Lemon Essential Oil

Lemon essential oil. Benefits and more.


Lemon Essential Oil Profile

Latin Name: Citrus Limonum/Citrus LimonLemon essential oil

Origins: USA, Italy

Extraction method: Cold pressed

Plant part: Peel

Scent: Fresh zesty citrus smell

Color: Pale green-yellow

Top note: If using for a room spray/perfume it is best to use with other oils as this oil will evaporate quickly and therefore the smell will not last.

Properties: Antacid, Antimicrobial, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Astringent, Bactericidal, Carmintive, Cicatrisant, Depurative, Diuretic, Febrifuge, Haemostatic, Hypotensive, Insecticide, Rubefacient, Stimulates white corpuscles, General Tonic, Vermifuge.

Cautions: Can cause photo-sensitivity.


Lemon essential oil is one of the most popular oils due to its fresh zesty smell and it has a range of uses and benefits. Lemon trees are native to Asia, but now are grown all over the world. It was introduced to Europe in 200AD and then spread across the world.

The oil is extracted from the peel of the fruit by a process called cold pressing. This method helps keep the aromatic botanical goodness of the fruit and consists of puncturing the skin (peel) and pressing the oil out. Any juice that may be squeezed out then gets separated from the essential oil. When looking for a citrus oil such as Lemon, you want to buy a cold pressed oil as this will have all the benefits and can be used therapeutically. There are distilled citrus oils, however some of the goodness is lost and therefore would only be useful for a scent, rather than helping with any conditions etc.

Lemon essential oil is uplifting, stimulating but calming, refreshing, clean and gives a sense of joy. It can help with physical, mental, emotional and spiritual issues and has disinfectant qualities for cleaning and household use.


Benefits of Lemon Essential Oil

Lemon essential oil has a range of benefits. Lets take a look at some of them below.

Circulation, Digestive, Respiratory and Immune Systems

Lemon essential oil can be used as a tonic to the circulatory system, helping blood pressure become lowered, stems bleeding and nose bleeds and helps to lower cholesterol.

Helping the stomach it helps with indigestion, cramps, acidity (antacid), ulcers, gall stones and can help the liver to help rid of toxins. It can also help nausea, especially when pregnant and you suffer from morning sickness.

The oil can help boost the immune system by stimulating the white blood cells. As it is antiseptic, antibacterial, antiviral and antimicrobial it helps people with lowered immune systems, as well as helping with colds, coughs, sore throats and infections. It is great to prevent these things too if you use it fast enough. It can also help asthma, catarrh, bronchitis and allergies. It clears the nasal passages and sinuses, helping air to flow through easily.

This study (1) looked at the antimicrobial and antibacterial properties of Lemon oil and the results was that they do indeed kill bacteria. The study was done on beef and now could be considered a potential natural source of preventing bacteria/germs to use in the food industry.

Another study (2) looked into the affects it had on the immune system and found that Lemon oil combined with other essential oils helped increase the content of antibody forming lymphocyte cells in the spleen.

Muscles and Joints

The oil helps make the body more alkaline and therefore can help with osteo and rheumatoid arthritis. It will also help relax muscles as it is antispasmodic.

Skin/Hair Care and Wounds

Lemon essential oil is astringent, antiseptic and antibacterial, helping oily skin conditions such as acne, greasy skin/hair and spots. It brightens up the complexion, the hair (making it have a healthy shine) and can help dandruff. It is also helpful with insect bites, cuts and warts and softens bunions and calluses.

Mental and Emotional

Lemon essential oil is a great uplifter, lifting the spirits especially when mentally fatigued, promoting happiness and joy. Helping anxiety, depression and nervousness. It stimulates and clears the mind, helping with concentration, making decisions, memory and lets you get on with your day.

A study (3) into how Lemon essential oil helps with stress found that indeed it did help. It found that Lemon essential oil possesses anxiolytic, antidepressant-like effects via the suppression of DA activity related to enchanched 5-HTnergic neurons. Another study (4) also shows that Lemon essential oil can help with the management and prevention of oxidative stress-induced neurodegeneration.

