Guide to essential oils

Essential oil of Citronella

Soothing, Citronella essential oil is traditionally recommended for preparing massage oils for joint health. Citronella essential oil is also known for calming insect bites. When diffused in a room, Citronella essential oil purifies the air with its cleansing effects.

How to use

  • Skin application and massage

    Skin application and massage

    Appropriate

  • Cosmetic active ingredient

    Cosmetic active ingredient

    Appropriate

  • Diffusion

    Diffusion

    Suitable

  • Food grade

    Food grade

    Suitable

  • Aromatherapy bath

    Aromatherapy bath

    Possible but not recommended

Features

Properties and uses

Precautions

Find out more

Features

Production process

Complete steam distillation

Part of the plant used

Aerial parts

Botanical name

Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt

Warning

The properties, information and methods of use below are quotes from reference books or websites on aromatherapy, hydrolatherapy and phytotherapy. This general information is provided for informative purposes only and in no way constitutes medical guidance. Under no circumstances can this information be used as a substitute for a medical diagnosis, consultation or follow-up, nor can it incur our liability. We recommend that you consult the guide to essential oils before using them, so that you are aware of any precautions that need to be taken. If in doubt, consult a doctor before using essential oils.

Properties and uses

Citronella essential oil is traditionally used for: Osteoarthritis, arthritis, rheumatism, insect and animal bites and insect repellents.

Health

Beauty

Find out more

Properties

Citronella essential oil is renowned for the following health benefits:

  • Rich in powerful transdermalanti-inflammatory active ingredients

  • Repels mosquitoes

  • Antifungal

  • Deodorant and atmospheric antiseptic

  • Moderately anti-bacterial

Uses

It is traditionally used to improve the following conditions:

  • Rheumatism, arthritis, tendonitis

  • Presence of mosquitoes (preventative) and mosquito bites (curative)

  • Excessive perspiration

  • Air purification

Synergies

  • Peaceful summer evenings: Cedar, Geranium essential oils, etc.

  • Soothing insect bites: Spike lavender, Peppermint essential oils, etc.

  • Joint health: Lemon eucalyptus, American wintergreen, Juniper essential oils, etc.

In practice

Peaceful summer evenings: For air diffusion.


Peaceful summer evenings: Mix into your oil blend. Apply the mixture locally to the affected areas.

Soothing: :Mix into your oil blend. Apply your blend locally to the affected area.


Precautions

  • Do not use during the first 3 months of pregnancy.

  • May cause skin irritation; always use diluted on the skin.

  • Keep out of reach of children.

  • Avoid contact with the eyes.

  • Some natural compounds in this essential oil may present an allergy risk for sensitive individuals when the oil is incorporated into a cosmetic composition (in accordance with the 7th Amendment to the European Cosmetics Directive (2003/15/EC)): geraniol, citronnellol, limonene, eugenol, linalool, citral (geranial and neral).

  • As a general rule, always perform a patch test of your formulation in the crease of your elbow at least 48 hours before use.

Find out more

Java citronella is a tropical botanical plant native to southern India, belonging to the Poaceae family. Also known as Indian verbena or lemon grass, its stems and leaves have remarkable aromatic qualities. Widely used in cooking, the fresh stems sliced into rounds are a traditional ingredient in Southeast Asia, adding a lemony flavour to dishes. In Morocco, it is used to flavour green mint tea.

Equivalents

Essential Oils

1 ml = approximately 35 drops (with our Aroma-Zone dropper caps)

Carrier oils

1 pump (Aroma-Zone aluminium pump) = approx. 0.15 ml

Mass / Volume conversion (for a liquid)

Mass (g) = Density x Volume (ml) at 20°C

Further information

1 full teaspoon = between 3 and 4.5 ml

1 full tablespoon = between 7.5 and 10 ml


However, these spoon ratios depend on a number of factors (e.g. viscosity of the liquid, temperature, depth and size of the spoon, rheological behaviour of the liquid), and we strongly advise you to use precise measuring equipment, such as graduated test tubes, graduated pipettes, and precision scales.

