Mandarins look a bit like small oranges, but their taste is usually slightly stronger and more acidic. The evergreen mandarin tree can grow up to six metres tall and belongs to the Rutaceae plant family.

With an uplifting citrusy and sweet fragrance, mandarin oil is often associated with a refreshing and uplifting aromatic experience.

Mandarin juice and oils are used in cosmetic formulations to support a brighter-looking complexion and to add shine to the hair by helping the hair surface appear smoother and more reflective.

Depending on the ripeness of the fruit when it’s harvested, the oil will taste and smell different. When the peel is still green, the fruit is low in sugar, and therefore the oil has a rather green and citrusy scent. When the peel turns yellow, the oil gets much sweeter, and, finally, when it's orange-red, it even takes on a floral note close to neroli.

Since 2005, Lush has sourced bergamot, lemon and mandarin essential oils directly from a family business producing citrus oils for three generations. Grown under the Sicilian sun without pesticides, the mandarins are collected by hand and pressed entirely with their peel.