In short
Bergamot oil FCF is bergamot oil with its furocoumarins (bergapten) removed, by vacuum distillation or a later step. It is what modern leave-on fragrance uses.
What Bergamot Oil FCF smells like
Eden Botanicals describes its bergamot FCF as a very fresh, light, tangy citrus with crisp green notes and a faint floral undertone, and its organic grade as green, fresh and sweet with a warm floral aspect in the dry-down. A study cited by Sigma-Aldrich found that vacuum distillation of bergamot peel gives an oil totally free of bergapten whose composition is quite similar to that of cold-pressed oil.
- Leading note
- Bergamot
- Clear facets
- Green
- Supporting facets
- Tangy
- Faint facets
- Floral
- Character
- Fresh, light
What makes Bergamot Oil FCF distinctive
Bergamot without its phototoxic furocoumarins.
How Bergamot Oil FCF is used
Used in colognes, chypres and fougères in place of expressed bergamot where phototoxic furocoumarins must be absent.
Typical role: lift (adds diffusion and radiance, especially at the top); backbone (used in large proportions as a structural material of an accord).
How Bergamot Oil FCF differs from similar materials
- Bergamot Oil (Expressed)
- The FCF grade has the furocoumarins removed; a study found the vacuum-distilled oil close in composition to cold-pressed bergamot, and suppliers describe it as light, tangy and green.
Each difference compares the published descriptions of the two materials. Smell varies with grade, supplier and dilution; compare them side by side on blotters before substituting one for another.
Formulation considerations
Removing the furocoumarins addresses the phototoxicity for which expressed bergamot is restricted; IFRA Standards still apply to the oil's other constituents.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Essential oil
- Origin
- Natural
- Odour family
- Citrus / Floral
- Note position
- Top note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- Also known as
- Bergamot oil, bergapten-free, Bergamot oil, furocoumarin-free
- Botanical source
- Citrus bergamia Risso & Poit.
- CAS number
- 68648-33-9
The CAS number was checked on 24 October 2026 against a PubChem substance record that gives it for this material. A natural material is a mixture, so it has no single formula; its composition varies with origin and processing.
Safety and compliance
This page is general information, not a safety assessment or a specification. Confirm identity, composition, IFRA status and allergen content from your supplier's documents for the lot you hold.
Materials it works with
-
Bergamot Oil (Expressed)
Essential oil · Citrus / Aromatic — citrus, zesty, floral, tea-like
-
Lavender Oil
Essential oil · Aromatic / Floral — lavender, herbal, floral, fresh
-
Neroli Oil
Essential oil · Floral / Citrus — floral, citrus, orange blossom, honeyed
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 39 published formulas
Bergamot Oil FCF is an ingredient in 29 perfume formulas, 7 accords and 3 bases in the Formula & Accord Library.
Community formulas
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Bergamot Oil FCF
Is Bergamot Oil FCF natural or synthetic?
Bergamot Oil FCF is natural. It is a volatile oil obtained from plant material by steam distillation or, for citrus peels, by cold expression.
What is the CAS number of Bergamot Oil FCF?
68648-33-9, the registry number for the essential oil as a substance rather than a single molecule. It was checked against PubChem on 24 October 2026.
Which published formulas use Bergamot Oil FCF?
Bergamot Oil FCF is used in 39 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including 1882 Naturals, Bitter Ferry and Bracken Moon. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- PubChem — substance 135362701, checked 24 October 2026.
- Eden Botanicals — Bergamot FCF — distributor's description.
- Sigma-Aldrich — Bergamot oil composition (technical paper) — published literature.
- Fraterworks — Bergamot Superior Oil, FCF — distributor's description.
- Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 24 October 2026. Evidence: more than one published description. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.