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Single Oil Look: Sweet Orange

© Marie A. Miczak

Sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) essential oil is a prevalent, easy to obtain botanical found in many health food and specialty stores. The orange in itself is a highlight nutrias fruit containing many vitamins including A, B, and C. Being that essential oils (Aromatherapy grade) are extracted directly from the peel of the orange, it contains all of these natural nutrients as well. A lower grade of essential oil is also sometimes distilled from the orange juice itself but most oils are extracted from the almost fully ripened skin. The flowers before the orange appears is also turned into an essential oil known as neroli.

The yellow-orange oil is quite sweet in fragrance and is used in "fruity" fragrance blends. The essential oil blends well with other citrus oils including grapefruit and lemon, flowers such as lavender and neroli and other oils such as myrrh, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and sage. Orange may also be used by itself for a light personal scent.

Orange has been touted as a beauty oil especially for the neck to help prevent and reduce the appearance of crepeness and lines. Being that it is a citrus essential oil, it may cause irritation in people with sensitive skin. Doing a patch test before extended use is always advisable. Orange oil and all other oils, with the exception of a few such as tea tree and lavender, should always be first blended in a carrier oil before use. For skincare, jojoba, sweet almond or carrot oil could be used for diluting the "neat" essential oil of orange. It has also been traditionally used for mouth ulcers, water retention, colds as well as stress related conditions. Steam inhalation is a very good way of using the orange essential oil for colds, coughs, and bronchitis. This same method may be used for spreading the orange scent and antidepressant, antiseptic, qualities throughout your home or place of work. Orange does have a slight sedative effect on the nervous system, yet it should not be used right before bed or in a bath.

Naive to China and a part of traditional Chinese medicine, orange is now extensively cultivated in the USA, mainly Florida and California and the essential oil in Israel, Brazil, etc. Sweet Orange should not be confused with Mandarin Orange (Citrus reticulata) essential oil, which contains somewhat different components and qualities.

-MAM

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