Citronellal is an aromatic chemical, usually appearing as a clear liquid with a floral-citrus odour. This compound appears as a component of some fragrance blends.

Citronellal is a synthetic chemical produced for industry, however it can be found naturally in some plants and plant essential oils, such as eucalyptus (Eucalyptrus citriodora), lemon myrtle (Backhousia citriodora) and lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus). This ingredient often appears in fragrances, either as a synthetic additive used to modify the fragrance, or as a natural component of the essential oils used in the fragrance. Citronellal has been linked to antifungal and insecticidal activity, leading to its use in some insect repellent products.

Studies indicate a small percentage of people can be sensitive to this ingredient, which is why we list in when it's detected in our fragrances, though it only appears at very low concentrations, within the safe use defined by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA). The IFRA is a self-regulatory representative body of the fragrance industry, dedicated to promoting the safe use of fragrances.

Other names: C₁₀H₁₈O; 2,3-Dihydrocitral; 3,7-Dimethyl-6-Octenal

Chemical class: Aldehydes

REFERENCES

Arvind Saroj, Olumayowa Vincent Oriyomi, Ashish Kumar Nayak, S. Zafar Haider. Chapter 6 - Phytochemicals of Plant-Derived Essential Oils: A Novel Green Approach Against Pests. Editor(s): Chukwuebuka Egbuna, Barbara Sawicka, Natural Remedies for Pest, Disease and Weed Control, Academic Press, 2020, Pages 65-79, ISBN 9780128193044, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-819304-4.00006-3.

International Fragrance Association Standard (2020). Citronellal. Retrieved on October 6, 2021 from https://ifrafragrance.org/standards/IFRA_STD_206.pdf

National Center for Biotechnology Information (2021). PubChem Compound Summary for CID 7794, Citronellal. Retrieved October 6, 2021 from https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Citronellal.