ingredients
Lemon Myrtle Skin Benefits: Australia's Cleanest Citrus
Lemon Myrtle holds the highest natural citral content of any plant. What it does in skincare, why dilution matters, and how to use it safely.
By Neven Laham
15 August 2026
6 min read
Lemon Myrtle (Backhousia citriodora) has the highest natural citral content of any known plant — typically 90–98% of its essential oil, against roughly 2–3% in lemon oil from Citrus limon.1 In skincare it is valued for a clean, precise citrus aroma and for antimicrobial activity observed in laboratory testing, without the phototoxicity that limits how citrus peel oils can be used.
That last point is the one that matters most and gets mentioned least. Lemon Myrtle gives you citrus without the sun-sensitivity problem.
What Lemon Myrtle is
A rainforest tree native to subtropical Queensland, growing to around eight metres in the wild. The leaves are glossy and, when crushed, release an aroma cleaner and rounder than lemon itself — brighter at the top, with none of the bitter rind note.
Aboriginal peoples of the region have used the leaves as food and medicine for thousands of years. Commercially it is now grown across northern New South Wales and Queensland, and the oil is steam-distilled from the leaves.
Its aroma is often described as more "lemon" than lemon. That is a fair description: citral is the compound the nose reads as lemon, and Lemon Myrtle carries more of it than the fruit does.
What it does
Naturally antimicrobial
Citral has demonstrated antimicrobial activity against a range of bacteria in laboratory testing, which is why Lemon Myrtle appears in cleansing products and household formulations alike.2 In a cosmetic context this contributes to a formula's freshness and to skin that feels genuinely clean after use.
To be precise about it: this is a property of the compound observed in a lab. It is not a claim that a body scrub treats a skin infection, and any brand telling you otherwise has wandered somewhere it should not be.
Antioxidant activity
Alongside citral, Lemon Myrtle contains flavonoids and other phenolic compounds contributing antioxidant activity — helping defend skin against the free radicals generated by UV and pollution.
Aromatic clarity
The most underrated reason to use it. Lemon Myrtle is bright, clean and non-cloying — it wakes you up without the sugary quality of most citrus fragrancing. In a morning ritual that is exactly the point, and it is why the ingredient anchors the Aurora Luxe and Outback Botanica collections rather than the evening ranges.
No phototoxicity
Most expressed citrus peel oils — bergamot, lemon, lime, orange — contain furocoumarins such as bergapten that make skin more sensitive to UV. IFRA restricts furocoumarins to 15 parts per million in products used on sun-exposed skin for exactly this reason.5 Apply an unrestricted citrus peel oil and go into sun, and you risk a burn or lasting pigmentation.
Lemon Myrtle is not a citrus. It is a myrtle, and it does not carry those compounds. That makes it substantially more practical for a leave-on product used during daylight — a real advantage in the Australian sun.
Why dilution is not optional
Lemon Myrtle is potent, which is precisely why the inclusion rate is a formulation decision rather than an afterthought. Citral is one of the fragrance substances the European Union requires to be declared individually on cosmetic labels, and it is worked with at low percentages for that reason.3 Neat application is the mistake to avoid.
Well-made formulations use it at low fractions of a percent. The International Fragrance Association sets maximum use levels for citral by product category, and reputable Australian formulators work within them.4
Practical implications:
- Never apply neat Lemon Myrtle essential oil to skin
- For a body blend, dilute to roughly 1% — around 5–6 drops per 30ml of carrier oil
- In a bath, add oils to a carrier or a dispersant first; oil dropped into water floats in undiluted beads and meets skin at full strength
- Patch test on the inner forearm and wait 24 hours before broader use
Concentrated does not mean better. With citral, restraint is the whole craft.
How to use it
In a diffuser. 5–7 drops in a cold-mist diffuser. Bright and clarifying — better suited to a workspace or a morning than to a bedroom at night. A drop of Lemon Essential Oil alongside it rounds the top note without dulling the clarity.
In a morning ritual. This is where Lemon Myrtle earns its place. The Morning Revival Bath Soak pairs it with Australian Yellow Clay, and the Energising Body Scrub with Kakadu Plum and finely milled macadamia shell.
In a body blend. Dilute 2–3 drops in a teaspoon of Macadamia oil and press into skin while it is still warm from a shower.
Not before bed. Lemon Myrtle is stimulating. For evening, the Harmony collection and Lavender Essential Oil are the appropriate direction.
Where Lemon Myrtle appears
AURORA LUXE
Morning Revival Bath Soak
Sharp citrus and fresh herbaceous — like morning air after rain
A$34
Net 300g · ~8-10 baths
AURORA LUXE
Energising Body Scrub
Bright lemon myrtle lifted by botanical warmth
A$38
Net 200g · ~12 uses
OUTBACK BOTANICA
Rejuvenating Soak
Crisp lemon myrtle with warm mineral earthiness
A$36
Net 300g · ~8-10 baths
OUTBACK BOTANICA
Renewal Body Scrub
Earthy wattleseed and warm citrus over macadamia oil
A$45
Net 200g · ~12 uses
Part of our guide to Australian native skincare ingredients.
Frequently asked questions
Lemon Myrtle is a myrtle rather than a citrus, and is not among the furocoumarin-containing oils IFRA restricts for use on sun-exposed skin.5 That makes it more practical than expressed citrus peel oils in products worn during the day. It is still an essential oil, and still needs proper dilution.
Cleaner and rounder than lemon — a bright, sherbet-like citrus without the bitterness of rind. Because of its very high citral content, many people find it smells more distinctly of lemon than lemons do.
Approach cautiously. Essential oils are among the more common causes of contact reactions regardless of origin. If your skin reacts easily, start with the essential-oil-free Nature & Calm collection instead.
Advice on essential oils in pregnancy varies by oil and by trimester. Speak to your midwife or GP before use, and consider essential-oil-free products in the meantime.
Different jobs. Both have antimicrobial properties, but tea tree's aroma is medicinal and camphorous, while Lemon Myrtle is bright and clean. For anything where the scent forms part of the experience, Lemon Myrtle is the more pleasant choice. If tea tree irritates your skin, Kunzea is the gentler Australian alternative.
Sources
Every factual claim above is referenced below. Where the evidence is limited, the article says so rather than overstating it.
- 1.Saifullah M, McCullum R, Vuong QV. "Backhousia citriodora F. Muell. (Lemon Myrtle), an unrivalled source of citral." Foods 2021;10(7):1596.
- 2.Nor Azah MA, Sam YY, Mailina J, et al. "Chemical composition, antioxidant, antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of Backhousia citriodora essential oil." Molecules 2022;27(15):4895.
- 3.European Commission. Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products, Annex III — fragrance substances requiring individual labelling, as amended by Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1545.
- 4.International Fragrance Association. IFRA Standards, 51st Amendment — use levels by product category.
- 5.International Fragrance Association. IFRA Standard: citrus oils and other furocoumarin-containing essential oils.
