Lemon

lat. Citrus × limon

Group: Citrus

Lemon is a small thorny tree with bright yellow citrusy fruits, cultivated in all tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Lemon originates from the Middle East, and it was probably brought to Spain and Africa somewhere in the Middle Ages. The lemon we consume today is a cultivated species and most likely a hybrid between lime and citron. This ellipsoidal yellow fruit is one of the world’s healthiest foods thanks to its sour juice, rich in citric acid. The distinctive taste of lemon makes it a main ingredient in many dishes in various cuisines from all around the world, and an excellent natural remedy for various ailments.

In South and South East Asia lemon was used for many centuries as an antidote for different poisons. Its antiseptic properties have been known to men since the ancient times, and the lemon has for long been used to help cure the wounds and resolve any kind of sickness. In Europe, people have become acquainted with lemon in the 1st century AD, even though lemon hasn’t been widely cultivated until the middle of the 15th century. In 1493, Christopher Columbus had brought the seeds of lemon to the Caribbean, and the Spanish conquest throughout Americas helped to spread the seed all around the continents. The extensive use of lemons in cooking and flavoring began in the 18th and 19th centuries when the James Lind's experiments on sailors suffering from scurvy shown the importance of vitamin C-rich diet.

A wonderful scent of lemon is widely used in aromatherapy. Essential oils of lemon are claimed to stimulate the liver and lymph activity, detoxify and energize the body. For many years, essential oil derived from the lemon peel had been used in aromatherapy to boost the immune system, but recent scientific investigations have found that it doesn’t influence human immunity in any way. However, following these investigations, scientists have agreed that lemon scent certainly uplifts our mood, and stimulates the nervous system. This is exactly why it has been used as one of the favorite notes in many fresh and uplifting fragrant compositions.

The fragrant essential oil of lemon is produced by cold pressing the peel, and described as clean, fresh and sparkling. This fresh and cheerful aroma is widely used in colognes, perfumes and various body-care products, to create invigorating and sharp citrusy composition. Unlike other essential oils, lemon oil is usually cold pressed and therefore it has a fragrance that is similar to the fruit and its fresh ripe peel. This zesty scent blends well with floral notes of geranium, lavender, rose, and ylang ylang. It also builds a nice olfactory harmony in combination with citronella, lime, neroli, orange and sage. Lemon note is one of the lightest notes and it is often used as a lovely bright and sparkling top note. The luminous aroma of lemon is a common ingredient in light and invigorating summer fragrances.

One of the perfumes where the zesty note of lemon dominates the composition is certainly Dolce&Gabbana’s D&G Light Blue for women. This casual and sparkling fruity-floral composition is a fragrant interpretation of sunshiny Sicilian summer depicted in the fresh notes of the lime and cedar. Uplifting lemony fragrance is also found in Versace’s Versace Man Eau Fraiche, where it is introduced in top notes of fresh and aquatic composition designed by famous perfumer Olivier Cresp. Another sparkling, optimistic and bright fragrance, Cheap & Chic I Love Love Moschino for women, uses lemon notes to depict playful and lively, spontaneous and happy atmosphere.

Pure aroma of fresh juicy lemon is offered in Guerlain’s Aqua Allegoria Lemon Fresca eau de toilette for women. In this citrusy fragrance lemon is offered in a wonderful balance with bergamot, lime and anis. Giorgio Armani’s Acqua di Gioia, inspired by summer holidays, depicts the idea of escape into nature with refreshing notes of crushed mint leaves and sugared lemon.