Composition
100% essential oil of Citrus sinensis. Origin: Brazil.
The plant and the oil
Most orange oil is pressed from the peel, but distilled sweet orange oil is also made.[1] As in other citrus peel oils, limonene is the main component, usually about 60 to 95% of the oil.[3]
Scent
What it smells like. Distilled sweet orange oil smells fresh and sweet, but not very rich, and the scent fades quickly. Only fresh or well-kept oil smells fresh.[1]
Where it is used. Distilled orange oil is of little value as a flavouring, but it is used to scent inexpensive household products such as cleaners and detergents, and widely to imitate the scent of bergamot oil.[1]
How to use
Scent a room. The oil is intended to create a warm, cheerful atmosphere and to lift the mood.[2]
Make a massage oil. Mix the oil into a carrier oil such as jojoba oil. 1% means 1 ml of orange oil in 100 ml of blend.
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.[4]
| Share of orange oil | Orange oil in 10 ml of blend | Carrier oil in 10 ml of blend |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5% | 0.05 ml | 9.95 ml |
| 1% | 0.1 ml | 9.9 ml |
| 2% | 0.2 ml | 9.8 ml |
Before the first use, try a little of the blend on a small patch of undamaged skin. If the skin reacts, stop and apply a little vegetable oil or cream.[5]
Add it to a bath. Stir it into a little vegetable oil or a bath gel base first, so that it does not float on the water as undiluted drops.[5][6]
Precautions
- do not swallow it or put it on the skin undiluted;[7]
- keep it away from the eyes;[5]
- keep the bottle out of the reach of children.[5]
- Distilled orange oil turns rancid or oxidises faster than pressed orange oil.[1] Citrus oils are rich in limonene, which oxidises easily, and heat speeds this up; the oxidation products raise the risk of a skin allergy, so keep the bottle cool and closed.[8]
- People with asthma should try the scent carefully at first: fragrances, natural ones included, can make the condition worse.[9]
- In pregnancy, use it on the skin only well diluted, at 1 to 2%.[10]
- Premature babies get no essential oils on the skin, and babies up to 3 months old get at most 0.1%.[4]
- Older children, too, need much weaker blends than adults.[4]
- The oil burns easily: keep it away from candles and flames.[5]
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Steffen Arctander, Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin, Elizabeth, NJ, 1960: Orange Oil, Sweet, distilled.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Vivasan, product packaging of Orange Sweet (E 113).
- ↑ M. Carmen González-Mas et al., Volatile Compounds in Citrus Essential Oils: A Comprehensive Review. Frontiers in Plant Science 10 (2019), 12, doi 10.3389/fpls.2019.00012.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists (IFPA), Guidelines to IFPA Members Treating Babies and Children. Revised August 2021.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA), Safety. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ Tisserand Institute, Safety guidelines. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists (IFPA), Statement on Internal and Undiluted Use of Essential Oils. November 2019.
- ↑ Robert Tisserand, Lemon on the rocks: keep your essential oils cool. 26 July 2013.
- ↑ 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.