What is tangerine essential oil?
Tangerine essential oil is a fresh, sweet and citrusy essential oil that is cold pressed from the tangerine fruit rinds. The fragrance has a more concentrated but intense aroma compared to its sweet orange counterpart. Tangerine is sometimes considered a variety of mandarin orange and sometimes considered its own species. Mandarins have been traditionally used in China for healing for indigestion, bronchitis and asthma.
Tangerine essential oil - quick facts
🍊 Latin name: Citrus tangerina/Citrus deliciosa, Citrus reticulata
🍊 Also known as: a type of mandarin orange
🍊 Countries of origin: 🇲🇦 Morocco, 🇨🇳 China
🍊 Scent note: Top
.
🍊 Annual production: 110 million tons (citrus fruits)
🍊 Popular uses: Stress, anxiety, constipation, cleansing
How is tangerine essential oil made?
Tangerine essential oil is made through a cold press process. Cold pressing is the process by which the rind of the fruit is squeezed until the natural oil sacs in the rind burst and the oil is released. Then the oil and water portions are separated to collect the essential oil. Making essential oil from the rinds of oranges and other citrus fruits is also a wonderful way to reduce waste and make full use of the entire fruit.
Benefits of tangerine essential oil
Some of the main benefits of tangerine oil include:
- 🍊 Enhancing focus
- 🍊 Uplifting your mood
- 🍊 Skin care
- 🍊 Cleansing properties
- 🍊 Repelling mosquitoes
- 🍊 Weight loss
- 🍊 Respiratory protective properties
- 🍊 Blending well with other essential oils
Let's look at each of these benefits of tangerine oil in more detail.
Enhance your focus with tangerine essential oil
Tangerine essential oil has both energizing and sedative properties, depending on its concentration, which can help increase your focus and mental alertness and find your zen. The upbeat aroma of tangerine essential oil will help you feel more happy and relaxed before a stressful day.
Uplift your mood with tangerine essential oil
The fragrance of tangerine essential oil is sweet and citrusy and as it begins to fill your living space, it simultaneously uplifts your mood with its antidepressant effects (thanks to its limonene content) and helps you to keep a calm and relaxed state of mind.
Tangerine oil for skin
Tangerine essential oil has antiseptic properties which are highly beneficial to the skin, with its antifungal, antibacterial and wound-healing properties. This makes it useful in conditions such as acne and scarring.
In addition, its powerful antioxidant effects help fight off free radicals to reduce signs of aging. On top of its high vitamin C content which boosts collagen production, this makes an ideal anti-aging skin compound.
Cleansing properties of tangerine oil
Tangerine essential oil’s antibacterial and antifungal properties make it a powerful cleaning agent, similar to orange essential oil. Use it to clean your kitchen, bathroom and other areas of your home while giving it a fresh, energizing scent.
Repelling mosquitoes with tangerine oil
Somewhat surprisingly, tangerine essential oil seems to be a more effective mosquito repellent than many other essential oils, especially of the citrus family. If you’re looking for a natural alternative, it can cut down mosquito landings on your body by at least half while killing larva and repelling mites and other bugs from your home.
Tangerine essential oil for weight loss
Tangerine essential oil has received a lot of attention lately for weight loss. A flavonoid called nobiletin found in tangerine peels has been found to boost metabolism and fat burning, balance blood sugar and reduce fat storage. While this is true, flavonoids are not the primary compounds found in tangerine essential oil, although there are some. In addition, these effects were observed with ingested nobiletin.
Tangerine essential oil is a great addition to your weight loss regimen, but be sure your regimen is founded on a healthy diet and exercise to ensure success.
Respiratory protective properties of tangerine essential oil
Mandarins have been used in Chinese medicine to open up the airways in respiratory conditions such as asthma, bronchitis and others. And indeed, research is showing that tangerine essential oil has protective effects on lung cells.
Tangerine essential oil is the perfect blend with other essential oil
Because of the citrus found in tangerine essential oil, it blends exceptionally well with other citrus essential oils. So if you want that zesty fragrance, you’ll want to blend tangerine essential oil with grapefruit essential oil, orange essential oil or lemon essential oil.
However, the citrus blend also goes well with other essential oils such as bergamot, peppermint, cinnamon, sandalwood, rosemary, frankincense, and juniper essential oils.
