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In brief: Lemongrass oil (at Pěstík, Cymbopogon flexuosus from India) is two thirds citral, a substance that smells of lemon and is at the same time one of the more common skin allergens. In a diffuser use it freely, on the skin at most 0.7%, that is, 4 drops per 30 ml. Do not put it in the bath.
| Latin name | Cymbopogon flexuosus (East Indian lemongrass); the related C. citratus is West Indian |
|---|---|
| Extraction | steam distillation of the leaves, India |
| Main components | citral (geranial and neral) roughly 65–70%, also geraniol and geranyl acetate |
| Limit on the skin | 0.7% according to Tisserand & Young: 1 drop per 10 ml, 4 drops per 30 ml |
| Safety in one word | sensitising |
| Shelf life | 1–2 years from opening, in the cool and closed |
Lemongrass smells like lemon, but sharper, greener and with a grassy edge. Anyone who knows it from Thai soup recognises it at once. The essential oil, however, is far more concentrated than a stalk in the kitchen, and on the skin it is among the most cautionary oils in the medicine cabinet.
Here you will find how it differs from citronella, how many drops are safe, four blends with oils from our range and why it is not suited to the bath. If you are interested in the plant and its cultivation, read the article lemongrass smells like lemon but does not taste like it. It is not medical advice.
Lemongrass or citronella? Two different oils
In Czech the two grasses are confused, and on older pages lemongrass is even called "citronella". Botanically they are different species of the genus Cymbopogon, and their oils smell and work differently.
| Lemongrass | Citronella | |
|---|---|---|
| Species | C. flexuosus, C. citratus | C. winterianus (Java), C. nardus (Ceylon) |
| Main component | citral 65–70% | citronellal, geraniol, citronellol |
| Scent | sharp, clean lemon | citrusy, sweetish, "summer terrace" |
| Limit on the skin (Tisserand & Young) | 0.7% | markedly looser |
| Typical use | diffuser, cleaning, perfume blends at a low dose | outdoor blends, candles, sprays |
Pěstík sells both. Lemongrass from Pěstík is the East Indian type C. flexuosus from southern India, and citronella is the Java C. winterianus. We have a separate article on citronella; here we deal only with lemongrass.
Citral: why lemongrass smells so strong and why to use less of it
Citral is a mixture of two substances, geranial and neral. It gives the oil its rich lemon scent and in laboratory studies shows marked antimicrobial activity. At the same time it is a well-known skin sensitiser: repeated contact with a higher concentration may cause contact allergy, which then does not go away. That is why IFRA, the international association of fragrance manufacturers, restricts it in cosmetics. In body lotion citral may be at most 0.15%, in perfume 0.6%.
Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, in their handbook Essential Oil Safety, recommend a dermal maximum of 0.7% for lemongrass oil. Stick to that in home blends, and go lower for the face.
| Carrier oil | Maximum 0.7% | For sensitive skin and the face |
|---|---|---|
| 10 ml | 1 drop (0.5%) | better not at all, or 1 drop in 20 ml |
| 30 ml | 4 drops (0.67%) | 2 drops (0.33%) |
| 50 ml | 7 drops (0.7%) | 3 drops |
We count 1 ml ≈ 20 drops. The general rule of 1–2% for adults, which we write about in the article how to dilute essential oils for the complexion, does not apply to lemongrass. If you want a more pronounced lemon scent in a blend, complement it with a milder oil, for example orange, not with more lemongrass.
Where to use it without counting
In the air. In a diffuser or oil burner, citral does not reach the skin in a concentration that would matter. The oil is distinctive, however, so less is needed than with lavender:
- ultrasonic diffuser for a small room: 2–3 drops, for a living room 3–5 drops
- ceramic oil burner: 2–4 drops in a dish of water
- home cleaning spray: 10 drops in 500 ml of a water and vinegar solution, for the kitchen worktop and sink
Detailed dosing by room size is in the article how many drops for a diffuser and oil burner.
Four blends with lemongrass
Morning in the kitchen (diffuser)
2 drops of lemongrass, 2 drops of grapefruit. A tart, juicy scent that overpowers cooking smells.
Desk (diffuser)
2 drops of lemongrass, 2 drops of rosemary, 1 drop of peppermint. A herbal-fresh blend for the afternoon. Do not use it in a room with small children; rosemary and mint belong only from 6 years.
Evening with a woody base (oil burner)
2 drops of lemongrass, 2 drops of lavender, 1 drop of Himalayan cedar. Lavender softens the lemon, cedar anchors it.
Massage oil for the legs after sport (0.67% lemongrass)
- Pour 30 ml of jojoba oil into a bottle.
- Add 4 drops of lemongrass, no more.
- Top up with 4 drops of lavender and 2 drops of rosemary, 10 drops in total, that is, about 1.7%.
