Lemon California Type

Citrus limon

Chemotype: limonene-dominant cold-pressed peel oil

freshbrightzestytraditional lemoncitrus

PLANT PART: peel
EXTRACTION: cold pressed / expressed
AROMA NOTE: top

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LEARN AS YOU COMPARE

What’s inside this oil?

Constituents are the natural chemicals that give an oil its character. See the main ones, learn what they do, and explore differences between batches.

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FOLLOW YOUR SENSES

Aroma & character

A closer look at this oil's scent, strength, and staying power.

freshbrightzestytraditional lemoncitrus

Aroma intensity: 80 / 100

Soft & subtleBold & expressive

Note layer: top

If you like this scent, explore

A LITTLE CARE GOES A LONG WAY

Using it thoughtfully

Read the full safety context before bringing this oil into your routine.

Cited dermal maximum · leave-on: 2%
Phototoxicity: Phototoxic — use caution
Maximum for sun-exposed skin: 2%
Oxidation risk: high

A cited maximum is a limit, not a suggested dilution. Missing restrictions do not establish safety.

Cold-pressed lemon oil is phototoxic. AromaWeb cites Tisserand and Young's dermal maximum of 2.0% for cold-pressed lemon to avoid phototoxic reaction. Steam-distilled lemon is treated separately and is not phototoxic.

Contraindications & cautions

majorKeep at or below 2% in leave-on products on sun-exposed skin because cold-pressed lemon is phototoxic.

Read the complete safety guide

Explore measured chemistry from supplier batches

A supplier report describes a particular sample. Open this workspace to investigate measured constituents and their original documents.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE SCENT

Inside the oil

8 constituents

An oil's character comes from its natural chemical composition. Explore each constituent to understand the connections.

About this composition

California-type lemon oil is an expressed peel oil. Citrus & Allied lists multiple California-type cold-pressed lemon products, and Liberty Natural lists this material specifically as a cold-pressed essential oil. This quantitative profile is anchored to a public lemon oil GC-MS sheet showing a classic lemon pattern led by limonene with gamma-terpinene, beta-pinene, alpha-pinene, myrcene, terpinolene, and citral as secondary constituents.

Constituent	Typical amount	Reported range	Chemical family	Source
Limonene	73.32%	73.32–73.32%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Lemon Oil Chemical Composition (GC-MS), Lot 13135 https://shayandcompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Lemon-Essential-Oil-GCMS-Shay-and-Company-Lot13135.pdf (Limonene 73.32%)
gamma-terpinene	9.02%	9.02–9.02%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Lemon Oil Chemical Composition (GC-MS), Lot 13135 https://shayandcompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Lemon-Essential-Oil-GCMS-Shay-and-Company-Lot13135.pdf (Gamma Terpinene 9.02%)
beta-pinene	8.35%	8.35–8.35%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Lemon Oil Chemical Composition (GC-MS), Lot 13135 https://shayandcompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Lemon-Essential-Oil-GCMS-Shay-and-Company-Lot13135.pdf (Beta Pinene 8.35%)
alpha-pinene	1.73%	1.73–1.73%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Lemon Oil Chemical Composition (GC-MS), Lot 13135 https://shayandcompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Lemon-Essential-Oil-GCMS-Shay-and-Company-Lot13135.pdf (Alpha Pinene 1.73%)
myrcene	1.23%	1.23–1.23%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Lemon Oil Chemical Composition (GC-MS), Lot 13135 https://shayandcompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Lemon-Essential-Oil-GCMS-Shay-and-Company-Lot13135.pdf (Myrcene 1.23%)
Citral	0.95%	0.95–0.95%	monoterpene aldehyde	View source Lemon Oil Chemical Composition (GC-MS), Lot 13135 https://shayandcompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Lemon-Essential-Oil-GCMS-Shay-and-Company-Lot13135.pdf (Citral 0.95%)
terpinolene	0.35%	0.35–0.35%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Lemon Oil Chemical Composition (GC-MS), Lot 13135 https://shayandcompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Lemon-Essential-Oil-GCMS-Shay-and-Company-Lot13135.pdf (Terpinolene 0.35%)
para-cymene	0.14%	0.14–0.14%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Lemon Oil Chemical Composition (GC-MS), Lot 13135 https://shayandcompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Lemon-Essential-Oil-GCMS-Shay-and-Company-Lot13135.pdf (Para Cymene 0.14%)

Profile source: Lemon Oil Chemical Composition (GC-MS), Lot 13135; Q&A - What is Lemon Oil?; Citrus Essential Oil Product List; CALIFORNIA-TYPE LEMON USA ESSENTIAL OIL; Lemon Essential Oil: Benefits, Uses & Insights · https://shayandcompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Lemon-Essential-Oil-GCMS-Shay-and-Company-Lot13135.pdf ; https://citrusandallied.com/qa-what-is-a-lemon-oil/ ; https://citrusandallied.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Citrus-Essential-OIls-Product-List-CA.pdf ; https://www.libertynatural.com/bulk/557.htm ; https://www.aromaweb.com/essential-oils/lemon-essential-oil.php

A TRADITION OF BOTANICAL CURIOSITY

Traditional & reported uses

These uses reflect the profile's reported traditions and literature. They are not established treatment recommendations.

traditionally used in aromatherapy for uplifting, mood-brightening diffuser blends
reported to support mental clarity, focus, and an energized atmosphere
used in cleaning and household-fragrance blends for its fresh, zesty reputation
traditionally associated with easing occasional low mood when diffused
used in perfumery for its bright, zesty, citrus-peel top note
reported to support appetite and digestive comfort in some traditional aromatic use

For aromatherapy and wellness use only — not medical advice. Effect statements are traditional/reported associations, not treatment claims. The Synergy Rating scores blend craft, harmony and safety, not medical efficacy. Read the safety framework.

What we're still learning · 3 data gaps

Good decisions start with knowing what is — and isn't — in the evidence.

The public GC-MS sheet used for exact percentages does not itself state California origin; California-type identity is supported separately by California-type supplier listings and lemon-oil reference pages.
Odor intensity 80 is an archive normalization from AromaWeb's qualitative strength label 'Strong' and its bright/zesty aromatic description, not a native published 0-100 measurement.
No public source located in this pass gave directly measured volatility-rate or tenacity-hour values for California-type lemon oil.