The chief constituents of the oil are anethol, fenchone, d-pinene, and dipentene.
Geranium oils, distilled from plants of the Pelargonium species. There are three principal kinds of this oil on the market—the African, obtained from Algeria and the neighbourhood, the Bourbon, distilled principally in the Island of Réunion, and the Spanish. The oil is also distilled from plants grown in the South of France, but this oil is not much used by soap-makers. A specially fine article is sold by a few essential oil firms under the name of "Geranium-sur-Rose," which as its name implies, is supposed to be geranium oil distilled over roses. This is particularly suitable for use in high-class soaps. The following are the general properties of these oils. It will be seen that the limits for the figures overlap to a considerable extent.
| African. | Bourbon. | Spanish. | French. | |
| Specific gravity at 15° C. | .890-.900 | .888-.895 | .895-.898 | .897-.900 |
| Optical rotation. | -6° to -10° | -9° to -18° | -8° to -11° | -8° to -11° |
| Esters, calculated as geranyl tiglate | 20-27 per cent. | 27-32 per cent. | 20-27 per cent. | 18-23 per cent. |
| Total alcohols, as geraniol. | 68-75 per cent. | 70-80 per cent. | 65-75 per cent. | 66-75 per cent. |
| Solubility in 70 per cent. alcohol. | 1 in 1.5-2 | 1 in 1.5-2 | 1 in 2-3 | 1 in 1.5-2 |
The oil contains geraniol and citronellol, both free, and combined with tiglic, valeric, butyric, and acetic acids; also l-menthone. The African and Bourbon varieties are the two most commonly used for soap-perfurmery, the Spanish oil being too costly for extensive use.
Ginger-grass oil, formerly regarded as an inferior kind of palma-rosa but now stated to be from an entirely different source. Specific gravity at 15° C., 0.889-0.897; optical rotation, +15°.
The oil contains a large amount of geraniol, together with di-hydrocumin alcohol, d-phellandrene, d-limonene, dipentene, and l-carvone.
Guaiac wood oil, distilled from the wood of Bulnesia sarmienti. Specific gravity at 30° C., 0.967-0.975; optical rotation, -4° 30' to -7°; refractive index at 20° C., 1.506-1.507; soluble in 3 to 5 volumes of 70 per cent. alcohol.
The principal constituent of the oil is guaiac alcohol, or gusiol. This oil, which has what is generally termed a "tea-rose odour," is occasionally used as an adulterant for otto of rose.
Lavender oil, distilled from the flowers of Lavandula vera, grown in England, France, Italy and Spain. The English oil is considerably the most expensive, and is seldom, if ever, used in soap. The French and Italian oils are the most common, the Spanish oil being a comparatively new article, of doubtful botanical origin, and more closely resembling aspic oil.
English Oil.—Specific gravity at 15° C., 0.883-0.900; optical rotation, -4° to -10°; esters, calculated as linalyl acetate, 5-10 per cent.; soluble in 3 volumes of 70 per cent. alcohol.