If you want to pamper yourself, nothing beats soaking in a tub or falling asleep surrounded by the sweet scent of lemongrass oil!
Lemongrass oil uses and benefits are not just skin deep– and you can easily make it at home. So, if you want to know how to make your own, pure lemongrass oil and what benefits you can get from it, read on.
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When you look at a lemongrass plant, you’ll probably think of it as just another type of grass. The most common use of lemongrass, perhaps, is in Thai and Vietnamese cuisine. Lemongrass is one such herb that can add the perfect twist to soups, salads, and spicy chicken and seafood dishes.
However, this wonder herb has several medicinal, cosmetic, and therapeutic values as well. The same can be said about lemongrass oil, which is derived from lemongrass as well. It has a fresh, citrusy, lemon-like smell that is definitely hard to miss.
Lemongrass, also known as Cymbopogon citratus, is a tropical plant that is native to India and Sri Lanka but easily found across tropical and subtropical regions like Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America, and Central America.
It is known by several other names like Cochin grass, Malabar grass, citronella grass, barbed wire grass, and silky head. This plant is used for various culinary, medical, and cosmetic purposes.
As a medicinal herb, it is used to treat various conditions like blood pressure, digestive problems, skin irritations and infections, problems with the nervous system, to name a few.
It is also used to treat oxidative stress and has anti-inflammatory properties. Oxidative stress takes place when there is an imbalance of free radicals in the body. (1)
Lemongrass tea is a popular type of tea that is well-favoured thanks to its lemon-like taste and fragrance, as well as its soothing properties. (2)
Let’s go into detail about the benefits of lemongrass –
It is essentially made from lemongrass leaves and stalks. Lemongrass has a strong earthy undertone, coupled with a subtle lemony fragrance and flavour. It is chock full of antioxidants, antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, making it one of the most preferred herbs.
The composition of lemongrass oil mainly includes neral, geranial, geranyl acetate, undecane, myrcene, and of course citrus.
The amount of citrus lemongrass contains determines the quality of the plant.
(3)
It is easy to get confused between lemongrass fragrance oils and lemongrass essential oils. Lemongrass fragrance oils simply have the fragrance of lemongrass with little to no nutritional value or health benefits.
The essential oils, on the other hand, has all the essential properties of lemongrass like its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fungal properties.
Lemongrass essential oils are pure and used most commonly for aromatherapy.
It is easy to find it in stores, as well as on online portals. Most of the time, these oils are made through the steam distillation process. However, if you have these wonder herbs growing in your backyard, or if you simply want to make it yourself, then that is possible as well.
To make lemongrass oil, you will need the help of carrier oil. The carrier oil is like the base oil, to which extracts from lemongrass will be added or infused.
Here are a few common uses of lemongrass oil:
If your tresses are in need of some tender loving care, consider incorporating some oil into your hair care regime. It has several health benefits, and its wonderful fragrance is an added bonus.
As mentioned above, it has antibacterial and antifungal properties, so that keeps all the bacterial and fungal infections your hair is threatened with, at bay. It can deep-cleanse a dry, flaky scalp, and of course, maintain the shine and good health of your hair.
Here is how to use lemongrass oil for hair with some recipe that you can try out at home –
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Most people will swear by the benefits of coconut oil for hair. And there is a good reason for this. Coconut oil helps promote hair growth by strengthening the hair follicles. It also makes your hair shiny and strong. This, along with lemongrass oil is an excellent recipe for your hair.
You will require one cup of coconut oil and around three to four drops of lemongrass essential oil.
Mix both together so it has become a homogeneous mixture. You can then apply this to your scalp and along the length of your hair. Do this before you sleep at night.
If you are suffering from scalp issues like dandruff, flaky scalp, and psoriasis, then this one’s for you.
Lemongrass oil and apple cider vinegar can help soothe inflammation and prevent dryness, as well as treat infections.
For this, you will require one cup of distilled water, half a cup of apple cider vinegar, and four to five drops of lemongrass oil.
Mix all of these together till they form a homogeneous mixture. You can then apply it to your scalp and along the length of your hair. Let it sit for around ten minutes. After this, wash your hair with warm water. To observe best results from this, repeat the process twice a week.
Researchers suggest that it is great for your skin. Here are a few lemongrass oil benefits for skin:
Here are a few lemongrass oil skin recipes that you can try out at home –
You can make facial steam with this recipe. Add a few drops of lemongrass oil and a few drops of tea tree oil into a vessel of hot water. Use this to steam your face. It has antibacterial properties while tea tree oil has detoxifying properties.
Take a few drops of lemongrass oil, and mix it with olive oil. To this, add some fine sea salt. Use this paste as a facial scrub to remove dead skin cells.
