For every household cleaning products, shampoo or other health and skin treatments, there is a non-chemical, natural treatment available. Better yet, an at-home DIY that you can make as a replacement. It’s really just a matter of doing the research and taking the time out to make the change. You definitely won’t regret it in the long run. In my continued search to grow this amazing collection of natural ingredients and increase my holistic arsenal, I stumbled upon Tangerine essential oil.

Like most citrus oils, it’s a definite must-have for any hair, skin and cleaning product recipes that you wish to make. It’s not only a highly effective and potent natural oil, but also has a delightful odor that will leave your skin, hair and home smelling fresh for a while. So keep reading to find out more.

What Is Tangerine Essential Oil?

Essential oil in use.

The Tangerine is a fruit that is very similar to Mandarin and is a cousin (so to speak) of the Sweet Orange. It’s a slightly more acidic and bitter orange, but is nonetheless rich in Vitamin C, potassium, folate (essential for encouraging cell and tissue growth) and magnesium. It also contains a large quantity of d-limonene which is great for your skin and hair. 

Like most essential oils based on citrus fruits, the oil of the Tangerine is distilled from the skin, or rind of the fruit through a process known as steam distillation. There are other methods of extracting the essential oils from organic matter, but they generally make use of often toxic or harmful hydrogenated and petro-based chemicals that can remain in the finished product.

Benefits Of Tangerine Essential Oil For Hair And Hair Growth

Stimulate fuller hair growth.

Tangerine essential oil, along with most other citrus oils is a fantastic hair treatment. This is thanks to the high vitamin C, vitamin B,  potassium and magnesium content that is found within the oil. These vitamins and minerals are essential for maintaining good hair health, and nourishing strong follicles. The oil also penetrates deeply into your scalp, allowing the follicles to be nourished from within. This contrasts superficial treatments that wash out quickly or don’t have lasting effects. It’s great for conditioning and moisturizing the hair, as well as stimulating hair growth.

The oil stimulates hair growth by unclogging the pores in your scalp and stimulating the blood circulation. This means that more nutrients are able to reach the hair follicles. The d-limonene found in the oil also helps to prevent the buildup of a chemical known as 5 alpha-reductase. This chemical occurs commonly in men. The chemical blocks the pores of your scalp and stops the flow of nutrients and minerals from reaching your hair. This can lead to breakages (weaker hair) and eventually hair loss.

Benefits Of  Tangerine Essential Oil For Skin And Acne

Woman with clear skin.

Like most citrus oils, the strong antioxidant and antibacterial qualities contained in the phytochemicals of Tangerine oil help to remove any bacteria on the surface of your skin. This bacteria often worsens your acne or causes further inflammation and redness. Additionally, the oil helps to clean and treat a minor wound. The high folate content helps to stimulate tissue growth. This enables your wound to heal faster and better too, whilst keeping it free of infection.

Beyond that, the oil also acts as a natural skin toner and help to balance and reduce the excess sebum oil that is common to oily and combination skin types. This is also one of the main causes of blemishes on our face. Sebum generally tends to block up our pores, along with the dead skin cells that we shed on a daily basis. So by treating your skin, you can actively reduce the amount of blemishes and improve your complexion over time.

Benefits Of  Tangerine Essential Oil For Weight Loss And Cellulite

Is Tangerine Essential Oil Edible?

Woman holding tangerines.

The short answer to this question is yes – it most certainly is. In fact, the oil is very healthy for your body and is known to boost energy levels and strengthen your bodies natural immune system. So, it’s very handy to have around during the winter times and flu/cold season.

The oil can easily be added to a nice warm cup of tea (2-3 drops) or in a glass of warm water, as well as mixed into an oil extract (the DIY recipe I listed above). You can also add it to savory dishes or as a salad dressing. So it’s definitely worthwhile to keep some in your pantry for when you’re entertaining and want to add a slightly more exotic flavor to your dish or dessert.

