17 Amazing Benefits Of Citronella Oil For Skin, Hair And Health

Make the most of this healthy citrus oil that makes you not only look good but also feel good.

Medically reviewed by Tracy Tredoux, DipION, mBANT, CNHC, AFMCP
Written by Tanya Choudhary, ISSA Certified Specialist In Fitness & Nutrition
Edited by Ravi Teja Tadimalla, Professional Certificate In Food, Nutrition & Health
Fact-checked by Himanshi Mahajan, Certified Health & Nutrition Life Coach  • 

The benefits of citronella oil for health are wide-ranging. It is a popular essential oil extracted from Cymbopogon nardus, a type of grass closely related to lemongrass. This plant with red base stems is known to grow up to 2m tall. The oil, taken out from the tall, thin leaves of Cymbopogon through steam distillation, has a sweet and refreshing aroma with thin consistency. Commonly used in candles, soaps, and insect repellents, it is one of the most popular oils in aromatherapy with a wide range of health, skin, and hair benefits.

Find below several advantages of using citronella essential oil:

Benefits of Citronella Oil for Health

Woman with osteoarthritis may benefit from citronella
Image: Shutterstock

Citronella oil has many uses, including massage therapy, promoting wellness, stress relief, relaxation, boosting immunity, improving digestion, and supporting respiratory health. Here are some of the important benefits:

1. Citronella oil is a natural dewormer. It can eradicate harmful organisms (worms) from our stomach, small intestine and large intestine, thereby treating loss of appetite (1).

2. It is a natural detoxifier that helps our body get rid of harmful toxic materials and sometimes, prevents them from being active in our body. The oil is diaphoretic by nature (2), which increases sweating in our body and facilitates the detoxification by eliminating additional fat, oil, salt, uric acid, etc.

3. Due to its detoxifying property, it can also be used for healing orthopaedici  XThe area of medicine dealing with issues related to muscles, joints, and the skeletal system. problems like osteoarthritisi  XA form of arthritis that develops as the cartilage cushioning the bones and joints wears down. , rheumatoid arthritisi  XA condition that causes persistent inflammation and affects several joints, especially the hands and feet. , etc (3).

4. It works as a natural diuretic. Regular use of citronella oil can promote the production of urine, which ultimately accelerates detoxification. It keeps our renal system, as well as the entire body, healthy (4).

5. The essential oil is extremely helpful in curing problems related to fluid retention. It maintains the water balance in our body and helps reduce spasms or cramping of stomach muscles (5). Its spasmodici  XMuscle contractions that are unintentional, usually painless, but occasionally unpleasant. nature and warming effects help ease abdominal cramps.

6. It is a great pain reliever. Be it muscle pain or joint pain, the application of only 3 drops of citronella oil on the painful region can do magic! However, it must be mixed with a carrier oil prior to massaging (6).

7. Citronella oil has great anti-inflammatory properties (7). It offers calming and soothing effects for internal inflammation (in digestive tract, stomach, intestines, etc.) caused by certain drugs, alcohols, etc. The best thing about the oil is that it works very fast and gives complete relief from pain.

8. Like all other essential oils, citronella also has strong antiseptic, antimicrobial and antifungal properties (8). It reduces the chances of developing infections in various internal as well as external injuries and heals the wounds faster.

9. The oil is also an effective antidepressant. It helps people get rid of gloominess and mental fatigue. It also works as a great mood elevator (9).

10. Citronella oil has a lemony aroma, which is very efficient in driving body odor away. Just a few drops of the oil can be mixed with bath water to get a refreshing body fragrance (10).

Benefits of Citronella Oil for Skin

Woman with acne may benefit from citronella
Image: Shutterstock

11. Being an awesome detoxifier, citronella oil keeps our internal system clean and pure, which reflects on our skin. By using this oil, you can get healthy and glowing skin.

12. Its antibacterial properties are helpful in reducing skin infections like acne, wartsi  XContagious, tiny, painless, fleshy lumps on the skin or mucous membrane caused by the human papillomavirus. , boils, etc. The antiseptic nature of the oil also prevents the wounds and injuries from getting septic (11).

13. Application of citronella oil on skin can aid our complexion to a great extent. It improves the skin tone by making it smoother and also tightens up the skin pores effectively. Due to various skin benefits, citronella oil is used in a number of skincare products including sunscreen lotions, acne removal creams, oil control creams, etc.

14. This essential oil is also a good insect repellent. It can be applied on the skin to avoid insect bites, which eventually prevents allergies (12).

Benefits of Citronella Oil for Hair

Woman with frizzy hair may benefit from citronella
Image: Shutterstock

15. The best use of citronella oil for hair is controlling oil on the scalp. It can be availed as spray and is very effective in eliminating excessive greasiness of hair.

16. Apart from conditioning oily scalp and hair, it soothes and softens them too.

17. Citronella oil can be mixed with shampoo to add volume to the tresses (13). It also helps deal with frizzy hair by detangling the hair strands properly.

Hence, start using citronella oil today to improve your health, skin and hair.

Infographic: 5 Must-Know Benefits Of Citronella Oil

Citronella oil is extracted from the aromatic leaves of the citronella plant. This essential oil is a natural insect repellent that keeps mosquitoes at bay without the need for harsh chemicals. However, its advantages do not stop there. The following infographic focuses on the top health and skin benefits of citronella oil. Check it out!

5 must-know benefits of citronella oil (infographic)

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Save the high-quality PDF version on your device now.

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Download Infographic in PDF version

We hope you found the above discussion on citronella oil for health helpful and are glad to know about its endless benefits. From treating appetite loss to detoxifying your body, reducing the chances of infection development in both internal and external injuries, conditioning oily hair, and taming frizzy hair, citronella offers a lot. So without any further delay, get your hands on this amazing oil, make a list of issues that you can use it for, and get ready to be surprised by the amazing results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Citronella harmful to humans?

While it’s safe to apply to skin when diluted, citronella could prove harmful when inhaled or ingested.

Can citronella oil be used for cooking?

No, citronella oil is not meant for cooking.

Is citronella oil the same as lemongrass oil?

No, they both are different oils that come from closely related plants that look similar. While they are both used in aromatherapy, they differ in their intrinsic properties and usages.

Key Takeaways

  • Citronella oil is an adaptable, natural oil that can provide a variety of health and beauty advantages, from enhancing skin health and
  • lowering stress to boosting hair development.
  • Citronella oil can elevate mood and lessen tension and anxiety when used in aromatherapy.
  • Always use pure, unadulterated citronella oil because some lower-quality oils could include dangerous ingredients.
  • Before applying citronella oil to broad skin regions, it is crucial to dilute it and do a patch test to check for skin sensitivity.

Discover the amazing benefits of Citronella essential oil. Click on this video to learn how this wonderful oil can help you improve your health and well-being while smelling refreshing.

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