In short
Litsea cubeba oil, also called May Chang, is distilled from the fruit of an East Asian shrub. Like lemongrass it is very rich in citral, but its lemon note is sweeter and fruitier.
What Litsea Cubeba Oil smells like
Litsea cubeba (May Chang) oil is an intensely lemony oil, sweet and fruity, made up largely of citral. Eden Botanicals describes it as lemon-like and sweet-green, with light woody-floral undertones and a sweet-fruity drydown; The Good Scents Company calls it intensely lemony, herbaceous and fruity. Comparisons with lemongrass disagree: one supplier finds it sweeter and softer than lemongrass, a glossary finds it cleaner and drier, with a sharper, almost metallic citral edge turning to waxy lemon-candy sweetness.
- Leading note
- Sweet lemon
- Clear facets
- Fruity, sherbet-like
- Supporting facets
- Green
- Faint facets
- Woody-floral
- Character
- Bright, sweet, sharp, fruity
What makes Litsea Cubeba Oil distinctive
Lemon sweets. It is citral in a natural oil with a fruity, candy-like sweetness, less grassy than lemongrass and simpler than lemon peel.
Where the descriptions disagree: Compared with lemongrass, one supplier finds it sweeter and softer, a glossary cleaner and drier.
How Litsea Cubeba Oil is used
Used for bright lemon notes in fresh and citrus compositions and functional products, and as a natural source of citral.
Typical role: lift (adds diffusion and radiance, especially at the top); modifier (used in small amounts to change the character of a blend).
How Litsea Cubeba Oil differs from similar materials
- Citral
- Citral is the sharp lemon core; litsea cubeba softens it with sweet-green and woody-floral nuances.
- Lemongrass Oil
- Sources disagree: one finds litsea sweeter and softer than lemongrass, another cleaner and drier. Both agree lemongrass is the grassier, more herbaceous of the two. (compared directly by a cited source)
- Lemon Myrtle Oil
- Lemon myrtle oil, also citral-rich, is described as cleaner and sweeter than litsea. (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
High in citral, so it contributes to citral limits and allergen declarations.
Identity and classification
- Type
- Essential oil
- Origin
- Natural
- Odour family
- Citrus / Fruity
- Note position
- Top note
- Physical form at room temperature
- Liquid
- Also known as
- May Chang oil
- Botanical source
- Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers.
- CAS number
- 68855-99-2
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
-
Lemongrass Oil
Essential oil · Citrus / Green — lemon, grassy, herbal, fresh
-
Citral
Aroma chemical · Citrus / Green — lemon, sharp, fresh, green
-
Ginger Oil
Essential oil · Spicy / Citrus — spicy, warm, lemony, woody
-
Mandarin Oil
Essential oil · Citrus / Fruity — citrus, sweet, juicy, tangerine
Litsea Cubeba Oil is also suggested as a partner on the pages for Citral Dimethyl Acetal, Lemon Myrtle CO2 Extract, Lemon Myrtle Oil, Lemon Verbena Oil, Lime Oil (Distilled) and Melissa Oil.
Used in formulas and accords
Used in 4 published formulas
Litsea Cubeba Oil is an ingredient in 1 perfume formula, 2 accords and 1 base in the Formula & Accord Library.
Community formulas
RUŌOD House Originals
Original compositions by RUŌOD House.
Further reading
Questions about Litsea Cubeba Oil
Is Litsea Cubeba Oil natural or synthetic?
Litsea Cubeba Oil 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 Litsea Cubeba Oil?
68855-99-2, the registry number for the essential oil as a substance rather than a single molecule. It was checked against PubChem on 19 October 2026.
Which published formulas use Litsea Cubeba Oil?
Litsea Cubeba Oil is used in 4 published formulas in the RUŌOD Lab Formula & Accord Library, including Freesia Accord, Green Apple Accord and Lemon Ledger. Each is listed with a link under "Used in formulas and accords" on this page.
Sources
- PubChem — substance 17389089, checked 19 October 2026.
- Eden Botanicals — Litsea Cubeba, organic — distributor's description.
- The Good Scents Company — litsea cubeba oil — odour database.
- Premiere Peau — Litsea cubeba — published perfumery reference.
- Bulk Apothecary — Litsea cubeba essential oil — distributor's description.
- Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 25 October 2026. Evidence: more than one published description. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.