Curated by Maria Rita Insolera, Naturopath

Tangerine essential oil, with its antispasmodic, analgesic, digestive and antibacterial action, is useful against insomnia and anxiety, to prevent stretchings and fragile hair. Let's find out better.

Properties of mandarin essential oil

The multiple properties of mandarin essential oil are a valid remedy to alleviate the most diverse disorders. It is antispasmodic, analgesic, digestive, antibacterial.

Thanks to the presence of limonene and geraniol, the essential oil of mandarin exerts an antiviral and antiseptic action so as to make it extremely effective in the treatment of skin blemishes (acne and oily skin).

Its physical properties are to counteract obesity, water retention and diarrhea mainly due to nervous tension. On a psychic level it regulates the nervous system and is an excellent sedative for anxiety states

Its sedative action makes it an excellent aid to combat insomnia . It is effective in case of gastric disorders (colic, intestinal spasms, aerophagia, stomach ache) and stimulates the appetite even in the absence of appetite due to depression.

Mandarin essential oil is very delicate and for this very reason it is used very often in pregnancy and for children. The sedative action of the essential oil of mandarin, is effective in states of tension or restlessness and favors the nocturnal rest of children, especially for those who manifest hyper-arousal, difficulty falling asleep and, in general, emotional stress.

The essential oil of mandarin promotes the proper functioning of the digestive system . Its stimulating effects on the elimination of liquids make it very suitable for the treatment of water retention and cellulite.

One of the most interesting properties of mandarin essential oil is to promote local blood circulation, making it the ideal remedy when you want to improve skin tone .

Description of the plant

The mandarin ( Citrus nobilis ), belongs to the Rutaceae family. It is a small tree about 5 meters high with oval, shiny leaves, small very fragrant flowers, white. The fruit, round with orange peel and inside divided into segments rich in juice.

The Mandarin is native to the Far East, but is today very widespread also in the Mediterranean regions

How to use mandarin essential oil

The essential oil of mandarin is extracted by cold pressing from the skins of the fruits . It is a light orange liquid with a sweet and fresh fragrance, with citrusy tones, which is widely used as a flavoring in the food and pharmaceutical industries and in aromatherapy.

• To facilitate digestion and stimulate the digestive tract it is good to rub the abdomen with a light massage.
• To combat insomnia you can take 2 drops of essential tangerine oil before going to sleep.
• To counteract the anxious states, a couple of drops of essence can be inhaled directly from a handkerchief.
• Against nervousness take 1-2 drops of mandarin essence if necessary;
• To prevent stretch marks, it can be mixed with sweet almond oil (50 drops of essence per 50ml of oil) and rubbed twice a day.
• Added to shampoo for fragile hair and for frequent washing.
• Great deodorant.

Contraindications of the essential oil of mandarin

The essential oil of mandarin is not toxic and neither irritating. However, like all essential oils extracted from citrus fruits, it is phototoxic . Therefore, in case of skin application, exposure to the sun for at least 12 hours is not recommended.

Background

The mandarin plant is native to the Far East, where archaeological findings indicate its use since prehistoric times. There is evidence of its cultivation as early as 1600 BC, but it was introduced in the Mediterranean area only in medieval times.

Today it is grown all over the world . In ancient China its fruits were considered of great value, so much so that they were offered as a gift to the officials of the Celestial Empire: the Mandarins, and it is believed that this is the origin of its name.