There are several species of citrus trees that produce lime fruits. That includes the key lime (Citrus Aurantiifolia) and the Persian/Tahitian lime (Citrus Latifolia Tanaka) trees. They are grown year-round. Most species and hybrids have varying origins within the tropical pockets of Southeast Asia and South Asia. The lime was introduced throughout the world through migration and trade. The lime was one of the earliest citrus fruits that spread to other parts of the world around 3000 years ago. They also later spread into Middle East, and the Mediterranean region via the spice trade and the incense trade routes around 1200 years ago.
Although there are other citrus species that are referred to as limes, the Persian / Tahitian lime and the Key Lime are the most widely cultivated lime species commercially. These limes account for the largest share of the citrus fruits sold. Universally sold while still green, the fruit turns yellow as it ripens. The lime tree is a medium-sized lush, evergreen tree, grown on rootstocks. Lime trees produce the fruits in 3-month cycles; hence it is common to find its sharply scented flowers, buds, and mature fruit all on the same tree.
The juice of the lime is used extensively in the food and beverage industry for its refreshing and zesty flavor. In aromatherapy, the diluted lime oil has its uses in topical applications as well as when ingested. In natural perfumery, the lime oil is a top note in eau de colognes, chypres or florals. It was also used to treat scurvy among the British naval soldiers, later found out to be a result of their high vitamin-C content.
New Directions Aromatics carries many varieties of the Lime Essential Oil, which are:
Although their oil extraction methods and compositions may slightly vary, their uses are largely similar. Lime essential oils generally contain cleansing properties that help lighten and tighten the skin when applied in the diluted form. The lime essential oils also help add shine to the hair and balance the oil production on the scalp. In other uses, the sharp and bright scent of the oils helps lift your mood. Their purifying qualities also act as air fresheners and reduce unpleasant odors when diffused.
The Lime Essential Oil's active chemical components contribute to its reputed benefits of being invigorating, cleansing, and purifying oil. These constituents make it ideal for use in cosmetics, aromatherapy, massage, and home cleaning products to purify the air as well as surfaces. These healing benefits can be attributed to the oil's anti-inflammatory, astringent, analgesic, stimulant, antiseptic, soothing, energizing, and balancing activities, among other valuable properties.
The bright scent of the oil, similar to other citrus oils like orange and lemon, has an uplifting quality that helps alleviate stress and leaves you energized. Additionally, the Lime Essential Oil has cleansing properties that work as a surface cleaner and to remove grease spots, leaving behind a fresh, citrusy scent.
The Lime Essential Oil has a tart and sweet fragrance. In natural perfume, it adds an interesting crisp sweet citrus aroma without overpowering your senses and pairs well with other citrus oils when blended. Diluted cold-pressed Lime Essential Oil has many uses for the skin. The common chemical constituents in all the Lime Essential Oil variants include limonene, beta-pinene and y-terpinene, esters and citral (Neral & Geranial).
Beta-pinene is known to:
y-terpinene is known to:
Limonene is known to:
Esters are known to:
Citral is known to:
The Lime Essential Oil is commonly used in aromatherapy. Its health benefits, when added with other essential oil blends include lending a hand in maintaining healthy skin; it helps alleviate excess oil from the skin and improve the appearance of dark spots. It is zesty, refreshing, stimulating and known to hold cleansing properties. Like other citrus oils, the Lime Essential Oil's fresh and perky aroma helps in comforting and improving the mood. During the cold and flu season, this oil helps in bringing vitality. The citrus scent in the oil also works against mosquitoes and bugs and keeps them at bay. The pleasant and refreshing aroma has made it a popular essence in natural deodorants and perfumes, soaps, shampoos and conditioners, cosmetics and cleaning products.
Easy to care for, the lime tree is cheerful-looking and rather eye-catching with its lush and glossy foliage, white flowers and bright, hard-to-miss green lime fruits. Typically bearing fruits within a year of planting, the lime fruit production increases annually. Proper maintenance and care are key to supporting and encouraging the health of the plant/tree to ensure a productive citrus harvest. The key lime and the Persian/Tahitian lime trees are considered to be the best types of lime to cultivate as they are more cold-tolerant than other species. The lime tree is generally pest and disease-free. But the Persian/Tahitian lime tree bears larger, seedless fruits that have a less acidic flavor than the key lime.
