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Lemongrass: a grass with multiple powers!
Contrary to what one might think, lemongrass has in common with lemon only the root of its name and the delicate fragrance that exudes from its long stems when rubbed. Indeed the grass with the long slender leaves native to Sri Lanka has hardly any other botanical points in common with the lemon. Known since the dawn of time by Asians, lemongrass was recognized in ancient Egypt for its multiple medicinal properties.
Now growing in many tropical countries, lemongrass is traditionally used in the West Indies to lower fever and in Africa, it is said to be a powerful remedy against tuberculosis and malaria. This is to say if it has been appreciated for centuries!
In Asian cuisine, it is also an essential component of traditional tart dishes and is part of many great recipes now imported into our French regions. However, despite this fragrance so delicate and so special, perfumers still use very little this raw material, however original! But big names are now interested in it, finally!
Citrus scents and lemongrass
Lemongrass has been used mainly since the 1990s in citrus fragrances for men. Particularly powerful and tangy, lemongrass essential oil literally explodes citrus notes to offer men invigorating scents while remaining chic! Monsieur Balmain by Balmain, created in 1990, is very representative of the use of lemongrass in male perfumery because it combines lemongrass with a wide variety of aromatic herbs (mint, rosemary, thyme, etc.) to exhale the notes. hot spicy then finally woody notes.
The same year, IKKS from IKKS will offer the same type of explosive cocktail of lemongrass-spices to add marine notes to open the juice towards more freshness.
A few years later, using this same beautiful combination of aromatics and lemongrass, Chaumet homme from Chaumet even dared to add a few floral heart notes associated with white musk to the juice.
So of course, to deny that lemongrass is particularly related to the male hesperidia family would be heresy. However, the noses venture towards fields to be conquered and in particular towards mixed perfumes and even feminine citrus florals. With these top notes of lemongrass, the pretty citrus green floral Truth by Calvin Klein already demonstrated to women in 2001 that lemongrass could also be one of their most beautiful bottles!
