The essential facts
- Scientific name: Citrus sinensis
- Antioxidant – shown to inhibit growth of bad cells
- Antimicrobial – kills harmful bacteria
- Anti-inflammatory – stimulates blood flow
- Diminishes bad odour
- Reduces stress – lowers pulse rate
- Aromatherapy benefits that promotes sense of warmth and happiness
Happy, uplifted, and warm.
This is what I feel whenever I smell oranges. Its citrusy aroma instantly fills me with a bubbly joy as sweet as its scent. It’s not surprising that orange scent and flavours are a key ingredient in many foods and beverages. Something about the sweet citrusy smell of orange and its bright sunset hues brings out feelings of excitement, cheer, and energy. Why wouldn’t you want to include it in your product?
Made from the rind of the sweet orange, this oil has numerous medicinal and health-boosting properties that make it a great addition to your essential oil collection. Let me, Ollie, take you on a journey to discover this oil. Orange you glad you came here?
What is orange oil and how it is produced?
Extracted from the rind (peel) of the sweet orange, this fragrant oil is known for its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and aromatherapeutic properties. It is also a popular addition to cleaners, hand sanitizers, and skin care products. But that’s not all!
Like most essential oils, orange oil has a wide range of properties. One of its best attributes is that it combines beautifully with other popular essential oils such as Grapefruit, Cinnamon, and Patchouli Oil.
Whether you add a few drops in your diffuser to bring a burst of energy and harmony into your space or use it in cosmetic products, orange oil’s versatility will have you using it every day!
How is orange oil extracted?
Orange Oil is a cold-pressed oil like lemon oil. It is a by-product of the fruit juice industry. It is grown mainly in Brazil, China, Spain, and the USA. The oranges are procured by orange juice factories. The pulp is used to make orange juice. Guess what they do with the leftover orange rinds? Process them to get essential oils!
Most essential oils are extracted using the steam distillation method. But in the case of lemons and oranges, the peel is cold pressed to produce oil. This is because oil produced by cold pressing citrus fruit carries a scent that is much closer to the smell of the fruit peel. In this method, orange rinds are sent into a machine which pricks and crushes them to release the oil that is in the skin. Using centrifugal force, the oil is separated from the rinds and other impurities, and is collected for bottling. This is my way of ensuring that you get the best quality of oil through my expertise. Win-win for all!
Did you know? It takes at least 800 oranges to produce just one kilo of oil.
What are the benefits of cold-pressed oils?
- Environmentally friendly; no part of the fruit is wasted
- Purer and unaltered form of the oil is extracted
- Better preservation of natural antioxidants and aromas
I am committed to bringing to you the best quality essential oils. I source my oil from distillers and farms that produce top quality oils. Every bottle of Ollie’s essential oil undergoes stringent quality checks before it is sold to you. You can put your trust in me, Ollie tribe!
Benefits of orange oil
It is the presence of 3 compounds- limonene, myrcene, and alpha-pinene. These top 3 compounds are the basis for all the natural goodness within orange oil.
Benefits of limonene:
- Antioxidant
- Natural citrus scent
- Antimicrobial
- Anti-inflammatory
Benefits of myrcene:
- Stress relieving properties
- Mildly sedative
- Pain-relieving or analgesic properties
Benefits of alpha-pinene:
- Improves memory
- Reduces anxiety
- Antimicrobial
- Reduce inflammation
- Improves breathing
The scientific names listed are my way of showing you the specific benefits that lie in the chemical component of orange. Orange oil, though mild and sweet-smelling, really punches above its weight in terms of the benefits it offers. Now let me tell me what you can do with those benefits!
The Top 5 Benefits of orange oil
1) Antimicrobial , antifungal, and antibacterial properties
Orange Oil has been shown to rapidly stop the growth of the bacteria E. Coli and staph bacteria on tests done on lab cultures without harming healthy cells. It has also been shown to be effective against 8 types of common fungal infections such as nail fungus and athlete’s foot. Got a paper cut or your kid got a scraped knee? Dab the wound with a little orange oil diluted with water!
Add a drop or two to your hand sanitizer or body wash to enhance the antibacterial properties of these daily use items. You can also add orange oil to homemade DIY all-purpose cleaners to get rid of nasty germs from surfaces. The citrusy orange scent is a great bonus!
2) Antioxidant properties
There is a lot of research done on the antioxidant properties of orange oil. Antioxidants are shown to slow ageing, prevent cancers, and repair cell damage due to exposure to UV rays. Antioxidants also improve immune system function and protect you against infections. Use a little orange oil in your skin care routine or in your aromatherapy sessions to boost your health and give your skin that summer glow!
