The citrus family packs a punch when it comes to delivering therapeutic
and aromatic oils. If you have ever
juiced a lime or a lemon or peeled a grapefruit, tangerine or orange, you know
the instant that the peel has been opened by the aroma that bursts forth. What you smell is the highly aromatic natural
essential oil that is captured in the rind of the fruit. This fresh smell enlivens
the mind and the spirit.
The next time you eat an orange or a tangerine or any member of the citrus family take the rind and fold it in half with the colorful side out; squeeze it and the rind should squirt a small amount of the aromatic fluid. This fluid is the essential oil.
The citrus family of essential oils is a great year round oil. It can be placed directly into a diffuser or applied topically as a therapeutic and fragrant ingredient for skincare products. These oils have antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral and antiseptic properties, which are excellent when included in household cleaning products. These oils are also wonderful when blended with other essential oils as fragrance blends and applied to the skin (though please note that they must be diluted in advance of direct application or they may cause skin irritation).
Here is a list of the citrus oils and some of their benefits. When used effectively and with the help of skincare formulating and manufacturing experts, each of these oils can be added to topical applications as well.
Sweet Orange Essential Oil: This oil is energizing when diffused and is widely used as an aid to natural cleaning solutions.
Neroli Essential Oil: This oil is distilled from the blossoms of the orange tree and so is more floral in smell but still citrusy. It is considered very exotic and is one of the most rare and expensive of essential oils.
Lemon Essential Oil: This oil is typically associated with cleanliness and freshness.
Lime Essential Oil: A very little goes a long way with this very potent oil. This oil has long been known to cleanse, purify, and renew the spirit and the mind.
Grapefruit Essential Oil: While slightly bittersweet to eat, grapefruit is sweet smelling and uplifting.
Tangerine Essential Oil: This essential oil is a bit more intense than the Orange Essential Oil, but its uplifting nature is consistent with the other citrus oils.
By studying and understanding the basic healing properties of the citrus oils, you may more thoughtfully and consistently integrate them into your health care regimen, whether through an airborne application, skincare products, or through household cleaning products.