Not only is Lemon essential oil one of our most economical essential oils, it’s also one of our most versatile…..definitely one to keep on hand at all times.

Nancy Sanderson is sister to Gary Young, the founder of Young Living. She has journeyed with our beautiful oils for longer than I have, and that’s saying something! And she’s an absolute powerhouse of knowledge about how to use essential oils.

Nancy sends out her own regular oils bulletin, and so I’ve borrowed quite a bit of information from one of her recent bulletins in putting this one together for you. Thank you Nancy!!!

And what a fantastic thing to do – to put a spotlight onto one of our essential oils, and take a deep dive into its magic and its mystery. Enjoy the read!

10 Amazing Ways to Use Lemon Essential Oil

Most essential oils are extracted from the plant by a process called “Steam Distillation”. It’s essentially like steaming vegetables, where steam is run through the plant matter, and as the plant tissue breaks down, the essential oil is released along with the steam. It separates from the steam via a cooling process, and is then siphoned off.

However, Citrus oils are extracted in a completely different way. They are cold pressed from the rind of the fruit. This is why it’s sooooooo important that the lemons have not been sprayed with any chemicals….the last thing you want is those chemicals concentrated into your essential oils. Young Living’s Seed to Seal promise is that NO chemicals are used at any time in the growing and production process, so we know that our Lemon oil is the best quality on the market.

One of the determining factors in pricing an essential oil is its yield – how much essential oil comes from each plant. A LOT of essential oil comes out of the citrus rind, so this is why Lemon and other citrus oils are so inexpensive compared to many other essential oils.

Despite their high yield, would you be surprised to know that it takes over 75 lemons to make one 15ml bottle of Young Living Lemon essential oil? WOW!!!!

Nothing smells cleaner than the bright, fresh scent of lemon. Our minds associate it with cleanliness and freshness. Lemon oil can help eliminate odours, enhance your cleaners, and infuse your whole home with its bright, joyful aroma that smells like freshly picked fruit! It can also benefit your skin and hair as much as the aroma enhances your environment.

Lemon oil is a key ingredient in many of Young Living’s hair and skin care products, essential oil blends (eg. Thieves, Citrus Fresh, Clarity, Joy and Harmony)…and of course the Thieves Range of personal care & cleaning products.

Let’s take a dive into 10 AMAZING uses for Lemon essential oil…..I just know you will find some surprises here!

1. Physical uses – what we can say in the US

If you live in the US, Young Living offers Lemon Vitality oil (white label), in addition to their regular Lemon oil (yellow label). It’s exactly the same amazing essential oil inside each bottle, but in the US different things can be said about each label (due to Government regulations). The Vitality oil is labeled specifically for internal use. And in the US (but not in other countries), we can say that Lemon Vitality oil is filled with antioxidant and cleansing properties that can help support a healthy immune system. In the US we can even suggest that people take advantage of its circulatory support by taking 1–2 drops into an empty veggie capsule or gel capsule as a dietary supplement.

Physical uses – what we can say in Australia

If you live in Australia, Young Living offers both regular Lemon oil (yellow label) and Lemon Wellness oil (white label). It is the same beautiful oil in each bottle, but the Wellness oil is listed with the TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) so that Australians who are holding the white-labelled bottle can make a range of claims based on traditional aromatherapy uses. These include the fact that Lemon oil has been traditionally used in aromatherapy:

• As an antispasmodic, and to:
• Stimulate blood flow to the skin
• Reduce the occurrence of nausea and vomiting, and relieve nausea
• Relieve flatulence
• Increase mental endurance and stamina
• Enhance mental alertness and wakefulness
• Support a healthy emotional balance

Important: If you live outside of Australia, unfortunately these claims do not apply to other countries, due to the unique Government regulations in each country governing what can and can’t be said about our oils.

2. Focus, Productivity & Exam time

This is one of my favourite uses for Lemon oil. Anytime I have a lot on my plate, and need to be super productive and super focussed, I will put 20 drops of Lemon oil (and a few of Peppermint oil) into my diffuser. The results are astounding – it always paves the way for an amazingly efficient day with wonderful clarity of mind. It’s definitely my go-to if my brain is feeling a bit fuzzy from a poor night’s sleep or too many things going on, and I’m not as clear-headed as I’d like to be.

