Citronella Essential Oil
Cymbopogon Nardus, 15ml
The summer one: what people have reached for on verandahs for a century, bright and lemony over cut grass.
- A single oil, not a blend
- 15ml amber glass, around 300 drops
- Australian owned, bottled on the Gold Coast
- Built for outside
For Christmas, order by 16 December, or 18 December in WA. All dates
Pre-order, dispatch date to be confirmed. The summer one. Citronella is the oil people have reached for on verandahs for a century, bright and lemony with a grassy edge, and it is also a straightforward way to deodorise a room without a synthetic air freshener. Marked 100% organic and pure on the bottle, 15ml of Cymbopogon Nardus, bottled in Australia on the Gold Coast. One thing to know before you buy: Urban Sun say to avoid citronella while pregnant or breastfeeding.
Pre-order
- Dispatch date to be confirmed. It depends on the maker's next delivery. Email us for the current estimate. Payment is taken at checkout, which is how we hold your bottle against the order.
- Ordering other things too? Tell us and we will split the parcel so the in-stock items leave now at no extra cost.
- Changed your mind? Email us any time before it ships and we will refund it, no questions.
Key Features
- Single oil, not a blend. Cymbopogon Nardus, marked 100% organic and pure on the carton.
- 15ml amber glass. Roughly 300 drops, with an integrated dropper insert.
- Australian owned, bottled on the Gold Coast. Urban Sun are a family-run business, certified Australian owned. The oils themselves are sourced rather than grown here.
- Built for outside. Bright lemon over cut grass. It is the scent of a summer evening on a deck, and it is also genuinely useful for knocking back a stale room.
- Not during pregnancy. Urban Sun are explicit about this one, so we are too.
- Vegan and cruelty free. Both stated by the brand for this product.
Pūrē Standard
- Why we bought it. Summer is when the most synthetic product enters an otherwise careful home: plug-in repellents, coils, aerosol sprays. Citronella is the oldest alternative, it is one ingredient, and you control where it goes.
- One ingredient, named properly. Cymbopogon Nardus is on the bottle. Worth checking, because citronella is often sold as a blend with lemongrass or eucalyptus without saying so.
- Amber glass, which matters here. Citrus-type oils are the quickest to degrade in light. Amber glass is not styling, it is what keeps this one usable.
- On insects, we are going to be careful. Citronella's traditional use outdoors is well known and Urban Sun describe it as an insect repellent. We are not going to tell you how well it works, because we have not seen testing on this bottle and a diffused oil is not a registered repellent. Treat it as the pleasant traditional option, not as protection in a mosquito-heavy spot.
- Where we would like more. The carton says organic but Urban Sun do not name a certifying body, publish a GC/MS batch report, or state which country the botanical was grown and distilled in before it was bottled here. We have asked. Until they answer, treat organic as the brand's own claim rather than a certification.
Overall score:
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Performance | ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (3.5/5) |
| Low-Tox & Material Safety | ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (3.5/5) |
| Sustainability | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5) |
| Manufacturing Transparency | ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (3.5/5) |
| Packaging | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4.5/5) |
How to Use
- In a diffuser. 6 to 10 drops, adjusted for the size of your room and your diffuser. That figure is Urban Sun's own.
- On your skin. Dilute first, at 2 to 3% in a carrier oil. That is Urban Sun's own range for this oil. Never apply it neat.
- Outside. In a diffuser on a covered verandah, or a few drops on a terracotta tile or an unglazed pot near where you sit. It needs to be close to you to be noticeable at all.
- To freshen a room. A few drops in a bowl of hot water will lift a stale or smoky room quickly.
Safety
- Avoid while pregnant or breastfeeding. Urban Sun's own wording, and the reason we have not tagged this one kids and pregnancy safe.
- For diffusing and external use only. Do not ingest it.
- Always dilute before applying to skin. Patch test first.
- Keep out of reach of children and animals.
- Pets. Urban Sun flag no specific pet warning for citronella, but it is closely related to lemongrass, which they do flag. If you have a cat or a dog, take the cautious reading and use the cedarwood instead.
Good to Know
- The dropper insert is plastic. The bottle and carton are glass and card, but the integrated dripolator is not, so we have not tagged this plastic free.
- Outdoors, scent disperses fast. Anything diffused in open air works within a small radius at best. Keep it near you and expect to top it up.
- Not gift boxed. It arrives in its own printed carton, which is handsome, but it is not wrapped.
Product Details
Ingredients
- 100% Cymbopogon Nardus (citronella) oil. Marked organic and pure on the carton.
Fragrance
- Bright lemon over cut grass, drier than lemongrass. A top note, so it arrives first and fades first.
Specifications
- Volume. 15ml.
- Bottle. Amber glass with a dropper insert and a screw cap.
- Size. Approximately 2.9 x 2.9 x 6.8cm.
- Weight. 52g.
- Origin. Bottled in Australia by a certified Australian owned business. Country of cultivation not published.
- Claims. Vegan, cruelty free, ethically sourced and recyclable packaging, all as stated by Urban Sun.
Choose options
For Christmas, order by 16 December, or 18 December in WA. All dates
Our Take
On whether it repels anything we are staying quiet, because we have not seen testing. Not one for pregnancy, which is Urban Sun's own warning.
Pūrēly Organic
Good to know
Frequently asked
Will this actually keep mosquitoes away?
We are not going to claim that it will. Citronella's traditional use outdoors is well known and Urban Sun describe it as an insect repellent, but we have not seen testing on this bottle and a diffused oil is not a registered repellent. Treat it as the pleasant traditional option, and use something registered if you are somewhere genuinely mosquito heavy.
Can I use it while pregnant?
No. Urban Sun say to avoid citronella while pregnant or breastfeeding, which is why we have not tagged it kids and pregnancy safe. The cedarwood in this range carries no such warning.
How do I use it outside?
In a diffuser on a covered verandah, or a few drops on a terracotta tile or unglazed pot near where you sit. Scent disperses very fast in open air, so keep it close to you and expect to top it up.
Is it safe around pets?
Urban Sun flag no specific pet warning for citronella, but it is a close relative of lemongrass, which they do flag. We would take the cautious reading and use the cedarwood instead if you have a cat or a dog.
What is the difference between citronella and lemongrass?
They are close botanical relatives. Citronella is drier and sharper and is the one traditionally used outdoors. Lemongrass is sweeter and greener and tends indoors. Both are in this range.
Is it certified organic?
The carton is marked 100% organic and pure, but Urban Sun do not name a certifying body or publish a batch analysis. We have asked. Until they answer, treat organic as the brand's own claim rather than a third party certification.
