Lately, we have been receiving several questions regarding our citrus essential oil. One such question was why our citrus oils don’t smell the same as others. The answer is that our citrus oils are all steam distilled instead of the commonly available cold-pressed citrus oil that everyone is familiar with. Why then did we choose steam distilled oil instead of cold-pressed? That is precisely what this post is meant to address. In the next few paragraphs, we will talk about the benefits of steam distilled citrus essential oils and hopefully clear up some of the questions and doubt that you may have about using steam distilled citrus essential oils.
Several methods can be used for producing essential oils. The most common method is, of course, steam distillation. With this method, steam is passed through the plant material/botanical to isolate the essential oils. Another common method is using a cold-pressed process. Essential oils like lime, lemon, orange, bergamot, grapefruit, etc. typically use the cold-pressed method.
While the scent of cold-pressed citrus essential oils usually stays true to the scent of the peel/fruit used, the oils produced via this method also tend to contain more of the phototoxic constituents. Phototoxicity causes the skin to be extra sensitive to sunlight. This results in cases of inflammation, blistering, reddening, and pigmentation of the skin. In severe cases, the effect on the skin can last for months! Because of this, we don’t recommend using cold-pressed citrus oil topically on your skin. Instead, this kind of essential oil should be used exclusively for inhalation and in wash-off products only. However, if you have smaller children at home, then steam-distilled citrus oil is a better choice for diffusing as it is safer for younger children.
When topical use is necessary, the best choice would be steam-distilled citrus essential oils. While the scent is a higher note and not as citrusy/sweet compared to its cold-pressed counterpart, it is not phototoxic and thus safe to be used on the skin. Here at Soap Cart, most of our citrus essential oils are steam-distilled, thus making it a better option should you wish to use it topically. Another added advantage is that it has a longer shelf life too, as cold-pressed essential oils tend to oxidize faster.
So now that you know about the benefits of steam distilled citrus essential oils, we hope you make the best of this knowledge to make a more informed decision on your citrus essential oils in the near future. Also, do check out our steam distilled citrus essential oils from the list below. And feel free to contact us in case of any further questions regarding this topic. :