Spiritual

As Lemon essential oil has an uplifting effect, it helps to open your heart to love. Bringing love into your awareness, helping to clear blocks to love, hopelessness and your Chakras. It helps to purify the mind, body and spirit and helps clear space, making it ready for spiritual work.

The Chakras it is associated with are the Solar Plexus, Heart and Crown. Helping to unblock and balance them.

Solar Plexus: Helping to clear blocks of negative emotions, helping promote self esteem, self confidence and feelings of hopefulness.

Heart: Releases blocks to love and opens up the heart to receive and give love.

Crown: Helps clear the mind, ready for meditation, connecting to the divine and going wi

thin. It also helps to clear and cleanse ones space making it scared and ready for such practices.

Household

Lemon essential oil is antiseptic, antibacterial, antiviral and antimicrobial as well as good at cutting through grease and therefore is a good natural way to clean your house. You can use it to clean your kitchen, bathroom or bacteria after washing and preparing food instead of using chemical based products. You can also use it to make a refreshing air freshener and insect repellent.

Lemon essential oil benefits

How to use Lemon Essential Oil

Oil Burner/Diffuser: Add a couple of drops of the oil in an oil burner or diffuser to fill the room with the aroma. This will help clear the space, as well as yourself from inside and out as you breathe in the aroma. It will cleanse and clear you, your space and help clear your mind. As you will breathe this ii, it will also help with mental issues and some physical ones too as above.

Massage: Add a couple of drops to a carrier oil such as Grapeseed or Almond oil. This dilutes the oil and you can then apply to the skin. Massaging will help stimulate the skin and help relax muscles. It will help the skin to absorb the oil helping with physical and mental issues as above. (Please note as Lemon Oil can cause photo sensitivity, it is advised not to put on your skin before going out in the sun).

Anointing Oil: Add a couple of drops to a carrier oil such as Grapeseed or Almond oil. This dilutes the oil and you can then apply to the skin. Helping to clear your Chakras, connect to the Divine, meditate, clear your mind and prepare for spiritual practices. (Please note as Lemon Oil can cause photo sensitivity, it is advised not to put on your skin before going out in the sun).

Smudge spray: You will need a spray bottle (preferably a dark glass one).  Add a couple of drops in some purified water or a combo of water and Witch Hazel, shake (each time you use it) and spray around you and the room. Cleansing you and the space you are in. You will also breathe this in and so it will help with mental issues and some physical ones too as above. (Note, if you are just mixing with water, you either need to use a preservative or use it up quickly, storing in the fridge as water will breed bacteria.)

Cleaner: Mix a couple of drops into some purified water in a spray bottle and spray. You can also add some castile soap too if you wish. You can also use a vinegar mixture. See some recipes below. (Note, if you are just mixing with water, you either need to use a preservative or use it up quickly, storing in the fridge as water will breed bacteria.)


Lemon Essential Oil Recipes

As well as the ingredients below, you may also need a funnel to pour liquids into the bottles.

Uplifting/Stimulating Massage Oil

100ml/3.3oz bottle, dark in color to preserve the essential oils.

100ml/3.3oz Carrier Oil – You can use Grapeseed oil/Almond Oil or Fractionated Coconut Oil (which ever you prefer).

12 drops Lemon Essential Oil

12 drops Bergamot Essential Oil

12 drops Pink Grapefruit Essential Oil

Pour the carrier oil into the empty bottle, add the Essential oils and shake well. You now have a zesty refreshing and invigorating massage blend that will help uplift, stimulate and awaken you, ready for the day ahead.

How to use lemon essential oil

Calming and relaxing Massage Oil

100ml/3.3oz bottle, dark in color to preserve the essential oils.

100ml/3.3oz Carrier Oil – You can use Grapeseed oil/Almond Oil or Fractionated Coconut Oil (which ever you prefer).

15 drops Lemon Essential Oil

20 drops Lavender Essential Oil

Pour the carrier oil into the empty bottle, add the Essential oils and shake well. You now have a massage blend that will help calm and relax you, helping release stress and tension.

(Please note as Lemon Oil can cause photo sensitivity, it is advised not to put on your skin before going out in the sun. If you are going out, cover up the areas where you have applied the oil).

Anointing Oil

30ml/1oz bottle dark in color to preserve the essential oils.

