While red mandarin is fruit and green mandarin is herbaceous, yellow meets them in the middle with its fresh and delicate scent. It still maintains a distinctly mandarin character when smelling pure while being great for adding lift and zest to a scent. Yellow mandarin is the lightest of the three in terms of impact which means you can dose it with more bravado than the others. Oil Comparison Green Mandarin Essential Oil: Extracted from unripe green peels, this oil boasts a tart, sharp citrus scent with a floral hint. Its olive-green hue reflects its youthful vigor, offering an energizing boost in aromatherapy and perfumery. High in limonene (~70%), it’s prized for refreshing skin care blends. Yellow Mandarin Essential Oil: Derived from semi-ripe yellow peels, it delivers a balanced, semi-sweet citrus aroma. With a pale yellow tone and ~71% limonene, it strikes a middle ground between tart and sweet. It’s less common but shines in uplifting aromatherapy and cleansing applications. Red Mandarin Essential Oil: Sourced from fully ripened red-orange peels, this oil exudes a rich, sweet citrus scent with floral undertones. Its reddish-orange color and ~72% limonene content make it the sweetest, ideal for calming diffusion and cosmetics. It’s the most widely available of the trio.