An orange tree with its incredibly fragrant fruits was noticed as early as the 4th century BC. It was introduced to Europe at the end of the 16th century. For a long time, Europeans watched under what conditions it is possible to get a larger number of ripe fruits and what factors negatively affect yield. The process of cultivation has begun. Now trees are growing on a large scale: they are planted with whole plantations.
Varieties of Orange Tree
Currently, several varieties of orange trees are known . The most popular among them is a sweet and bitter orange. Gorky has another name - orange. The citrus fruits of a bitter tree are unsuitable for food, but they produce more aromatic orange oil from them. The color of the resulting product can have different shades, ranging from dark yellow to dark brown.
Unlike the fruits of bitter orange, sweet citruses are eaten fresh, they get juice and canned. However, sweet orange oil has also found widespread use. Moreover, its content in the peel is much greater. For reference: to get 1 kg of orange oil, you need to take 50 kg of fresh peel of these fruits. The smell of the sweet orange essential oil is less bright, but the sweet and bitter fruit have a very close smell to the natural smell of the fruit. The color of the oil is mostly dark yellow.
The process of obtaining essential oil
Orange oil in the production is obtained during the process called "cold pressed". No less popular is the process in which there is a simultaneous production of orange juice and essential oil. In this case, the fruits pre-crushed in special machines are placed in centrifuges. During processing, there is a separation of solid substances (peel) and liquid substances (juice, pulp). Then from the peel get the essential oil of orange. Its properties are incredibly wide. However, the quality of the oil obtained in this way is slightly worse, but the amount significantly exceeds the volumes of the product obtained by cold pressing.
Learning oil at home
Despite the fact that at first glance obtaining an essential substance is a rather complicated and laborious process, in fact it can be prepared even at home. The end result is a great orange oil. Its use is possible for various purposes. How to get orange oil with your own hands?
For the manufacture of necessary:
- fresh, soft, thick orange peel;
- odorless vegetable oil (optionally sunflower, it can be olive, corn, cotton).
So, first you need to rinse the peel under a stream of hot water. Then cut it into small pieces and put in a glass bowl or jar. Pour the zest with vegetable oil with a layer of about 1 cm, close the lid and put in a dark place, for example, a kitchen cabinet. After three days, the resulting mass must be heated in a water bath for half an hour. Allow to cool and then squeeze the peel dry to get more orange oil.
During the manufacturing process, not a single chemical ingredient is added, only natural products are used, which means that you can not worry about the quality of the resulting essential oil. It is worth knowing that the product can be stored for no more than 10 days, so you should not cook it for the future.
Application area
Regardless of how the essential oil of orange is obtained, it can be used for various purposes. It has found wide application in cosmetic procedures: in the manufacture of masks, creams, scrubs, etc. To improve the taste in cooking, orange oil is added to the dishes. Its properties are very diverse, which is why it is also used for health purposes.
Properties of Orange Essential Oil
- It removes toxins from the body, helps with poisoning.
- Promotes the appearance of appetite and at the same time fights with overweight.
- Used in dentistry as an antiseptic, relieves gum inflammation.
- Lowers blood cholesterol, thereby reducing the likelihood of atherosclerosis.
- Relieves eye fatigue, helps restore visual acuity.
- It relieves feelings of anxiety and fear, helps fight depression and relieves tension.
- Helps to focus and focus on really important matters.
- An ideal helper in the fight against cellulite.
- It evens out the tone of the face, gives it a healthy look and helps get rid of age spots.
- Increases immunity.
- Cheers up.
This is just a small list of the healing properties that orange essential oil has. Its properties and applications are still being studied, so every year the list is supplemented.
In cosmetology
As mentioned earlier, orange oil is an indispensable tool in the arsenal of a woman in the struggle for beauty. It favorably affects the skin, hair and in general the condition of the female body.
Finding ready-made products with orange oil - shampoos, masks, creams - is quite difficult, since the shelf life of the essential substance is no more than 6 months. That is why to obtain a healing product, it is enough to add a few drops to your favorite cosmetic composition or to prepare the product yourself.
The most popular masks are those that do not require a lot of ingredients. So, for example, a fairly simple mask of fresh cucumbers and sour cream:
- for cooking, you need to mix the flesh of fresh cucumber with one tablespoon of fat sour cream, add 2-3 drops of orange oil. The mask is ready, apply to the face and leave for 10-15 minutes, then rinse with warm water.
