With its bright and joyful aroma, it’s known to boost energy levels, help with depression, rejuvenate the skin, kill harmful bacteria, and reduce inflammation.
In recent years, medical studies have reaffirmed the claims made by those who have used lemon essential oil in bygone eras. Read on to explore the various ways you can use lemon essential oil and discover its history, benefits, and even possible side effects!
What is lemon essential oil?
Lemon essential oil is a natural extract obtained mainly from the rind of the lemon and is characterized by its sweet, sharp fragrance.
The lemon tree is a small evergreen tree that can reach up to five meters high. It is thought to have originated in the southern region of India, although some argue that it originated in China.
Initially the lemon was merely used as a decorative piece. However, after its multitude of healing powers were discovered, lemon oil has been noted and used for centuries by many cultures across the world.
Lemon essential oil - quick facts
🍋 Latin name: Citrus Limon🍋 Also known as: Liquid Sunshine
🍋 Origin: Asia
🍋 Scent note: Citrus, astringent, fresh
🍋 Production: 3000 fruits are required to get 1 L of essential oil
🍋 Popular uses: Stress relief and skin toning
How is lemon essential oil made?
The process used to extract lemon essential oil is rather interesting and unique. Lemon is one of the few oils that is cold pressed rather than steam distilled.
Historically, many citrus oils were extracted using a process called sponge pressing, which involved pressing the rinds by hand. Today, cold pressing is the most effective way to extract essential oils from the waxy peel.
In cold pressing, the fruit’s rind is pierced by rasping cylinders. During this process, small sacs in the rind containing the essential oils burst open. Water is then sprayed over the fruit, which results in a mixture of fruit flesh, water and essential oil. This mixture is then filtered and centrifuged to separate out the pure essential oil.
While the process to extract an oil using cold expression is labor intensive, it is well worth the effort. When done properly, cold pressing produces quality oils with a beautifully potent fragrance.
Benefits of lemon essential oil
Lemon essential oil has a variety of uses and benefits for your home and health.
Some of the most common uses and benefits include:
🍋 Disinfection
🍋 Mood booster
🍋 Insect repellent
🍋 Wood polish
Unpacking this further, you’ll find an abundance of uses for lemon essential oil in your daily self-care routine, for other health benefits or around your home.
Lemon essential oil for skin care
Lemon essential oil acts as an astringent and detoxifier, and its antiseptic properties help in restoring the skin’s natural balance. If you suffer from breakouts, diluting lemon essential oil with a carrier oil and applying it to your face can help eliminate any bacteria caught in your pores and causing breakouts.
Lemon essential oil as disinfectant
Use lemon oil to sanitize your home or use it as a natural remedy to invigorate your health. Try adding a few drops to your laundry cycle to freshen up and disinfect your linen. As a bonus, your washing machine will smell clean too!
Lemon essential oil as mood booster
Lemon essential oil is often called liquid sunshine, and for good reason! Diffuse in the room or place a few drops in your hands, rub and inhale. Lemon activates the pleasure hormone dopamine. It also stimulates creativity, memory and learning. No wonder we love it so much!
Lemon essential oil as insect repellent
If you’re looking to ward off pesky insects like mosquitoes in the summertime, lemon essential oil can make for a good DIY insect repellent. All you have to do is dilute some of the oil with a carrier oil and rub the product on your skin, and those little critters will bother you much less.
Lemon essential oil as wood polish
Lemon oil is a common ingredient in many brands of wood polish because it helps nourish the wood and makes it shine. But you can make your own DIY wood polish with lemon essential oil and olive oil or mineral oil in a spray bottle. Just get a soft cloth and polish away, enjoying the fresh, inspiring scent in the process!
How to use lemon essential oil
Because lemon essential oil is so versatile, how you choose to use the oil is entirely up to you. Consider adding a few drops of oil with your cleaning products for a citrus fragrance. Its zesty and fresh notes are delightful in the warmer months and provide a calm and soothing atmosphere.
Because lemon naturally contains vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps reduce skin damage and premature aging, it might be wise to consider adding some lemon drops to your nighttime skin care routine.
Let’s look at other ways you can put this zesty and joyful scent to use:
🍋 Aromatherapy massage
🍋 Aromatherapy bath
🍋 Spray
Let’s take a look at each of these uses of lemon essential oil in more detail.
Inhalation of lemon essential oil
One of the most effective ways to use the oil is to add a few drops to your diffuser and simply inhale the citrus aroma. If you need a pick-me-up before a busy day ahead, switch on the diffuser and breathe in deeply.
Inhaling lemon essential oil can also help reduce stress levels, stimulate concentration, boost immunity, and improve your mood.
Aromatherapy massage with lemon essential oil
Adding lemon essential oil to an aromatherapy massage has a cleansing and protective effect on the body. It helps to defend the body against harmful pathogens and promotes detoxification through the blood and liver. The natural oil also stimulates lymphatic drainage, which helps the body to clear itself of wastes and toxins.
Aromatherapy bath with lemon essential oil
Lemon oil works as a natural relaxant. So, you may want to run a warm bath and add 4 to 6 drops of the lemon essential oil to your bath water along with a carrier oil, then sit back and relax for a bit to allow the aroma to work its magic.
Spray lemon essential oil
Lemon essential oil works as a natural disinfectant because of its natural compounds; limonene and b-pinene. Clean your home with lemon essential oil by adding 2-8 drops to a spray bottle filled with water. You can use this to free your space from invading and harmful bacteria.