Aromatherapy recipes from the bibliography

EO = Essential Oil VO = Carrier Oil or Macerated Oil

Wok duck fillet with lemongrass and basil (N. Le Foll and B. Da Costa)

Kitchen

Serves 4 - Preparation: 30 min - Cooking time: 15 min

  • 2 duck fillets

  • 1 Victoria pineapple or ½ pineapple

  • 300 g sugar snap peas

  • 2 red onions

  • 1 garlic clove

  • 1 piece of fresh ginger

  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil

  • salt and freshly ground pepper

  • Lemongrass essential oil: 1 drop

  • Basil essential oil: 1 drop

Directions: Slice the duck fillets into 1cm thick strips. Peel and chop the pineapple into pieces. Trim the sugar snap peas, blanch them in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, then drain. Peel and finely chop the garlic and onions. Peel and grate the ginger. Heat a wok or frying pan, pour in the olive oil and, when hot, sauté the onions, garlic and ginger for 3–4 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Add the duck strips and sear them over high heat for 2 minutes, then add the pineapple and the sugar snap peas, followed by the essential oils. Season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking for a further 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve immediately.

Rice and prawn salad with mandarin flavours (N. Le Foll and B. Da Costa)

Kitchen

Serves 4 - Preparation: 20 min - Cooking time: 10 min - Resting time: 30 min

  • 200 g basmati rice

  • 100 g cooked and peeled prawns

  • 200 g squid

  • 200 g shelled peas

  • 2 small, firm courgettes

  • juice of 1 lime

  • 250 ml coconut lotion

  • 1 tbsp mustard

  • salt and freshly ground pepper

  • Citronella essential oil: 1 drop

  • Mandarin essential oil: 5 drops

Directions: Wash the squid. Slice into rings and steam for 4 minutes. Wash the rice in cold water, place it in a pan of cold water and bring gently to the boil. Add the citronella essential oil and a pinch of salt, then add the salt to the water and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the peas and cook for a further 5 minutes. Check the tenderness of the rice and drain. Brush the courgettes under cold running water and cut them into small cubes. In a salad bowl, mix together the mustard, lime juice, mandarin essential oil, coconut lotion, salt and pepper. Add the rice, prawns, squid and raw courgettes. Mix well and leave to rest for at least 30 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times.

Thai-style mussel soup (N. Le Foll and B. Da Costa)

Kitchen

Serves 4 - Preparation: 20 min - Cooking time: 6 min

  • 1.5 kg of bouchot mussels

  • 1 large, just ripened mango (still quite firm)

  • 1 tomato

  • 1 red onion

  • 150 ml coconut lotion

  • 1 tablespoon of oil

  • Lemongrass essential oil: 1 drop

  • Basil essential oil: 1 drop

Directions: Wash, scrape and trim the mussels. Peel and dice the mango. Scald the tomato, cool it under running water, peel and deseed it. Peel and chop the onion. In a large saucepan, lightly brown the onion in the oil, add the mango, tomato pulp and lemongrass essential oil, stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the drained mussels, cover and cook on high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, shaking the pan regularly until the mussels open. Add the coconut lotion and basil essential oil, stir and wait 2 minutes before serving.

Avocado and crab mousse (N. Le Foll and B. Da Costa)

Kitchen

Serves 4 - Preparation time: 15 min

  • 2 large avocados or 4 small, ripe ones

  • 150 g of crab meat

  • 2 of tablespoons crème fraîche or coconut lotion

  • 1 spring onion

  • 1 small piece of fresh ginger

  • 2 limes

  • salt and freshly ground pepper

  • Lemongrass essential oil: 1 drop

Directions: Juice the limes. Peel and grate the ginger. If using canned crab, drain it and shred the meat with a fork. Mix the crab with half of the lime juice, crème fraîche or coconut lotion and season with salt and pepper. Peel and chop the spring onion. Peel the avocados and mix them with the grated ginger, then add the chopped spring onion, citronella essential oil and the remaining lime juice. Season with salt. Divide the avocado mousse into serving bowls and arrange the crabmeat on top. Serve immediately.

