Lemon Zest

There is an ongoing debate in my household over whether its better to use lemon flavoring in sweet foods or savory dishes.  I don’t care much for lemony sweets, but do believe that nothing brightens up a dish better than tangy lemon zest.  Of course, my husband is the opposite and loves the tart and sweet combo of lemon pies, cakes and lemonade.

In home fragrance, I tend to choose fresh over fruit, but do enjoy most citrus blends. Citrus scents are generally thought of as invigorating mood-lifters, so with Lemon Zest I was hoping for a bright and cheery scent, without the astringent aroma given off by some lemon candles.

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Fragrance: Yankee candle followers have commented that Lemon Zest reminds them of the classic childhood Lemonhead candies. Due to that reputation, I was bracing myself for this scent to be a little sour.  The tart that I tried wasn’t sour at all, in fact, it was much sweeter than I expected. I’d compare it to candied lemon peel, rather than Lemonhead candy, but definitely not freshly grated lemon zest.

It had a sticky, tangy quality to it that I could almost taste. Which is likely where the candy comparison comes in. A creamy note of vanilla came through, which softened the lemon enough so that it wasn’t overpowering. It had a depth to it that was surprising and pleasant.

Performance: Fearing it would be too strong, I broke the tart in half and used in a Scentsy wall unit in my bedroom and a tart burner in my living room.  It ended up being on the light to medium side in strength. But the result was a fresh, sugary lemon scent throughout the main level of my house.

 

 

Recommendation: Lemon Zest is a retired fragrance that gets reissued in large jars every once in awhile. I would buy this scent again, especially in tarts, because they are the right potency for this fragrance. A strong recommendation for this one, if you can find it. It’s an uplifting sweet and tart mash-up, perfect for spring and summer.

-jaybird

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