Lemon Verbena Oil

What Lemon Verbena Oil smells like

Lemon verbena oil is steam-distilled from the leaves and its main constituents are citral (about 30-35%), nerol and geraniol. AromaWeb describes it as sweet and lemony with subtle herbaceous characteristics; a perfume supplier places it as a top note with a clear citral signature that moves to soft floral citrus as it dries.

Leading note

Lemon

Supporting facets

Herbaceous, sweet

Faint facets

Floral

Character

Fresh, bright

• lemon
• herbaceous
• sweet
• citral

What makes Lemon Verbena Oil distinctive

A leafy lemon, sweeter than lemongrass and softer than litsea.

How Lemon Verbena Oil is used

Historically used in colognes and citrus-herbal accords; see the regulatory note.

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

How Lemon Verbena Oil differs from similar materials

Blood Orange Oil

Blood orange oil is sweet, tart orange; lemon verbena is leafy and herbaceous, its lemon coming from citral.

Lemon Myrtle Oil

Lemon myrtle oil is the cleaner, sharper natural citral; lemon verbena is softer and sweeter, with a leafy, herbaceous side.

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

In the EU, verbena oils (Lippia citriodora) and derivatives other than the absolute are prohibited as fragrance ingredients (Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex II). The oil is a skin sensitiser and phototoxic.

Identity and classification

Type

Essential oil

Origin

Natural

Odour family

Citrus / Aromatic

Note position

Top note

Physical form at room temperature

Liquid

Also known as

Verbena oil

Botanical source

Aloysia citrodora Paláu

CAS number

8024-12-2

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

The IFRA Standards Library lists a Standard covering Lemon Verbena Oil:

• "Verbena oil and absolute (Lippia citriodora Kunth.)" — type not stated in the library listing, 49th Amendment, published 2020-01

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.

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

• Citral

  Aroma chemical · Citrus / Green — lemon, sharp, fresh, green

Used in formulas and accords

Used in 1 published formula

Lemon Verbena Oil is an ingredient in 1 accord in the Formula & Accord Library.

• Freesia Accord

  Community Formula · Accord · listed as “Lemon Verbena EO”

Further reading

• 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 Lemon Verbena Oil

Sources

• PubChem — substance 135325986, checked 24 October 2026.
• IFRA — Standards Library, read 19 October 2026.
• Wikipedia — Aloysia citrodora — published perfumery reference.
• AromaWeb — Lemon Verbena Essential Oil — published perfumery reference.
• 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.