The bitter orange tree is an evergreen with dark leaves, sharp thorns and wonderfully orange-fragranced white flowers widely used in the perfume industry. Two popular perfume ingredients are created from the flowers of the bitter orange tree: one is neroli and the other is orange blossom.
What perfume smells like orange blossom? Many perfumes from the chypre and floral oriental families use the smell of orange blossom in their top notes to add a citrus freshness to their floral bouquets. You’ll find some of the best examples of perfumes that have an orange blossom smell reviewed below.
But first, here’s a little bit more information about the essential oils created from bitter orange blossom.
Neroli Essential Oil
To obtain the orange-scented essential oil known as neroli, freshly-picked white flowers from the bitter orange tree are steam distilled. It takes thousands of petals to capture just a few ounces of neroli essential oil which makes it an extremely expensive ingredient.
The scent of neroli is honey-sweet and floral with hints of citrus. It’s a long-lasting fragrance with fixative qualities that makes the perfume it’s added to last longer on the skin.
Orange Blossom Essential Oil
To create orange blossom oil, a solvent extraction process is applied to the same fresh flowers. This oil has a sweeter and more citrusy aroma than neroli.
If you’ve ever wondered what exactly orange blossom smells like in a fragrance, it is best described as a sweet, soapy citrus note that reminds you of the smell of the flower as it grows on the bitter orange tree.
The Best Orange Blossom and Neroli Perfumes
Neroli and orange blossom perfumes are my favorites. I’m currently wearing Neroli and Orchidee by L’Occitane and you can find more about this below.
In no particular order, here are 9 of the best orange blossom perfumes you can buy.
Neroli & Orchidee by L’Occitane EDT
Neroli & Orchidee is my absolute favorite – I’ve been wearing it for 15 years. It’s a sophisticated mix of neroli from bitter orange blossom and Madagascar orchid.
This sweet floral fragrance is perfect for daily use and has gained me more compliments than any other perfume I’ve ever worn.
The official L’Occitane site lists the featured ingredients as neroli essence and orchid absolute with fragrance notes of mandarin, neroli, and iris.
When you apply it, you’ll immediately pick up the light citrus floral note of neroli mingling with the sweet powdery note of orchid.
Neroli & Orchidee can be worn by anyone of any age who loves perfume with orange notes. It is a sophisticated citrusy floral, not too sweet, and slightly soapy.
Because it’s an eau de toilette, it doesn’t have great longevity. Its projection is about 6 feet and is not at all overpowering.
Jo Malone Orange Blossom Cologne for Women
Jo Malone Orange Blossom Cologne has a fresh clementine opening scent and middle notes of orange blossom and waterlily.
It has a beautiful floral and citrus aroma, perfect for daily wear, especially in summer.
If you like neroli orange blossom fragrances, Orange Blossom Cologne is a perfect choice. It’s a favorite of many celebrities too.
If you’re searching for a perfume that smells expensive but really isn’t, this certainly ticks that box. Just bear in mind as it’s cologne, it needs to be applied after 2 or 3 hours.
Honey by Marc Jacobs
Honey by Marc Jacobs is a fruity floral fragrance. It features a fresh pear and mandarin orange scent in its top notes.
The middle notes are honeysuckle, orange blossom, and peach. The base is a warm, sweet blend of vanilla, honey, and wood.
If you like a sweeter orange blossom fragrance, Honey may be the one for you. Its mix of warmth and freshness means it is a fragrance that goes with any season.
Love Story by Chloe
Love Story by Chloe is a feminine and flirty fragrance. It opens with the sensual aroma of neroli, followed by a floral heart of orange blossom and jasmine, and finally a cedarwood base.
The overall smell of Love Story is fresh yet sophisticated. It has great longevity and just the right amount of projection.
It doesn’t overpower the whole room but does enchant those you get close to – perfect for date night!
Mugler Cologne by Thierry Mugler
Mugler Cologne by Thierry Mugler has the soapy fresh, citrus fragrance of a traditional cologne. Though it is unisex, the base is quite floral.
The sweet citrusy aroma from the combination of bergamot and neroli gives this fragrance an intoxicating summery feel. As it dries down you’re left with a sensual white musk base.
As this is a cologne, you do need to reapply it every few hours.
24 Fouberg by Hermes
With fragrance notes including orange blossom, jasmine, tiara flower, ylang ylang, and iris, Hermes 24 Fouberg is a warm, floral perfume.
The soapy orange blossom aroma is very apparent and is backed by a mossy, sandalwood, and patchouli base.
Like the Hermes brand, this fragrance is aimed at mature women but could equally be worn by someone younger.
If you like orange blossom, patchouli, and honey perfume this one definitely has that vibe.
Fleur du Male by Jean Paul Gaultier
Fleur du Male by Jean Paul Gaultier is an aromatic fougere for men that is not a typical masculine fragrance. It could almost be classed as unisex.
It can be best described as an explosion of flowers featuring orange blossom, that dries down to a vanilla base. Fleur du Male is long-lasting and has a good projection. One application lasts at least 8 hours.
If you have been searching for a long-lasting orange fragrance that has vanilla, orange, and jasmine, try Fleur du Male and you won’t be disappointed.
Neroli Portofino by Tom Ford
Neroli Portofino by Tom Ford is a unisex fragrance with cirtusy top notes of bergamot, mandarin, lemon, and bitter orange and middle notes of orange flower, jasmine, and neroli – it’s no wonder it has a beautiful orange aroma.
This refreshing, almost heady fragrance suits warm, sunny days. Being Tom Ford, it is quite expensive so might be one you would save for special occasions.
Girl of Now by Elie Saab
Girl of Now by Elie Saab is an oriental floral fragrance. The name suggests it’s a younger woman’s fragrance but it honestly isn’t.
It has a fruity opening, a flowery middle, and dries down to a sensual patchouli base. Patchouli fans will love this touch.
It feels like a special occasion perfume. A generous application of Girl of Now will last on your skin all day and on clothes even longer.
The packaging is appealing and the bottle is just gorgeous – this would make a perfect gift.
What Perfume Smells Like Orange Blossom? – Conclusion
We’ve picked 9 perfumes to help you with your quest to find a perfume that smells of orange blossom. There are plenty more out there but these are leading favorites.
Some are aimed at women and others are definitely gender neutral though might be too florally for those who like to smell particularly masculine.
If you love cinnamon fragrances, the best cinnamon fragrances for women suggests 8 ideal choices.