The scent of lime oil is sweet, tart, intense, and lively. It is considered a top-note fragrance with an odor intensity of about three out of five. Blending companions include florals, woods, and spices. With stimulating, cleansing, digestive, disinfectant, and general tonic properties, lime oil is used for a variety of physical . It is also reputed to be good for oily skin. For emotional benefits, this oil is used for mental and emotional clearing; it can help in creating emotional space and independence, and move one to action. Lime essential oil may be expressed or distilled; the expression process yields a fresh fragrance while distillation yields one that is candy-like. Don't confuse lime oil with that of lime blossom, Tillia europaea , more frequently called "linden". Lime (Citrus aurantifolia ) Plant Family Rutaceae.Synonyms C. medica var acida , C. latifolia .Description and Distribution A small evergreen tree growing to 8 feet (2 m), crooked and prickly with small white flowers followed by yellowish-green fruit about half the size of a lemon. The tree is native to Asia, but is extensively cultivated in other parts of the world. Most of the oil is produced in the USA and Italy.Extraction Method Cold expression of the peel of the unripe fruit. There is also a distilled oil with an inferior aroma captured from the crushed whole fruit, a by-product of the fruit juice industry. Most aromatherapists favour the expressed oil.Nature of the Oil A pale yellow or green liquid. The strong aroma is sharp and refreshing, just like the fruit. The odour effect is uplifting and cooling.Main Constituents Limonene, pinene, camphene, citral, cymene, cineol, linalol. The expressed oil also contains coumarins.Medical Actions Antiseptic, disinfectant, aperitif, bactericidal, febrifugal restorative.Aromatherapeutic Support Coughs and colds, melancholy, nervous exhaustion and other stress-related concerns.Blends Well With Other citrus essences, neroli, petitgrain, lavender, rosemary, clary sage, ylang ylang. The oil is highly odoriferous, so use sparingly.Botanical Name: Citrus aurantifolia Extraction Method: Cold Pressed/ExpressedColor: Light Yellow GreenConsistency: ThinPerfumery Note: TopAroma Strength: MediumAroma: Fresh, citrusy, sweet.Use: Acne, asthma, chilblains, colds, dull skin, varicose veins. [Julia Lawless, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils (Rockport, MA: Element Books, 1995), 56-66.]Constituents: a-pinene, B-pinene, sabinene, myrcene, limonene, y-terpinene, terpinolene, octanal, nonanal, tetradecanal, pentadecanal, trans-a-bergaptene, caryophyllene, B-bisabolene, geranial, neryl acetate, geranyl acetate, a-terpineo, linalool. [B. Lawrence, "Lime Oil," Perfumer & Flavorist , August/September 1987, 31, cited in Salvatore Battaglia, The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy (Australia: The Perfect Potion, 1997), 177.]Cautions: Phototoxic. [Robert Tisserand, Essential Oil Safety (United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone, 1995), 208.] Do not use if the area of application will be exposed to sunlight for 24 hours due to its phototoxicity.