Database/Perfuming/Citronellol
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Citronellol natural?

It depends. Citronellol is natural origin when distilled from rose, geranium or citronella oil or made from pine-turpentine terpenes, and petrochemical when hydrogenated from isobutylene-based citral.

INCI nameCitronellol
CAS106-22-9
FormulaC10H20O · 156.26 Da
FunctionPerfuming
FeedstockMuch commercial citronellol is made by hydrogenating citronellal,…

Why the score varies

This ingredient is made commercially by more than one route, and ISO 16128 scores the feedstock actually used. Without a supplier certificate of origin the value cannot be claimed.

RouteFeedstockNOIShareNotes
From pine terpenescitronellal, citral or geraniol made from pine-turpentine myrcene or pinene, hydrogenated1.00large share
From petrochemical citralcitral or geraniol built from isobutylene, hydrogenated0.00large share
Natural isolationrose, geranium or citronella oil distillation1.00~30%
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Route-dependent: citronellol distilled from rose, geranium or citronella oil, or hydrogenated from pine-derived citronellal or geraniol = 1.00; citronellol from isobutylene-based citral = 0.00. Not averaged.
What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

Where it comes from

Much commercial citronellol is made by hydrogenating citronellal, citral or geraniol, which come either from pine turpentine (natural origin) or from petrochemical isobutylene. A natural isolate is distilled from rose, geranium or citronella oil.

In plain English

A rose-scented fragrance ingredient. It is distilled from rose, geranium or citronella oil, made from pine terpenes, or made from petrochemicals; only the last is not natural origin.

Natural alternatives with the same function

2,6-Dimethyl-7-Octen-2-Ol 100% natural origin

Dihydromyrcenol, a fresh, citrus-lime, slightly metallic fragrance ingredient used in many perfumes and cleaning products. It is made…

 Abies Alba Cone Extract 100% natural origin

An extract from fir tree cones that adds a fresh, forest-like scent to cosmetic products.

 Abies Alba Leaf Oil 100% natural origin

Essential oil distilled from fir tree needles, used for its fresh, woody fragrance. A whole natural essential oil.

 Abies Alba Needle Extract 100% natural origin

A fir-needle extract used mainly to add a fresh, woody scent to cosmetics. It comes from extracting the…

 Abies Alba Needle Oil 100% natural origin

An essential oil steam-distilled from the needles of the European silver fir. It gives fragrances and toiletries a…

 Abies Balsamea Needle Extract 100% natural origin

A balsam fir needle extract used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, made by extracting the needles of…

Structure

2D structure of Citronellol

3,7-dimethyloct-6-en-1-ol

PubChem CID 8842 ↗

References

  1. 1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
  2. 2Citronellol. PubChem CID 8842. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3CITRONELLOL. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4CITRONELLOL. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=CITRONELLOL