Ingredient Library
Mandarin
Citrus reticulata
Mandarin is a gentle citrus oil rich in antioxidants that brighten and uplift dull skin. Soft and cheerful, it suits dull or tired skin, even sensitive types.
A natural history
The mandarin is a small, sweet, easily peeled citrus of ancient Chinese origin, often regarded as the gentlest member of the whole citrus family. It is one of the original ancestral citruses, a parent, along with the pomelo, of the sweet orange and most of the oranges we know today.
Its name carries a touch of imperial history. The little fruit is thought to be named for the mandarins, the high officials of imperial China, after the deep orange of their silk robes. For all that grandeur, mandarin remains the soft, sweet, sunny one of the citrus world.
What it does for your skin
Mandarin brings a gentle, brightening character and natural antioxidants. In laboratory study, mandarin peel oil, rich in limonene, showed the strongest antioxidant activity among the citrus oils tested.[1] A further analysis confirmed its high antioxidant capacity and limonene content.[2] In a formula, mandarin lends a soft, brightening, antioxidant lift to dull or tired looking skin. As with all cold pressed citrus, it is used thoughtfully, as it can mildly increase sun sensitivity.
References
[1] Lin X, et al. The chemical compositions, and antibacterial and antioxidant activities of four types of citrus essential oils. Molecules. 2021;26(11):3412. doi:10.3390/molecules26113412
[2] Vasquez-Gomez KL, et al. Exploring chemical properties of essential oils from citrus peels using green solvent. Heliyon. 2024;10(21):e40088. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e40088
Found in these formulas
Questions, answered
It lends a gentle, brightening, antioxidant lift to dull or tired-looking skin, and is considered the softest of the citrus oils.
Like all cold-pressed citrus peel oils, it can mildly increase sun sensitivity, so it is used thoughtfully in a balanced formula.