Composition
7% neroli oil (Citrus aurantium), origin France; 93% jojoba oil.
The plant and the oils
Neroli oil, also called orange flower oil, is distilled from the flowers of the cultivated bitter orange tree, the same tree whose leaves give petitgrain oil and whose peel gives bitter orange oil. The flowers must be distilled immediately after picking, so that they do not start to decay.[3]
Jojoba oil, the carrier, consists almost entirely (97%) of wax esters; it is stable and resists oxidation.[4]
Scent
What it smells like. Neroli oil smells very powerful, light and refreshing, floral with a peculiar sweet top note, but the scent does not last long.[3]
Where it sits in a blend. It is a middle note with a strong initial scent, and a little goes a long way; its complexity is best appreciated at very low dilution.[2]
What it goes with. Floral, citrus, wood, spice and herb oils.[2] In perfumery it is one of the classic materials of eau de cologne, and next to rose, jasmine and ylang-ylang probably one of the most frequently used floral materials.[3]
How to use
On the skin, diluted further. Before putting the blend on the skin, dilute it further in a carrier oil such as jojoba oil. The blend already contains 7% neroli oil.
For people aged 15 and over, the recommended share of essential oil in a blend is up to 2% for general wellbeing, but not every day. During an illness, at most 5% is acceptable, and only for a short time.[5]
Before the first use, try a little on a small patch of undamaged skin. If the skin reacts, stop and apply a little vegetable oil or cream.[6]
Precautions
- do not swallow the blend;[7]
- do not put the blend on the skin undiluted;[7]
- keep it away from the eyes;[6]
- keep the bottle out of the reach of children.[6]
- No special precautions are described for neroli oil, and it is not regarded as phototoxic.[2]
- People with asthma should try the scent carefully at first: fragrances, natural ones included, can make the condition worse.[8]
- Pure neroli oil keeps poorly: its scent loses its freshness after a few months unless the oil is kept cool, dark and well sealed.[3]
- In pregnancy, use oils on the skin only well diluted, at 1 to 2%.[9]
- Do not use this blend on babies. Premature babies get no essential oils on the skin, and babies up to 3 months old get at most 0.1%.[5]
- Older children, too, need much weaker blends than adults.[5]
- The oil burns easily: keep it away from candles and flames.[6]
Sources
- ↑ Vivasan, product packaging of Neroli (E 125).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 AromaWeb, Neroli Essential Oil. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Steffen Arctander, Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin, Elizabeth, NJ, 1960: Neroli Oil.
- ↑ Cosmetic Ingredient Review, Final report on the safety assessment of jojoba oil and related ingredients, 2008.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists (IFPA), Guidelines to IFPA Members Treating Babies and Children. Revised August 2021.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA), Safety. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists (IFPA), Statement on Internal and Undiluted Use of Essential Oils. November 2019.
- ↑ Robert Tisserand, Proof of Safety: Challenges Facing Essential Oil Therapy. AIA Conference 2007.
- ↑ International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists (IFPA), Pregnancy and Lactation Guidelines. Revised August 2021.