Another “summer” mask based on strawberries:
- take 4-5 ripe strawberries, rub them into gruel. Add one teaspoon of cream and 2-3 drops of orange essential oil. Apply on face. Leave for 15-20 minutes.
There are many recipes that add not only orange oil, but also other essential substances. For example, chamomile, geranium, rosewood, sandalwood, tea tree oil, etc. The basis of the mask can be healing mud, blue or black cosmetic clay, egg yolk and much more.
Important! When drawing up the product, it is necessary to check whether its components do not cause allergies.
Masks for hands and hair
In order to tidy up the skin of the hands, give it softness and smoothness, it is not necessary to resort to the services of cosmetologists or use expensive creams. Daily care at home will help maintain excellent condition of the skin for many years. Perhaps the simplest mask is made on the basis of sour cream, in which you can drip geranium oil, chamomile, myrrh and orange oil.
For hair, it’s enough to add orange oil to the shampoo. It is not recommended to pour it immediately into the entire bottle, it is better to add a couple of drops immediately before use. The enriched product will give the hair smoothness and radiance, as well as help get rid of dandruff and brittle hair. All this is due to the fact that the composition contains orange oil . Useful properties accumulate, and with each application, the condition of the hair improves. This is just the smallest list of beauty recipes that use orange essential oil. Its use in cosmetics is very wide.
In aromatherapy
Due to the large number of useful and medicinal properties that orange oil possesses, its use for various inhalations has become a salvation for many people. Just 15 minutes of being in a room filled with citrus aroma helps to increase efficiency, surge of energy, relieve fatigue, a person has a feeling of happiness and joy.
Aromatic lamps with the addition of orange essential oil are very popular. In order for such procedures to bring only positive emotions, it is necessary to choose the right dosage. So, for a room of 16 square meters. Four drops of essential oil are enough. It can be used not only with the help of aroma lamps, it is enough to apply it on a clean cotton cloth and put, for example, on a heater. In this case, the room will also be filled with a stunning citrus scent.
It is very useful to take baths with the addition of the essential oil of this fruit. It is important to know that it cannot be used undiluted. As an emulsifier, milk, honey or sea salt may be suitable. Bath time should not exceed 15 minutes.
Fans of bathing procedures are also recommended to periodically use orange oil. Reviews after visiting such a bath are only the most pleasant! You should know and remember about the dosage: for 0.5 liters of water - 4 drops of the essential product. The time for visiting the steam room should not exceed 4-5 minutes.
In cooking
You can use orange oil not only for various masks, aroma procedures, but also for the preparation of various dishes and drinks. So, daily use of tea with the addition of one drop of oil helps to eliminate harmful toxins from the body, improve digestion, increase appetite.
On New Year's Eve, try adding 1 drop of the sweet orange essential substance to the champagne glass. The taste of the drink instantly changes, becomes more saturated, and the color is more golden!
Essential oil of orange, the properties and application of which are not fully understood even at the present time, is very popular due to the available beneficial qualities.
Contraindications
Like all products, the essential oil of these fruits also has its contraindications. The main one is the presence of an allergy to citrus fruits. It is also strictly forbidden to take oil to people suffering from gallstone disease. With caution, it should be used during pregnancy and lactation. Do not apply on exposed skin before going outdoors. Do not expose parts of the body to which it is applied to direct sunlight.
Test
And finally, we propose to pass a small test that will help determine what you really need at the moment.
Imagine two bright smells - the smell of lemon and the smell of orange. What flavor do you prefer at the moment? Both aromas are citrus, pleasant, but you only need to choose one.
Staying on lemon flavor? So, you are attracted to things that are not waiting for delay. Perhaps this is due to work or study, or maybe they are associated with new hobbies or hobbies. It’s not always enough strength for new things, but the aroma of lemon will help to restore and continue the activities begun!
For those who like the smell of orange, there is another explanation. Your body says that it is both physically and psychologically depleted. He needs a rest. It may not necessarily be a trip, just take some time personally for yourself. Stay alone in a room with a lit aroma lamp. Add a few drops of orange essential oil to it. Just stay alone with your thoughts, and then the fatigue will take off as you can. This method is also recommended for people who have experienced severe stress.