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Vitamin C

Q: Is Vitamin C natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Not a natural extract. Pure ascorbic acid is nearly odorless. The vitamin C scent impression is a composed accord using tart-citric synthetics, metallic notes, and clean-ozonic modifiers..

POPULAR AND WEIRD / fresh · citrus · fruity

Vitamin C

Category	POPULAR AND WEIRD
Subcategory	fresh · citrus · fruity
Origin
Volatility	Top Note
Botanical	N/A (organic compound; L-Ascorbic acid)
Appearance	Colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
Odor Strength	High
Producing Countries	China (largest producer), European Union, Japan
Pyramid	Top

Tart, metallic, faintly citrusy. Ascorbic acid tablets — the sharp, slightly tinny sourness of a dissolved supplement, more chemical than fruity.

Scent
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Tart, metallic, with a sharp citric-acid character. Less round than orange, more clinical than lemon. A pharmaceutical quality distinguishes it from natural citrus — the smell of the supplement rather than the fruit. Slightly effervescent, with a mineral-metallic undertone from iron and zinc interactions.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Sharp tart-metallic burst, pharmaceutical and clean

After a few hours

Softened citric quality, less clinical

After a few days

Nearly gone — faint mineral trace

The Full Story

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid, C6H8O6) as a fragrance note refers to the specific tart-metallic smell associated with ascorbic acid tablets, effervescent vitamin drinks, and concentrated citrus supplements. Pure ascorbic acid itself is nearly odorless; the 'vitamin C smell' comes from its interaction with metal ions and its oxidation products.

The olfactory impression is sharp, acidic, and faintly metallic — more pharmaceutical than fruity. When vitamin C tablets dissolve in water, the effervescence releases small volatile molecules that create the characteristic tangy-medicinal scent. It is the smell of the pharmacy, not the orange grove.

In perfumery, this note appears in conceptual and clean-citrus compositions. It represents the intersection of citrus freshness and pharmaceutical sterility — a hyper-clean version of natural citrus.

This note in Première Peau. Gravitas Capitale. Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

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Did You Know?

Did you know?

Ascorbic acid was first isolated in 1928 by Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, who initially called it 'ignose' (from ignosco, 'I don't know') and then 'Godnose' when the first name was rejected. The crystal structure of ascorbic acid was determined by X-ray crystallography in 1933.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Not a natural extract. Pure ascorbic acid is nearly odorless. The vitamin C scent impression is a composed accord using tart-citric synthetics, metallic notes, and clean-ozonic modifiers.

Molecular Formula	C₆H₈O₆
CAS Number	50-81-7
Botanical Name	N/A (organic compound; L-Ascorbic acid)
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	ascorbic acid, ascorbate
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	High
Lasting Power	24 hours
Appearance	Colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
Specific Gravity	1.65 g/cm³
Melting Point	190-192 °C (decomposition)

In Perfumery

Vitamin C is a conceptual top-note accent used in ultra-clean, citric, and pharmaceutical-inspired compositions. Built from sharp citric materials (citric acid character), metallic notes, and ozonic-clean modifiers. It provides a hyper-sterile citrus effect that reads as clinical rather than natural. Functions as a fleeting top-note modifier in conceptual and clean fragrances.