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Quick answer: neroli essential oil is steam distilled from the white blossoms of the bitter orange tree, Citrus aurantium var. amara. Its scent is fresh, floral, slightly honeyed and citrusy, and its main components are usually linalool, limonene and linalyl acetate. Because it takes a very large quantity of hand-picked flowers to make a small amount of oil, neroli is one of the most expensive essential oils, and it is often diluted or adulterated. Unlike many citrus peel oils, it is not considered phototoxic. Small studies have looked at neroli for stress and menopausal symptoms, but evidence is limited. Use it diluted, at about 1% to 2% in most skin products.
Neroli is one of the most loved floral notes in perfumery. It sits at the heart of classic eau de cologne and countless modern fragrances, and its gentle, bright scent makes it popular in skin care and relaxing aromatherapy blends.
This guide covers where neroli comes from, what it contains, what the research shows and how to buy and use it safely. For general safety rules that apply to all oils, see our complete essential oils guide.
Sources: Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety, 2nd edition (Churchill Livingstone, 2014); International Organization for Standardization standard ISO 3517 for oil of neroli; Choi SY and colleagues, “Effects of inhalation of essential oil of Citrus aurantium L. var. amara on menopausal symptoms, stress, and estrogen in postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled trial,” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2014); Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Plants of the World Online; Encyclopaedia Britannica entries on neroli and eau de cologne; ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center guidance on essential oils. This article is general information and not medical advice. Checked November 2026.
What Neroli Oil Is
One tree, several oils
The bitter orange tree, Citrus aurantium var. amara (also called Seville orange), produces several distinct aromatic materials from different parts of the plant:
| Product | Plant part | Method | Scent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neroli essential oil | Blossoms | Steam distillation | Fresh, floral, light citrus |
| Orange blossom absolute | Blossoms | Solvent extraction | Richer, sweeter, heavier floral |
| Orange flower water | Blossoms | Hydrosol from distillation | Delicate floral; also used in cooking |
| Petitgrain bigarade | Leaves and twigs | Steam distillation | Green, woody, floral |
| Bitter orange oil | Fruit peel | Cold pressing | Sharp citrus; phototoxic |
The difference matters for both price and safety. Petitgrain is much cheaper than neroli, and bitter orange peel oil can cause skin reactions in sunlight, while neroli is not considered phototoxic.
Where it comes from
Bitter orange trees are grown for neroli in Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, France, Italy and Spain. The flowers are hand-picked in spring, usually in the morning when they have just opened, and distilled quickly to capture their scent.
Why neroli is so expensive
Producers need a very large weight of fresh blossoms to make a small amount of oil, often cited at roughly a thousand kilograms of flowers for about one kilogram of oil, though yields vary. Hand harvesting, a short blooming season and strong demand from perfumers all keep prices high.
The Name and a Bit of History
Neroli is traditionally linked to Anne Marie Orsini, a 17th-century princess of Nerola in Italy, who was said to have popularized the scent by perfuming her gloves and bath with orange blossom. The story is widely repeated in perfume history, though details are hard to verify.
Neroli became a key ingredient in eau de cologne, the light citrus-floral fragrance associated with Johann Maria Farina in Cologne in the early 18th century. Orange flower water has an even longer history in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking, where it flavors pastries, syrups and drinks.
Chemistry and Scent
Main constituents
According to composition data compiled in Essential Oil Safety and in the ISO standard, neroli oil typically contains:
| Constituent | Approximate share | Scent role |
|---|---|---|
| Linalool | Often 30% to 45% | Soft, floral, fresh |
| Limonene | Often 10% to 20% | Bright citrus |
| Beta-pinene | Smaller amounts | Fresh, piney |
| Linalyl acetate | A few percent to over 10% | Sweet, floral |
| Nerolidol, nerol, geraniol | Minor amounts | Floral, rosy, woody |
| Methyl anthranilate | Trace amounts | Grape-like, orange blossom character |
What neroli smells like
Neroli smells fresh and floral with a light bitter-green citrus edge and a honeyed sweetness underneath. It is lighter and greener than orange blossom absolute, softer than petitgrain and much more floral than sweet orange peel oil.
Blending partners
Neroli pairs well with bergamot, lavender, petitgrain, sandalwood, rose, jasmine, frankincense, ylang ylang, lemon and cedarwood. A single drop can lift a blend, so start small.
What Research Says About Neroli
Menopausal symptoms and stress
A 2014 randomized controlled trial by Choi and colleagues in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine had postmenopausal women inhale neroli oil at two concentrations or almond oil as a control, twice daily for five days. The neroli groups reported improvements in some menopausal symptom and stress measures and showed changes in blood pressure compared with the control group. The study was small and short, so it is a starting point rather than proof.
Anxiety and calm
Neroli is widely used in aromatherapy for its calming, uplifting scent. Small studies have explored bitter orange blossom aromas in stressful settings, but research is limited and often combines neroli with other oils. Enjoy neroli as a pleasant scent rather than a treatment for anxiety.
Skin care
Neroli is a popular fragrance in skin care. Marketing often claims it reduces scarring, stretch marks or wrinkles, but there is no strong clinical evidence for those effects. Its main role in skin care is scent.
Lab studies
Laboratory studies have found antimicrobial and antioxidant activity for neroli oil in test tubes. These results do not show that neroli treats infections in people.
Neroli Safety
Not phototoxic
Unlike cold-pressed bitter orange peel oil, steam-distilled neroli is not considered phototoxic, according to Tisserand and Young. You do not need to avoid sunlight after using it. Learn more about which oils do require caution in our guide to citrus essential oils and sun sensitivity.
