In short
Pomelo oil is the peel oil of the pomelo, Citrus maxima, mostly limonene. It reads softer and rounder than grapefruit and less acid than lemon, drying to a woody-bitter note.
What Pomelo Oil smells like
A 2022 study of pummelo peel oil found it mostly monoterpenes, with D-limonene at about 77% and beta-myrcene about 6%, and nootkatone near 1%. A supplier's analysis of Vietnamese pomelo peel oil reports about 94% limonene. Première Peau describes pomelo as softer and rounder than grapefruit, less acid than lemon, with a dry, woody-bitter character as the top fades.
- Leading note
- Soft citrus peel
- Supporting facets
- Woody-bitter
- Character
- Fresh, soft
What makes Pomelo Oil distinctive
A gentler, rounder grapefruit-like citrus.
Where the descriptions disagree: Reported limonene content differs between the study (about 77%) and a supplier analysis (about 94%).
How Pomelo Oil is used
Used as a citrus top note where grapefruit would be too sharp.
Typical role: lift (adds diffusion and radiance, especially at the top).
Formulation considerations
Like other citrus peel oils it is mostly limonene and oxidises in air. Whether an expressed oil carries furocoumarins, and any restriction that follows, should be confirmed on the supplier's documents. Pomelo flower oil is a different, rare product.
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
- Pomelo Peel Oil, Pummelo Peel Oil
- Botanical source
- Citrus maxima
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
-
Grapefruit Oil (Expressed)
Essential oil · Citrus / Fruity — citrus, bitter, juicy, sparkling
-
Sweet Orange Oil
Essential oil · Citrus / Fruity — citrus, sweet, juicy, orange peel
-
Bergamot Oil FCF
Essential oil · Citrus / Floral — bergamot, citrus, fresh, green
Used in formulas and accords
Not currently used in any published formula.
The Formula & Accord Library lists Pomelo Oil here as soon as a published formula, accord or base uses it.
Further reading
Questions about Pomelo Oil
Is Pomelo Oil natural or synthetic?
Pomelo Oil is natural. It is a volatile oil obtained from plant material by steam distillation or, for citrus peels, by cold expression.
Sources
- Pummelo peel essential oil composition (2022), PubMed Central — published literature.
- Première Peau — pomelo — published perfumery reference.
- Scent.vn — pomelo peel essential oil — distributor's description.
- Olfactory profile: the RUŌOD Lab team's synthesis of the published descriptions above, reviewed 4 November 2026. Evidence: more than one published description. Classification and the short description: revision 1. Descriptions of odour are judgement, not measurement.