Essential Oil Spotlight: Grapefruit
Grapefruit is one of my favorite essential oils. From the moment I opened the bottle I fell in love. It has a citrus, floral scent and (to me) is at once calming and invigorating.
This oil is cold-pressed from the grapefruit peels. The main constituents are d-limonene and Myrcene. It is an antioxidant, astringent, and purifier.
This essential oil can be used in three ways: aromatically, topically, and internally. Aromatically is my go-to for this oil. I diffuse it with Patchouli, Clary Sage, and Ylang Ylang. It's a gorgeously hippie scent. I find that Grapefruit blends well with many oils. For more diffuser blend ideas you can go here >> http://bit.ly/jedbdiffuse. I'm always adding new blends that I discover through experimentation.
While this oil can be used topically please keep in mind that ALL citrus oils cause photo-sensitivity. This means that if you apply this oil to your skin and then expose that skin UV rays (whether the natural sun or artificial) it can cause severe burns. Different citrus oils cause varying degrees of photo-sensitivity but to be safe always give 12 hours post topical application before going in the sun (again, natural or artificial). That being said, this oil can be very purifying and can assist with blemishes. My recommendation would be to use this oil during a skin care routine at night so you are ready for the day in the morning. A great way to incorporate it into your skin care is to use one drop in your moisturizer or oil that you normally use.
Internally this oil can assist in a healthy metabolism. It is really easy to incorporate into a daily routine as well. I simply put one drop in my water (usually at least 16 ounces). Water and oil don't mix so to disperse the oil before I drink I do a quick shake of my bottle before I take a swig. You do want to be sure that you are using a glass or stainless steal bottle! Do not use plastic with essential oils as they can cause cheap plastics to leach and that's the last thing you want. {No thank you, toxins.}
Which way of incorporating this oil into your life is the most appealing to you?
