Ingredient Guide
Lemongrass belongs to the grass family and has leaves that can exceed one meter in length. This aromatic fragrance material is widely used not only as an essential oil but also in the medicinal and food industries. Its dried leaves are also used to make tea.
Its scent is green and lemon-like, with a sharp, pungent character. It smells like lemon because citral is one of its principal aromatic constituents.
What Does It Smell Like in Perfume?
In perfume, lemongrass is a citrus herb that layers vivid lemon with freshly cut grass, metallic notes, and a subtle powderiness. The natural oil is a complex fragrance material obtained by steam-distilling the grassy parts of plants such as Cymbopogon flexuosus. Citral, central to its lemon scent, consists of geranial and neral. It adds sharp brightness to the top notes while lending definition to green and herbal compositions. The composition of the essential oil varies with the plant species, origin, harvest season, and extraction method, and its scent differs from that of isolated or synthetic citral.
Choosing Lemongrass Fragrances
Lemongrass combines lemon-like freshness with grassy greenness. In fragrances with sweet flowers or fruit, its sharpness sits alongside that sweetness. If you also enjoy the smell of earth or woods after the initial freshness, the patchouli in Karma makes it a possibility.
Fragrances to Explore
Karma (Lush)
Lemongrass and Brazilian orange lead into patchouli. For those who enjoy citrus-like brightness and earthy depth.
Love (Lush)
Lemongrass and bergamot are layered with rose, jasmine and ylang-ylang. It evokes the sweet-tart scent of a caramel apple.
Find Your Next Fragrance
To explore more fragrances through the notes you enjoy, open our Fragrance Finder. Choose “Favorite fragrances & notes”, then search under “Favorite notes”. Select from the suggestions shown and press “Next”. You can start with notes even if you do not have a favorite fragrance.