3) Natural insect repellent
Orange oil is nature’s insect repellent. It kills fleas, aphids, mites, fire ants, cockroaches, house crickets, paper wasps and some flies. Dilute a few drops of the oil in water and spray in areas that are prone to getting insects. You’ll see a rapid reduction in how many critters make their way into your home!
The limonene in orange oil is toxic to insects but perfectly safe for humans! Commercial insecticides have a lot of harmful chemicals that can cause respiratory issues and skin irritation when sprayed. But orange oil is perfectly safe to use around the house if you are looking for a natural bug killer.
4) Anxiety relief and stress buster
Anxiety and stress levels are rising fast among the general population. The world is becoming increasingly stressful, competitive, and confusing. Many of us are simply unable to cope with the demands of modern life. But anxiety and stress are as much physiological responses as they are psychological. A great way of reducing anxiety and stress levels are by targeting the physiological symptoms these bring such as irregular breathing, lack of sleep, and tense muscles.
Orange oil has sedative and deeply relaxing properties. There are so many ways to use orange oil to bring down stress levels that you can really be creative. Use it in diffuser form or maybe have a relaxing massage by adding it to your own blend of massage oils. Whichever way you choose to use orange oil for stress relief, you will definitely see an improvement!
5) Improve dental hygiene
Orange Oil’s antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties are a great antidote to bad breath, gingivitis, and mouth ulcers. Another surprising property to orange oil is its ability to whiten teeth. While it is not advisable to ingest essential oils, orange oil can be used in dental hygiene as long as you thoroughly rinse and gargle after using it!
Get gleaming white teeth and do away with bad breath with my recipe for a mouthwash below!
How to use orange oil?
Orange oil has a lot of benefits ranging from antiseptic to pest repellent properties. But more on that later. First it’s important to know how to use orange oil before you start using it.
Ollie Caution!
Always dilute your oils
You can dilute it using a carrier oil like jojoba or coconut oil. A super simple way of trying to measure essential oils while mixing them is to use a visual “drop method”, meaning just hold the essential oil bottle (that has a stopper on it) and let it “drop”.
A drop might be dependent on the viscosity of the oil and the dropper you are using (the one included in most standard essential oil packaging counts too), so use your discretion to see what might work for you. A good general rule of thumb is to use a 2% dilution.
For example, for adults who wish to use them on a regular basis, a good measurement would be 2-3 drops of essential oil in 2 tablespoons of carrier oil, depending on how you want to use it. If you’re using them on children, remember to scale down (perhaps 1 drop or lower to 1 tablespoon of carrier oil)!
DIY Orange Oil recipes
Alright, shall we get to the fun part? Let’s learn how to use it!
Natural Hand Sanitizer
With many stores running out of hand sanitizers or pricing them at exorbitant rates, making your own batch of natural hand sanitizer might be the best option. It is also the best way to control all the ingredients so you know exactly what is in there, plus it is all-natural! This recipe takes just 5 minutes to make and lasts at least 6 months.
Ingredients:
- 50 ml of 75% isopropyl alcohol
- 5 drops of Ollie’s Sweet Orange Oil
- 5 drops of Ollie’s Lemon Oil
- 5 drops of Ollie’s Australian Tea Tree Oil
- Distilled water
- Spray bottle or squeeze bottle
Instructions:
- In the spray/squeeze bottle, combine the 75% isopropyl alcohol with all essential oils.
- Close the bottle and shake vigorously for 20 seconds.
- Reopen the bottle and fill 1/4th of the bottle with distilled water. Shake vigorously.
- Always shake the bottle before applying so the essential oils mix properly.
While effective, this is not a substitute for hand washing, especially in these COVID times. So wash your hands when you can!
No time to make this sanitizer? Buy mine that has already been lovingly formulated!
Homemade DIY shower gel with orange oil
Store-bought shower gels often contain many preservatives and petroleum based by-products which can cause dry, itchy, and flaky skin. Since this is a product you might use every day, knowing what goes into it is really important. The best way to do this is by making your own at home.
Ingredients:
- 12 drops of Ollie’s Sweet Orange Oil
- 9 drops of Ollie’s Himalayan Lavender Oil
- 4 drops of Ollie’s Peppermint Oil
- ½ cup of shea butter
- 1 teaspoon almond oil (carrier oil)
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil (carrier oil)
- ½ cup castile soap
- 1 tablespoon aloe vera gel
- ½ cup warm water distilled water
Instructions:
- Over a double boiler, melt the shea butter then pour in the almond oil and coconut oil.
