May Chang Essential Oil
May Chang Essential Oil
May Chang Essential Oil (Litsea cubeba)
May Chang Essential Oil (Litsea cubeba) is steam-distilled from the ripe berries of the tree, sourced from India, producing a pale yellow to yellow-orange liquid with a powerful, fresh, sweet-green, lemon-like aroma and light woody-floral undertones. A natural complement to Lemongrass, it's a favourite in both aromatherapy and natural skincare.
May Chang is popular in diffuser blends for its uplifting, refreshing character, and pairs beautifully with Lavender and Roman Chamomile in calming evening blends. In skincare, its clarifying, astringent qualities make it a popular addition to toners, lotions and soaps formulated for oily or blemish-prone skin, and it's also valued in natural, plant-based insect-repelling preparations such as candles and body sprays.
This one deserves a little extra care: May Chang Essential Oil is a flammable liquid, a skin and eye irritant and a skin sensitiser, and may be fatal if swallowed and enters the airways. Dilute before topical use, patch test first, and never ingest.
Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Litsea cubeba |
| Plant Part Used | Ripe Fruit (Berries) |
| Extraction Method | Steam Distillation |
| Origin | India |
| Purity | 100% Pure, Natural, Undiluted |
| Appearance | Pale Yellow to Amber-Orange Liquid |
| Refractive Index | 1.470 to 1.490 @ 20°C |
| Specific Gravity | 0.870 to 0.892 @ 20°C |
| Optical Rotation | 0° to +15° |
| Shelf Life | 1-2 Years (Properly Stored) |
Uses ▼
Diffuser & aromatherapy blends
Diffused or inhaled, May Chang creates a cheering, refreshing atmosphere — try a blend of two parts Mandarin to one part May Chang as a room freshener to relax and uplift the mood, or combine it with Lavender and Roman Chamomile in a calming evening blend.
Massage & bath blends
Diluted in a carrier oil, May Chang's cooling, refreshing character makes it a pleasant addition to massage and bath blends, particularly during the warmer months.
Skincare blends
Well diluted, May Chang's clarifying, astringent qualities make it a popular addition to toners, lotions and soaps formulated for oily or blemish-prone skin.
Blends Well With
| Although essential oils blend well with one another, May Chang oil goes particularly well with other essential oils such as basil, bergamot, geranium, ginger, jasmine, lavender, lemon, neroli, orange, petitgrain, rose, rosemary, rosewood and ylang ylang. |
Usage & Formulation Guide ▼
For soap makers, natural perfumers and cosmetic formulators. These are starting points, not finished formulas — always confirm compliance, stability and safety for your own finished product before use — see the IFRA Usage Guidelines document.
Fine Fragrance & Perfumery Accord
May Chang's bright, citral-rich top note works well at 1-3% of the fragrance concentrate, paired with Lemongrass or Litsea-family citrus notes for a fresh, green-citrus accord — its high citral content means fine-fragrance categories carry the tightest IFRA limits.
Skincare & Massage Oil Inclusion Rate
Given its skin-sensitisation classification, keep leave-on skincare and massage-oil inclusion conservative — around 0.5-1% of the total formulation. Always use fresh (not oxidised) oil and patch test the finished blend.
Aromatherapy & Diffuser Blend
For an uplifting, cheering blend, try 2 drops May Chang with 2 drops Mandarin and 1 drop Lavender; for a clarifying blend, combine 2 drops May Chang with 2 drops Lemon and 1 drop Rosemary.
Cold-Process Soap
May Chang performs well in cold-process soap at 1-2% of total oil weight, giving a fresh, lemony-green scent — note that citral-rich citrus notes can fade over the curing period, so blend with a fixative such as Patchouli or Benzoin for longevity.
Product Documents SPECIFICATIONSSAFETY DATA SHEETIFRA GUIDELINESUSER GUIDE |
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May Chang Essential Oil (Litsea cubeba)
May Chang Essential Oil (Litsea cubeba) is steam-distilled from the ripe berries of the tree, sourced from India, producing a pale yellow to yellow-orange liquid with a powerful, fresh, sweet-green, lemon-like aroma and light woody-floral undertones. A natural complement to Lemongrass, it's a favourite in both aromatherapy and natural skincare.
May Chang is popular in diffuser blends for its uplifting, refreshing character, and pairs beautifully with Lavender and Roman Chamomile in calming evening blends. In skincare, its clarifying, astringent qualities make it a popular addition to toners, lotions and soaps formulated for oily or blemish-prone skin, and it's also valued in natural, plant-based insect-repelling preparations such as candles and body sprays.
This one deserves a little extra care: May Chang Essential Oil is a flammable liquid, a skin and eye irritant and a skin sensitiser, and may be fatal if swallowed and enters the airways. Dilute before topical use, patch test first, and never ingest.
Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Litsea cubeba |
| Plant Part Used | Ripe Fruit (Berries) |
| Extraction Method | Steam Distillation |
| Origin | India |
| Purity | 100% Pure, Natural, Undiluted |
| Appearance | Pale Yellow to Amber-Orange Liquid |
| Refractive Index | 1.470 to 1.490 @ 20°C |
| Specific Gravity | 0.870 to 0.892 @ 20°C |
| Optical Rotation | 0° to +15° |
| Shelf Life | 1-2 Years (Properly Stored) |
Uses ▼
Diffuser & aromatherapy blends
Diffused or inhaled, May Chang creates a cheering, refreshing atmosphere — try a blend of two parts Mandarin to one part May Chang as a room freshener to relax and uplift the mood, or combine it with Lavender and Roman Chamomile in a calming evening blend.
Massage & bath blends
Diluted in a carrier oil, May Chang's cooling, refreshing character makes it a pleasant addition to massage and bath blends, particularly during the warmer months.
Skincare blends
Well diluted, May Chang's clarifying, astringent qualities make it a popular addition to toners, lotions and soaps formulated for oily or blemish-prone skin.
Blends Well With
| Although essential oils blend well with one another, May Chang oil goes particularly well with other essential oils such as basil, bergamot, geranium, ginger, jasmine, lavender, lemon, neroli, orange, petitgrain, rose, rosemary, rosewood and ylang ylang. |
Usage & Formulation Guide ▼
For soap makers, natural perfumers and cosmetic formulators. These are starting points, not finished formulas — always confirm compliance, stability and safety for your own finished product before use — see the IFRA Usage Guidelines document.
Fine Fragrance & Perfumery Accord
May Chang's bright, citral-rich top note works well at 1-3% of the fragrance concentrate, paired with Lemongrass or Litsea-family citrus notes for a fresh, green-citrus accord — its high citral content means fine-fragrance categories carry the tightest IFRA limits.
Skincare & Massage Oil Inclusion Rate
Given its skin-sensitisation classification, keep leave-on skincare and massage-oil inclusion conservative — around 0.5-1% of the total formulation. Always use fresh (not oxidised) oil and patch test the finished blend.
Aromatherapy & Diffuser Blend
For an uplifting, cheering blend, try 2 drops May Chang with 2 drops Mandarin and 1 drop Lavender; for a clarifying blend, combine 2 drops May Chang with 2 drops Lemon and 1 drop Rosemary.
Cold-Process Soap
May Chang performs well in cold-process soap at 1-2% of total oil weight, giving a fresh, lemony-green scent — note that citral-rich citrus notes can fade over the curing period, so blend with a fixative such as Patchouli or Benzoin for longevity.
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Product Documents SPECIFICATIONSSAFETY DATA SHEETIFRA GUIDELINESUSER GUIDE |
