Lime essential oil and its use in cosmetics and skin care products

The astringent action of lime essential oil helps to increase and improve the tone of the skin and the anti-scorbutic properties help to detoxify and clear the skin of any accumulated waste material and especially for fighting cellulite.

Lime essential oil is used in the following of our products Cellumend Cellulite Cream

On this page

• Cosmetic use of lime essential oil
• General information on lime essential oil
• Main compounds found in lime essential oil
• Classification of lime essential oil in cosmetic use

Cosmetic use of lime essential oil

Its antiseptic and infection busting properties, coupled to the astringent effect that this oil has, makes it valuable in assisting with poor or compromised circulation and to clear oily skin, while fighting problem and acne skin in general.

It is also most helpful in areas where circulation is a problem, such is the case with cellulite.

The therapeutic properties of lime oil in skincare are anti-scorbutic, antiseptic, antiviral, disinfectant, bactericidal, astringent, restorative and tonic.

The oil is non-toxic, non-irritant and non-sensitizing and although the oil obtained from cold expression does not have any phototoxic effect on the skin, it is still not advisable to use strong concentrations of it on your skin before sunbathing.

Our inclusion rate of the oil is low enough not to cause any sunbathing problems and the oil we use is cold expressed oil. We do however suggest that any person with a problem or acne skin do not expose their skin to extended periods of sun tanning.

General information on lime essential oil

It is extracted from Citrus aurantifolia (also known as Citrus medica, subspecies acida and Citrus latifolia) of the Rutaceae family. It is also known as Mexican and West Indian lime, as well as sour lime and is used in specialized skincare products.

It has a sharp citrus peel smell and is pale yellow to light olive in color.

Main compounds found in lime essential oil

The main constituents of the oil are the following:

• Mono-terpenes
  • a-pinene
  • ß-pinene
  • sabinene
  • myrcene
  • limonene
  • terpinolene
• Saturated aldehydes
  • octanal
  • nonanal
  • decanal
  • endecanal
  • dodecanal
  • tridecanal
  • tetradecanal
  • pentadecanal
  • a-bergaptene
  • citral-neral
  • geranial
• Esters and monoterpene alcohols are also found.

Classification of lime essential oil in cosmetic use

Citrus aurantifolia oil is the volatile oil obtained from Citrus aurantifolia. It is classed as an essential oil. It is used as a fragrance ingredient and is known as cold pressed lime oil, as well as West Indian lime oil.

For clarification of the above, please click here.