Asia. The fruit of the bitter orange looks very similar to the sweet orange, but the fruit flesh tastes sour while the peel and the skin surrounding the fruit segments have a strong bitter taste. In cosmetics and personal care products, bitter orange peel extract is used as a fragrance ingredient. Bitter orange peel extract is also said to have antiseptic and cleansing properties. It cleanses dirt, oil, and other impurities from the skin. However, bitter orange peel extract is known to cause sensitization in some people, and can also make the skin more sensitive to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays.