GET TO KNOW YOUR OILS
Melissa (Lemon Balm) United Kingdom
Melissa officinalis
Chemotype: beta-caryophyllene / citral type
- PLANT PART
- leaf
- EXTRACTION
- steam distilled
- AROMA NOTE
- top-mid
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.
Meet the main constituents, then select one to see what makes it interesting.
FOLLOW YOUR SENSES
Aroma & character
A closer look at this oil's scent, strength, and staying power.
- Aroma intensity
- 55 / 100
- Note layer
- top-mid
- Approximate tenacity
- 120–120 hours
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
- 0.9%
- Phototoxicity
- Not flagged in this profile
- Oxidation risk
- medium
A cited maximum is a limit, not a suggested dilution. Missing restrictions do not establish safety.
No public source reviewed in this pass identified a phototoxic furocoumarin restriction for the UK steam-distilled leaf oil.
Contraindications & cautions
- moderateAromaWeb's safety summary of Tisserand and Young reports a 0.9% dermal maximum and notes drug-interaction, teratogenicity, child-under-2, and hypersensitive or damaged-skin precautions for melissa oil.
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
An oil's character comes from its natural chemical composition. Explore each constituent to understand the connections.
About this composition
This United Kingdom record is anchored to the public PhytoChemia GC/FID report for a UK Melissa officinalis lot and cross-checked against Liberty Natural's current UK product and COA pages for origin, plant part, and extraction method. The UK lot is chemically distinct from the Serbia lot in this batch, with beta-caryophyllene and germacrene D unusually high while geranial and neral remain prominent citral markers.
| Constituent | Typical amount | Reported range | Chemical family | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| beta-caryophyllene | 21.78% | 21.78–21.78% | sesquiterpene hydrocarbon | View source22D01-NSO01 Melissa Lemon Balm- United Kingdom - Lot: LB18,26541 Consolidated table and full analysis data: beta-Caryophyllene 21.78% |
| geranial | 17.65% | 17.65–17.65% | monoterpene aldehyde | View source22D01-NSO01 Melissa Lemon Balm- United Kingdom - Lot: LB18,26541 Consolidated table and full analysis data: Geranial 17.65% |
| germacrene D | 13.33% | 13.33–13.33% | sesquiterpene hydrocarbon | View source22D01-NSO01 Melissa Lemon Balm- United Kingdom - Lot: LB18,26541 Consolidated table and full analysis data: Germacrene D 13.33% |
| neral | 13.21% | 13.21–13.21% | monoterpene aldehyde | View source22D01-NSO01 Melissa Lemon Balm- United Kingdom - Lot: LB18,26541 Consolidated table and full analysis data: Neral 13.21% |
| citronellal | 2.37% | 2.37–2.37% | monoterpene aldehyde | View source22D01-NSO01 Melissa Lemon Balm- United Kingdom - Lot: LB18,26541 Consolidated table and full analysis data: Citronellal 2.37% |
| (E)-beta-ocimene | 3.74% | 3.74–3.74% | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View source22D01-NSO01 Melissa Lemon Balm- United Kingdom - Lot: LB18,26541 Consolidated table and full analysis data: (E)-beta-Ocimene 3.74% |
| 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one | 1.17% | 1.17–1.17% | aliphatic ketone | View source22D01-NSO01 Melissa Lemon Balm- United Kingdom - Lot: LB18,26541 Consolidated table: 6-Methyl-5-hepten-2-one 1.17% |
| alpha-humulene | 1.5% | 1.5–1.5% | sesquiterpene hydrocarbon | View source22D01-NSO01 Melissa Lemon Balm- United Kingdom - Lot: LB18,26541 Consolidated table and full analysis data: alpha-Humulene 1.50% |
| caryophyllene oxide | 0.72% | 0.72–0.72% | sesquiterpene oxide | View source22D01-NSO01 Melissa Lemon Balm- United Kingdom - Lot: LB18,26541 Consolidated table: Caryophyllene oxide 0.72% |
Profile source: 22D01-NSO01 Melissa Lemon Balm- United Kingdom - Lot: LB18,26541; Liberty Natural Melissa (Lemon Balm) United Kingdom product page; Liberty Natural Certificate Of Analysis Sheet - Melissa (Lemon Balm) Essential Oil Product No: 131; Melissa Essential Oil: Benefits, Uses & Insights; melissa oil, 8014-71-9 · https://www.praannaturals.com/downloads/gcms/GCFID_Essential_Oil_Melissa_Lemon_Balm_United_Kingdom_LOT_LB1826541.pdf ; https://easyapidev.libertynatural.com/bulk/131.htm ; https://ppp.libertynatural.com/coa/131.htm ; https://www.aromaweb.com/essential-oils/melissa-essential-oil.php ; https://www.thegoodscentscompany.com/data/es1024891.html
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 calming, mood-lifting effects
- reported to support restful sleep and ease occasional nervous tension
- used in perfumery for a fresh, herbaceous-citrus note with a softer profile than high-citral chemotypes
- traditionally associated with soothing, comforting blends historically linked to lemon balm herbal tradition
- used in blends intended to ease occasional emotional overwhelm
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 0.9% max_dermal_pct is supported here by a public AromaWeb summary of Tisserand and Young rather than a directly readable primary monograph page.
- No UK-lot public source reviewed in this pass expressed odor intensity on the archive's native 0-100 scale; 55 is a normalization of The Good Scents Company's qualitative 'Odor Strength: medium' descriptor for melissa oil, while Liberty's UK COA gives only 'Fresh green citrus type odor'.
- No source-backed volatility_rate value was verified in this pass.