What Is Lemon Grass Oil?
First and foremost, let’s discuss what lemon grass oil is. Derived from the lemon grass plant, it’s extracted with steam. Also known as Cymbopogon, oily heads, silky heads, and barbed wire grass, lemon grass serves many practical uses.
Lemon grass possesses a tart yet citrusy aroma. Often used in food and beverages, it brings a combination of floral and fruity flavour notes.
Lemon grass is quite often used in holistic medicine as well. When consumed, it’s known to reduce fever, improve blood flow, and treat skin infections.
Of course, if you’re reading this article, you know that it also has benefits for the skin. We’re going to discuss those in detail below.
The Benefits of Lemon Grass Essential Oil for the Skin
We’ve discussed what lemon grass is. Now, let’s dive into how exactly it benefits the skin. Some of the biggest skin-centred benefits of lemon grass essential oil include:
It Aids in Acne Prevention
Lemon grass is well-known for its antibacterial properties. These properties exist due to lemon grass’s high monoterpene content. The monoterpenes of neral and geranial exist in large amounts in lemon grass and serve to kill bacteria existing on the skin.
Because bacteria is one of the most common causes of acne, and because lemon grass kills bacteria, lemon grass essentially serves to prevent acne. Apply it to your face and body daily, and it will, at the very least, help to keep acne at bay.
It Reduces Skin Ageing
Over time, as it’s exposed to more and more UV light, the skin will show signs of progressive ageing. This presents itself as less skin elasticity, more skin blemishes, and less vibrant colour as well.
Fortunately, there is something that will reduce the ageing of the skin. It’s known as an anti-oxidant and it’s plentiful in lemon grass oil.
The high anti-oxidant content in lemon grass oil will create a barrier against external stressors. This will reduce the amount of wear and tear that those stressors put on the skin. So, in effect, by using lemon grass essential oil on a regular basis, you’ll reduce skin ageing.
It Shrinks Skin Pores
Another benefit of lemon grass essential oil is that it shrinks skin pores. By doing this, this oil helps stave off excess oil secretion and therefore assists in combatting oily skin.
Plus, smaller pores are generally more pleasing to the eye. So, in essence, lemon grass oil also facilitates a more aesthetically pleasing appearance.
It Cleanses the Skin
Lemon grass oil also serves as an excellent skin cleanser. It does a terrific job of clearing dirt from pores as well as from the surface areas of the skin. This is what makes it such a great acne prevention oil.
However, it doesn’t just prevent acne. It also provides the skin with a clear glow that allows for a vibrant and eye-catching look.
It Reduces Wrinkles
The last benefit of lemon grass oil that we’re going to discuss is its ability to reduce wrinkling. It does this by regulating the oil content on the skin. In doing so, this essential oil keeps the skin tight and prevents wrinkles from showing prematurely.
This and its many other skin benefits are exactly why you should add lemon grass oil to your daily skincare routine. It does everything you need a skincare product to do, with no harsh chemicals included.
How to Use Lemon Grass Essential Oil on the Skin
We’ve discussed the benefits of lemon grass essential oil for the skin. Now, let’s discuss how you use lemon grass oil on the skin.
On its own, lemon grass oil can be a little too strong for the skin. In fact, it alone might even induce inflammation.
This is why you need to dilute lemon grass oil with something else. This could be anything from a skin cleanser to skin toner to water or otherwise. Once you’ve done this, it should be safe to use.
That said, it’s generally wise to patch-test new substances before applying them to your skin over large areas. Patch-testing is the idea of applying a small amount of the substance to only a small portion of your skin. This way, if your skin has a bad reaction, only that small portion will be affected.
To patch test, find a portion of skin that’s on a discreet part of your body. For instance, you might choose your upper arm under your sleeve.
Once you’ve chosen your preferred portion of skin, cover it with a few drops of lemon grass oil. Then, put a bandage over the area and let it lie for a day or so. If no rashes or discomfort arise, the diluted lemon grass oil concoction should be adequate for further use.