Grapefruit and coconut lotionshake (N. Le Foll and B. Da Costa)

Kitchen

  • ½ cucumber

  • 1 grapefruit

  • 150 ml coconut lotion

  • citronella essential oil: 1 drop

  • Basil essential oil: 1 drop

Directions: Blend the ½ cucumber, the grapefruit juice and the coconut lotion previously mixed with the essential oils, together with 2 or 3 ice cubes.

Sautéed chicken with tomato, vanilla and citronella (N. Le Foll and B. Da Costa)

Kitchen

Serves 4 - Preparation: 15 minutes - Cooking time: 40 minutes

  • 1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces

  • 3 shallots

  • 400 g of tomato pulp

  • 50 g of pine nuts

  • 1 teaspoon of honey

  • 1 teaspoon of soy sauce

  • 3 tablespoons of olive oil

  • salt, freshly ground pepper

  • 3 drops of vanilla extract

  • 1 drop of citronella essential oil

Directions: Remove the skin from the chicken pieces. Peel the shallots and brown them in olive oil, then add the chicken pieces and turn them over to sear on both sides. Add the tomato pulp, honey (with the essential oils mixed in) and soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the pine nuts and stir. Serve with steamed potatoes or boiled green cabbage with a knob of fresh butter.

Tahitian-style fish (mariefrance.fr)

Kitchen

Serves 4:

  • 600 g mixed fish fillets (sea bream, hake, halibut, etc.)

  • 2 limes

  • 2 spring onions (scallions)

  • 1 small green chilli

  • 4 tablespoons of coconut lotion

  • 2 drops of ginger essential oil

  • 1 drop of citronella essential oil

  • salt and pepper

Preparation: Cut the fish fillets into very small cubes and place them in a bowl. Squeeze the limes and add the juice. Clean the spring onions and slice them very thinly. Rinse the green chilli, remove the seeds and slice it into thin rings. Add everything to the bowl and mix well. Pour the coconut lotion into a separate bowl and add the ginger and citronella essential oils. Season with salt and pepper and whisk with a fork to combine the flavours. Pour this mixture into the bowl with the fish and mix thoroughly.

Let it rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving, accompanied by raw vegetable sticks (carrots, cucumber…) drizzled with lime juice. Tip: The acidity of the lime 'cooks' the fish cubes. The longer you let the dish marinate, the less raw the fish will be and the more flavourful it will become…

Bibliography

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Dominique Baudoux

2

Aromatherapy

Dr Jean Valnet - Éditions Maloine

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4

'La Bible de l'aromathérapie'

Nerys Purchon

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"ABC des huiles essentielles"

Dr Telphon

6

Aromatherapy

Nelly Grosjean

7

Les huiles essentielles pour votre santé

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8

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Aroma-News newsletters

NARD Association

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Aromatherapy: Healing with Essential Oils

Dominique Baudoux - Editions Amyris

11

30 essential oils

Dr Jean-Pierre Willem

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Plants, Oils and Beauty Fragrances - Secrets and Recipes

Marie-Françoise Delarozière and Raymonde Treirweiler

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Aroma Famille

Dr Jean-Pierre Willem

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Aroma Stress

Dr Jean-Pierre Willem

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Aroma Minceur

Dr Jean-Pierre Willem

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Les huiles essentielles et les soins de la peau

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Josephine Fairley

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Traité de phytothérapie et d'aromathérapie - Tome 2 maladies infectieuses

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Dominique Baudoux and Dr Abdesselam Zhiri - Editions Amyris

20

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Dominique Baudoux and Dr Abdesselam Zhiri

21

Phytothérapie et aromathérapie - Comment soigner les maladies infectieuses par les plantes

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22

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Dominique Baudoux

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24

La cuisine aux huiles essentielles - Des recettes saines et créatives

Aymeric Pataud

25

Cuisiner avec les huiles essentielles et les eaux florales

Emmanuel and Valérie Cupillard

26

Saveurs et bien-être - la cuisine aux huiles essentielles

Nathalie Le Foll and Beatriz Da Costa

27

http://www.mariefrance.fr/cuisine/un-produit-une-recette/poisson-la-tahitienne-46609.html