The effects of citronella oil and how to make simple citronella oil at home

Citronella essential oil is extracted from the stems and leaves of citronella plants by steam distillation. The scientific name of citronella is Cymbopogon nardus.

Lemongrass essential oil, Citronella essential oi l, you need to distinguish it from lemongrass essential oil, English name is Lemongrass essential oil.

This essential oil has been used for centuries in China, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, including Vietnam. It is mainly used to repel insects, reduce inflammation, relieve pain.

The use of citronella oil

1. Natural deodorant

Use lemongrass essential oil as a cooling, air-purifying or natural and safe deodorant. Dilute from 3ml to 50ml Lemongrass essential oil with 100-200ml of water according to your preference into a spray bottle, use in the room, toilet, kitchen or other places you want. Or you can use it with an oil burner or essential oil diffuser.

2. Skin care

One of the essential benefits of citronella essential oil is the healing properties of the skin. Add citronella essential oil to shampoos, conditioners, deodorants, soaps and lotions. Lemongrass essential oil is an effective cleansing agent for all skin types. With its antiseptic and astringent properties, lemongrass essential oil brightens and improves skin perfectly. It deeply cleanses your pores, acting as a natural toner to help keep skin tissues healthy. By massaging or applying lemongrass essential oil that has been diluted with base oils into your hair, scalp, and body, you can reduce the symptoms of headache and muscle aches.

3. Help hair healthy

Lemongrass essential oil can help strengthen the hair follicles, so if you are suffering from problems such as itchy scalp, hair loss, use 5-8 drops of lemon citronella oil mixed with about 10-15ml of water applied to the hair roots. , massage for 2-5 minutes then wash. The ability to soften and kill bacteria will help you have shiny hair.

4. Natural insect repellent ability

Due to its high content of citral and geraniol, lemongrass essential oil is capable of repelling germs such as mosquitoes and ants. This essential oil has a soothing scent that can be sprayed directly in a diluted form on the skin. You can use lemongrass essential oil to kill fleas, add 5 drops to a small amount of water (20ml) of a spray bottle and spray it on your pet's fur.

5. Reduce stress and Help sleep

The cool, gentle aroma of lemongrass essential oil helps reduce anxiety, irritability, and supports insomnia. Lemongrass essential oil's analgesic and hypnotic properties may help improve the duration and quality of sleep. To reduce stress, create a lemon lemongrass massage oil and a full body massage, you will feel relaxed, less tired and sleep well, sleep deeper.

6. Relaxing muscles

The benefits of lemongrass essential oil include its ability to reduce aches and pains, it helps blood circulation so can help ease muscle spasms, back pain, sprains and cramps. Using lemon lemongrass massage oil on your body or just massaging your feet will surely feel great.

7. Detoxification

Lemongrass essential oil or tea has been used to detoxify in some countries. It is known to detoxify the gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys, optic states and pancreas. Because it works as a diuretic, Lemongrass essential oil in tea and some drinks will help you flush out toxins in the body. To keep your body fresh, add lemon lemongrass essential oil to your soup, soup or tea. Try making yourself a lemon lemongrass tea by boiling lemongrass leaves, lemongrass and boiling water, or simply adding a few drops of pure organic lemongrass essential oil to your tea daily.

8. Reduce menstrual problems

Drinking lemongrass tea is said to help women improve monthly menstrual problems. Because it can help nausea and irritability. Drink 2 cups of lemongrass tea a day to reduce stomach aches and body aches during this period.

9. Medicine to protect the stomach and stomach ulcer

Lemongrass essential oil has been known for hundreds of years as a medicine to help treat stomach pain, inflammation and stomach ulcers. Put lemon lemongrass essential oil in your daily drink or tea, or soup, soups, dishes that help treat stomach pain, nausea and diarrhea.

10. Help relieve headaches

The soothing effects of lemongrass essential oil have the ability to relieve pain, pressure, or stress that can cause headaches. Try massaging lemon essential oil diluted over your temples and enjoy the relaxation of a cool, light citrus aroma.

11. Clean the bacteria

The citral and limonene ingredients in lemongrass essential oil can kill or prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi. This will help you avoid infections such as prickly worms or other fungi. Studies in mice have proven that lemongrass essential oil is an effective antifungal and antibacterial agent. Take advantage of citronella essential oils by making a cleansing soap for your body or for your hands and feet.

12. Reduce the fever

Laboratory studies have shown that lemongrass tea (lemon lemongrass juice) for drinking or lemongrass essential oil is effective in reducing fever symptoms.

13. Support your immune system

By allowing nutrients to be absorbed into the body, lemongrass essential oil boosts your immune system. Oil can be an important factor in restoring your system and it can help the functioning of your organs.

14. Treatment of digestive disorders

Lemongrass essential oil can help alleviate the pain of air irritation in the stomach and intestines, and it can eliminate toxins from the body because it increases urination (diuretic). Lemongrass works to prevent gastrointestinal disorders, such as stomach ulcers, because it helps stimulate bowel function and improves digestion.

15. Reduce inflammation

The anti-inflammatory properties of citronella essential oil come from the limonene. Inflammation has been found to be associated with all health conditions and it has been known to cause allergies such as asthma, arthritis, Crohn's disease, Alzheimer's disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, Parkinson's disease.

16. Anti-oxidant effect

Studies show lemongrass essential oil to combat free radicals. One of the main components of citronella essential oil is citral, which has been known to inhibit the growth of cancer cells, especially early. These anti-cancer activities are most common in preventing skin cancer.

17. Lowering Cholesterol

One study found that animals with high cholesterol were given lemongrass essential oil and their numbers decreased significantly. This reaction was found based on the dose of citronella essential oil. Consumption of lemongrass essential oil has been shown to maintain healthy triglycerides levels and reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol in the body. This promotes unencumbered blood flow in the arteries and will help protect you against many cardiovascular disorders.

18. Against influenza or the Cold

Lemongrass essential oil can fight bacteria and can help treat illnesses like the common cold, especially when used with a steam generator, essential oil burner or essential oil diffuser. If your body temperature is higher than normal, lemongrass essential oil may have a cooling effect.

How to make lemongrass essential oil

Prepare materials:

1. Choose old lemongrass, planted over 10 months or more.
2. 2 glass jars with lids.
3. Good vodka or liqueur.
4. 1 piece of gauze or cheesecloth.
5. Clean water.
6. Blender, knife, pestle.

Steps to take

1. Step 1 : Clean, preliminarily process raw materials: lemongrass you need to remove the roots, leaves, sheathed leaves, retain stems and roots about 4 - 5cm; 2 glass jars you need to wash and dry.
2. Step 2: Use a knife or pestle to beat lemongrass to release essential oils. You should not bang too hard, the oil will flow and escape.
3. Step 3 : Put the lemongrass that has been smashed into the glass jar, half a bottle horizontally enough.
4. Step 4: Mix base alcohol or Vodka with clean water in a 1: 1 ratio (you can replace the mixture of alcohol and water with vinegar). Pour the solution into the prepared lemongrass vial to flood. Then close the lid, put in a dry, ventilated place, away from sunlight.
5. Step 5 : 3 days later, pour the mixture of water, alcohol and lemongrass separately. Using a blender, puree the body of the lemongrass, then put it back in the original jar, cover the lid and add another 3 weeks.
6. Step 6 : After 3 weeks, use a clean gauze or clean cloth to remove lemongrass. The residue is separated, the essential oil will be deposited and you have completed the distillation of pure lemongrass essential oil.

Note: essential oil should be stored in dark glass bottles and used gradually.