I think overall, the citrus essential oils are truly my favorite. I’ve already shared why lemon and grapefruit essential oils are on my list of the 10 Best Essential Oils for Everyday Use, and later this week, I share about orange. But today is all about lime essential oil.
I cannot get enough of the scent of this oil. It is refreshing and uplifting, just like when I squeeze the fresh fruit into my water or Sprite. I love it. There is a rarely a week that goes by that you won’t find it diffusing in my family room (it pairs nicely with lemon, grapefruit, and tangerine).
Similar to lemon, lime essential oil can be used in your homemade cleaning products and is antiseptic, antiviral, astringent, bactericidal, and disinfecting. The scent is a bit sweeter than lemon, but it is equally as refreshing.
A few ways to use lime essential oil in your everyday include:
- Stress relief Add a few drops in your diffuser.
- Colds, flu, chest congestion Add a few drops to a bowl of hot water, cover your head with a towel and breathe it in. You can also mix a few drops with a carrier oil and rub it on your neck and chest.
- Joint pain Put two to three drops in an ounce of carrier oil, then massage on the affected areas regularly. This method also works for cellulite and varicose veins.
- Stop bleeding Put two drops in a cold compress and press it onto cuts to stop bleeding.
- De-gummer Put lime oil on a cotton pad and use it to wipe away leftover gum from labels. It also helps remove gum and can be used to clean a dry erase board.
- Extend the life of fruits and veggies Add a few drops to a bowl of water and rinse fruits and veggies in the solution as soon as you buy them.
- Insect repellent Diffuse it in your home to repel mosquitoes. Ants don’t like it either, so wash surfaces where you see ants with a water and lime solution.
Warnings
Lime Essential Oil is phototoxic. Avoid direct sunlight on areas where the oil has been applied. Don’t use topically if you have very sensitive skin.
Essential oils are highly concentrated, strong, and powerful liquids that can be harmful if not used carefully and properly. This is an especially potent blend of essential oils which could cause irritation when applied to the skin, even in diluted amounts. Use caution when using them. Please keep essential oils out of reach of children. Please do not use this essential oil on children under the age of 2.
Several months ago, I was vacationing in the Florida Keys. One evening we had dinner at a lovely restaurant and when I went to the ladies room to wash my hand, I discovered a wonderful treat — a salt scrub. Of course, having it in the ladies room was a marketing ploy to get me to go to the gift shop to buy it (where it cost $25 a pint!). They are smart to do so, because I tried it and fell in love immediately. The labeling was very secretive as far as the ingredients went, but I knew I could figure it out, or at least come close.
Keep reading if you would like the recipe for the Coconut-Lime Salt Scrub I created.
