What does citronellol smell like?

It smells fresh, rosy and slightly waxy, with a light citrus edge. It is less sweet than phenyl ethyl alcohol and less sharp than geraniol, which is why perfumers use these three together to build a rose note.

Is citronellol the same as citronella oil?

No. Citronella oil is an essential oil containing several materials, including citronellal, geraniol and some citronellol. Citronellol is a single aroma chemical. They smell different: citronella oil is grassy and lemony, citronellol is rosy.

How much citronellol can I use in perfume?

It depends on the product type. Check current IFRA standards for the category you make, such as fine fragrance, leave-on cream or soap. In blends, perfumers adjust it by smell within those limits rather than following a fixed percentage.

Is citronellol natural?

It occurs naturally in rose and geranium oils, but much of the citronellol on the market is made synthetically. Don't describe your product as natural unless the supplier documents a natural source for the batch you bought.

Can citronellol be used in soap making?

Yes. It is stable in alkaline soap and widely used in rose and floral soap fragrances. Add the fragrance blend at trace in cold-process soap, and keep within IFRA limits for rinse-off products.

Citronellol: Aroma Chemical for Rose Perfumes

Citronellol is a colourless, oily aroma chemical with a fresh, rosy and slightly citrus odour, used in rose, floral and fresh accords for perfumes, attars, soaps, incense and candles. It occurs in rose and geranium oils but the trade material is often made synthetically, and it is listed as a fragrance allergen.

Last updated 7 Nov 2026

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Specifications

Formula: C10H20O
CAS number: 106-22-9
Grades: Technical

Products and pack sizes

Product	Grade	Pack	Price (incl. GST)	₹ per kg
Citronellol	Technical	—	₹199	—

What is citronellol?

Citronellol is a monoterpene alcohol found in rose oil, geranium oil and citronella. The material sold for perfumery may be isolated from essential oils or made synthetically; check the supplier's documents before calling it natural.

Formula: C10H20O
CAS number: 106-22-9
Molar mass: about 156.27 g/mol
Boiling point: about 225 °C
Density: about 0.86 g/mL
Solubility: very slightly soluble in water; mixes with alcohol and oils

It smells fresh, rosy and waxy-floral, with a light citrus edge, and is one of the backbone materials of most rose accords.

Grades and pack sizes at Azlok

Azlok lists Citronellol under aromatic raw materials. The name doesn't state a grade, so treat it as general aroma-chemical grade for perfumery, soap and candle work. The product name doesn't give a pack size; check the listing. See today's price per kg.

Common uses

Fine fragrance and attars: rose, geranium, lily and muguet accords; it softens and rounds fresh floral blends.
Soaps and detergents: stable in soap and widely used in rosy soap fragrances.
Candles and incense: part of floral and rose blends for agarbatti and candles.
Room fresheners: in fragrance oils for reed diffusers and air fresheners.

Attar makers often use it to lift and freshen rose and floral blends built on sandalwood or other bases, where it adds brightness without a sharp top note.

How to use it

Citronellol is used as part of a fragrance blend, not on its own. In rose accords it often sits alongside phenyl ethyl alcohol and geraniol, with citronellol giving freshness and phenyl ethyl alcohol giving the soft petal note.

Weigh every material in grams; drops vary too much.
Make a 10% dilution in perfumer's alcohol or a suitable carrier to smell it properly.
Build the accord in small test batches and let blends rest for a few days before judging.
For use levels in finished products, check current IFRA standards for each product type, because limits differ between leave-on, rinse-off and other categories.

Safety and storage

Neat citronellol can irritate skin and eyes and can cause skin sensitisation in some people. Wear gloves and safety glasses.
It is listed among fragrance allergens that EU cosmetics rules require naming on labels above set levels; check labelling rules for your market.
Patch test finished skin products on a small area first.
Keep away from heat, flames and strong oxidisers.
Store tightly closed in amber glass or a full container, away from light, to limit oxidation.
Keep away from children.

Choosing the right grade and pack

For perfume, attar and soap trials, a small pack is plenty, and it stays fresher. Soap and agarbatti makers using rose blends every week can buy larger packs, as long as they keep containers full and closed. Ask for the supplier's specification and IFRA certificate if you sell finished products. For 25 kg and above, send a bulk inquiry.

Frequently asked questions

What does citronellol smell like?: It smells fresh, rosy and slightly waxy, with a light citrus edge. It is less sweet than phenyl ethyl alcohol and less sharp than geraniol, which is why perfumers use these three together to build a rose note.
Is citronellol the same as citronella oil?: No. Citronella oil is an essential oil containing several materials, including citronellal, geraniol and some citronellol. Citronellol is a single aroma chemical. They smell different: citronella oil is grassy and lemony, citronellol is rosy.
How much citronellol can I use in perfume?: It depends on the product type. Check current IFRA standards for the category you make, such as fine fragrance, leave-on cream or soap. In blends, perfumers adjust it by smell within those limits rather than following a fixed percentage.
Is citronellol natural?: It occurs naturally in rose and geranium oils, but much of the citronellol on the market is made synthetically. Don't describe your product as natural unless the supplier documents a natural source for the batch you bought.
Can citronellol be used in soap making?: Yes. It is stable in alkaline soap and widely used in rose and floral soap fragrances. Add the fragrance blend at trace in cold-process soap, and keep within IFRA limits for rinse-off products.