Grapefruit, White EO
Details
- Botanical Name: Citrus paradisi Macfad.
- Origin: USA
- Process: Cold Pressed Essential Oil
- Plant Part: Peels
- Cultivation: Conventional
- Use: Aromatherapy / Natural Perfumery. Always dilute.
- Note: Top Note
- Aroma Family: Citrus
- Aroma: Fresh, light, citrusy, sweet, slightly bitter aroma with a rather pithy note in the drydown; somewhat similar to that of Bitter Orange and has the least sweetness of our Grapefruit oils.
- Contraindications: Photosensitizing (low risk); please see Safety Considerations below.
Certificate of Analysis (COA)Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
Overview
White Grapefruit Essential Oil
Our White Grapefruit essential oil has a fresh, light, citrusy, sweet, yet slightly bitter aroma, but what sets it apart from other citrus oils is the rather pithy note in the drydown, thanks to a certain chemical constituent found only in Grapefruits. Its olfactory character is almost entirely attributed to powerful trace components, most notably a sulfur-containing compound and the sesquiterpene nootkatone.1
Relatively new to the citrus family, Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) is a hybrid of Pomelo (Citrus maxima) and Sweet Orange (Citrus x sinensis)2 – a modern creation of only the last few hundred years. Cold pressed citrus peel essential oils are not byproducts of the juice industry, although the fruits used in the extraction of this product are used for both essential oil and juice. Processing these fruits with different machinery yields cold pressed essential oils from the peels and juice from the pulp – the juice, being a secondary product of oil extraction. The essential oil has a higher value than the juice, and even though the yield is lower (approximately 0.4 – 7% vs. 30 – 35%) both oils and juices are major market products.6
Grapefruit oils, like all citrus peel oils, have a predominance of limonene, the bright, lemony monoterpene that provides an absolutely delightful aroma when diffused to refresh room environments. The cheerful and calming aroma awakens the senses and makes for a familiar favorite in massage blends, skin toners, outdoor sprays, oily skin and scalp preparations, and cleansers.
For information regarding the attributes of Grapefruit essential oil, please see:
- L'Aromathérapie Exactement, Pierre Franchomme and Dr. Daniel Pénoël, 1990, p. 341.
- Essential Oils – A Handbook for Aromatherapy Practice, 2nd ed., Jennifer Peace Rhind, 2012, pp. 214-5, 288.
- Contemporary French Aromatherapy, Dominique Baudoux, 2020, pp. 258-60.
- Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit, Gabriel Mojay, 1996, pp. 80-1.
- The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy, 3rd ed., Salvatore Battaglia, 2018, pp. 333-336.
For information regarding the use of Grapefruit in natural perfumery, please see:
- "Grapefruit,” Mat Yodov at Fragrantica, https://www.fragrantica.com/notes/Grapefruit-76.html (bottom of page)
Aromatic Profile: Fresh, light, citrusy, sweet, slightly bitter aroma with a rather pithy note in the drydown; somewhat similar to that of Bitter Orange and has the least sweetness of our Grapefruit oils.
Appearance: Light yellow, transparent, mobile liquid.
Use: Aromatherapy / Natural Perfumery.
Blending Suggestions: Dilute and add drop by drop to your blends until the desired effect is achieved.
Blends Well With: Angelica, Basil, Bergamot and other Citrus oils, Black Pepper, Cardamom, Carrot Seed, Cedarwood, Chamomile, Citronella, Clary Sage, Clove, Coriander, Cypress Leaf, Frankincense, Geranium, Ginger, Jasmine, Lavender, Lemon, Linden Blossom, Mandarin, Mimosa, Neroli, Orange, Palmarosa, Patchouli, Peppermint, Rose, Rosemary, Tangerine, Ylang Ylang. "Grapefruit essential oil is quite useful in Bergamot compositions and for all modifications of citrus notes in perfumery."4 "Top note in citrus and cologne blends to impart fresh non-green sharpness, body and tenacity."5
Safety Considerations: Photosensitizing (low risk); skin sensitization if oxidized. Maximum dermal use level is 4%; if applied to the skin at over maximum use level, skin must not be exposed to sunlight or sunbed rays for 12 hours.6 Dilute before using. A patch test should be performed before use for those with sensitive skin.
1 Rhind, Jennifer Peace. Fragrance and Wellbeing, 2014, p. 345.
2 Ibid.
3 Industry communication.
4 Arctander, Steffen. Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin, 1960, pp. 282-4.
5 Lawless, Alec. Artisan Perfumery or Being Led by the Nose, 2009, p. 66.
6 Tisserand, Robert and Rodney Young. Essential Oil Safety, 2nd ed., 2014, p. 297.
Customer Reviews for Grapefruit, White EO
- White Grapefruit Review by Vireo
-
Rating Ghostly - perhaps under appreciated and pithier of the grapefruits. I can see using this oil where I do not want too much cheer nor sweetness in my blend or make a refreshing top accord such as white grapefruit, lime & coriander(Posted on 4/14/2019)