Citronella - A Summer Essential Oil

Citronella has a strange aroma which means it is not everyone’s cup of tea, but it can be blended with other oil and has a vast range of uses, particularly during the summer months when the weather is warmer.

Fight the Bugs

One thing citronella is perfect for is repelling irritating insects. If you are someone who is prone to being bitten, then summer can seem like a real drag. Thankfully you can either use Citronella as an airborne repellant or as a skin based cream (just be sure not to let your pets like the cream as it might make them feel a bit sick). If you have an oil burner on a table in the garden, it will work to keep the local area clear of bugs. This is one place where a candle burner might be the better alternative as it is more portable than those requiring an electricity supply. It is also possible to get candles that have been treated with citronella and serve the same purpose. Try and get the burner lit before you and your guests actually want to sit out as it can take about half an hour for the remedy to get to work. Adding a couple of drops of citronella to a carrier oil is the most straightforward and most simple form of skin lotion, but of course, you could blend it with other moisturising creams and use other oils if you wanted a more sophisticated solution. 

Sports Massage 

The fact that citronella has anti-inflammatory properties gives it great benefit in the word of sports massage. It can be used again with carrier oils and rubbed into the affected area, which is great if you have been training hard or just had a competition day. It is also a natural analgesic should work to bring pain levels down as well.  

Athlete’s Foot

Citronella is also an excellent oil to use if you are suffering from athletes foot. This itchy and potentially painful condition is caused by a fungal infection, named because it was often found in people who wear trainers etc., that make the feet sweat more. Mixed into a base moisturising cream with tea tree and patchouli, the anti-fungal properties of this oil will be able to get to work on the infection and kill off the harmful bacteria causing it.

Stress Busting 

Finally, this is also an excellent oil to diffuse at times of stress. Again because the scent is not to everyone’s taste you might want to mix it with other stress-busting oils. Diffusing it in the room means that everyone gets the benefits, so whether it is exam season or the family is just undergoing a period of higher stress, this could be the perfect solution. As always remember to put the diffuser up high out of the way of small children and pets. Electric diffusers are still recommended for indoor use as they feature an automatic cut off when the oil and water run out.