The freshest of the citrus oils, with a slight bitter edge. Good both for morning diffusing and for body oils.
Where it comes from
Plant part used: peel. Extraction method: cold pressing. Typical origin: United States.
Cold pressing works without heat: the peel is squeezed mechanically. That is why the aroma stays so true to the fruit, and also why oils made this way contain compounds that make skin sensitive to sunlight.
What it smells like
Aroma notes: bright citrus with a faint bitter edge.
If you are meeting it for the first time, do not sniff straight into the bottle. Hold it a few centimetres from your nose and waft the aroma towards you — that way the stronger oils will not hit you, and you will pick up the finer notes too.
How people use it
- In the diffuser in the morning, with peppermint.
- Diluted into body oil.
- A few drops in the cleaning water.
- One drop in shower gel.
Recipes
The ratios are worked out, and one drop is roughly five hundredths of a millilitre. Where a companion oil is listed, feel free to swap it for whatever you have at home — the drop counts stay the same.
Palm blend for a deep breath
What you get: 5 ml, lasts a long time.
- Put fractionated coconut oil into a 5 ml bottle.
- Add 2 drops of Grapefruit and 1 drop of Lemon.
- Put a little in your palm and rub it in.
- Hold it in front of your face and take three slow, deep breaths with your eyes closed.
This is the quickest way for an aroma to actually reach you — diffusing is slow by comparison.
Morning shower drops
What you get: one shower.
- Put 3 drops of Grapefruit in the corner of the shower tray, away from the spray.
- Run the hot water and close the door or pull the curtain across.
- Breathe deeply while you shower.
Do not put it where you will stand: undiluted oil is not good for skin. It is the steam that carries the aroma, not the water.
Surface spray
What you get: 300 ml.
- Put 60 ml of vinegar into a 500 ml spray bottle.
- Add 20 drops of Grapefruit and swirl to combine.
- Top up with 250 ml of water.
- Shake before use, and wipe down the kitchen counter or the bathroom with it.
Do not use it on natural stone — marble or limestone — as vinegar etches it. There, use water and the oil only.
What to pair it with
These suit the same situations, so they sit well together in a blend:
- Lemon — shared topic: Energy and vitality
- Citrus Bliss — shared topic: Energy and vitality
- Citrus Bloom — shared topic: Energy and vitality
Safety and storage
May be phototoxic: avoid sunlight where you have applied it.
In dark glass, somewhere cool, tightly closed. Heat, light and air all age it: citrus oils keep for roughly one to two years, woods and resins for years. It does not need to go in the fridge, but the bathroom windowsill is the worst place for it.
Questions
How much should I use?
For adults, daily whole-body use usually works out at around two per cent: that is roughly twelve drops in thirty millilitres of carrier oil. For sensitive skin and for children, considerably less. The dilution helper on the home page works out the number of drops for your bottle.
What should I dilute it with?
Fractionated coconut oil is the easiest, because it stays liquid, has no scent of its own and does not go rancid. Sweet almond, jojoba and grapeseed oil are good choices too. Essential oil does not mix with water, so for a bath always disperse it in something fatty or in salt first.
What should I watch out for with this oil?
May be phototoxic: avoid sunlight where you have applied it.
How long does it keep?
In dark glass, somewhere cool, tightly closed. Heat, light and air all age it: citrus oils keep for roughly one to two years, woods and resins for years. It does not need to go in the fridge, but the bathroom windowsill is the worst place for it.
