The holy grail of zest, lime is an energizing top note with a sharp, bitterly refreshing bite. It is unwaveringly bright, offering a fragrant scent that is lighter and sweeter than lemon.

The fragrance of ginger is distinctly fresh and spicy, offering a sparkling top note to complex accords. Used across both men’s and women’s scents, ginger is an unmistakably zesty note that evokes a sort of olfactory duality: bitingly light and lemony, yet deeply pungent and peppery.

Pepper’s hot, spicy attack can focus the drama in a perfume instantly. It’s dry, tangy, nose-crinkling personality sharpens other notes in a fragrance and boosts their olfactory signal. Black pepper is best with leather, suede, and tobacco. Black pepper also heightens lighter citrus notes like lemon, lime, orange, green apple, and citron. Pink pepper is best in aromatic or floral blends, where it’s warm, fruity facets can bring an airy white floral perfume into focus, or underline masculine notes such as lavender, basil, musk, etc. Pepper’s insistent heat can be worn either day or night, and it’s fruity/spicy shadow makes it ideal for any season.

Virginia Cedar