
Lemongrass Essential Oil
Lemongrass is a plant widely grown in tropical and subtropical areas across the globe due to its essential yellowish essential oil. The oil does not have a strong scent and can be combined with other essential oils to create different scents.
Lemongrass contains citral, which gives the plant its flavor. Lemongrass oil has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for various disorders, including thyroid problems and asthma attacks. The seeds are also available separately as lemongrass seeds or may be added to skin creams or body balms.
This blog will review some of the most frequently asked questions about lemongrass, ranging from its uses to the benefits and so much more.
Lemongrass essential oil
Lemongrass essential oil is extracted from the lemongrass parsley’s leaves, stems, and flowers. The essential oil is steam distilled in glass stills to produce high-quality citrus oil (steam distillation) or as a cold-pressed lemongrass oil at low temperatures with no heat switching (cold extraction). Lemongrass may be combined with clary sage for a pleasant herb-mint aroma that isn’t as intensely concentrated as the lemongrass oil. Natural lemongrass was not considered an important raw material not too long ago. However, this soon changed as lemongrass has been used as a cardiac tonic for centuries and is one of the most popular plant-based oils.
Is lemongrass a good essential oil?
Yes. For centuries, lemongrass has been used in aromatherapy for medicinal purposes, skin care, and other benefits. Lemongrass can be diluted with a carrier oil to produce massage oils with better effectiveness and suitability for skin application.
Lemongrass essential oil benefits
Lemongrass essential oil is associated with hundreds of benefits when well used. It can be beneficial in inflammatory conditions including hypersensitivity, dryness, and sore throats. When an individual uses lemongrass essential oil regularly, the benefits experienced include:
• Faster healing of wounds and skin ulcers on different body parts, such as the hands, which are usually painful when injured or due to chronic injury.
• Improved immunity against infections by reducing inflammation caused by viruses.
• Alleviating acute digestive problems like gas pains from constipation and gastrointestinal disorders, including bloating and IBS.
• Reducing the symptoms of menopause in women (in particular, hot flashes).
• Sinusitis (sinus headaches).
Can you put lemongrass essential oil on your skin?
It is advisable to never use essential oils directly on your skin. However, you can apply the oil through cotton balls or dilute the oil, so it does not burn the skin. The product can slightly have an irritating effect when used topically in high concentrations.
Does lemongrass oil lighten skin?
Yes, the presence of limonene found in lemongrass aids in skin lightening in a natural way. Depending on the individual, topical application of the oil can lighten skin due to its anti-inflammatory nature, which reduces redness for some individuals. Better skin pigmentation benefits may also be achieved by balancing melatonin production and increasing vitamin C levels in the liquid base, and infusing lemongrass essential oils.
Benefits of lemongrass oil
There is more than one benefit to lemongrass oil. Lemongrass essential oil is a good anti-inflammatory natural treatment as it works on numerous pathways, including oxidation inhibition. Antioxidant features in lemongrass protect and heal wounds, both acute and chronic, making it an ideal oil for topical applications. The other most documented benefits of using lemongrass oil include:
Eliminates Dandruff
Dandruff, which affects the scalp, is a frequent irritant. The key to healthy and thick hair growth is having a flake-free scalp and properly nourished follicles. Dandruff-causing bacteria are effectively eliminated by adding 2-3 drops of lemongrass essential oil to your hair oil and applying it to the scalp. According to research conducted in 2015, lemongrass oil can help eliminate dandruff in a week of treatment.
Reduces Anxiety
Lemongrass essential oil has a calming effect as well as reducing anxiety. The oil may instantly calm any trauma when breathed in via a diffuser or vaporizer. As a result, it may lower a person’s blood pressure level. Also, whenever you massage lemongrass essential oil with sweet almond oil, it may help lower diastolic blood pressure.
