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by Alison Angold CIDESCO ITEC
Lime essential oil is a lovely, light, refreshing essential oil, extracted from the peel of the lime fruit. Due to its light, top note fragrance it blends really well with many other different essential oils.
Lime essential oil blends well with;
Other citrus oils; Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit, Bergamot, Mandarin
Floral oils; Lavender, Geranium, Rose, Ylang Ylang, Chamomile
Herb oils; Rosemary, Basil, Eucalyptus, Tea tree
Lime is particularly good when blended with a floral and a herb fragrance. However lets look at what Lime is beneficial for and the particular oils that it can blend with to give optimum benefits.
What is Lime Essential oil good for?
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Each essential oil has a variety of different properties or therapeutic actions, meaning the effects it can potentially have on the skin, body and mind. The therapeutic actions of Lime essential oil are;
Stomachic – aids digestion and eases indigestion
Antispasmodic on the nerves – stops and prevent nerve spasms, therefore calming to the nervous system as a whole
Anti-inflammatory – reduces or prevents inflammation.
Antiviral – reduces, kills or prevents virus.
Antibacterial – reduces, kills or prevents bacteria.
Tonic for the circulatory system – invigorates the blood circulation.
Astringent – tightens the tissues of the body or particularly the skin.
Uplifting – promotes positive feelings and lifts the emotions.
Decongestant – removes congestion and mucus from the nose and chest.
Cooling – cools the area of application, reduces temperature.
Styptic – causes bleeding to stop, when applied to a wound.
What can I use Lime essential oil for?
Lime essential oil for the skin
Lime essential oil makes a great astringent for oily and congested skin, meaning that it helps to reduce the amount of oil being produced, which will in turn benefit and clear the congestion on the skin. Lime is anti-inflammatory which means that it will soothe and heal skin conditions such as boils, skin wounds and insect bites.
Lime essential oil for digestion
Lime is a good essential oil to use if appetite is poor, so useful after illness, or for someone convalescing who needs to build up appetite and therefore their strength. It also calms the digestion and aids with the relief of indigestion.
Lime essential oil for the immune system
Lime essential oil is excellent for treating conditions of the respiratory system such as colds and flu. It can also be used on infections of the body. Using lime on the chest can relieve catarrh, chest congestion and the symptoms of asthma.
Lime essential oil for circulation
Lime is a good tonic for the circulatory system, in that it can increase sluggish circualtion and relieve high blood pressure. It can work well on the lymphatic system and reduce conditions such as cellulitis.
Lime essential oil for anxiety & depression
The uplifting, refreshing scent of lime helps to lift the spirits and relieves the symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression. It helps with brain fog and mental fatigue.
Lime essential oil recipes
Lime facial oil for oily, congested skin
30ml Jojoba oil, 6 drops lime oil, 6 drops grapefruit oil
Massage a few drops in to your skin daily, preferably in the evening, to brighten and clear your skin. Jojoba oil is a brilliant carrier for this blend as it balances out the excess oil in the skin, while also giving vital hydration and nourishment.
Soothing skin balm – good for wounds, bites and stings
50ml plain hand or body lotion, 8 drops lime oil, 8 drops lavender oil, 6 drops thyme oil
Store in an enclosed jar to apply to wounds, bites and stings to relieve itchiness and inflammation and soothe and cool the area. Use the plainest lotion you can find, like this one from Dr Mercola, so that any additives or fragrances, don’t interfere with the actions of the essential oils. This blend makes a great natural addition to your medicine cabinet.
Indigestion body oil
100ml Sweet almond oil, 8 drops lime essential oil, 8 drops bergamot oil, 6 drops chamomile oil
Massage into the chest and stomach to ease the symptoms of indigestion. Always store your blended essential oils in amber glass bottles, to preserve the actions of the essential oils. These are ideal for your massage oil blends.
Lime Decongestant balm
50ml plain hand or body lotion, 10 drops lime oil, 4 drops black pepper oil , 4 drops cedarwood oil
Massage into the chest, when suffering with colds, coughs or congestion on the chest. The oils will help to relieve and release mucus in this area, while the aromas, will help clear the nasal passages. Try this plain body lotion.
Cooling leg gel
100ml Aloe Vera gel, 20 drops lime oil, 20 drops peppermint oil.
A refreshing, cooling gel to apply to stimulate circulation, and ease aching or hot legs. Aloe vera is already very cooling and makes a great natural base for your cooling leg gel.
Circulation tonic oil
50ml Sweet almond oil, 8 drops lime oil, 8 drops geranium oil, 6 drops lemon oil
A general body massage oil, to use regularly to keep blood and lymph circulation working well.
Calming body oil for anxiety
50ml Sweet almond oil, 10 drops lime oil, 10 drops frankincense, 10 drops lavender, 10 drops mandarin
A soothing, yet uplifting massage oil to use regularly to combat feelings of anxiety, depression or stress.
Lime & Ginger Uplifting body scrub
Sea salt, sugar, sweet almond oil, up to 10 drops lime oil, up to 10 drops ginger oil
Simply mix together some sea salt, sugar and enough oil to make a loose paste. Stir in the drops of lime and ginger essential oil. Store in a secure Kilner style jar. This body scrub not only removes all the dead skin from your body but the zingy blend of lime and ginger, will stimulate the circulation, brighten dull skin and help the appearance of cellulite! Use it in the morning to give yourself a good wake up!
Lime diffuser blends
Lime makes a wonderful addition to any diffuser blend, to not only help alleviate symptoms of anxiety or depression or to boost the immune system, but to create a wonderful aroma in any room of your house!
Uplifting diffuser blend #1
Lime, mandarin, orange
Uplifting diffuser blend #2
Lime, grapefruit, lavender
Antiseptic/antiviral #1
Lime, tea tree, lavender
Antiseptic/antiviral #2
Lime, Rosemary, Bergamot
Lime Mojito
Lime, grapefruit, peppermint
Summer groove
Lime, basil & mandarin
Key Lime pie
Lime, lemon, benzoin
Precautions of lime essential oils
Lime, along with all the citrus essential oils are phototoxic, which means that when applied topically, the skin will be prone to burning, so avoid direct sunlight after application.
Lime used in small amounts, mixed with a carrier substance should be fine on most skin types, however, as with all essential oils, proceed with caution if you have very sensitive skin or skin allergies. Use half the recommended amount to begin with to see how the skin reacts. Do not use Lime essential oil neat on the skin, and do not ingest pure lime essential oil.
Some of the other essential oils recommended here also come with some precautions, so be aware of the following;
Do not use during pregnancy; Chamomile, Cedarwood and Thyme.
Black Pepper and Peppermint are incompatible with homeopathic treatments.