What Is Verbena Scent? (The Underrated Essential Oil!)

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Essential oils are one of the key ingredients for every perfume on the market, and there are so many different ones to choose from.

If you like to make your own perfume, then you’re likely very familiar with essential oils. But how familiar are you with verbena?

What Is Verbena Scent?

This is one of the most underrated essential oils on the market. But what is verbena scent? What can you expect to smell if you were to purchase a bottle of verbena essential oil? 

That’s the question that we’re going to try and answer for you today! We’re going to cover everything you need to know about the verbena plant, and what you can expect from a bottle of verbena essential oil.

We’ll also discuss which fragrances best pair with this scent so that you can try to mix and match your very own fragrances!

What Is Verbena Scent?

If you were to pick some verbena leaves and harvest them for an essential oil, you would get notes of fruity citrus. There are also more sunbelt notes of citronella under the initial lemony hit.

Because of this, the scent of verbena can be cleaner and much lighter than true lemon.

When the verbena is harvested properly, it produces a light yellow to green oil. Verbena oil can be really tricky to produce properly, as it can only really be harvested around the springtime.

Some people have tried to harvest verbena during the autumn and summer months, however, this results in a subpar verbena oil.

Because it is so hard to cultivate, verbena oil can be one of the more expensive essential oils.

Does Verbena Smell Like Lemon?

Yes, verbena does smell like lemon! When you first introduce your nose to the scent of verbena, you will notice citrusy notes of lemon, which will gradually evolve into a fruity, sweet aroma. 

Because of the fact that verbena has often been noted to smell like lemon, this has earned the plant the name of lemon verbena.

It can be confusing, but these are essentially both used to describe the same plant.

Is Verbena A Strong Smell?

Yes, verbena is a particularly strong smell, especially once it has been harvested into an essential oil. There will be a noticeable citrus aroma if you were to hold the bottle of verbena essential oils beneath your nose.

Because of its strength in aroma, verbena often is used to make certain perfumes. It can also pair well with a variety of other scents to create a more well rounded fragrance.

However, verbena has a much lighter citrus scent than pure lemon, which makes it preferred for certain perfumes.

What Scent Goes Well With Verbena?

Verbena scent typically pairs well with rose, patchouli, sandalwood, lavender, bergamot, mandarin, and neroli. You will also find that verbena tends to pair well with spice notes such as cardamom and black pepper.

Floral fragrances can also be an excellent match for verbena, such as the rose and lavender fragrances that we have already mentioned.

You can choose to combine your verbena essential oil with any one or even a mixture of these different fragrances. It will be important to try a little bit at a time to see which fragrances match perfectly with verbena.

What Is Verbena Oil Used For?

What Is Verbena Oil Used For?

Verbena oil can be used for all manner of things. It is often used as part of creating a perfume fragrance, but it may also be used to make artisan candles or soaps.

Because of its versatile scent profile, verbena oil is often a favorite for combining with other essential oils. The only thing to note is that it can be quite pricey, so it might push up the price of your chosen fragrance.

What Is The Difference Between Verbena And Lemon Verbena?

The verbena plant can be known by several different names. It can often be confused with Spanish verbena and vervain, which are two completely different plants. This is all down to the fact that verbena is part of the similar genus to these other plants.

But what about lemon verbena?

The truth is that this is actually the same plant! Thanks to verbena’s naturally citrus aroma when the leaves or flowers are disturbed, this has earned it the nickname lemon verbena.

Before You Go…

OK, that’s a wrap! But before you go, don’t miss out on our next article. If you’re interested in Verbena scent, with its lemony notes, check out this roundup of the best lemon fragrances!

Perfumes That Smell Like Lemons

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