Calms digestive disorders
Individuals may also alleviate stomachaches and stomach ulcers by drinking lemongrass, a popular folk remedy. The use of lemongrass essential oil on mice to treat stomach ulcers was conducted and the results came back positive. This oil has been shown to calm the digestive system while reducing diarrhea. Also, the scent of this oil may help to alleviate nausea and other symptoms.
It regulates blood sugar levels
In a research conducted by the Mayo Clinic in 2013, it was found that lemongrass oil supports normal blood sugar levels and increases insulin sensitivity. This suggests that this type of therapy has the potential to help with diabetes. Researchers from Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences in Hyderabad, India, discovered that the continuous use of lemongrass oil helps lower diabetes or pre-diabetes levels. By 2014, there were 20 clinical trials conducted on lemongrass essential oil. This was to observe its meaningful effects.
How to use lemongrass essential oil
Due to its aromatic properties, lemongrass essential oil has various uses, such as a hair and skin remedy and an air cleanser. However, to fully utilize this powerful oil, it is necessary to understand how to use it.
When experiencing joint or cramp pains, you can mix a single drop of lemongrass essential oil with some carrier oil like jojoba, coconut, or almond. After adequately mixing the ingredients, apply the mixture to the area experiencing the pain. Gently massage the area until the pain fades away.
You can use it as a diffuser. If you plan to utilize its aromatic nature, then diffuse the oil. To fully experience this, add 3-4 drops of lemongrass oil to the vaporizer and experience the aromatic essence produced by this oil. You can also add a few drops of this oil to a cotton ball and place it at a specific point in your room.
Finally, it is always advisable to take precautions before using this essential oil. Always consult with your practitioner to avoid any unexpected reactions. It is always a boss move whenever you carry out a patch test whenever you intend to use the oil. Also, remember to dilute the oil before use.
Lemongrass oil for hair
People have been using lemongrass oil as a hair treatment in the past few years. Evidence shows how this essential oil works for various ailments such as psoriasis, scars, and dandruff. Due to its high concentration of limonene that contributes towards preventing dryness on hair, you can use lemongrass oil to treat the dryness, and keeping your hair healthy.
How do I use lemongrass oil for hair growth?
To achieve the best hair treatment oil for your scalp, it is advised to use it a couple of times a month. However, the benefits vary from person to person due to different problems with skin and hair growth standards. For a positive result, apply two drops of coconut oil or jojoba into your palm before applying lemongrass essential oil onto your scalp.
Does lemongrass oil help hair growth?
Yes. Lemongrass, also known as “fever grass,” can immensely aid in hair growth. The essential oil contains antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties that not only improve your general skin, making it flawless, but also aid hair growth.
Can you leave lemongrass oil in your hair overnight?
There are several lemongrass oil benefits for hair. However, leaving lemongrass oil in your hair overnight is not advisable. The oil may get into your pillow and sheets leading to a mess. It even gets worse when it gets on your face as it may lead to some skin issues.
How do I use lemongrass oil on my face?
To fully enjoy the benefits of this essential oil on your face, add up to 10 drops of lemongrass oil to 1 drop of a different oil base. You can use jojoba, coconut, or sweet almond oil as a base. Before fully applying it, it is good to have a patch of the diluted essential oil on your skin. After you are certain that it good enough, you can apply it on your face.
Is lemongrass oil good for scars?
The essential oil has many benefits for hair growth; however, you can use lemongrass as a toner to heal the scars that are still left on your skin from past acne or other infections. You should mix this essential oil with water and apply it directly onto any scarred areas of the body once every 3 days to help remove those hones and hydrate them well enough so they do not form additional scars later.
How long do I keep the lemongrass oil on skin?
Whenever you have applied the essential oil to your skin, it is advisable to keep it on until the appropriate time for use. If you see any sign of irritation on your skin when you apply it, You need to immediately wash it off.
Is lemongrass oil best for dark spots?
Yes. Lemongrass is a good remedy as it gets rid of dark spots on your skin thanks to its erythrosine, which is relatively mild and harmless.