What is Lemon good for?

Lemon, Citrus limonum like all citrus essential oils, it has an uplifting quality and strong associations with sunshine. But what is Lemon essential oil good for?

Origins and History

All the citrus family, the Rutaceae, are recognised to have originated in Asia. Lemon is not believed to have been grown in Europe until Medieval times and not introduced to the Americas until the 15^th Century when Christopher Columbus took lemon seeds on his voyage across the Atlantic. Our Lemon essential oil comes from fruit grown in Spain and is cold pressed from the peel of the fruit. About 2500-3000 fruits are needed to produce a kilo of essential oil, but lemon trees are abundant and can produce up to 1,500 fruits each year.

What is it good for?

In aromatherapy Lemon essential oil is used to give an uplifting, clarifying note to any blend. The aroma is sharp, clearing and bittersweet, with an aromatic quality that most people like. Lemon is a classic ‘top note,’ meaning that it is highly volatile, so you will need a little more of it when blending to ensure it shines. It evaporates rapidly because its chemical makeup is mostly composed of monoterpenes, known to be highly volatile but also good at immune boosting and often effective anti-microbial. Lemon oil has wonderful therapeutic properties that are effective at reducing air born bacteria. This is a wonderful quality that Lemon has, as a lot of the essential oils that are used in this way can have a very medicinal aroma, which Lemon most definitely doesn’t!

Lemon is also a phototoxic essential oil, meaning that if used topically, it can cause the skin to burn if exposed to ultraviolet light. All the phototoxic essential oils are dose-dependent, meaning that they all have different levels when they can cause a reaction. For Lemon, you must not use over 8 drops in 20ml of blending oil and of course, never use it neat on the skin.

Here are some blend ideas for you to try at home.

Beat the ‘Winter Blues’ Diffuser Blend

Add the following essential oils to the water in your Aroma Spa Diffuser:

4 drops of Lemon – Citrus limonum

2 drops of Orange – Citrus aurantium dulcis

1 drop of Sandalwood – Santalum album

1 drop of Cardamom – Elettaria Cardamomum

Comforting and positive with sunny citrus notes

Immune Boosting Diffuser Blend

Add the following essential oils to the water in your Aroma Spa Diffuser:

5 drops of Lemon – Citrus limonum

2 drops of Eucalyptus – Eucalyptus globulus

1 drop of Marjoram Spanish – Thymus mastichina 

Clearing and supportive against seasonal coughs and colds

Winter Warming & Energising Massage Blend

Add the following essential oils to 10ml of blending oil:

2 drops of Lemon – Citrus limonum

2 drops of Black Pepper – Piper nigrum

1 drop of Ginger – Zingiber officinale

This is a great blend to use after a workout to ease achy muscles or just to bring some warming energy to your body.  DO NOT APPLY TO THE FACE

I hope you enjoy using your Lemon essential oil. Let us know in the comments or on social how you are using yours.