Citral is a powerful citrus aroma chemical and fragrance ingredient recognized for its strong, fresh, sharp lemon-like scent. It occurs naturally in several essential oils, particularly lemongrass, lemon myrtle, litsea cubeba and citronella. Commercial Citral generally consists primarily of two isomers: Geranial (Citral A) and Neral (Citral B). Together they produce Citral's characteristic bright lemon aroma. Citral is widely used to create and strengthen lemon, citrus and fresh fragrance accords. Because of its powerful aroma, relatively small amounts can provide a noticeable fresh citrus character. It is particularly useful for lemon, lime, lemongrass, verbena, citrus-floral, fresh, green and cologne-style fragrances.
Product Name Citral
INCI Name Citral
Chemical Name 3,7-Dimethyl-2,6-octadienal
CAS No. 5392-40-5
EC No. 226-394-6
Molecular Formula C₁₀H₁₆O
Molecular Weight 152.24 g/mol
Appearance Clear, colorless to pale yellow liquid
Odor Strong, fresh, lemon-like, citrus
Function Aroma chemical / Fragrance ingredient
Common Applications
Citral can be incorporated into:
Fine perfumes and fragrances
Eau de Parfum and Eau de Toilette
Colognes and body sprays
Perfume oils
Lemon and citrus fragrance compounds
Soaps and body washes
Shampoos and conditioners
Creams and lotions
Deodorants
Candles and wax products
Reed diffusers
Room and linen sprays
Air-care products
Household fragrance formulations
Benefits in Fragrance Formulation
Strong Citrus Character: Provides an immediate fresh, sharp lemon note.
Top-Note Enhancement: Adds brightness and freshness to the opening of a fragrance.
Citrus Accord Building: Particularly useful for constructing lemon and lemongrass-style accords.
Floral Modification: Can add a fresh citrus dimension to floral compositions.
Versatile Blending: Works with citrus, floral, green, herbal, woody and fresh fragrance families.
Blends Well With: Citral combines particularly well with Linalool, Geraniol, Citronellol, Nerol, Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol, Limonene, Bergamot, Lemon, Orange, Neroli, Lemongrass, Litsea Cubeba, Lavender, Geranium, Rose and woody aroma chemicals.
Important Formulation Note: Citral is a recognized fragrance allergen and sensitizing fragrance material. Its concentration in a finished product should be evaluated according to the intended application, applicable IFRA Standards, finished-product safety assessment and cosmetic/fragrance-allergen labeling requirements.
In simple terms: Citral is a concentrated fresh lemon aroma chemical used by perfumers to give fragrances a bright, crisp and powerful citrus character.
