In short
Geraniol is a terpene alcohol found in rose, palmarosa and geranium oils. It gives a sweet, rosy-citrus note and is one of the building blocks of rose accords.
What Geraniol smells like
Geraniol is a sweet, rosy-floral alcohol with a subtle citrus undercurrent and a faintly waxy quality. Sources agree it is the sweeter, warmer and richer of the rose alcohols: compared with its isomer nerol it is sweeter and less sharp, and compared with citronellol warmer and fruitier. It is the main constituent of palmarosa oil and is one of the 26 fragrance allergens individually named in EU cosmetics law.
- Leading note
- Sweet rose
- Supporting facets
- Citrus, fruity
- Faint facets
- Waxy
- Character
- Sweet, warm, rich, rounded
What makes Geraniol distinctive
Sweetness. Where citronellol is the fresh rose and nerol the watery-fresh one, geraniol is the warm, sweet, slightly fruity rose — 'rose-sweet' rather than 'rose-fresh'.
How Geraniol is used
Used in rose and floral accords and widely in soap and functional fragrance; also a raw material for geranyl esters and other rose chemicals.
Typical role: backbone (used in large proportions as a structural material of an accord).
How Geraniol differs from similar materials
- Citronellol
- A classic review finds citronellol softer, rounder and more directly rose; geraniol is warmer, sweeter and fruitier. (compared directly by a cited source)
- Nerol
- A glossary sums them up: geraniol reads rose-sweet, nerol rose-fresh — nerol less sweet, more watery and greener. (compared directly by a cited source)
- Palmarosa Oil
- Palmarosa oil is mostly geraniol, with a grassy, herbaceous note around it; geraniol alone is the cleaner sweet rose.
- Geranyl Acetate
- The acetate is fruitier and fresher — rose with pear and lavender; geraniol is the sweeter, warmer alcohol.
- Rosaphen
- Symrise describes Rosaphen as rose with shades of geraniol but much better tenacity, and slightly waxy. (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
A declarable allergen with an IFRA Standard; calculate its total including the geraniol in naturals.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Aroma chemical
- Origin
- Occurs in nature
- Odour family
- Floral / Citrus
- Note position
- Heart note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- CAS number
- 106-24-1
- Molecular formula
- C10H18O
- Molecular weight
- 154.25 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- (2E)-3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dien-1-ol
The CAS number, formula and molecular weight are taken from PubChem compound 637566, whose own record lists this CAS number; checked 19 October 2026.
Safety and compliance
The IFRA Standards Library lists a Standard covering Geraniol:
- "Geraniol" — Restriction, 51st Amendment, published 2023-06
Limits differ by product category and are set out in the Standard itself; this page does not reproduce them. The list above reflects the library as read on 19 October 2026.
Geraniol is one of the 26 fragrance allergens listed individually in Annex III of the EU Cosmetics Regulation (label name: Geraniol), which must be named on cosmetic labels above 0.001% in leave-on and 0.01% in rinse-off products. Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 extended the list; see the fragrance allergens list.
Hazard classification of the neat substance, as PubChem summarises it, read 26 October 2026. It has a harmonised EU classification (Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008, Annex VI): H317 may cause an allergic skin reaction. Companies notifying the ECHA C&L Inventory classify it (2,637 reports): H317 may cause an allergic skin reaction (99.4% of reports); H315 causes skin irritation (98.9% of reports); H318 causes serious eye damage (92.4% of reports). 7 of the reports find it does not meet the hazard criteria. A skin sensitiser classification concerns handling the neat material and the dose in a finished product; the IFRA Standards, where they apply, set the limits. Unless it is harmonised, this is the notifiers' own classification, not a binding one.
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
-
Citronellol
Aroma chemical · Floral / Green — rosy, fresh, citrus, waxy
-
Phenylethyl Alcohol
Aroma chemical · Floral / Green — rose, honeyed, soft, floral
-
Nerol
Aroma chemical · Floral / Citrus — rosy, citrus, sweet, fresh
-
Rose Oil (Rosa damascena)
Essential oil · Floral / Fruity — rose, honeyed, spicy, fresh
-
Geranyl Acetate
Aroma chemical · Floral / Fruity — fruity, rosy, pear, fresh
Geraniol is also suggested as a partner on the pages for Geranyl Butyrate, Geranyl Formate, Geranyl Isovalerate, Mefranal, Palmarosa Oil and Peonile.
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 24 published formulas
Geraniol is an ingredient in 13 perfume formulas, 10 accords and 1 base in the Formula & Accord Library.
Community formulas
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Geraniol
Is Geraniol natural or synthetic?
The molecule occurs in nature. Commercial Geraniol may be made by synthesis or obtained from natural sources, so check the supplier's specification if the distinction matters to you.
What is the CAS number of Geraniol?
106-24-1. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.
Which published formulas use Geraniol?
Geraniol is used in 24 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Asphalt Peony, Blackcurrant Signal and Fur & Fruit. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Is Geraniol covered by an IFRA Standard?
Yes. The IFRA Standards Library lists a Standard covering it: "Geraniol" — Restriction, 51st Amendment. The limits depend on the product category; read the Standard itself before formulating.
Sources
- PubChem — compound 637566, checked 19 October 2026.
- PubChem — GHS classification (the ECHA C&L Inventory notifications and any harmonised EU entry), read 26 October 2026.
- IFRA — Standards Library, read 19 October 2026.
- EUR-Lex — Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex III.
- Premiere Peau — Geraniol — published perfumery reference.
- Scentspiracy — Geraniol — distributor's description.
- Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists — review of rose alcohols — published literature.
- Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 20 October 2026. Evidence: several independent published descriptions, which agree. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.