Skin sensitization from oxidation
Neroli is generally regarded as gentle on skin. Its high linalool and limonene content means oxidized oil can be more likely to cause skin sensitization. Store it carefully and discard it if it smells harsh or sour.
Dilution guidelines
- About 1% for face products (about 6 drops per 30 mL of carrier)
- About 1% to 2% for body oils and massage blends
- Lower concentrations for sensitive skin and older adults
- A patch test before wider use
Because neroli is expensive, many people buy it pre-diluted, often at 5% or 10% in jojoba. Check the label so you know how much pure oil you are getting, and adjust your recipes accordingly.
Pregnancy, children and pets
Neroli is generally considered one of the gentler oils, but ask a qualified provider before using any essential oil during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Use lower dilutions for children and follow age-specific guidance. The ASPCA advises caution with essential oils around pets, especially cats; do not apply oils to pets and diffuse only in rooms they can leave.
Do not swallow
Do not ingest neroli essential oil at home. Orange flower water used in cooking is a very different, much more dilute product. If someone swallows an essential oil, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 in the United States.
How to Use Neroli at Home
Face oil
Add 3 to 6 drops of neroli to 30 mL of jojoba or another light carrier for a 0.5% to 1% facial oil. Use a few drops on clean skin at night.
Relaxing body oil
Combine 6 drops neroli, 4 drops lavender and 2 drops sandalwood with 30 mL of carrier oil for a 2% blend.
Diffuser blends
| Blend | Drops for a water diffuser | Mood |
|---|---|---|
| Bright morning | 2 neroli, 2 bergamot, 1 lemon | Fresh and uplifting |
| Evening calm | 2 neroli, 2 lavender | Soft and floral |
| Cologne style | 2 neroli, 1 petitgrain, 2 bergamot | Classic citrus floral |
Run a diffuser for 30 to 60 minutes at a time. Our guide to essential oils for sleep has more evening blend ideas.
Natural perfume
Neroli works beautifully in roll-on perfumes. Mix a few drops of neroli with bergamot and a touch of sandalwood in a carrier oil, keeping the total essential oil content within safe dilution limits.
Neroli in Perfumery
Perfumers value neroli as a bright, clean floral note that works at the top and heart of a fragrance. It appears in classic colognes alongside bergamot, lemon, petitgrain, lavender and rosemary, and in modern perfumes it often adds a fresh, airy lift to white floral accords built around jasmine and tuberose.
Neroli and orange blossom absolute are often confused on perfume labels. Neroli, made by steam distillation, is lighter and greener. The absolute, made with solvents, captures heavier, sweeter and more animalic facets of the flower, including more of the compound methyl anthranilate and indole. Many fragrances use both, along with synthetic materials that recreate orange blossom character at lower cost.
For home blenders, this means a “neroli” fragrance oil sold for candles or soap is usually a synthetic blend rather than the essential oil. That is fine for those uses, but it is not the same material and should not be treated as an aromatherapy oil.
Who Should Take Extra Care
Even gentle oils are concentrated substances. Talk to a doctor, pharmacist or qualified aromatherapist before using neroli if you:
- Are pregnant, trying to conceive or breastfeeding
- Have asthma or are sensitive to strong scents
- Have eczema, very sensitive skin or a history of fragrance allergy
- Take several medications or manage a chronic condition
Stop using any oil that causes redness, itching, headache or breathing trouble. Wash the skin with a plain carrier oil and then mild soap and water.
Neroli Myths and Facts
| Claim | What the evidence shows |
|---|---|
| Neroli erases scars and stretch marks | No strong clinical evidence supports this |
| It treats anxiety disorders | Small studies only; it is not a substitute for care |
| It causes sunburn like other citrus oils | Steam-distilled neroli is not considered phototoxic |
| Cheap neroli is just as good | Very low prices often signal dilution or adulteration |
| Orange flower water and neroli are the same | Orange flower water is the much milder hydrosol byproduct |
How to Spot Diluted or Adulterated Neroli
Because neroli is expensive, it is a frequent target for adulteration. Common issues include:
- Cutting with petitgrain or bitter orange peel oil
- Adding synthetic linalool, linalyl acetate or other isolated compounds
- Selling diluted oil without clear labeling
- Labeling orange blossom absolute or fragrance oil as neroli
What to look for
- The botanical name Citrus aurantium var. amara (or Citrus aurantium ssp. amara) and the plant part “flowers”
- Country of origin and extraction method (steam distillation)
- A batch-specific GC-MS report, which can show unusual compound ratios
- A price consistent with the market; very cheap “pure neroli” is a warning sign
- Clear labeling of dilutions, such as “neroli 5% in jojoba”
Our guide on how to tell if essential oils are pure explains GC-MS reports and other quality checks.
Storing Neroli
Store neroli in a dark glass bottle with a tight cap, in a cool, dark place. Refrigeration can extend shelf life. Many aromatherapists suggest using citrus and linalool-rich oils within about one to two years of opening.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is neroli oil made from?
Neroli is steam distilled from the blossoms of the bitter orange tree, Citrus aurantium var. amara.
Is neroli oil phototoxic?
No. Steam-distilled neroli is not considered phototoxic, unlike cold-pressed bitter orange peel oil.
Why is neroli oil so expensive?
It takes a very large weight of hand-picked blossoms to produce a small amount of oil, and the flowering season is short.
What is the difference between neroli and petitgrain?
Both come from the bitter orange tree. Neroli is distilled from the blossoms, while petitgrain comes from the leaves and twigs and has a greener, woodier scent and lower price.
How do you dilute neroli oil?
Use about 1% for facial products and 1% to 2% for body oils, which is about 6 to 12 drops per 30 mL of carrier.
