Geranium

Geranium is an herbaceous plant of the Geraniaceae family. It is native to South Africa. There are currently more than 400 different species of geranium. Kings of our windows and balconies, the species most familiar to us is the pelargonium. Geranium is highly fragrant and comes in multiple colors. It measures between 20 cm and 1 meter.

In perfumery, the essential oil is used. It is obtained by steam distillation of the leaves and stems. Perfumery also makes use of geranium absolute, obtained by extraction with volatile solvents.

Geranium, essential to Fougère notes

No, geranium is not just for decorating our balconies. This pretty fragrant plant holds great importance at the heart of perfumery. Geranium essential oil is reminiscent of the scent of rose. Geranium lends compositions a rounded, soft and above all very floral fragrance. Although it may seem surprising, geranium is mainly used in men's perfumes. Moreover, the geranium note is essential to the creation of notes in the fougère olfactory family. It is mostly found as a heart note. Many great perfumes stem from this beautiful note so beloved by perfumers. Among them are Cacharel pour homme by Cacharel, Azzaro pour homme, l'eau by Azzaro, and also Boss sélection by Hugo Boss.

The pairing of geranium with other olfactory fragrances

Geranium is an integral part of fougère notes. As such, it blends wonderfully with woody and chypre fragrances. As in the perfume Cacharel pour homme by Cacharel, where geranium, always as a top note, is paired as a base note with cedarwood, vetiver and amber. Warm woods and amber are often paired with geranium in masculine compositions and lend a touch of elegant seduction. Geranium is also used in creating citrus, aromatic and floral perfumes. In the aromatic perfume Kouros by Yves Saint-Laurent, geranium is accompanied by jasmine, carnation and cinnamon. The launch of Kouros delighted men, who found in it a perfume very different from the usual animalic notes. Its brisk freshness and intense sillage still sustain the success of this perfume today. Geranium sometimes creates a surprise by making its way into feminine perfumes. As in 1881 en fleurs, by Cerruti. Here, geranium is paired with jasmine and violet. A florientale fragrance that gradually develops toward a musky sillage underscored with amber and vanilla.

Kings of windows and balconies, geranium is a very pretty and very fragrant plant. Geranium essential oil has numerous therapeutic virtues. It is also widely used in perfumery. Geranium offers scents close to that of rose. It gives off soft, floral fragrances. Its notes are essential to the creation of fougère compositions, and are mainly used in masculine perfumes.