Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil

What it is

Sweet orange peel oil is cold-pressed from the rind of Citrus sinensis, also written as Citrus aurantium dulcis, and is typically 90 to 96% limonene. Unlike bergamot, lemon and bitter orange, cold-pressed sweet orange oil contains only negligible furocoumarins and is not treated as phototoxic. Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 brought it onto the fragrance-allergen labelling list.

What it does well

• Warm, well-liked citrus scent

  One of the least polarising natural fragrance materials. This is a sensory function; there is no established skin benefit.

  Strong evidence

Worth knowing

• Very high limonene content that oxidises over time

  Because sweet orange oil is almost entirely limonene, an aged or long-opened product can contain meaningful amounts of the sensitising hydroperoxides. This, rather than phototoxicity, is the real concern with sweet orange.

  Matters most toPeople with a fragrance or terpene allergy.

• Bitter orange oil is a different, phototoxic material

  Citrus aurantium amara peel oil is phototoxic, whereas the sweet variety is not. The two share the same first two INCI words, so it is worth reading the whole name.

  Matters most toAnyone checking a label for phototoxic citrus oils.

Where the EU stands