Lemon Oil: Scent, Origin, Uses & Blends

Few scents feel as bright and friendly as lemon. Lemon essential oil – Zitronenöl in German – is an all-rounder for room scenting and your own blends. Here you will learn how lemon oil is made, what it smells like, how to use it, what it blends well with and what to watch out for.

What is lemon oil?

Lemon essential oil comes from the peel of the lemon (Citrus limon). Unlike most essential oils it is not distilled but cold-pressed: the oil glands in the peel are pressed mechanically and the oil is then separated from the juice. This preserves its fresh, fruity character. One litre of oil takes the peel of several thousand lemons.

Our lemon oil comes from Italy – the Mediterranean, and Sicily in particular, has long been one of the most important growing regions for citrus oils.

Don’t confuse it with lemongrass oil or lemon eucalyptus oil: they also smell lemony but come from entirely different plants. We explain the differences below.

What does lemon oil smell like?

Lemon oil smells fresh, zesty, fruity and slightly sweet – just like freshly grated lemon zest. It is a typical top note: the scent is there immediately but fades relatively quickly. In blends, lemon adds brightness and lightness.

Ideas for using lemon oil

• In a diffuser: 4–6 drops in 150–200 ml of water – popular in the office, home office or kitchen. More in our diffuser guide.
• In an oil burner: 3–5 drops in the water bowl.
• In a room spray: 15 drops in 100 ml of water with a little high-proof alcohol – recipes in DIY room sprays.
• In DIY cleaners: as a fresh scent note – see DIY cleaning products with essential oils.
• In a sauna infusion: 2–3 drops per litre of infusion water, ideally with eucalyptus or Swiss stone pine. Tips in our sauna guide.
• As a car or textile scent: 1–2 drops on scented wood or an aroma stone.

Blends with lemon oil

Lemon goes with almost everything – three diffuser recipes (each for 150–200 ml of water):

• Clear head at the desk: 3 drops lemon oil, 2 drops rosemary oil, 1 drop peppermint oil.
• Sunday morning: 3 drops lemon oil, 2 drops lavender oil, 1 drop sweet orange oil – soft, bright and friendly.
• Forest freshness: 2 drops lemon oil, 2 drops Swiss stone pine oil, 2 drops eucalyptus oil.

You will find lemon ready-blended in Sunlit Calm, Fresh Spirit, Forest Awakening and Forest Love. All our citrus scents in one box: the Citrus Set.

Lemon oil, lemongrass oil, lemon eucalyptus oil: the difference

• Lemon oil (Citrus limon): cold-pressed from the fruit peel – fruity, zesty, like lemon zest.
• Lemongrass oil (Cymbopogon): distilled from a grass – lemony but stronger, greener and slightly earthy.
• Lemon eucalyptus oil (Eucalyptus citriodora): distilled from eucalyptus leaves – lemony-fresh with a cool, herbal note.

Safety information

• Do not ingest. Our lemon essential oil is not intended for consumption – for baking and cooking, use flavourings from the food trade.
• Do not apply undiluted to the skin; it can cause skin irritation and allergic reactions.
• Photosensitivity: citrus oils are photosensitising. Avoid sun and sunbeds after skin contact.
• Flammable: keep away from sources of ignition.
• Children and pets: keep out of reach – more in essential oils and pets.
• Shelf life: citrus oils oxidise faster than other essential oils. Store tightly closed, cool and dark and use within about a year of opening – see storing essential oils correctly.

Buying lemon oil: what to look for

• Botanical name Citrus limon and the note “cold-pressed”.
• 100 % pure, no additives or synthetic lemon flavour.
• Origin and batch number on the label.
• Amber glass, because light speeds up oxidation.

Our lemon oil is 100 % pure, cold-pressed from the peel of Citrus limon from Italy and hand-filled in Germany – from 10 ml to 1 litre.

Frequently asked questions about lemon oil

What is lemon oil called in German?
Zitronenöl – the essential oil from the peel of Citrus limon.

Is lemon oil suitable for consumption?
Not our lemon essential oil – it is intended for room scenting and fragrance blends.

How many drops of lemon oil in a diffuser?
4–6 drops in 150–200 ml of water.

How long does lemon oil keep?
About a year once opened, if stored cool, dark and tightly closed. If it smells dull or turpentine-like, it has oxidised.

What goes well with lemon oil?
Lavender, rosemary, peppermint, eucalyptus, Swiss stone pine, ginger and other citrus oils such as orange or grapefruit.

🍋 Casse-Q – Natural oils with character
Sunny, clear, zesty: discover our lemon oil and all our citrus oils.