The orange tree, with its incredibly fragrant fruits, was seen as early as the 4th century BC. It was brought to Europe at the end of the 16th century. For a long time, Europeans have been watching under what conditions it is possible to get more ripe fruit and what factors negatively affect yields. The process of cultivation has begun. Now the cultivation of trees is taking place on a large scale: they are planted in whole plantations.
Orange tree varieties
Currently, several varieties of orange trees are known. The most popular among them are sweet and bitter orange. Gorky has another name - orange. The citrus fruits of the bitter tree are unsuitable for food, but they produce a more fragrant orange oil. The color of the resulting product may vary from dark yellow to dark brown.
Unlike bitter orange fruits, sweet citrus fruits are eaten fresh, juice is obtained from them, canned. However, sweet orange oil has also found wide application. Moreover, its content in the peel is much greater. For reference: to get 1 kgorange oil, you need to take 50 kg of fresh peel of these fruits. The smell of sweet orange essential oil is less intense, but in both sweet and bitter fruit it is very close to the natural smell of the fruit. The color of the oil is mostly dark yellow.
The process of obtaining essential oil
Orange oil is obtained in production during a process called "cold pressing". No less popular is the process in which orange juice and essential oil are simultaneously obtained. In this case, fruits pre-crushed in special machines are placed in centrifuges. During processing, the separation of solid substances (peel) and liquid substance (juice, pulp) takes place. After that, orange essential oil is obtained from the peel. Its properties are incredibly wide. However, the quality of the oil obtained in this way is somewhat worse, but the quantity significantly exceeds the volume of the product obtained by cold pressing.
Teaching oil at home
Despite the fact that at first glance, obtaining an essential substance is a rather complicated and time-consuming process, in fact, it can be prepared even at home. The end result is an excellent orange oil. It can be used for various purposes. How to make your own orange oil?
Required for production:
- fresh, soft, thick orange peel;
- odorless vegetable oil (not necessarily sunflower, it can be olive, corn, cottonseed).
So, first you need to rinsepeel under running hot water. Then cut it into small pieces and put in a glass bowl or jar. Pour the zest with vegetable oil in a layer of about 1 cm, close the lid and put it in a dark place, such as 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 for more orange oil.
No chemical ingredients are added during the manufacturing process, 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 future use.
Scope of application
Regardless of how orange essential oil 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 dishes. Its properties are very diverse, which is why it is also used for he alth purposes.
Properties of orange essential oil
- Removes toxins from the body, helps with poisoning.
- Promotes appetite while fighting overweight.
- Used in dentistry as an antiseptic, relieves inflammation of the gums.
- Reduces the level of cholesterol in the blood, thereby reducing the likelihood of atherosclerosis.
- Relieves eye fatigue, helps restore visual acuity.
- Relieves feelings of anxiety and fear, helps fight depression and relieves tension.
- Helps you focus and focus on things that really matter.
- The perfect helper in the fight against cellulite.
- Evens the tone of the face, gives it a he althy look and helps get rid of age spots.
- Increases immunity.
- Uplifting.
This is just a small list of medicinal properties that orange essential oil has. Its properties and application are still being studied, so the list is supplemented every year.
In cosmetology
As mentioned earlier, orange oil is an indispensable assistant in a woman's arsenal in the struggle for beauty. It has a beneficial effect on the skin, hair and the general condition of the female body.
Finding ready-made products containing 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 get a healing product, it is enough to add a few drops to your favorite cosmetic composition or prepare the product yourself.
The most popular masks are those that do not require a lot of ingredients. So, for example, a rather simple mask of fresh cucumbers and sour cream:
for cooking, you need to mix the pulp of fresh cucumber with one tablespoon of fat sour cream, add2-3 drops of orange oil. The mask is ready, apply on the face and leave for 10-15 minutes, then rinse with warm water
Another "summer" mask based on strawberries:
take 4-5 ripe strawberries, grind them into mush. Add one teaspoon of cream and 2-3 drops of orange essential oil. We put on the face. Leave for 15-20 minutes
There are a lot of recipes that add not only orange oil, but also other essential substances. For example, chamomile, geranium, rosewood, sandalwood, tea tree, etc. The basis of the mask can be therapeutic mud, blue or black cosmetic clay, egg yolk and more.
Important! When compiling the product, it is necessary to check whether its components cause allergies.
Masks for hands and hair
In order to tidy up the skin of the hands, give it tenderness and smoothness, it is not necessary to resort to the services of cosmetologists or use expensive creams. Daily care at home will help maintain the excellent condition of the skin of the hands for many years. Perhaps the simplest mask is made on the basis of sour cream, into which you can drop geranium, chamomile, myrrh and orange oil.
For hair, just add orange oil to shampoo. It is not recommended to pour it into the entire bottle at once, it is better to add a couple of drops immediately before use. Enriched product will give hair smoothness and shine, and also help get rid of dandruff and brittle hair. All this is due to the fact thatcontains orange oil. The beneficial 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 healing properties that orange oil has, its use for various kinds of inhalations has become a salvation for many people. Just 15 minutes of being in a room filled with citrus aroma helps to increase efficiency, increase strength, 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 measuring 16 square meters. m enough four drops of essential oil. It can be used not only with aroma lamps, it is enough to apply it on a clean cotton cloth and put it, for example, on a heater. In this case, the room will also be filled with an amazing 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. Milk, honey or sea s alt can be used as an emulsifier. Bath time should not exceed 15 minutes.
Bath lovers are also recommended to periodically use orange oil. Feedback aftervisiting such a bath is only the most pleasant! You should know and remember about the dosage: for 0.5 liters of water - 4 drops of an essential product. The time of visiting the steam room should not exceed 4-5 minutes.
Cooking
Orange oil can be used not only for various masks, aromatherapy procedures, but also for preparing various dishes and drinks. So, daily consumption of tea with the addition of one drop of oil helps to remove harmful toxins from the body, improve digestion, and increase appetite.
On New Year's Eve, try adding 1 drop of sweet orange essential oil to your champagne glass. The taste of the drink will instantly change, become more saturated, and the color more golden!
Essential oil of orange, the properties and use of which are not fully understood even at the present time, is very popular due to its beneficial qualities.
Contraindications
As with all products, the essential oil of these fruits also has its own contraindications for use. The main one is an allergy to citrus fruits. It is also strictly forbidden to take oil to people suffering from cholelithiasis. It should be used with caution during pregnancy and lactation. Do not apply to exposed skin before going outside. Do not expose body parts to which it is applied to direct sunlight.
Test
And finally, we offer you to take a small test that will help determine what you really need at the moment.
Imagine twobright smells - the smell of lemon and the smell of orange. What fragrance do you prefer at the moment? Both scents are citrus, pleasant, but you only need to choose one.
Stopped on lemon flavor? So, you are attracted by things that do not wait for delay. Perhaps this is due to work or study, or maybe they are associated with new hobbies or hobbies. There is not always enough strength for new things, but the aroma of lemon will help restore and continue the activities started!
For those who liked the smell of orange, there is another explanation. Your body says that it is both physically and psychologically exhausted. He is in dire need of rest. It doesn't have to be a trip, just take some time for yourself. Stay alone in a room with a lit aroma lamp. Add a few drops of orange essential oil to it. Just be alone with your thoughts, and then fatigue will disappear as if by hand. This method is also recommended for people who have experienced a lot of stress.