Tangerine Essential Oil For Weight Loss

Healthy woman.

I’d like to stress that no single product alone can help you lose weight. By combining the use of essential oils, regular exercise and a well-balanced diet, you’ll be able to lose weight. That being said, Tangerine essential oil can help to increase your body’s metabolism which means you can burn excess fat cells before they become, well – excess! Reducing the amount of excess fat you have in your body will not only will you help to reduce your overall weight, but you’ll also lower your cholesterol levels. This means better heart health too!

Tangerine oil also helps to stimulate the digestive system. You’ll be able to process food quickly and efficiently as well as balance your stomach’s natural acids and digestive juices. Basically, you’ll feel less bloated and have less indigestion. Again though, this also depends on your diet. I recommend investigating the Paleo diet if you’re interested in losing weight fast – but there are a lot of different options out there, so be sure to do your research before embarking on your weight-loss journey.

Tangerine Essential Oil For Cellulite

Cellulite is basically the build-up of fat cells in the layer below the surface of your skin. As these fat cells gather over time, they disrupt the surface appearance of the skin and ultimately lead to the formation of the pattern we know as cellulite.

Tangerine oil happens to be one of these ingredients and can be combined with lavender, lemon, orange, almond or bergamot oil to increase the effects that it has on treating your cellulite and skin in general. When applied to your skin topically, the oil penetrates deeply to increase the flow of blood cells and nutrients to the area. This stimulates cell and tissue growth and regeneration, allowing your skin to slowly smooth out the bumps caused by cellulite. The oil also helps to break down the fat cells beneath the skin layer, thus increasing the smoothing process.

How To Make Your Own DIY Tangerine Essential Oil

Essential oils.

Making your own DIY oil extracts is a great way to increase your personal stash of oils. It’s also a fun way to experiment at home with a variety of different recipes and techniques before buying the essential oil. Any form of DIY work is very rewarding once you get it right, plus they’ll save you money. The recipe is very easy to follow and shouldn’t take you more than an afternoon to make. What you need:

• 4x tangerine (cleaned, dried and peeled)
  
• Large pan  
  
• Cup of carrier oil (Olive, Canola or Coconut)
  
• Glass jar, with a sealable lid
  
• Cheesecloth filter

Once you’ve peeled the Tangerines, crush them with either your hands or a roller pin. Put them in your oven at a very low heat for 2 hours. An hour after putting the rind pieces in the oven, place your pan on a stove plate and pour the oil into it. Bring the heat up and allow it to simmer while the rinds dry in the oven. Allow them to cool for 20 minutes, then add to oil on the stove.

Once you’ve added the rinds, lower the heat slightly and cover the pan. Allow the oil to continue simmering for at least 2 hours. After the time has passed, take the oil off the heat and let it cool shortly for about 5 minutes. Then filter the oil through the cheesecloth filter into a separate bowl. After that, decant the oil into the glass jar and add the rinds. At this point you can also add whichever essential oils you want into the jar.  It’s as easy as that!

Conclusion

It’s important for me to stress that Tangerine oil – as well as most other citrus oils – should not be applied to skin if you’re going to be in direct (or even artificial) contact with sunlight. These oils tend to increase the skin’s photosensitivity which makes it vulnerable to being burnt. Your skin can also become irritated or develop blisters when exposed to direct sunlight. So it’s best to stay in the shade after applying the oil rather than take the risk of being burnt.

Other than that, the oil is generally considered to be totally safe, non-toxic and a non-irritant to all skin types, so you have nothing to worry about. It’s a great way to rid your skin of free-radicals and other toxins, as well as keep your metabolism and immune system operating at maximum capacity. You can also use it as an extra boost to help you fight off an infection. I’d highly recommend adding this to your collection of essential oils and natural products, and if you’re new to the field – it’s a great oil to start with. It has a light, pleasant and accessible scent and can really lift your spirits. So don’t waste a drop!