The tree can be planted in any moist but well drained soil. It prefers a pH level that is neutral or slightly acidic, a sunny spot that is sheltered from the wind. If you live in an area that experiences frost, it is best to plant your tree in a large planter so that it may be transferred indoors during winter. Although it needs a moist soil to grow at its best, it does not like to have its roots sit in water. Therefore, the addition of sand or gravel to the planting pit or potting mix is essential. Trees that are planted into the ground will require regular watering over the first few months, just until the soil has settled into place around the roots. You can then slowly reduce the frequency of watering as the plant becomes more established.
Lime Essential Oils are extracted in many but similar ways. But different types of limes produce different types of essential oils, and here's how they differ from each other:
Persian / Tahitian Lime Essential Oil: Primarily used for citrus fruits like orange and lemon, the cold-pressing method of extraction is used where the Persian/Tahitian Essential Oil is obtained from tiny pockets in the peel or the rind. Cold-pressed lime oil expressed from volatile oil-producing sacs in the peel of mainly green, unripe fruits is extracted in two ways. One oil, used in the flavor industry, is separated and distilled for about ten hours containing essential oil and lime juice. The other, less commonly, is extracted directly from the lime peel prior to pressing which is then utilized in the fragrance world. Cold-pressed Lime (Persian/Tahitian) Essential Oil is a darker green to yellow liquid revealing a greener, lemon-lime odor with touches of pungency in its base.
Key Lime Essential Oil: Similar to the way essential oil is extracted from the Persian/Tahitian lime, the Key Lime Essential Oil is extracted through the cold-pressed method. The fruit peel of the key lime is the source for the essential oil. But the fragrance after producing the essential oil from the key lime is much stronger and juicier when compared to that of the Persian/Tahitian lime. The acid content is also more in the key lime. This is why the key lime is a more popular choice in the food and beverage industry. The expressed key lime essential oil is a clear to light yellow liquid.
Organic Lime Essential Oil: Steam Distillation is the most popular method used to extract and isolate organic essential oils from the peel of the limes for use in natural and organic products. Steam distillation involves steam vaporization of the (young limes) peels' volatile compounds that eventually go through a condensation and collection process. Here, steam is injected into the still that passes through the peel (containing the desired oils). The steam enables the peel to release its aromatic molecules, turning them into vapor. Once the vapor cools down into liquid form and collects in the still, the essential oil is extracted, which is a thin, colorless to pale yellow liquid.
Natural Blend Lime Essential Oil: Natural blends are oils obtained by blending natural isolates from various essential oils to achieve an economical product that resembles the fragrance of the pure essential oil. Natural Blends are all natural, and do not contain any synthetic ingredients or aromatic compounds, nor do they contain artificial flavors or colorants. They are suitable for all-natural product preparations and can be used to fragrance various cosmetic products. The Natural Blend Lime Essential Oil offers high quality yet inexpensive fragrance option that mimics the intricate aromas of pure essential oil.
The Lime Essential Oil adds a wonderfully zesty aromatic appeal to a natural perfumery or an aromatherapy blend and is a captivating essence in a citrusy fragrance. It is known to blend very well with some of the other citrus essential oils like bergamot, lemon, nutmeg, orange and so on. For more variety in blending, this essential oil also goes well with base note oils such as, cedar wood, geranium, grapefruit, lavender, mandarin, neroli, palmarosa, petitgrain, rose, rosemary, rosewood, vetiver, and ylang-ylang. Combine any of these essential oils together with the Lime Essential Oil for a riot of flavors and fragrances, and a fruity, energizing experience.
The Lime Essential Oil is great to add to your diffuser blends or when diffused alone. This essential oil is good to use during the cold and flu seasons, has many benefits for the skin and hair, can uplift your mood, can help you relax after a long day, and can purify the air.
One of the many cleansing antioxidants and constituents in the Lime Essential Oil is the limonene. When applied on the skin, the limonene in the oil supports easy absorption of nutrients, giving your skin a clean look and feel. The Lime Essential Oil also works on the appearance of acne, wrinkles, dark spots, and scars.
In face washes, diluted Lime Essential Oil can act as a tightening and toning astringent that reduces the amount of oil production. Used in hair products, diluted Lime Essential Oil eases the effects of dandruff and leaves hair shiny. To balance oil production on the scalp, Lime Essential Oil can be diluted with Apple Cider Vinegar and water to make a hair rinse. Alternatively, you can add 1 to 2 drops of the diluted Lime Essential Oil to your shampoo, massage into your scalp and wash off as usual. This leaves your hair looking glossy and scalp feeling clean and fresh.
