Geranium: Fragrance Profile

1. Overview

• Botanical source: Primarily Pelargonium graveolens (often called rose geranium), cultivated in Egypt, Réunion, Madagascar, and China.

• Extraction: Steam distillation of the leaves and stems → produces geranium essential oil.

• Extremely popular in perfumery, especially in masculine and fougère compositions, but also used in floral blends for balance.

2. Aroma Character

• Fresh, green, leafy-rosy, minty, slightly citrusy with herbal undertones.

• Balances between rose-like sweetness and cool herbal freshness.

• Nuances:

  • Rosy-floral (similar to rose but sharper, less opulent).

  • Minty-cool (due to citronellol and menthone).

  • Green-herbal (leafy freshness).

  • Lemony lift (thanks to citronellal).

👉 Overall impression: a fresh, crisp, leafy-rosy floral note with a cool herbal edge.

3. Chemical Composition

• Citronellol & geraniol → rosy-sweet character.

• Linalool → soft floral freshness.

• Menthone & isomenthone → minty coolness.

• Citronellyl formate → fruity sweetness.

• Guaiadiene → slight woody nuance.

4. Perfume Applications

• Acts as a heart note and a bridge between florals, herbs, and woods.

• Applications:

  • Fougères & masculines → blends with lavender, oakmoss, coumarin.

  • Rose accords → used to extend and freshen rose absolute.

  • Citrus-aromatic colognes → adds leafy, cooling freshness.

  • Green florals → balances heavier white florals with a green edge.

• Blends well with:

  • Lavender, clary sage, rosemary → aromatic fougères.

  • Rose, jasmine, lily of the valley → floral bouquets.

  • Citrus oils (bergamot, lemon, orange).

  • Woody & resinous notes (cedar, frankincense, vetiver).

• Perfume examples:

  • Dior – Fahrenheit → fresh herbal green geranium heart.

  • YSL – Rive Gauche pour Homme → lavender + geranium fougère.

  • Chanel – Égoïste Platinum → crisp geranium-herbal core.

  • Creed – Green Irish Tweed → leafy freshness with geranium nuance.

5. Mood & Symbolism

• Associated with balance, freshness, and vitality.

• In aromatherapy, geranium oil is considered uplifting, harmonizing, and grounding.

• Mood associations:

  • Balanced & clean → clarity, structure.

  • Cool & refreshing → leafy garden breeze.

  • Classic & timeless → essential to men’s perfumery.

 Quick Summary Table

In essence: Geranium is a leafy, rosy-green floral with minty coolness, serving as a bridge between floral elegance and herbal freshness, indispensable in fougères, masculine scents, and rose accords.