Citrus is citrus, right? Or is it?

Sometimes, when we hear about citrus oils in the essential oil realm, we hear words like, "invigorating" "joyful" "energizing" "elevating"... But those are so vague, and do all of the citrus oils offer the same characteristics and properties? It's easy to get things muddled, and even easier to just lump them all in to one category and forget that each of the citrus oils offers its own unique benefits.

There are of course things that the citrus oils have in common. They are all cold pressed from the rind, and they do have uplifting properties, and all of them have a UV exposure risk. That means that once you apply a citrus oil to your skin, it can become photosensitive, and create a higher risk of sun damage to your skin. So always be sure to use sunscreen, or avoid the sun (on the area that the oil was applied) for 12-24 hours. I like to either dilute them with a carrier oil, or apply the oils to areas that won't be exposed to the sun.

The oils I will be talking about in this post are Bergamot, Grapefruit, Lemon, Lime, Tangerine, and Wild Orange. Each of them have their own unique scent, their own chemical make up, and their own wonderful benefits, both to your emotions and to your physical health.

Please keep in mind that these oils should not be used in place of the care of a qualified doctor. You should always seek help if you have feelings of hopelessness, or depression, or with serious health concerns. This post is not meant to diagnose or offer medical advice of any kind. These oils will not "cure" anything, but assist your body and mind.

BERGAMOT

This is the oil of Self-Acceptance. 

It's chemical make up is approximately 56% Monoterpene Hydrocarbons, 30% Esters, 11% Monoterpene Alcohols, and other trace amounts of other compounds. 

Sourced from Italy.

It is a neurotonic, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, antibacterial, antifungal, and digestive.

It can address emotions of despair, low self-esteem, self-judgment, feeling unlovable, and hopelessness.

It can be used topically, aromatically, and internally.

GRAPEFRUIT

This is the oil of honoring the body. 

It's chemical make up is approximately 98% Monoterpene Hydrocarbons, and trace amounts of all other compounds. 

Sourced from U.S.A.

It is a diuretic, antioxidant, antiseptic, astringent, antitoxic, purifier, and expectorant.

It can address emotions of hate for the body, addiction to food or dieting, eating disorders, anxiety over appearance.

It can be used topically, aromatically, and internally. 

LEMON

This is the oil of Focus. 

It's chemical make up is approximately 98% Monoterpene Hydrocarbons, (71% being limonene) 2% Aldehydes, and a little greater than 3% Lactones and Coumarins. 

Sourced from Italy.

It is antiseptic, diuretic, antioxidant, antibacterial, detoxification, disinfectant, mucolytic, astringent, and a degreaser. 

It can address emotions of confusion, inability to focus, mental fatigue, lack of joy and energy, learning disorders, and guilt. 

It can be used topically, aromatically, and internally.

 LIME

This is the oil of Zest for Life. 

It's chemical make up is 50-65% Monoterpene Hydrocarbons, 5-15% Oxides, trace-20% Monoterpene Alcohols, 1-2% Sesquiterpene Hydrocarbons, 0-4% Aldehydes, and a little over 3% Coumarins. 

Sourced from Mexico.

It is anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antioxidant, antibacterial, tonic, uplifting, detoxifier, disinfectant, and diuretic. 

It can address emotions of apathy, resignation, grief, suicidal thoughts and feelings, and discouragement. (PLEASE SEEK HELP FROM A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS). 

It can be used topically, aromatically, and internally.

TANGERINE

This is the oil of Cheer and Creativity. 

It's chemical make up is approximately 99% Monoterpene Hydrocarbons, and trace amounts of other compounds. 

Sourced from U.S.A.

It is antioxidant, anticoagulant, anti-inflammatory, laxative, sedative, and mucolytic. 

It can address emotions of feeling overburdened by responsibilities, dutifulness which stifles creativity, downtrodden, heavy heart, and lack of fun or joy in life. 

It can be used topically, aromatically, and internally. 

WILD ORANGE

This is the oil of Abundance. 

It's chemical make up is approximately 93% Monoterpene Hydrocarbons, (89% of which is limonene) 3% Coumarins, 3% Monoterpene Alcohols, 2% Aldehydes, and trace amounts of other compounds. 

Sourced from Dominican Republic. 

It is energizing, sedative, anti-carcinoma, carminative, antiseptic, antidepressant, and immunostimulant. 

It can address emotions of scarcity, over-serious temperament, rigidity, dull, workaholism, low energy, discouragement, hoarding, envy, fear, nervousness, and inflexibility.

It can be used topically, aromatically, and internally. 

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Personally, I love Bergamot for use in diffusers, blended with other oils that help me relax and which promote restful sleep. 

I love to add a drop of Grapefruit to my water, which can help with cravings, and topically with other oils to use for body wraps. 

I also love to use Lemon for cleaning, and for immune support internally. 

Lime is wonderful in the diffuser when I am feeling a little down, as it promotes feelings of well-being. It is also a wonderful oil to use during cooking. 

Tangerine is one of my favorite citrus oils, and I love how fresh it smells. It is in one of my favorite essential oil blends, and really does give me feelings of joy. It is uplifting when used aromatically. 

Wild Orange smells so wonderful. It literally smells like freshly squeezed orange juice. I love to diffuse it with peppermint, and I love to add it to recipes like brownies. 

If you have any further questions about these oils, please feel free to email me.  

Please remember to use your common sense and use the oils wisely in addition to the advice of your care provider. 