You can make a quick and easy diffuser blend, to energize and help you focus, by adding 4 drops of grapefruit pink essential oil, 3 drops of Lime Essential Oil, and 1 drop of bergamot essential oil. Elevate your mood to beat the stress after a long day by diffusing together 3 drops of bergamot essential oil, 2 drops of Lime Essential Oil, 2 drops of lemon essential oil, and 2 drops of frankincense essential oil. To make your own air-freshening spray, you can make a special blend to help reduce stale air. To a cup of water, add 3 tablespoons of witch hazel essential oil, 5 drops of orange essential oil, 5 drops of lemon essential oil, 5 drops of lime essential oil, 5 drops of grapefruit essential oil. Mix well in a spray bottle, mist around the room and say goodbye to unpleasant odors.
You can also make DIY scrubs for cleaning sinks, bathtubs, showers, and other surfaces. Simply mix ¼ cup of liquid dish wash soap with 1 cup of baking soda, and add 10 drops of Lime Essential Oil, 10 drops of grapefruit essential oil. You can also concoct your own simple mixture of essential oils to make a spray to ward off mosquitoes and other bothersome bugs. To 2 cups of witch hazel essential oil, add 5 drops of diluted Lime Essential Oil, 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin, 20 drops of citronella essential oil, and 20 drops of lemongrass essential oil. Suitable for most skin types except extra-sensitive skin, this light-textured bug repellent leaves your skin feeling fresh and clean, with a lingering citrusy aroma that keeps away pesky insects.
| VARIETY, BOTANICAL NAME & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN | EXTRACTION METHOD, PLANT PART, COLOR, MAIN CONSTITUENTS | AROMATIC CHARACTER & OTHER ESSENTIAL OILS TO BLENDS WITH | REPUTED AROMATHERAPY & COSMETIC BENEFITS |
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Persian / Tahitian Lime Essential Oil (Citrus latifolia Tanaka) Brazil |
Cold-pressed Fruit Peel A thin, clear, yellowish green to greenish brown liquid Limonene |
Citrusy top note with medium-strength aroma. Blends with: Bergamot, Cedarwood, Geranium, Grapefruit, Lavender, Lemon, Mandarinss, Neroli, Nutmeg, Orange, Palmarosa, Petitgrain, Rose, Rosemary, Rosewood, Vetiver, Ylang-ylang |
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Key Lime Essential Oil (Citrus aurantifolia) Peru |
Cold-pressed Fruit Peel A clear to light yellow liquid Limonene |
Citrusy top note with medium-strength aroma. Blends with: Bergamot, Cedarwood, Geranium, Grapefruit, Lavender, Lemon, Mandarinss, Neroli, Nutmeg, Orange, Palmarosa, Petitgrain, Rose, Rosemary, Rosewood, Vetiver, Ylang-ylang |
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Organic Lime Essential Oil (Citrus aurantifolia) Sri Lanka |
Steam distilled Peel of young limes A thin, colorless to pale yellow liquid Limonene |
Citrusy top note with medium-strength aroma. Blends with: Allspice, Bay, Bergamot, Cedarwood, Cinnamon Bark, Clove Bud, Ginger, Grapefruit, Lavender, Melissa, Neroli, Petitgrain |
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Natural Blend Lime Essential Oil (Citrus aurantifolia) Italy |
Cold-pressed Fruit Peel A thin, clear, pale yellow to yellowish green liquid Limonene |
Citrusy top note with medium-strength aroma. Blends with: Bergamot, Cedarwood, Geranium, Grapefruit, Lavender, Lemon, Mandarinss, Neroli, Nutmeg, Orange, Palmarosa, Petitgrain, Rose, Rosemary, Rosewood, Vetiver, Ylang-ylang |
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As with all NDA products, the essential oils mentioned in this article are for external use only. Due to the highly concentrated nature of essential oils, they must be diluted with a carrier oil prior to topical use. We recommend consulting a medical practitioner prior to using any essential oil for therapeutic purposes, particularly for those who are pregnant, nursing, or who have a pre-existing medical condition.
Lime essential oil may contain phototoxic properties and it is suggested to avoid exposure to the sun after topical application. Make sure to dilute well before use. It is meant for external use only. To minimize the risk of experiencing an adverse reaction, we recommend performing a skin patch test prior to use. The test can be performed by applying a dime-sized amount of Lime Essential Oil to a small area of skin that is not known to be sensitive. Avoid contact with eyes. In the event of an adverse reaction, immediately discontinue use of the product and see a medical healthcare professional for appropriate remedial action.
Essential oils must not be used near the eyes, inner nose, ears or on any areas of the skin that are known to be sensitive. They should always be stored in an area that is inaccessible to children, particularly those under the age of 7.