- Shake, label with the date and test on the forearm. Wait 24 hours.
- Use within 2–3 months. Do not use the blend on the face or irritated skin.
Why not in the bath
Essential oil does not mix with water and floats on the surface in droplets that stick to the skin at full concentration. With lemongrass that means exactly the contact with citral that you want to avoid. Safety overviews therefore do not recommend it for the bath, even dissolved in an emulsifier. For a bath, reach for lavender mixed into a spoonful of carrier oil or cream.
Traditional use and research
Lemongrass is traditionally drunk as tea and used in cooking in Asia and Latin America; the oil is mainly a raw material for perfumery and for the production of citral. In laboratory studies the antibacterial and antifungal action of citral is investigated, and the oil appears in natural insect-repellent blends. These results are not a reason to swallow the oil or treat anything with it, however. The essential oil from a bottle is not taken internally.
If you are buying the oil for mosquitoes, read the article what research reveals about essential oils against mosquitoes. Lemongrass is an aromatic raw material, not a registered repellent, and it provides no reliable protection against ticks or against mosquitoes that transmit diseases.
Safety: who should not put lemongrass on the skin
- Sensitive, damaged and eczematous skin: not at all; citral irritates more there than elsewhere.
- Children: Tisserand and Young do not recommend lemongrass on the skin of children under 2 years. We do not give it to children on the skin at all, and in a diffuser in a child's room at most 1 drop, and only from 2 years. The general rules are in the article essential oils and children.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: for lemongrass, Tisserand and Young state a risk of fetal harm (teratogenicity). Not on the skin during pregnancy; in a diffuser briefly and in a well-ventilated room.
- Medicines: Tisserand and Young point to a possible interaction with medicines metabolised by the enzyme CYP2B6. If you take medicines regularly, consult a doctor.
- Cats and dogs: cats break down many components of essential oils less well than people do. Run a diffuser only where the animal can leave, and never apply the oil to the fur. More in the article essential oils and pets.
- Oxidation: old, oxidised oil irritates more. Close the bottle straight after use and store it in the cool and dark.
How to recognise a good lemongrass oil
The label should state the Latin name, because C. flexuosus and C. citratus differ not only in origin but also in the proportion of citral and secondary substances. Also the country of origin (India, Guatemala, Nepal) and the method of extraction, that is, steam distillation of the leaves. The oil is pale to rich yellow, thin, and smells cleanly of lemon with a grassy trace. If the label says only "lemongrass" without the species, you do not know what you are buying.
Frequently asked questions
What is lemongrass essential oil used for?
Mainly for scenting a room in a diffuser or oil burner and in home cleaning sprays. On the skin it is used only at a very low dilution, at most 0.7%. It is not taken internally.
Is lemongrass the same as citronella?
No. Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus or citratus) contains mainly citral, citronella (C. winterianus or nardus) mainly citronellal and geraniol. They differ in scent and in safe dilution.
How many drops of lemongrass for a diffuser?
For a small room 2–3 drops, for a living room 3–5 drops. The oil is distinctive, so start at the lower end and add only as needed.
Does lemongrass repel mosquitoes?
In laboratory experiments it has some repellent effect, but short-lived and unreliable. An essential oil is not a registered repellent. Against ticks and mosquitoes in risk areas, use a registered product with DEET, icaridin or PMD.
Can I put lemongrass oil in the bath?
We do not recommend it for the bath at all, even with an emulsifier. Drops of oil on the surface reach the skin undiluted, and citral may irritate the skin or cause allergy.
Recommended products
- Lemongrass BIO essential oil – East Indian lemongrass from steam distillation of the leaves, a strong lemon scent for a diffuser and cleaning.
- Grapefruit BIO essential oil – grapefruit for a fresh kitchen blend with lemongrass.
- Lavender BIO essential oil – lavender softens lemongrass and also suits a massage blend.
- Himalayan cedar BIO essential oil – Himalayan cedar as the woody base of an evening blend.
- Jojoba oil BIO – jojoba oil as a carrier for a massage oil at a low dilution.
- Ceramic oil burner, white, 12.5 × 10.5 cm – a ceramic oil burner in which you use lemongrass without counting percentages.
Sources
- IFRA Standard: Citral (Amendment 49)
- AromaWeb: Lemongrass Essential Oil (safety summary according to Tisserand & Young, Essential Oil Safety, 2nd ed.)
- AromaWeb: comparison of lemon-scented essential oils (citral content)
- Tisserand Institute: Cats and essential oil safety
Updated: 27 September 2026
Author: Jana Vránová, the editorial pen name of the Pěstík.cz team. She writes about the garden, herbs and essential oils. We take safety and dosage information from specialist literature and official sources, which we cite in every article.