Updated 16 January 2024

Botanical characteristics

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Subphylum: tracheobionta 
• Division: Magnoliophyta
• Class: Magnoliopsida
• Subclass: Rosidae
• Order: Sapindales
• Family: Rutaceae
• Genus: Citrus
• Part used: Zest
• Country of origin: Argentina, United States of America

Precautions for use

Caution! Grapefruit essential oil is reserved for adults and adolescents.

Dermal application is possible when diluted. Ingestion and inhalation are permitted, but diffusion remains the preferred route of application.

Diffusion is also permitted for pregnant women, children and infants.

Finally, due to its high limonene content, this essential oil is allergenic and carries a risk of nephrotoxicity if taken in high doses and over a long period of time.

Other precautions

Cutaneous use:

• Grapefruit essential oil is photosensitising, so should not be applied to the skin before sun exposure.
• It is also irritating and dermocaustic in its pure form, so it should be diluted to 20% in vegetable oil before any application to the skin (20% essential oil with 80% vegetable oil).

Diffusion:

• For pregnant women over 3 months and infants and children over 3 months, diffusion is an approved route of use.

Contraindications:

• This essential oil carries a risk of nephrotoxicity if taken in high doses and over a long period of time.

Allergenic components:

Grapefruit essential oil is high in biochemical allergenic components.

• limonene (90-97%)
• citral (geranial + neral) (≤0.5%)
• linalool (≤ 0.5%)

Note: It is best to test the essential oil before use (two drops on the crease of the elbow for at least 24 hours to check for a reaction).

Authorised users

 Adults and adolescents

 Children under 6 years

  Pregnant and breastfeeding women

 Pregnant women younger than 3 months

 Infants under 3 years old

Risks of use