If I asked you, “What is your favorite citrus essential oil?”, perhaps you’d tell me: Lemon (Citrus × limon) or sweet orange (Citrus sinensis). Both of these citrus oils have a multitude of uses and a great aroma, too! However, lemon might just have the edge when it comes to antimicrobial and antiviral use, making it an essential part of a winter aromatherapy tool kit. It’s also a great essential oil to combine with complementary spice oils such as ginger (Zingiber officinale) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris).
But that’s not even a fraction of what lemon essential oil can do for you. In this blog we are going to take a look at all the benefits of lemon essential oil and the best ways to use it.
The Basics About Lemon
The fresh, green, citrus aroma of lemon is unmistakable to most people, whether you are familiar with it from cleaning products, or from cough and cold remedies during the colder months.
Lemon essential oil is extracted from the outer peel of the lemon, egg-shaped fruit produced by the lemon tree. If you are lucky enough to live in a warmer, frost-free climate, or have visited such places on your travels, you may have seen lemons on native trees, fresh for the picking. The essential oil embodies the fruit from which it comes in a pale green to yellow color.
Why Use Lemon Essential Oil?
Why not use lemon essential oil! It has the power to clean house, keep away bacteria and germs, and help to heal you if you’re unlucky enough to fall prey to such blights.
In short, lemon essential oil can:
- Support immune health
- Purify the air of bacteria and germs
- Combat colds and flu
- Support circulatory health
- Address digestive issues such as stomachache and indigestion
- Balance out oily or mature skin
- Promote confidence and increase work productivity
- Lift spirits and fight fatigue
- Clear the mind and help with focus.
That’s a huge number of benefits!
How to Use Lemon Essential Oil
Given its long list of uses, what’s the best way to use lemon essential oil? We’re going to break it down for you:
- Remember its use for combatting colds and flu, and relieving stuffy sinuses? That’s why we included it in our All Clear Drop between 3-5 drops of this undiluted blend on a cotton round, in a diffuser, or into the bath and inhale to breathe in the benefits of the aroma.
- If you’re visiting us in-house, you might like to try lemon essential oil with one of our holistic facials for a cleansing and uplifting experience.
- We also add lemon essential oil to clean in-house in our own cleaning formulas. You can do the same at home by combining lemon oil with another antimicrobial or antiseptic essential oil such as lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) or pine (Pinus sylvestris). Add the essential oils to a spray bottle, combine with distilled water (or a hydrosol such as lemon tea tree), and spray down kitchen and bathroom worktops as an antimicrobial and antiseptic cleaner. Use no more than a total of 12 drops of essential oil blend to 1-oz. of water.
- Diffuse lemon essential oil in an aromatherapy diffuser to purify the surrounding area and keep it germ-free. Just be sure to diffuse in a well-ventilated space, and pay particular caution to babies and children, those who are pregnant, and pets. Additionally, you can diffuse lemon essential oil in a diffuser to lift spirits, fight fatigue, promote confidence and increase focus, and actually increase productivity in the workplace.
- Add lemon essential oil to a carrier oil such as jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) and massage gently in a clockwise direction over the abdomen to help with minor stomachaches. Add no more than 12 drops of essential oil to 1-oz. of jojoba, and half this amount for use with children over 3 years of age.
- You can also use the same blend and apply to your skin for mature skin conditions and/or troubled skin conditions. Or smooth over arms and legs to boost circulation.
Cautions for Using Lemon Essential Oil
Just like using all essential oils, you need to be make sure that lemon essential oil does not interact or be contraindicated for any conditions that you have. The main thing to watch out for when using lemon essential oil is possible skin sensitivity. Also, don’t use this essential oil topically if you plan to go out in the sun as it has the potential to cause phototoxicity. If you’re unsure of its safety for use with your conditions, check with a certified aromatherapist.
Why we Recommend Lemon at Your Body Needs
Lemon is a great oil to beat the winter blues, pack a punch against winter germs, and keep your skin in top condition. It’s an oil that can be used with little ones too, when used in the right proportions.
We think that lemon has a zesty, sparkly aroma, perfect for one of the darkest times of the years seasonally. Combine it with a spice oil, a meditative base note oil, or a balancing floral oil for the perfect combination. Head on over to our online store to pick up all of these oils today!
Leave a comment