Lemon oil is a versatile product that you can use as a cleanser or skin care. You can easily make it at home using lemons, coconut oil, grapeseed or sweet almond oil, and a glass jar with an airtight lid. You can use the quick method and the stove or the cold brew technique which takes a couple of weeks in total. Once ready, you can use lemon oil to clean floors and kitchen counter, or you can add it to hot bath water or spray it on your face to nourish and soothe the skin.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Hot Infusion
Step 1. Wash and dry 5-6 lemons
Remove any adhesive labels and rinse them thoroughly. Scrub the lemons under cold water using a sponge or vegetable brush to remove dirt and pesticide residues. After washing them, dry them with a cloth or kitchen paper.
Washing lemons helps prevent pesticide residues from ending up in the oil
Step 2. Remove the zest from the lemons using a peeler or citrus grater
If you don't have one of these two tools, you can use a knife or a simple grater. Scrape the lemon zest with the potato peeler into long strips, then put them in a bowl and save them for later steps.
The yellow part of the rind is the one that contains the essential oil. It is not necessary to remove the white part of the zest as well
Step 3. Fill a pot of water halfway and put it on the stove
When the water boils, reduce the heat. The ideal would be to use a saucepan for cooking in a double boiler, but a normal saucepan can also work. Fill the pot halfway and heat the water over high heat. When it starts to boil, reduce the heat to low.
- If you are using a regular pot, leave enough space for the bowl when you add water.
- After reducing the heat to low, the water should stop boiling.
- It is important to set the burner to low to prevent lemon essential oil from reaching boiling point.
Step 4. Add 250ml coconut oil to the bowl with lemon zest
If you are using a saucepan for cooking in a double boiler, place the rinds and coconut oil in the top portion of the saucepan. Otherwise, make sure the bowl you select is the right size to rest on the pot.
If you prefer, you can use grapeseed or sweet almond oil instead of coconut oil
Step 5. Place the bowl on the pot and leave the peels to infuse for 2-3 hours
Place the bowl on the edge of the pot, over the boiling water. Make sure the oil never reaches boiling point.
- Wear a pair of oven mitts so you don't get burned.
- The low temperature allows the essential oil contained in the lemon peels to slowly mix with the coconut oil.
Step 6. Let the oil cool for 2-3 hours
Wear oven mitts to handle the hot bowl. Turn off the stove, lift the bowl, place it on a heat-resistant surface, and cover it with aluminum foil or cling film.
Wait for the oil to cool completely before continuing
Step 7. Strain the oil as you pour it into a jar
Use a colander or muslin cloth to strain the lemon oil and retain the rinds. If you've done the steps correctly, the lemon essential oil should have moved from the rinds to coconut oil (or whatever you used).
Use an airtight jar to extend the longevity of lemon oil
Step 8. Store the jar in a cool, dark place
Lemon oil should be stored away from light and heat. Place the jar in the refrigerator or pantry and use the lemon oil within 30 days.
Method 2 of 2: Cold Infusion
Step 1. Wash 5-6 lemons under cold water
Rinse the fruits under cold running water and scrub them with a sponge or vegetable brush. Remove any adhesive labels and dry the lemons with a cloth or kitchen paper.
Washing the lemons ensures that there are no impurities or pesticide residues that are harmful to health on the peel
Step 2. Remove the zest from the lemons
Use a knife, peeler, or citrus grater to remove the zest from the fruit. Make long strips and place them in an airtight jar.
- The yellow part of the rind is the only one that contains essential oils. It is not necessary to remove the white part as well.
- Use a half-liter jar.
Step 3. Add the oil until the rinds are completely submerged
Push the lemon rinds to the bottom of the jar and add about 250ml of coconut, grapeseed, or sweet almond oil. Keep pouring in the oil until the rinds are completely submerged. Then screw the lid tightly onto the jar and then shake it.
Step 4. Place the jar on a sunny window sill and shake it once a day for 2 weeks
Shake it daily to evenly distribute the rinds in the coconut, grapeseed, or sweet almond oil. The rinds will gradually release their essential oil which will diffuse into the carrier oil.
The heat from the sun will help the brewing process
Step 5. Filter the oil from the rinds
At the end of the infusion period, pour the oil into a tureen, filtering it with a colander or a muslin cloth. At this point, you can throw away the rinds.
Step 6. Store the oil in the dark, away from heat and use it within a month
Transfer it to an airtight jar and store it in the refrigerator or pantry. Now you can use it as a cleanser or to take care of your skin naturally.
