What it is
This essential oil is obtained from the small pepper-like fruits of Litsea cubeba, a tree in the laurel family native to East and Southeast Asia. It is rich in citral, which gives it a fresh, lemony scent, and is added to skincare in small amounts to perfume formulas or mask raw-material odors. In sunscreens it functions as a scent ingredient rather than contributing to sun protection.
Safety & warnings
As a citral-rich essential oil, this material can be a source of fragrance sensitivity and contact allergy in susceptible individuals, and citral is among the fragrance constituents commonly flagged as potential allergens. Citrus-type and citral-containing oils are also associated with skin irritation potential, so leave-on products typically use very low concentrations.
Origin & sourcing
Natural; a volatile essential oil produced by steam distillation of the fruit of the May Chang tree (Litsea cubeba).
Questions everyone asks
Why is Litsea cubeba oil in my sunscreen?
It is used as a natural fragrance to give the product a fresh, lemony scent and to help mask the smell of other raw ingredients. It does not provide sun protection.
Can it cause skin sensitivity?
It is rich in citral, a fragrance constituent that can trigger contact allergy or irritation in some people. Those with fragrance-sensitive skin may prefer fragrance-free options.