In short
Lemon myrtle oil is distilled from the leaves of an Australian tree and is up to 90-98% citral. Its lemon is cleaner and sweeter than lemongrass or litsea.
What Lemon Myrtle Oil smells like
A technical data sheet describes lemon myrtle oil as fresh and sweet with an intense lemony aroma; suppliers add subtle green herbaceous notes. The PROSEA handbook says it resembles lemongrass oil but is of better quality, lacking grassy-fatty or harsh notes, and a review calls it cleaner and sweeter than lemongrass and litsea; steam-distilled oil is typically 90-98% citral. ISO 5093:2021 specifies the citral type.
- Leading note
- Lemon
- Clear facets
- Citral
- Supporting facets
- Sweet
- Faint facets
- Herbaceous
- Character
- Clean, intense
What makes Lemon Myrtle Oil distinctive
The cleanest natural citral, without lemongrass's grassiness.
How Lemon Myrtle Oil is used
Used as a natural citral lemon in citrus, cologne and fresh accords.
Typical role: lift (adds diffusion and radiance, especially at the top).
How Lemon Myrtle Oil differs from similar materials
- Litsea Cubeba Oil
- Both are citral-rich oils; a review describes lemon myrtle oil as cleaner and sweeter than litsea and lemongrass. (compared directly by a cited source)
- Lemon Myrtle CO2 Extract
- The CO2 extract of the same leaves is described as brighter, sweeter and more spritzy, with lemon and lime.
- Lemon Verbena Oil
- Lemon verbena oil is softer, leafier and more herbaceous; lemon myrtle is the cleaner, sharper citral.
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
Very rich in citral, a skin sensitiser covered by IFRA; check the Standard. A citral type is specified by ISO 5093:2021.
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
- Backhousia citriodora oil
- Botanical source
- Backhousia citriodora F.Muell.
No CAS number is shown: suppliers use different identifiers for this material, and none could be confirmed as its own.
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
-
Litsea Cubeba Oil
Essential oil · Citrus / Fruity — lemon, sweet, fruity, fresh
-
Lemongrass Oil
Essential oil · Citrus / Green — lemon, grassy, herbal, fresh
-
Lemon Oil (Cold-Pressed)
Essential oil · Citrus / Aldehydic — citrus, sharp, zesty, juicy
Lemon Myrtle Oil is also suggested as a partner on the pages for Lemon Myrtle CO2 Extract.
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 2 published formulas
Lemon Myrtle Oil is an ingredient in 1 perfume formula and 1 accord in the Formula & Accord Library.
Community formulas
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Lemon Myrtle Oil
Is Lemon Myrtle Oil natural or synthetic?
Lemon Myrtle Oil is natural. It is a volatile oil obtained from plant material by steam distillation or, for citrus peels, by cold expression.
Which published formulas use Lemon Myrtle Oil?
Lemon Myrtle Oil is used in 2 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library: Freesia Accord and Magnolia Cartography. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- Wikipedia — Backhousia citriodora — published perfumery reference.
- PROSEA — Backhousia citriodora — published literature.
- Southwell (2021), Foods — lemon myrtle review (PMC) — published literature.
- Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 26 October 2026. Evidence: more than one published description. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.