Expressed from the peel of
the fresh fruit, lemon oil is a sweetly scented, purifying oil. It combines
well with tea tree in cleansing applications for blemishes.
Suggested Uses:
Cooling body mist: 9 drops lemon, 7 drops peppermint, 2 drops
lavender, 1 oz. water in a mister. Safety Info: Keep out of reach of children. For external use only.
Dilute properly; skin irritant. Avoid use in the sun. Product Notes:
Color: Yellow to
greenish-yellow Viscosity: Mobile Top Note: Rich, fresh sweet, reminiscent of the ripe peel. Good
oils maintain a fresh lemon aroma practically unchanged until it it
finally completely disappears. Aromatherapy Actions: Uplifting, energizing, refreshing, cheering Safety Data: Mild skin irritant. Dilute before use. Avoid direct
sunlight. Regulatory Status: GRAS 182.20.
Origin: United States Processing Notes: Essential oil is obtained by cold expression of the
peels (pericarp) of unripe fruits.
Botany
The lemon is one of 16 distinct species in the genus Citrus of the rutaceae
family of plants. It's closely related to the lime and to the citron, all of
which are "nippled" fruits. Citrus limon are 15 foot trees that produce highly
scented lemon fruits and white blossoms year-round. Quite sensitive to cold
temperatures and high humidity, lemons are particularly well-suited to the arid,
subtropical climates of southern California and the Mediterranean region, where
they grow in large, fragrant orchards.
Early forms of the lemon probably originated
in China, traveling to Italy and the Mediterranean with Arabian merchants. A
fruit that resembles a lemon is depicted in mosaics at Pompeii, although some
botanists argue that the lemon wasn't well known to the Roman Empire but began
showing up in Europe during the Crusades. Whatever its early history, the lemon
didn't become commonplace until the 16th century. The earliest record of the
lemon in the New World came from Hispaniola (Haiti/Dominican Republic), where it
arrived with Columbus in 1493.
Essential Oil
Lemon essential oil is pale yellow to slightly greenish yellow, with a
refreshing aroma nearly identical to the freshly peeled fruit. Substances used
to adulterate and extend lemon oil include synthetic citral, as well as natural
citral isolated from plants like lemongrass. Adulterated oils can be identified
by their simple, one-dimensional lemon-like aroma or harsh, turpentine-like
note. They often have an off-smelling dry out note. Pure lemon oil, on the other
hand, will evaporate from a perfume blotter leaving almost no detectable dryout
note. The sophisticated nuance of a freshly peeled lemon is the hallmark of
authentic, cold-pressed lemon essential oil.
The high temperatures needed for steam
distillation would destroy the subtle, fresh aroma of lemon oil, which is better
preserved by cold-pressing the fresh peel. Cold-pressing will yield six to seven
pounds of oil from one ton of fresh fruit. Following extraction, different
batches of cold-pressed California lemon oils are often blended together to
produce a more consistent aroma profile, while lemon oils from Italy usually
come as individual, small lots from different producers. Italian oils typically
have a wider, more inconsistent range of aromatic qualities.
Constituents of lemon oil include limonene,
which is responsible for the oil's tangy-fruity aroma, and citral, which is
responsible for what we recognize as the lemon note in the aroma profile.
Historical Uses
The virtues of the lemon and its close relative, the citron, have been
well-known throughout history. The poet Virgil had this to say:
And dulling tastes of happy Citron fruit,
Than which, no helpe more present can be had,
If any time stepmothers worse than brute
have poyson'd pots, and mingled herbs of sute
With hurtfull charmes: this Citron fruit doth chase
Blacke venome from the body in every place.
Writing in her 1931 book on herbal medicine,
Maude Grieve says, "The lemon is the most valuable of all fruit for preserving
health." This was written in the days before aromatherapy, so Grieve couldn't
have had complete knowledge of the importance of lemon essential oil. She wrote,
"The oil is not very active, and is used chiefly for flavouring."
Aromatherapy
Like many essential oils, the constituents of lemon oil have antiseptic
properties. What makes these properties noteworthy in lemon oil is that here
they're combined with a delightful aroma. Lemon is a great modifier for
medicinal-smelling oils like
tea tree and
eucalyptus. Lemon works synergistically on a therapeutic, aesthetic and
emotional level. This is very important when working with blends containing
strongly medicinal oils, which may have a tendency to produce a negative
aesthetic or emotional effect in aroma-sensitive people.
Lemon oil is uplifting and cleansing. It
replaces negative emotions by creating a cheerful atmosphere of freshness and
purity. It can help dispel mental fatigue and psychological heaviness. The aroma
of lemon can inspire increased concentration and awareness. A Japanese study
suggested that after diffusing lemon oil throughout a busy office building,
typing errors decreased by 54%.
Because lemon oil is clarifying and aids the
decision making process, it's called the rational oil. Lemon is associated with
the color yellow, with light and warm, penetrating energy. Simply placing a drop
or two of lemon on a tissue can produce marvelous results. It's a great addition
to gently uplifting aromatherapy blends, along with other citrus oils as well as
lavender and neroli.
Safety
Lemon oil is powerfully astringent and antiseptic. Because it can cause skin
irritation if used by sensitive individuals in dilutions exceeding 5%, it should
not be applied undiluted to skin. Five drops or less of lemon oil should be
added to a teaspoon of a carrier oil. Lemon oil can contain up to two percent
furanocoumarin compounds, including bergaptene. These compounds act as
photosensitizing agents, which can increase the skin's sensitivity to
ultraviolet light, causing accelerated burning and skin damage. Don't use lemon
oil on the skin in the presence of sunlight.
Cosmetic Uses
Lemon oil is astringent and detoxifying and is therefore great for blemishes
associated with oily skin. Lemon oil also has rejuvenating properties and will
brighten dull skin. Slices of fresh lemon placed upon the cheeks can lighten
freckles.
Place a few drops on a handkerchief whenever a
little emotional boost is needed. Or use the blend in a conventional
aromatherapy lamp or diffuser.
*Above statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
