Mentha Citrata Leaf Essential Oil, 10 ml

Lemon mint essential oil (Mentha citrata) is obtained by steam distillation of the plant's leaves and flowering tops, and in a formulation it has one main role: fragrance. It brings a fresh minty note with a fruity and subtly citrus undertone that is softer than classic peppermint. It suits anywhere you want the freshness of mint without a pronounced menthol sharpness – in shower gels, body and hair care, soaps, candles and diffusers.

This is a 100% pure natural oil of cosmetic quality, free of solvents and synthetic additives. In a perfume composition it acts as a top note: it comes on quickly, gives the opening of the fragrance its freshness and gradually makes way for the middle and base notes.

Key benefits

• Fresh yet gentle minty fragrance – the minty character with a fruity-citrus undertone will be appreciated even by those who find peppermint too sharp and "toothpaste-like".
• Top note for compositions – it opens the fragrance and blends well with lavender, citrus, herbal and green notes.
• Wide range of uses – from rinse-off cosmetics through body and hair products to candles and aromatherapy.
• Incorporation into the oil phase and into alcohol – it mixes with vegetable oils as well as with alcohol, so it works in anhydrous products as well as in alcohol-based sprays.
• Plant origin – vegan, non-GMO, palm oil free, not tested on animals.

Use in a formulation

The oil is insoluble in water; it dissolves in alcohol and in vegetable oils. In emulsions, add it to the oil phase or, at the very end, to the finished cooled emulsion. In water-based products (toners, hydrosol sprays) a solubiliser is needed, otherwise the oil will separate out on the surface. In alcohol-based sprays and air fresheners it dissolves without an auxiliary substance.

Work with it below 40 °C. Essential oils are volatile and at higher temperatures they lose some of their top notes. With lemon mint this means the loss of exactly that fresh, fruity component for which you are choosing it. Add it to creams and lotions during the cooling phase, and to solid products (balms, massage bars) into the melted, already slightly cooled mass just before pouring.

The oil contains fragrance allergens listed in Annex III of the Cosmetic Products Regulation. If their content in the finished product exceeds the set limit, they must be declared in the list of ingredients. When drawing up the label, therefore base it on the safety data sheet and on the dosage in your formulation.

In soaps and candles the oil is used both on its own and in combinations. We recommend verifying its behaviour in cold process soap (speed of trace, possible discolouration) on a small test batch, as it varies depending on the formulation and dosage.

Suitable for products such as

• Shower gels, shampoos and liquid soaps – a fresh fragrance in rinse-off products.
• Solid soaps – a minty-fruity note for herbal and summer soaps.
• Body oils, massage blends and balms – anhydrous products where the oil is mixed directly with a carrier oil.
• Hair care – rinse-off conditioners and shampoos with a feeling of freshness without cooling the scalp.
• Candles and scented waxes – a top note for fresh compositions.
• Diffusers and aromatherapy – on its own or in blends with lavender, citrus or rosemary.

Good to know

• Lemon mint is not peppermint. Both belong to the genus Mentha, but lemon mint has a gentler, fruitier profile and does not leave an intense cooling sensation on the skin. If you want a cooling effect, reach for peppermint.
• The top note evaporates quickly. In a composition, anchor it with a middle and base note (for example lavender, geranium, cedarwood), otherwise the fragrance in the finished product will weaken over time.
• Colour and strength of the fragrance. The oil is colourless to pale yellow and at normal dosage will not affect the colour of creams or soaps. The mint fragrance is dominant, so bear this in mind when combining it with gentler notes.

Frequently asked questions