Zesty lemon is a top note oil with a refreshing citrus scent. It imparts a feeling of health and wellbeing, lifts the spirits, stimulates the body and cleanses the home. Lemon is a versatile scent that blends well with most other essential oils and gives a lift to heavier aromas.
Boost your circulation
Lemon invigorates the immune system, helping the body's defences to fight disease. An effective heart tonic, it boosts sluggish circulation and helps reduce high blood pressure. Its detoxifying action can also stimulate the digestion and relieve acid stomachs.
Lemon oil has a short shelf life. Purchase it in small quantities and try to use it within three months.
Active Ingredients of Lemon Oil
Lemon oil is composed of monoterpenes with traces of aldehydes , and furocoumarins.
Monoterpenes
Monoterpenes are responsible for lemon oil's antiseptic and stimulating actions. They also provide its expectorant and decongestant properties. The principle monoterpene is limonene, which makes up approximately 70% of lemon oil.
Aldehydes
Aldehydes such a citral and geranial give lemon its light, yet sharp odour. Citral can be a powerful irritant, but in lemon oil its potent bite is quenched by limonene.
Furocoumarins
Lemon oil contains tiny but active quantities of furocoumarins, which can cause sensitivity to sunlight. To avoid any adverse skin reactions do not use the oil before sunbathing.
Using Your Lemon Oil
Lemon is a very versatile oil with uses ranging from an invigorating massage blend to a refreshing steam inhalation. It was even used as an ingredient in medieval lucky charms.
Stimulate Circulation
Lemon oil stimulates the circulation, making it an ideal massage oil for people who suffer from high blood pressure and who are at risk of heart disease.
Add a few drops of yarrow to your lemon oil. This massage blend will help make the blood more fluidic.
Add a drop of lavender or chamomile to the blend, so the recipient can benefit from their relaxing scents.
Folklore of Lemon
Due to its high content of vitamin C, lemon was used on English shops for centuries to prevent sailors from getting scurvy.
Rinsing your hair with lemon juice has long been believed to act as a natural highlighter, making blonde tresses become even lighter an more golden.
For thousands of years, sponges doused in lemon juice have been used by women as a barrier contraceptive.
In Mediterranean countries, such as Spain, lemon was viewed as a wondrous 'cure all', particularly for fighting off infectious illnesses.
Respiratory Infections
Lemon oil contains many active ingredients that help combat colds and infections, which is why it is often used to flavour cough sweets and medicines.
Use lemon oil in any of the following blends at the first sign of a cold.
Steam inhalation
In a steam inhalation use:
2 drops lemon
2 drops cinnamon
The antiviral action of the steam infused with oils will stop many infections before they can take a real hold.
On a handkerchief
Take a sniff of these oils at regular intervals throughout your working day
2 drops lemon
2 drops rosemary
4 drops eucalyptus
Eucalyptus helps to clear congestion, and the rosemary, and lavender will fight germs and cool feverish shivers.
Fresh Scents
Use the following blends in a vaporiser or scented candle or mix with 50ml water for a homemade room freshener or deodorising body spray:
2 drops lemon
2 drops lavender
2 drops bergamot
2 drops geranium
Lemon Facial Tonic
Lemon can be used alone or in blends as a facial toner. Try the following blend on oily skin:
2 drops lemon
2 drops sandalwood
2 drops peppermint
2 drops cypress
30ml water
Lemon's stimulating properties tighten up lines on older skin - especially when combined with oils such as myrrh and frankincense.