And it’s not all in the mind! This amazing super power of Lemon oil has been scientifically proven in a Japanese study*! This study showed that diffusing Lemon oil in an office environment dramatically improved mental accuracy and concentration. In fact, it resulted in 54% fewer errors! Can you imagine the positive impact it would have on any work environment? And this study went on to show that when it was diffused during exams, the scores increased by as much as 50%!!! So it’s a great oil for anyone to use when they are studying for exams. Then when it’s time to sit the exam, just make sure you have a bottle of Lemon oil beside you to sniff, in order to assist with that memory recall.

3. Put a smile on your face…

All of our citrus oils (including Lemon oil) are amazing at brightening our outlook on life. So if you are working through an emotional upset, or just feeling flat, diffuse 10-20 drops of Lemon (or other citrus) oil to uplift your frequency and mood.

Alternatively, put a few drops of Lemon oil into your palm, rub your palms together, and cup your hands over your nose (being careful not to touch your face), and take 5 deep breaths.

4. Cleanse fears and worries

Lemon oil is often associated with both Venus and Neptune, the planets of human and divine love. It’s often been thought of as a mild aphrodisiac, and like Rose oil, it helps to open the heart and eliminate fears and worries, leaving in its wakes a sense of peace and security.

5. Uplift the frequency of your home!

Essential oils carry the frequency of nature onto your body and into your home. Although Lemon oil is already one of the ingredients in our amazing Thieves Household Cleaner, you can add even more Lemon oil to your household spray for an even more invigorating aroma.

Into a 500ml Spray bottle, add 15ml (1 tablespoon) of Thieves Household Cleaner. Then either add 18 drops of Lemon oil to this mix, or 6 drops each of Lemon, Peppermint and Thieves oil. Use this on all household surfaces (including benches, floors, toilets and bins) as part of your daily cleaning routine. You’ll love how bright and fresh your home smells!

6. Want that extra glow?

Wouldn’t you LOVE to reduce the visible signs of aging in your skin, and achieve a radiant, youthful glow?

It’s easy! Add a drop of Lemon oil to your nightly moisturiser.

Just make sure you avoid direct sunlight and UV rays for 12 hours, because all citrus oils are photosensitising to the skin – meaning that the skin can get marked or damaged when exposed to sunlight or UV light within this 12 hour window.

7. Remove pesky adhesive labels

Don’t you just hate it when sticky labels won’t come off? Try adding a few drops of Lemon oil to dissolve the glue which is causing the adhesion. Just be aware that all essential oils can digest plastics or remove their “shine”, so if the label is on a plastic container, test a corner first.

8. Odour-be-Gone!

Get rid of unpleasant odours in your kitchen by adding a few drops of Lemon oil into your sink after you wash your dishes! Or add a few drops of Lemon oil to a cotton makeup pad and place inside sweaty or smelly shoes.

9. Cleaning your Jewellery

Spruce up your jewellery! Place a few drops of Lemon oil on the corner of a cloth, and use that to rub over metal jewellery. Avoid using on pearls and porous stones. Alternatively, soak your jewellery for 30 to 60 minutes in a mix of:

• 1 cap (10ml) Thieves Household Cleaner
• 4 drops Lemon oil
• 30ml gin or vodka
• 30ml soda water
  
  Remove debris with a soft toothbrush, then rinse well.
  Important: Avoid using these tips for pearls and porous stones.

10. Flavour your Food and Drink with Lemon oil

Add 1 to 2 drops of Lemon oil to still or sparkling water each morning or evening, and enjoy a refreshing kick-start.

When cooking, use Lemon essential oil to substitute any recipe that calls for lemon juice, lemon extract, or lemon zest, for a powerful punch of flavour!

Add a drop of Lemon oil to your favourite fruit smoothies, and make treats your whole family will love without loads of added sugar, by boosting the flavour with Lemon oil. You can use it to create custom vinaigrettes or marinades, and to add a bright taste to salads or grilled meat and vegetables.

Fruit Revitalizer – a Fab Tip!
Spray Lemon oil onto cut fruit to keep it from browning.

USA: Use Lemon Vitality oil in/on your food and beverages.
UK/EU: Use Lemon Plus oil in/on your food and beverages.

Veggie Dip with Lemon Oil

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of Greek or Coconut yogurt
• 6 drops Dill essential oil
• 2 drops Lemon essential oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt