Nothing says it’s summer like the nice, refreshing aroma of Lemon, Lime or Grapefruit. These sweet and tart essential oils all have something in common: they’re cold pressed or expressed from citrus!
Steam distillation is a complex process that produces a majority of the essential oils you use, but what about those from citrus? For most of these oils, the rinds of the fruit are cold pressed or expressed.
During the cold press process the rind of the citrus is placed in a container that has spikes. The container is then rotated so the spikes create holes in the rind, which releases the essential oils from the rind so they can be collected outside the container.
Citrus essential oils are most known for their warm and uplifting aromas, but did you know that they are also antibacterial? These oils are great to add to all-purpose cleaners, glass spray, toilet bowl cleaner and other homemade household supplies, as they leave your home looking and smelling refreshed.
One thing to keep in mind when applying citrus essential oils topically is that many of them are phototoxic. This means that when they are exposed to sunlight they can potentially cause reactions such as redness, inflammation and even blistering. It’s important to consider how much sun exposure you’ll be getting and how much of that oil is in the blend before use.
Here is a list of oils that are generally phototoxic: Bergamot, Bitter Orange, Grapefruit, Lemon and Lime.
Citrus Squeeze Hand Wash
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. Unscented Liquid Castile Soap
- 1-2 tsp. Coconut Oil
- 10-15 drops Citrus Essential Oils (I used Grapefruit, Lemon and Mandarin)
- Foaming Soap Dispenser
Instructions
Pour the castile soap and coconut oil into empty soap dispenser. Add essential oils one drop at a time. Fill the rest of the dispenser with water, leaving room for the foaming pump. Screw the top on tightly, and shake gently to combine. Use as needed.
Citrus Essential Oils from Fabulous Frannie: Bergamot, Bitter Orange, Blood Orange, Citronella, Clementine, Grapefruit, Lemon, Lemongrass, Lime, Mandarin, Petitgrain, Sweet Orange and Tangerine.
*For informational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Search our online catalog for Bergamot, Orange, Citronella or Lemon essential oil products
