Lemon is the fruit that boasts the widest therapeutic use and the relationship between lemon and health has a millennial history. From the epicarp of the fruit is extracted the lemon essential oil whose properties are very interesting. Let’s found lemon essential oil benefits and our tips to use it.
Lemon trees (Citrus Limon) are grown all over the world, but Mediterranean countries such as Italy and Cyprus are particularly famous for their lemon essential oils. Even Israel, North and South America, and parts of Africa are producers of lemon essential oils.
Lemon essential oil: what it is and how to recognize it
Lemon essential oil is obtained by mechanical cold pressing of the epicarp of the fruit and is then generally distilled in steam and adjusted to make it safer, more concentrated and usable for the perfume and food market. Light in color or straw yellow, it reaches a medium green depending on the maturity of the flavedo and the production processes.
The components of the Lemon essential oil that contribute most to the scent are the isomers of citral (geranyl and nerile acetate), present up to 5%, and the n-alkanes (waxes), but also other components are added and modify the odor, such as terpinen-4-ol which adds green notes. Ohloff (1990) notes that n-octanal (aldehyde C8) contributes up to about 15% per fragrance of Lemon essential oil, although it is only present at 0.15%.
The aroma can be quite variable depending on the production process and the age of the essential oil itself. Good quality and fresh lemon essential oils will have a wonderful, fresh and lemonade fragrance, with very fruity top notes. Bad quality or old essential oils have only a modest lemon scent and can have a “bathroom detergent” smell, which is the type of product they will probably be used for.
Lemon essential oil benefits, properties and use
Fresh and light like the vivifying spring air, its beneficial properties for the skin are an ancient heritage of the popular pharmacopoeia that modern research consolidates.
Astringent, lightening, antiseptic, healing, detoxifying tissues and refreshing, the lemon can be used against all forms of skin eruption and inflammation, even on small wounds and insect bites. The essence has the power to reduce excess sebum, prevent wrinkles, wonderfully refresh the skin and reduce skin spots. The scent of lemon gives off a wonderful flash of energy that awakens dormant forces and rekindles ideas. A stimulus for concentration, memory, verbal communication.
Combined with cypress essential oil in a vegetable body oil base, it provides a toning ointment for the venous walls.
Lemon essential oil has been used for hundreds of years in the pharmaceutical, food and perfume industries. Essential oil and its fractions are found in soaps, detergents, perfumes, cosmetics and household cleaning products. It is widely used in all perfumery applications, although it is often replaced by synthetic citric molecules due to the instability of the essential oil in aggressive mediums; among other things, the essential oil of lemon also presents problems of solubility in alcoholic fragrances and in these cases it is replaced by essential oil of deterpenated lemon.
On a practical level, here are some tips of Erboristeria Como to use Lemon essential oil:
- a few drops of Lemon essential oil added to boiling and inhaled water can help reduce the symptoms of pharyngeal and bronchial infections and sinus congestion. Keep your eyes closed;
- a few drops of good quality Lemon essential oil make the bath refreshing and invigorating. In case of nervousness it acts as a light relaxing, but in other cases it is slightly stimulating and antidepressant. An ideal essential oil to be used in a sick person’s room both for its slightly antiseptic and stimulating qualities. Excellent in massage for anxiety and lethargy.
Lemon essential oil benefits: let’s choose the quality
Here is a precious, completely natural, pure Lemon essential oil, with only one ingredient: Citrus limon peel oil. 100% Made in Italy. Find it here. You can also try it with our mini-essential oils diffusor.
Lemon essential oil: some recommendations
Lemon essential oil, like all citrus essences, should not be used before sun exposure.
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