GRAPEFRUIT LEAVES

Grapefruit leaves in perfume suggest the green, living foliage of the tree rather than its juicy fruit or flowers. Pierre Guillaume Paris describes a grapefruit-leaf note as a subtle vegetal freshness, setting it beside rose, peony and sandalwood in one scented composition. Those surrounding notes give context; they are not intrinsic smells of the leaf itself.

Natural grapefruit leaf oils have also been obtained by hydrodistillation in research, with citrus odours reported for the samples studied. This confirms an aromatic leaf material, but does not establish that every perfume with the note contains such an oil. The leaf-inspired impression can be shaped as an accord. Look for it if a green accent within a citrus or floral composition appeals to you, while using the other notes to judge the overall character.