Delicious Eau de Parfum is a rich fruity-floral scent for her that adds a new depth to the beloved Be Delicious Eau de Toilette. You’ll notice that smooth sandalwood and comforting amber notes are brought to the forefront giving the scent longevity. The watery cucumber perfectly balances the elegant rose.
Scent Style: a stylish fruity-floral scent for her Key ingredients: rose, cucumber, grapefruit, orchid, white lily, sandalwood, amber
4 Comments
Nicole
February 5, 2025 at 12:04 pmMy favourite scent of all time was So Pink by Gap. I know, I know, I was very young when that was a thing. But the defining note in that was pink grapefruit and I still gravitate towards perfumes that have citrus notes in them. I’m excited to see a resurgence in grapefruit scents.
Linda L
February 2, 2025 at 8:55 amInteresting to note that the grapefruit rind produces an oil which is used in fragrances.
Need to spritz Lacoste’s Rose eau Fraiche.
Angela Citrigno
February 1, 2025 at 10:03 pmI love the smell of Dylan Blue. Just shows you this can be a unisex fragrance. Citrus notes were my first love when it came to my introduction to perfume. All the above fragrances sound beautiful.
Rozeena Karim
February 1, 2025 at 11:44 amWow these sounds amazing 🤩