30ml/1oz Carrier Oil – You can use Grapeseed oil/Almond Oil or Fractionated Coconut Oil (which ever you prefer).

3 drops Lemon Essential Oil

3 drops Geranium Essential Oil

Pour the carrier oil into the empty bottle, add the Essential oils and shake well. You now have a uplifting anointing oil. This will help clear your mind and connect you to the divine. Helping you meditate or any other spiritual workings. You can anoint anywhere you like, do what feels right for you. A suggestion would be to put a little oil on the Chakras, helping to clear and balance them. Especially the ones associated with Lemon as said above.

Benefits of lemon essential oilAll Purpose Cleaner

350ml/12oz Spray bottle

Purified water

2 tablespoons of Castile Soap

1/2 tsp Optiphen Plus (preservative)

10 to 20 drops of Lemon Essential Oil

Pour water into bottle, add the Optiphen Plus, castile soap and essential oil and shake.

or

Purified water

White vinegar

1/2 tsp Optiphen Plus (preservative)

10 to 20 drops of Lemon Essential Oil

Fill the spray bottle with half water and half vinegar, add the Optiphen Plus, the essential oil and shake. This one may smell of vinegar, so if you are not keen on that smell, try the first recipe.

You now have an all purpose cleaner you can use to clean your bathroom/kitchen. If you over make, keep the solution in a dark, cool place. You can also make this cleaner with hot water. Just make in a bowl and use the hot water solution to clean down worktops and floors, (you will not need to add the preservative if just making a one time solution.)

Grease remover

Just add a couple of drops of Lemon Essential Oil to a cloth and wipe away the grease!


Safety Precaution when using Essential Oils

Please stick to the guidelines on amounts above when using and mixing oils as overuse can cause problems, especially in children. Do not ever apply essential oils neat on the skin or use internally. Only ever mix in a base/carrier oil. Do not use on small children. Test patch the diluted oil on skin to check for allergic reaction. If in an event of an allergic reaction wash the area and seek medical advice.

When using as a cleaning product, make sure to test patch an area as it may ruin surface.

Please also note as lemon essential oil especially can cause photo sensitivity, it is advised not to put on your skin before going out in the sun. If you are going out, cover up the areas where you have applied the oil.


My Experience with Lemon Essential Oil

Lemon essential oil is one of my favorite oils. The scent is refreshing, it reminds me of sunny days and I love that it is uplifting. I also love that it is antibacterial and antiviral as this is one of the oils I go to when I know I may get a cold, or while I have a cold.

I put some in a diffuser so it fills the room, helping me to be uplifted and ready for the day. Especially if I have a busy day, it helps energize me and put me in a good mood. I will also put it in a diffuser, when someone in my household has a cold or is ill. It helps kill the germs in the air and helps prevent me or others catching the cold.

I will also use an actual Lemon and make a hot honey and lemon drink to ward off the illness/cold. Both the diffuser and the drink may not always work at preventing me catch it completely as it really does depend on how fast you get to it developing, but it does kill it quickly so I do not suffer as long.

Overall Lemon is a wonder oil to use. It smells great, you can mix it with other citrus oils or some flowery ones to make oil blends, cleaners and sprays or just on its own. Helping you prevent colds/illness, uplift you into a better mood, relaxing you and making you have feelings of peace.


Where to buy Lemon Essential Oil

I buy my oils from Plant Therapy. I love them because they are high quality, therapeutic grade and affordable. I have put a couple of links below, just click on the pictures to be taken to the page. If you wish to purchase elsewhere, try to pick therapeutic grade as these are pure and good quality and you will get the full benefits of an essential oil.

To purchase or for more information on each item, click on the images.

 

 

Final Thoughts

If you are looking to start using essential oils then lemon essential oil would be one for your start up collection. It has a lot of benefits and uses, from a wonderful scent to uplift and energize you to cleaning the house. Its very affordable as it is one of the cheaper oils and so great if you are on a budget. This essential oil will be used alot!

References

Study 1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28774297/
Study 2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25764843/
Study 3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16780969
Study 4 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24599102

 

Disclaimer: The contents of this article is for information only and using any of the methods suggested is at your own risk. Always consult a doctor with any medical condition you may have, especially if you are trying new complimentary medicines.

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