- Blend the shea butter and carrier oil mixture well.
- Pour the butter/oil mixture into a heat proof bowl and keep aside.
- To this butter/oil mixture, add the castile soap slowly and keep stirring.
- Mix the essential oils together in a separate bowl.
- To the essential oils mixture, add in the aloe vera gel and blend together.
- Add the essential oil and aloe vera gel blend to the soap mixture and mix thoroughly.
- Pour it into a dispenser and use within a few weeks.
This shower gel does not contain any preservatives, so make sure to use it within a few weeks. The combination of essential oils, shea butter, and carrier oils will leave your skin feeling clean and smooth.
Orange essential oil room spray
The scent of citrus is a great mood lifter and it also has the benefit of clearing away any unwanted smells. Spraying a room spray which contains orange oil will instantly make your surroundings feel fresher! Get rid of your chemical-laden room sprays and use this natural essential oil room spray instead!
Ingredients:
- 15 drops of Ollie’s Sweet Orange Oil
- 7 drops of Ollie’s Lemon Oil
- 5 drops of Ollie’s Nilgiri Eucalyptus Oil
- 3 tablespoons of alcohol
- 2 tablespoons of water
- Tinted glass bottle
Instructions:
- Combine the alcohol, water, and essential oils together.
- Fill it into the tinted glass bottle.
- Use it in a diffuser when needed.
- Always shake the bottle well before using to mix the oils together.
The essential oils in this spray have relaxing and stress relieving properties. Use this spray to bring in some calmness and harmony into your room. It would be a great compliment to your busy life!
Dishwasher detergent
Orange oil has great antimicrobial properties. But did you know that it also has degreasing properties? The limonene in orange oil is an effective degreaser and can help you remove stubborn stains, glue residues, and grease on dishes. Try out this all natural dishwasher which not only cleans your dishes but is also gentle on your hands.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 20 drops of Ollie’s Sweet Orange Oil
- 20 drops of Ollie’s Lemon Oil
- 100 ml white vinegar
- 3 cups distilled water
- 30 grams or 1 ounce of citric acid powder
- 60 grams or 2 ounces washing soda
Instructions:
- Mix the ingredients thoroughly until it’s all well blended.
- Store in a refrigerator to prevent it from going rancid.
- Use 1-2 tablespoons of this detergent per load in the dishwasher.
Orange and cardamom oil scented candle
The combined scents of orange and cardamom is warm, inviting, and invigorating. This candle is perfect for Christmas mornings and rainy days when you want to make your space all cosy… why not?
Ingredients:
- 450 grams of organic beeswax
- 25 drops of Ollie’s Sweet Orange Oil
- 20 drops of cardamom oil
- 2 tablespoons of jojoba oil
- Glass canning jar
- Candle wicks
- Foil-covered cookie sheets
- Wooden skewer
- Melting bowl for the beeswax and oils
Instructions:
- Coat the insides of your melting bowl with some jojoba oil.
- Melt the beeswax over a double boiler. You can chop up or grate your beeswax to enable faster melting.
- Place your wick at the bottom of your glass canning jar. Secure the wick using wick stickers or else it will move when hot wax is poured in.
- When the beeswax is melted and clear, remove it from the double boiler.
- Add in the jojoba oil to the melted beeswax and stir in using the wooden skewer.
- Add in your essential oils and mix in using the skewer.
- Remember to place your canning jar on top of the cookie sheets so cleaning up is easier if some wax falls out.
- Pour in the beeswax and essential oils mixture into your canning jar.
- Let it cool before using. You can trim the wick if it is too long.
This candle is also a wonderful gift to your loved ones. It will definitely bring positivity through fragrance into their homes when it’s lit.
The Takeaway
With its mood lifting warm scent, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties, sweet orange oil can be added to pretty much any product that uses these properties such as skin care products, household cleaners, sanitizers, air fresheners, candles, etc.
Add some summery cheer into your life today by ordering your bottle of Ollie’s Sweet Orange Oil from my online store I guarantee the best quality essential oils for my Ollie tribe and I hope you will come back for more once you try my oils!
Share your experience with me on social media! Tag me @ollie_oils on Instagram and @itsollie.oils on Facebook. Take care of yourself and stay citrusy bright!
Once you’re done mastering this oil, why not try out the rest of amazing oils we have? Shop now!
Have an Ollie good day!
