Citronella Essential Oil
Citronella oil is perhaps best known as a natural insect repellent, but ithas many more benefits. It’s a great anti-fungal oil that can be used to get rid of anti-fungal conditions such as athletes’ foot. It is also a great oil to have in your medicine cabinet to soothe and aid healing of cuts and scrapes due to its antiseptic and anti-bacterial properties.It also has excellent anti-parasitic properties making it especially good at expelling intestinal parasites.
Due to it’s fresh citrus scent Citronella is also great to add to household cleaning products, homemade creams and deodorants and added to a diffuser to create an uplifting, energising atmosphere.
BENEFITS
Citronella essential oil has the following healing properties:
Insecticide, Anti-fungal, Anti-bacterial, Astringent, Anti-inflammatory, Antiseptic and Anti-parasitic
Insect repellent – Citronella is a fantastic insect repellent being especially effective against mosquitoes, add a few drops of Citronella to creams, lotions or sprays or to a diffuser to keep bugs away and prevent and soothe bites.
Respiratory issues – Citronella is effective in soothing colds, flu and bronchitis due to its anti-bacterial and fever reducing properties.
Depression - Citronella is an uplifting and mood boosting oil it can help to clear the mind.
Fungal conditions - Citronella can relieve tired sweaty feet and get rid of annoying and embarrassing fungal infections such as athletes’ foot simply by adding a few drops to creams or lotions and massaging into feet.
Natural Deodorant – Citronella can be added to coconut oil and baking soda to make a fresh smelling effective deodorant.
Skin conditions – Adding Citronella to cream and lotions or even added to water in a spray bottle can soothe skin conditions such as acne and oily skin due to its anti-bacterial, antiseptic and astringent properties.
Intestinal parasites – As an anti-parasitic Citronella is a good oil to use for getting rid of intestinal parasites, helping to expel them from the body.
BLENDS
Whilst most essential oils can be used together some oils can overpower other oils. Citronella goes particularly well with oils such as:
Bergamot
Geranium
Lemon
Orange
Lavender
Pine
WAYS TO USE
DIFFUSE
Citronella essential oil can be used in diffusers or oil burners. Using Citronella essential oil in this way is particularly beneficial in clearing the mind, improving mood and relieving the symptoms of colds and flu. Citronella also makes a good natural insect repellent that can effectively keep mosquitoes away.
Diffuse 1 - 3 drops of Citronella essential oil in an oil burner or diffuser.
BATH
Citronella essential oil can be added to a warm bath to help clear the mind, relieve feelings of low mood and depression as well as easing the symptoms associated with colds and flu. It makes an effective foot soak to revive tired sweaty feet.
Add 1 - 3 drops of Citronella essential oil to a warm bath.
Note: Care should be taken not to use more than 3 drops to prevent the bath from becoming too slippery. Essential oils should be added to a carrier oil before adding as oil and water do not mix and essential oils will float on the surface of the water and if used neat can burn the skin.
MASSAGE
Massage is a great way of relaxing the body and mind and easing aching muscles. Citronella is an uplifting oil that can clear the mind.
Adults - up to 7 drops in 1 tbsp of carrier oil.
Children over 2 years old - up to 3 drops in 1 tbsp of carrier oil.
DEODORANT
Citronella can be added to coconut oil and baking soda to make a fresh smelling effective natural deodorant to combat excessive perspiration.
Add 3 drops of essential oil to 6 tablespoon of solid coconut oil, 6 tablespoons of baking soda and 4 tablespoons of either arrowroot or corn-starch and mix well.
CREAM
Adding a few drops of Citronella to a base cream is a great way of harnessing its insecticidal properties to make an effective insect repellent, helping to prevent malaria as it is even effective in repelling mosquitoes. It can also help revive tired, sweaty feet.
Add up to 12 drops of essential oil to 30 ml of base cream
SIDE EFFECTS
As with all essential oils it should not be used neat on the skin, essential oils are very concentrated oils that can irritate the skin unless mixed with a carrier oil. Essential oils should not be used internally unless under the supervision of an aromatherapist.
As with all citrus oils you should avoid exposure to the sun or using a sunbed for about 12 hours after using Citronella as it can cause skin pigmentation problems.
Pets can be particularly sensitive to the effects of essential oils and can even be toxic so where possible should either be avoided or used where a pet is able to go into another room for example Citronella is one such oil.