The characteristic scent that spreads when you peel an orange or lemon is citrus oil.
This is because most of the oil in citrus fruits is in the peel.
If you squeeze a piece of peel from a citrus fruit between your fingers, the pure citrus oil will also deposit on your fingers and give off its characteristic scent.
In this article you can read about what citrus oils are, which fruits they come from and what precautions you should take when in contact with them.
What is citrus oil?
Although some oils can be extracted from the seeds of citrus fruits, it is far more common to extract cirtus oil from the peels of citrus fruits; this is where the vast majority of the fruit's oil is located.
This is also why a characteristic scent is released when you peel an orange or lemon; it's citrus oil in its purest form. The citrus oil can also be seen if you take an orange peel, fold it up (with the colorful side of the peel on the outside) and squeeze it between your fingers – the liquid that runs out is pure orange essential oil.
Types of citrus oil
Citrus oils is a generic term for all essential oils extracted from citrus fruits. Citrus oils include:
- Orange oil
- Bergamot oil
- Lemon oil
- Grapefruit oil
- Lime oil
- Mandarin oil
In addition, there are also the rarer citrus oils:
- Blood orange oil
- Cedarwood oil (Succulent fruit oil)
- Kaffir lime oil
- Klemmentine oil/clementine oil
- Kumquat oil
- Pomegranate oil
- Pomelo oil / grapefruit oil
- etc.
Citrus oils in aromatherapy
Although many people associate citrus oils with spring and especially summer, they can be used all year round.
Citrus oils are typically used for:
- Direct application to the skin
- Aromatic oil massage
- Hot tubs
Always remember to dilute citrus oils with a base oil before applying them to the skin – then you're on the safe side!
Precautions to take
- Skin irritation: Citrus oils are usually safe to use, but for people with delicate or sensitive skin, they can result in skin irritation. It is therefore recommended that you try it out (with a small area of skin to start with) and always remember to dilute the citrus oil with a base oil
- Phototoxicity: Many citrus oils are phototoxic, which means that you should not apply them to your skin and then stay in the sun (because you risk skin damage). The following oils are particularly phototoxic:
- Lemon
- Bergamot
- Lime
- Pomerans
- Inhalation: Citrus oils should not be inhaled directly as they can damage the lungs. Care should also be taken when diffusing them into the air
- Mixing: If you are unsure how citrus oils should be diluted or blended, it is best to consult an aromatherapist