Lemon Essential Oil Usage & Benefits

Lemon essential oil demand is on the rise, with more consumers purchasing essential oils for everything from aromatherapy to natural remedies. Because the oil contains terpenes like limonene, it can be used for various purposes, from cleaning to medicinal. The extraction process for lemon oils involves steam extraction through the peel of the lemon. Another, less common, form of extraction involves cold pressing to extract the oils from the peel. If you plan to use this oil, you need to know lemon essential oil usage guidelines to ensure you maximize the benefits of the oil.

Lemon Essential Oil Usage

You can use lemon essential oils in a variety of ways:

• Topically
• Diffused (3 – 4 drops)

When applying to your skin, be sure to dilute the essential oil with a carrier oil. It's best to test a small patch of skin with the oil to see if there are any adverse effects. Apply a drop or two to your wrist to see how you tolerate the oil.

If you have a diffuser, you can add a few drops of lemon into the diffuser for aromatherapy benefits.

Plus, the scent of lemon will fill the air and offer a pleasant aroma that makes your space smell great. Of course, the usage depends on the lemon essential oil benefits that you're trying to achieve.

Lemon Essential Oil Benefits

Anxiety and Depression Relief

Depression and anxiety may be relieved with lemon essential oils. In fact, many users will place the essential oil into their diffuser to clean their homes and uplift their moods. The calming feeling that you experience when smelling lemon isn't all in your head.

One study from 2006 involved stress test experiments on mice and looked at the effect of lemon oil.

The test found that the lemon oil produced a calming effect and even improved the mood of the mice. Researchers found that lemon oil offered the most effective form of stress relief out of all essential oils tested.

In fact, lemon was more potent for stress relief than:

• Rose
• Lavender

Additional studies were conducted on participants undergoing orthopedic surgery and found that lemon oil reduced their anxiety. However, due to the small participant count in the study, a larger-scale study is needed to verify these claims.

Skin Health

Do you want healthier skin but notice that most skin products are filled with ingredients you can't pronounce? If so, lemon essential oils can help. Lemon is naturally antibacterial, and it will work to kill any harmful bacteria on your skin.

One study found that lemon killed E. coli, and additional studies show that lemon essential oil may help with:

• Infections
• Skin inflammation

If you have minor wounds, you can use lemon essential oil to help clean the wound, although it may sting a little.

On top of being antibacterial, lemon is filled with antioxidants known to help preserve your skin tone and may brighten the skin. However, citrus oils are also known for causing sensitivity in the sun, so take extra precautions when using this oil on your skin.

You'll want to avoid going in the sun after application or wash the area of the skin before sun exposure to prevent irritation from occurring.

Easier Breathing

Lemon is a common home remedy if you have issues breathing, especially if you have a cold or sore throat. Place a few drops of lemon oil into your diffuser and breathe in the vapors in the room.

Unfortunately, there aren't adequate studies to back up these claims.

However, it's important to remember that the benefits are from inhalation and not ingesting the essential oil. It's unsafe to ingest lemon essential oil.

Say Goodbye to Morning Sickness

If you're an expecting mom, you know the importance of nutrition, eating well, and avoiding harmful medications. Lemon essential oils are a natural way to ease morning sickness, and this was proven in a 2014 study.

The study included 100 pregnant women and used lemon oils for aromatherapy.

Participants in the study noted a significant reduction in two key symptoms:

• Nausea
• Vomiting

Even those who still experienced morning sickness during the study stated that their symptoms were significantly reduced. As a natural way to alleviate morning sickness, it's vital to have this essential oil in your home if you're pregnant.

Additional Usages of Lemon Essential Oils

A few of the lemon oil benefits that didn't make this list but are important to know are:

• May promote healing thanks to the antibacterial properties of lemon
• Kills bacteria that get stuck in skin pores and causes acne
• Improves alertness and concentration, according to a 2004 study
• May help ease pain by interrupting pain signals

You'll find that lemon essential oils are a fantastic addition to your daily routine and can help ease a variety of conditions.

Final Thoughts

Lemon essential oils are one of the key oils that any herbalist or naturalist should have in their home. Whether applied topically or put into a diffuser, you can benefit from lemon in numerous ways, from depression and anxiety relief to easing morning sickness.

And if you're trying to improve your skin, the antibacterial properties of lemon will help keep breakouts at bay.