Citronella Oil (Java)

What Citronella Oil (Java) smells like

Citronella oil is fresh, lemony and grassy, with a rosy side — the smell most people associate with citronella candles. Two types differ in composition and odour: Java-type is richer in citronellal and is preferred in perfumery for its fresh, sweet, lemony aroma; Ceylon-type is richer in geraniol and has been judged crude and heavy by comparison, unbalanced by its herbaceous elements. The type names describe the oil's character rather than where it was grown.

Leading note

Lemony citronella

Clear facets

Rosy

Supporting facets

Grassy

Faint facets

Herbaceous (Ceylon type)

Character

Fresh, sharp, green, clean

• lemony
• rosy
• grassy
• fresh

What makes Citronella Oil (Java) distinctive

Lemon pulled towards rose: citronellal's lemony green plus geraniol's rosiness, in proportions that differ between the Java and Ceylon types.

How Citronella Oil (Java) is used

Used in functional and household fragrance and insect-repellent products, and as a source of citronellal and geraniol.

Typical role: modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend).

How Citronella Oil (Java) differs from similar materials

Citronellal

Citronellal is the oil's lemony-green core; the oil adds geraniol's rosiness and grassy, herbaceous notes.

Lemongrass Oil

Lemongrass is citral lemon with a dry, grassy body; citronella is rosier and more citronellal-led.

Lemon Eucalyptus Oil

Lemon eucalyptus is almost all citronellal, with a balsamic-floral drydown; citronella is grassier and rosier.

Melissa Oil*

Citronella oil is used to imitate melissa; melissa is softer, more herbal and more delicate. (compared directly by a cited source)

An asterisk marks a difference that a cited source states directly. The others compare the published descriptions of each material. Smell varies with grade, supplier and dilution; compare them side by side on blotters before substituting one for another.

Formulation considerations

Contains citronellal, geraniol and citronellol, so it contributes to several IFRA-standardised and declarable allergenic constituents.

Identity and classification

Type

Essential oil

Origin

Natural

Odour family

Citrus / Green

Note position

Top note

Physical form at room temperature

Liquid

Also known as

Java citronella oil

Botanical source

Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt

CAS number

8000-29-1

The CAS number was checked on 19 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

• Geranium Oil

  Essential oil · Floral / Green — rosy, green, minty, fresh

• Lemongrass Oil

  Essential oil · Citrus / Green — lemon, grassy, herbal, fresh

• Citronellol

  Aroma chemical · Floral / Green — rosy, fresh, citrus, waxy

• Lemon Eucalyptus Oil

  Essential oil · Citrus / Aromatic — lemony, fresh, citronella, green

Citronella Oil (Java) is also suggested as a partner on the pages for Citronellal.

Used in formulas and accords

Not currently used in any published formula.

The Formula & Accord Library lists Citronella Oil (Java) here as soon as a published formula, accord or base uses it.

Further reading

• Fragrance for Cleaning Products: Category 10A, Harsh Bases and Labels

  Fragrancing surface cleaners, laundry and dish products: IFRA Category 10A, what alkalis, acids and bleach do to fragrance, testing, and EU detergent labeling.

• Citrus Oils in Perfumery: Bergamot, Lemon, Orange and Their Limits

  The main citrus oils, phototoxicity and FCF bergamot, why citrus fades and how to extend it, oxidation, allergens, and grades from expressed to terpeneless.

Questions about Citronella Oil (Java)

Sources

• PubChem — substance 164807969, checked 19 October 2026.
• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists — citronella oils — published literature.
• DrugFuture Chemical Index — Oil of citronella — published perfumery reference.
• Bioshop — Ingredient glossary: citronella essential oil — distributor's description.
• Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 20 October 2026. Evidence: more than one published description. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.