Everything You Need To Know About Citrus Essential Oils

CITRUS ESSENTIAL OILS – 

The next time that you eat a fresh orange, take a portion of the peel and squeeze it in half ensuring that the colourful side of the peel is on the outside, you’ll notice that the rind squirts a tiny quantity of an aromatic fluid.  That fluid is the essential oil.

It’s the rinds of citrus fruits which give them their highly aromatic and familiar aroma and most commercially available citrus essential oils are extracted by cold pressing the rinds of the citrus fruits. They are often associated with light, summery aromas, but are just as lovely to use during the colder months, helping to uplift the spirits as well as being energising.

Most of the citrus oils are generally regarded as top notes and help lift an aroma and brighten more earthy, deep aromas like patchouli or vetiver. Here’s a run down of the main citrus essential oils;

Sweet Orange Essential Oil (Citrus sinesnis) is often simply referred to as Orange Essential Oil or Orange Oil.  It is readily available and is amongst the most inexpensive of all essential oils.  It is energising and becoming widely used in commercial cleaners as it can help to naturally cut through grease.  Here at Oleo we are very fond of orange essential oil.  We use it in our Geranium & Orange Body Lotion and Hand Wash and Winding Down Shower Gel.

Lemon Essential Oil (Citrus limon) has a powerfully fresh traditional lemon fragrance that is quite energising and uplifting.  It is a good choice to diffuse when trying to clear a room of the smell of cigarette smoke or other unpleasant aromas. Lemon essential oil can be found in several Oleo products, including Gentle Facial Wash and Exhilarating Shower Gel.

Lime Essential Oil (Citrus aurantifolia) with the exception of floral Neroli Essential Oil, cold pressed Lime Essential Oil is the most aromatically potent of the fruity citrus oils – a little goes a long way.  Lime essential oil is well know in folklore for its ability to cleanse, purify and renew the spirit and the mind.  This zesty oil is an ingredient in Oleo’s Grapefruit, Mandarin & Lime Hand Wash.

Grapefruit Essential Oil (Citrus paradisi) grapefruit is known for its bittersweet, tart flavour.  However, although still possessing slightly tart characteristics, grapefruit essential oil is sweet-smelling, bright and uplifting.  An essential ingredient in our Grapefruit, Mandarin & Lime Hand Wash and also our super-effective Moisturising Foot Buffer.

Bergamot Essential Oil (Citrus bergamia) is amongst the more expensive of the cold pressed citrus oils.  Its aroma is reminiscent to that of orange, but it is more complex and almost has an underlying floral characteristic to it.  It can be helpful during periods of depression and is known for its ability to combat oily skin. Just a word of warning,  bergaptene is a naturally occurring chemical constituent found in Bergamot Essential Oil, and here at Oleo we use a bergaptene-free oil, so it is perfectly safe to use.  We add Bergamot Essential Oil to our Oleo For Men No. 9 Shaving Cream and After Shave Balm.

Mandarin Essential Oil (Citrus reticulata) is a favourite with children and parents.  Of all the citrus oils, mandarin is the sweetest and tends to be the most calming so is a good oil to use before bed.  It adds a lovely, fruity aroma to our Grapefruit, Mandarin & Lime Hand Wash.

Petitgrain Essential Oil (Citrus aurantium) though steam distilled from the same botanical species as neroli and bitter orange, petitgrain essential oil possesses its own characteristically unique aroma. It’s distilled from the leaves and twigs of the tree whereas Neroli Essential Oil is distilled from the blossoms.  It can be found in the Oleo For Men No. 9 Shaving Cream and After Shave Balm.

Neroli Essential Oil (Citrus aurantium var. amara) is the most costly of the citrus essential oils.  It’s steam distilled from the fragrant blossoms of the orange tree and is intensely floral, citrusy, sweet and exotic. We add this beautiful essential oil to our Orange Blossom Cleansing Cream and Replenishing Facial Moisturiser as it helps maintain moisture and oils on the skin.