And I cannot stress this enough, If you are having suicidal thoughts or are suffering from severe depression, please seek help. Life will not be the same without you. You are loved and you are needed. I mean that sincerely. This world needs you. 

The National Suicide Prevention Line can be reached at 1-(800) 273-8255, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

I hope that this shows that using citrus oils can help you on your way to your own oil zen! 

With Love, 

Susan 

I do not own the rights to the photos in this post.

How do I know which oils to choose?

After starting on my journey with essential oils, and before I settled on a company that I trusted, I really didn't know that there was a difference. Oils are oils, right? They all have the same therapeutic properties, don't they?

I will not tell you which company to choose, or tell you which company I chose, (though if you would like to know that, please feel free to send me a private email).

Here are some things that helped me to decide the company that I would go on to trust and use on a daily basis in my home.

I researched...A LOT. I didn't take a blogger's word for it. I didn't take each company's word for it either. Why should I? They both have something to gain. The blogger wants to convince you that her company is the best, and hopefully make some money. The company obviously wants to make money. When I would read something negative about a company, I would immediately ask myself why, and then try to find out for myself the answer.

I want to put a disclaimer here before I start. I am not afraid of MLM's, as long as their philosophies align with mine and they are honest and offer a quality product. I also want to say that there are many companies that offer excellent products. And I personally feel that if you are using essential oils, you are taking leaps in the right direction.

Here are a few things that I looked for.

Does this company help or hurt local, indigenous people and businesses with their business model?

This might not seem like a big deal to some of you, but it was a HUGE deal for me. It is a proven fact that some well-meaning non-profits actually end up hurting more than helping. I didn't want to support a company that took away the livelihood of others, or who paid less than they should for their products, and I certainly didn't want to support a company that wasn't friendly to the environment or who didn't concern themselves with the needs of the people in the regions that source those oils.

Does this company source their oils from plants that are grown in the proper region?

Believe it or not, some companies don't source their oils from the regions where they grow the best. I know what you are thinking, "SO? Does that really matter?" Well, it matters to me. Why wouldn't I want to buy oils of plants, (and pay a premium price) if they are not grown where the plants grow naturally, and where they thrive? It is possible to create an environment that mimics where the plants grow naturally, and it could very well end up in a quality essential oil as the finished product, but this goes back to the first question. I don't want to support a company that takes away from the livelihood of local, indigenous people who have been growing and farming those plants for generations. Because honestly, if I support a company that grows the plants themselves, while they still may have a quality product, it felt wrong to me. I wanted my money to go to a company that supported those farmers instead of competing with them.

Does the company show integrity?

It was important to me that the company didn't just take from the region, and move on. I wanted to make sure that they maintained the plants, and kept the future of the plants in mind. Did you know there are essential oils that are rare, or are in short supply? The company I use has been out of a few oils for a long time. And it was because of problems with the weather and droughts in the regions where they grow. So instead of just sourcing these oils from wherever, or adding fillers so they could still sell them, they removed them from the ordering forms. That means a lot to me. Is it inconvenient that I can't get those oils? Sure, maybe a little. But it speaks volumes about the integrity of the company. They are loyal to the local farmers and don't go and find another source. They ride it out with them. It also shows me that they care about the quality of the oils, and aren't willing to just sell anything. I appreciate that. The essential oil company that I wanted to use would take those things in to consideration.

Does the company have proof of their quality?

Not all companies are equal. Unfortunately, the word "pure" has become subjective. You can find that word on just about every single essential oil out there. But can they back up that claim? Because as of now the FDA doesn't regulate essential oils so there are no real standards. But most people don't know that. However it is up to the individual companies to back up the claims they make. I had questions about that. Can I trust a company owned lab to provide the accurate proof? I wanted to make sure that the oils I used were tested by third party, independent labs, and if possible, more than one. It also mattered to me how frequently they were tested, because one batch might differ from the next. How would I know if these potent oils were always potent enough? And would the company still sell oils if they were less than top quality? The company I use does rigorous testing through MULTIPLE independent labs, and they do that at three different stages of production of the oils, and with every single batch! That was a very big deal to me. I didn't want the company's word that the oils were good because their lab said it was good. I wanted independent labs to prove that they were. And if it doesn't meet their high level of standards, they throw it out!

What about the cost?

Obviously some companies are more expensive than others. Sometimes 2-3x more expensive than others! That was very off-putting to me at first. Why spend $21 on Lavender when I can spend $11 on it at the grocery store? But then, the answer to this question can be found in all the answers before this one. I would rather spend extra on a product I know has excellent quality, is from a company with high integrity, makes sure that their oils are sourced from where they grow naturally by farmers who rely on income from their products, and has a business model that I could proudly support.

Does the company give back?

This might not matter to you. But it mattered greatly to me. Not only did I want to support local farmers, I also wanted to make sure I wasn't supporting the wrong kind of help, (hand outs versus hand ups). I love it when companies use their profits to give back, especially when you know that the charities they create offer 100% of donations go to the cause, and not to corporate. I wanted to see initiatives, and actual care for the people in the world they claimed to care about. That was a very VERY big deal to me.

Those are just a few examples of how I came to my decision. My ideas might not be in line with yours. Perhaps the things that matter to me, don't matter to you. That's okay. I don't want to argue. I am just happy you want to use essential oils! They are amazing. But just be sure that whichever of the MANY companies that are out there, you choose to give money to the one(s) who offer the best results, and whose business model you are comfortable with. I wanted to feel happy using my oils.

You'll be on your way to your own oil zen in no time!

Much Love,
Susan

(I do not own the rights to the images in this post)