LITSEA CUBEBA ESSENTIAL OIL – A fresh, crisp, citrusy essential oil with hints of lemon peel, verbena, and sweet pepper.

Litsea cubeba essential oil, also known as May Chang, is a natural oil obtained by steam distillation of the fresh fruits of Litsea cubeba. The plant is native to East Asia and grows mainly in China and Southeast Asia. In perfumery, this oil is especially valued as a natural source of citral, composed mainly of geranial and neral.

Olfactory profile

The olfactory profile of Litsea cubeba is intense, fresh and strongly citrusy. It recalls bright lemon, lemongrass and verbena, with aldehydic, slightly waxy, fruity and herbaceous nuances. It is useful when a natural, energetic and luminous lemon note is needed, with greater intensity and persistence than some highly volatile citrus notes.

In formula

Litsea cubeba is particularly interesting in citrus, green, aromatic, tea, verbena, cologne and modern fougère accords, as well as soaps, detergents and scented cosmetics. It can add strength, freshness and continuity to the citrus part of a composition, helping to sustain the lemon character and make it less fleeting.

Compared with lemongrass

Compared with lemongrass essential oil, Litsea cubeba gives a cleaner, more direct and more lemon-like effect. Its profile contains less of the fatty-herbaceous nuance typical of some lemongrass oils, which can be useful when a clearer and more modern citral note is required. Lemongrass can have a broader and more powerful presence because of its heavier fraction, so Litsea cubeba can replace it only partially depending on the style of the formula.

Dosage and character

Its olfactory strength requires careful dosing. In small amounts it adds brightness, freshness and naturalness to citrus accords. At higher levels it can become dominant, strongly citral, pungent and almost citronella-like. For a more refined result, it can be rounded with softer citrus notes, petitgrain, bergamot, lavender, geranium, neroli, clean musks, green materials or light woods.

As a natural essential oil rich in citral, its composition can vary slightly from batch to batch.

Storage

Like all essential oils rich in terpenic and aldehydic components, Litsea cubeba is sensitive to oxidation. Store tightly closed, protected from light, heat and air, preferably in a well-filled bottle. The use of an antioxidant can be considered when necessary, especially for citrus-rich formulas or materials intended for longer storage.

Recommended use: natural raw material for lemon, citrus, lemongrass, verbena, tea, aromatic, green and cologne accords, soaps and scented cosmetics.

Olfactory profile: intense lemon, citrus, fresh, citronella-like, aldehydic, waxy and fruity-herbaceous.

Technical note: natural essential oil very rich in citral; always check current IFRA restrictions, allergens and the final concentration in the formula.

Packaging

The product is packed to order; the container may vary depending on the selected format and the characteristics of the raw material.

IFRA Category 4: max 0,869% nel prodotto finito (IFRA 51)

The value refers to the maximum concentration in the finished product, not to the percentage of the raw material in the fragrance concentrate.