Geraniol

Other Name(s):

CAS# 106-24-1

Geraniol is found in a large number of different essential oils such as ginger, lemon, lime, lavender, nutmeg, orange, rose, and of course geranium.

Is Geraniol Faithful to Nature?

Depends.

Geraniol is a naturally occurring part of many essential oils and is part of many natural ingredients. But, it is very powerful and should be used wisely as an ingredient.

Benefits: Why is Geraniol used?

Beautiful Scent

Geraniol has a sweet, rose scent.

Insect Repellent

Geraniol is one of the active ingredients in Citronella that helps to repel mosquitoes.

Natural Antibacterial

Geraniol may have specific antibacterial and antifungal properties.

Aids Relaxation

Geraniol in aromatherapy is said to treat anxiety and insomnia.

Learn more about Geraniol:

On the Shelf: Which Products Use Geraniol?

Geraniol is found in its highest concentration in natural essential oil products, especially rose and citronella. It's very commonly used in fragrance and flavouring ingredients and you’ll be hard pressed to find Turkish Delight without it. You’ll find it often on ingredient lists in cosmetics but it’s usually a hidden ingredient in food products.

Production: How is Geraniol Made?

Geraniol can be isolated from pure rose essential oil. The essential oil itself can be extracted from the raw rose flowers using steam distillation.

Interesting Fact: Geraniol

In the EU, geraniol must appear as a separate ingredient in ingredient lists, despite it being a naturally occurring component of essential oils because it is also used in proprietary parfum/perfume/fragrance blends. It must appear separately because it is recognised as an allergenic fragrance.

Geraniol also occurs naturally in certain varieties of hops and is used by some beer brewers to enhance the taste profile of their beverages.