Grapefruit, pink (Citrus paradisi)
Origin: USA
Process: Cold Pressed Essential Oil
Plant Part: Peels
Cultivation: Conventional
Use: Aromatherapy / Natural Perfumery. Always dilute.
Note: Top Note
Aroma Family: Citrus
Aroma: Fresh, light, citrusy, sweet, yet slightly bitter aroma with a rather pithy note in the drydown; somewhat similar to that of Bitter Orange and perhaps the sweetest of our three Grapefruit oils.
Contraindications: Photosensitizing (low risk)
 
 
Here in the US, Grapefruit is a popular citrus fruit served at breakfast, with its crisp, tangy flavor that wakes up the taste buds. This holds true for the way Grapefruit essential oil awakens olfactory receptors. Our Pink Grapefruit essential oil has a fresh, light, citrusy, sweet, yet slightly bitter aroma, but what sets it apart from other citrus oils is the rather pithy note in the drydown, thanks to a certain chemical constituent found only in Grapefruits.
Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) is a hybrid of Pomelo (Citrus maxima) and Sweet Orange (Citrus x sinensis).1 Its olfactory character is almost entirely attributed to powerful trace components, most notably nootkatone2 and traces of a sulfur-containing compound.3 The peel oil, expressed or distilled, is commonly employed in soft-drink flavoring after the removal of 50% of the monoterpenes. The main constituent sought after in the outer peel oil for this usage is nootkatone that, when added to grapefruit juice powder, enhances the flavor of the reconstituted juice.4 It is interesting to note that nootkatone, a nontoxic sesquiterpene ketone, is a compound of increasing interest to the scientific community for its efficacy in repelling disease-carrying insects.5
Cold pressed citrus peel essential oils are not byproducts of the juice industry, although the fruits used in the extraction of this product are used for both essential oil and juice. Processing these fruits with different machinery yields cold pressed essential oils from the peels and juice from the pulp – the juice, being a secondary product of oil extraction. The essential oil has a higher value than the juice, and even though the yield is lower (approximately 0.4 – 7% vs. 30 – 35%) both oils and juices are major market products.6
Grapefruit oils, like all citrus peel oils, have a predominance of limonene, the bright, lemony monoterpene that provides an absolutely delightful aroma when diffused to refresh and disinfect room environments. Limonene is currently under extensive research for its role in breast health and abnormal cell growth.7
 
Blends Well With: Angelica, Basil, Bergamot and other Citrus oils, Black Pepper, Cardamom, Carrot Seed, Cedarwood, Chamomile, Citronella, Clary Sage, Clove, Coriander, Cypress Leaf, Frankincense, Geranium, Ginger, Jasmine, Lavender, Lemon, Linden Blossom, Mandarin, Mimosa, Neroli, Orange, Palmarosa, Patchouli, Peppermint, Rose, Rosemary, Tangerine, Ylang Ylang. "Grapefruit essential oil is quite useful in Bergamot compositions and for all modifications of citrus notes in perfumery."8 "Top note in citrus and cologne blends to impart fresh non-green sharpness, body and tenacity."9
 
Safety Considerations: Photosensitizing (low risk); skin sensitization if oxidized. Maximum dermal use level is 4%; if applied to the skin at over maximum use level, skin must not be exposed to sunlight or sunbed rays for 12 hours, otherwise has GRAS status (Generally Recognized as Safe).10 Dilute before using. A patch test should be performed before use for those with sensitive skin.
 
1 Rhind, Jennifer Peace. Fragrance and Wellbeing – Plant Aromatics and Their Influence on the Psyche, 2014, p. 345.
2 Schnaubelt, Kurt. Medical Aromatherapy – Healing with Essential Oils, 1999, pp. 184-5.
3 Rhind, Jennifer Peace. Fragrance and Wellbeing – Plant Aromatics and Their Influence on the Psyche, 2014, p. 345.
4 https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/grapefruit.html
5 https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/newsreleases
/2013/september/substance-that-gives-grapefruit-its-flavor-and-
aroma-could-give-insect-pests-the-boot.html
6 Industry communication.
7 http://tisserandinstitute.org/citrus-oils-and-breast-health/
8 Arctander, Steffen. Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin, 1960, pp. 282-4.
9 Lawless, Alec. Artisan Perfumery or Being Led by the Nose, 2009, p. 66.
10 Tisserand, Robert and Rodney Young. Essential Oil Safety, 2nd ed., 2014, p. 297.