Aromatherapy is a type of holistic therapeutic process. It includes the use of natural herbs and fragrances to enhance mental and physical health and well-being.
As a therapeutic product, lemongrass oil is favoured because of its calming fragrance and subtle hints of citrus. One of the effects of lemongrass is its ability to relieve pain and stress, making it of great value in aromatherapy.
Inhaling its scent has shown to to treat insomnia and anxiety. It can also relieve headaches. In some cases, It is also used in aromatherapy to treat depression.
You can always use lemongrass oil for body massage. In fact, lemongrass is a popular ingredient in various massage oils. It’s aroma and relaxing effect makes it sought after in many spas and parlours. You can either buy your favorite brand of lemongrass massage oil and apply it, or you can mix a few drops of lemongrass essential oil with a carrier oil.
Lemongrass oil massage can also help reduce muscle soreness because of its anti-inflammatory properties. You can massage stiff joints or sore muscles with a few drops of lemongrass oil and get relief. (17)
While you can always directly apply lemongrass essential oil, you can also use it in a diffuser for aromatherapy and as a room freshener.
You can use lemongrass oil for aromatherapy with the help of a diffuser. Fill a diffuser with water, and add a few drops of lemongrass essential oil. Use this whenever necessary.
If you want to carry this around, then you can do so with the help of an inhaler or a sachet. Additionally, you can simply dab a few drops of lemongrass oil on a piece of clean cloth, and carry it around if you want.
For some good sleep and a well-rested night, consider using a diffuser to spray the lemongrass oil in your room before you go to bed. Lemongrass also happens to have a very mild sedative effect, which can help treat insomnia and restlessness. You can also consider inhaling the oil before going to sleep.
It has many cosmetic and healthcare uses, but that is not all. You can use it at home as well, as an insect repellent. Thanks to its high geraniol and citral content, it can keep mosquitoes and flies at bay. You can also use it with or without other scented essential oils as a room freshener. Use a diffuser to spread the smell around in your house.
Make sure you consult a healthcare professional in case you are ingesting or orally consuming lemongrass oil. It is generally safe for use, but in some cases, people experience skin irritations and rashes.
To avoid this, do a skin patch test on yourself using the essential oil. Put a small drop on the back of your palms, on a small patch of skin. Wait for a day for any negative reactions. If any, avoid using the oil.
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Doctors say pregnant women or breast-feeding mothers should not use lemongrass oil- they should not ingest or apply it on skin. This might have a negative reaction. Also, traditional medicine says that lemongrass has period inducing qualities- so pregnant women should stay far away from it.
People who are suffering from health conditions like kidney or liver diseases must avoid the use of lemongrass as well.
If you cannot make your own lemongrass oil at home, you can always get some from a trusted and reputed brands.
If you plan on buying lemongrass oil online, then it is worth noting that the price range starts from as low as INR 100, while a 75ml pack of four lemongrass oil for your body can go as high ah INR 23,000.
However, you will have to be careful while buying the oils because buying an impure, bad quality product can have serious effects on your body. Some of the popular brands are listed below.
A few popular lemongrass essential oils that are available online include –
You can use Khadi’s Natural lemongrass oil for skin and muscle toning, as well as for nervous exhaustion, headaches, fungal infections, and to treat acne.
It is available on Amazon.
You can use this product for therapeutic purposes. Use it as a room freshener with the help of a diffuser.
It is available on Amazon.
This organic product can be used for various medicinal, cosmetic, and therapeutic purposes. Naaya also has carrier oils that you can purchase, in case you want to make lemongrass oil at home.
It is available on Amazon
You can use Soulflower lemongrass oil for both hair and skin. This particular product is for external use, and not for ingestion.
It is available on Amazon.
This product is to be used for a diffuser. You can use it to freshen your room or to set a relaxed ambience.
It is available on Amazon.
The Electric Oval Aroma Diffuser is an excellent product that can be used at as an essential oil diffuser. It comes with lemongrass essential oil.
It is available on Amazon.
This product contains pure lemongrass oil that is filled with artingent and antiseptic properties.
It is available on Amazon.
Lemongrass blends well with lavender. This products is a body oil that contains both lemongrass and lavender.
It is available on Amazon.
We’ve highlighted the numerous health benefits of lemongrass oil. There are a few studies and scientific researches that prove that lemongrass oil has several beneficial properties, some of which includes antioxidant, antifungal, astringent, and anti-inflammatory abilities. But more research has to be conducted to fully confirm the effects of lemongrass oil on humans.
Although lemongrass oil is considered safe, one should consult a healthcare professional before you use lemongrass oil for its health benefits. You specifically have to do this if you are prone to allergies and migraines.
Source: https://gardencourte.com
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