How to use tangerine essential oil
Tangerine essential oil can be used in a variety of ways, depending on its intended purpose. Here are some of the most common ways to use tangerine essential oil:
- 🍊 Inhalation/Diffusion
- 🍊 Topically
- 🍊 Aromatherapy massage
- 🍊 Spray mix
Let’s look at each of these uses of tangerine essential oil in more detail.
Diffuse or inhale tangerine essential oil
You can enjoy the zesty and refreshing scent of tangerine essential oil at home by adding a few drops to your diffuser. If you don’t have a diffuser but have a candle burner, you can add a few drops to your candle burner and allow your atmosphere to transcend to a peaceful and uplifting one.
If you’re wanting energy, focus and alertness to help you work, study or get things done, use a higher concentration of tangerine essential oil in your diffuser. Or better yet, keep an aromatherapy inhaler handy, or simply store the oil bottle in your handbag, rub a few drops on your palms, cup them over your nose and mouth and inhale as needed!
To benefit from tangerine oil’s calming, sedative or respiratory-enhancing benefits, keep the concentration of oil in your diffuser lower to help you breathe easier, relax and sleep better.
Diffusing tangerine essential oil is also one way to keep mosquitoes from landing on you and to keep pests out of your living space.
If you’re looking to tangerine essential oil for weight loss, blending it with grapefruit essential oil in your diffuser might be the perfect addition to your weight loss regimen.
Topical use of tangerine essential oil
Introduce a new skincare routine to your selfcare days. The benefits of adding a few drops of tangerine to your body lotions, face creams, nail and hair products are uplifting, anti-aging and antiseptic, which keeps the skin safe from free radicals, boosts collagen production and healing effects, and helps keep your skin and nails free from infections.
You can also make your own topical tangerine essential oil blend by adding it to a safe carrier oil for the body or for the face. Safe carrier oils include jojoba oil, avocado oil, sesame oil, rosehip oil, extra virgin olive oil and almond oil. Jojoba is usually the best choice as it is non-comedogenic, meaning the skin absorbs the oil without causing breakouts.
Be sure to do a patch test before using tangerine essential oil more liberally on your skin.
You can also dab some on your temples or neck like a natural perfume alternative to uplift your mood and put a spring in your step.
Using tangerine essential oil topically is also a great natural mosquito repellent solution! You’ll smell great to yourself and everyone else while keeping the bugs away. Apply it with some carrier oil to help you get bitten less.
During allergy season or if your asthma or other respiratory condition is acting up, rubbing some tangerine essential oil with carrier oil onto your chest and neck areas may help you breathe easier. Not only will its beneficial compounds be absorbed directly through your skin, you’ll also benefit from its scent and aromatherapy effects for hours to come, relaxing both your lungs and you!
Aromatherapy massage
Aromatherapy massage offers both the physical and psychological effects of tangerine essential oil, while the massage itself enhances these effects. Treat yourself to some self-massage before going out for the evening or on the weekend after a long week, or trade massages with your partner. Your skill will thank you for it, you’ll feel more relaxed, you’ll be in a better mood and you’ll sleep better.
Spray mix
Fill a spray bottle with distilled water and add 10-15 drops of tangerine essential oil. Spray it around yourself if you find your mind wandering while you’re working or studying, to repel mosquitoes or to cleanse and purify the air around you.
Its powerful antimicrobial properties also make it a great cleaning agent. Use your spray bottle mixture in the kitchen, bathroom or other surfaces to clean them while leaving your home smelling fresh and inviting for yourself or guests.
Tangerine essential oil research
The research on tangerine essential oil varies between Citrus reticulata and Citrus tangerina, showing a multitude of benefits of this delicious essential oil. Below is some of the most notable research.
Cognitive, mood & sleep-modulating effects - 2019, 2020, 2021
In a study on orange essential aromatherapy in mice, the inhaled oil was found to have antidepressant effects on the behavior of the mice. Limonene was found to be the major compound, as is the case in tangerine essential oil. The authors also tested limonene inhalation in the mice and found that it had antidepressant effects as measured by stress hormones, brain neurotransmitters and by improving behavior in the mice.
An interesting recent study measured brain wave activity in men and women after inhaling Citrus tangerina essential oil. They found that the effects varied based on the concentration. Undiluted tangerine essential oil reduced alpha waves and increased beta waves, resulting in increased brain function and alertness. Lower concentrations reduced alpha and beta waves but increased theta waves, which has a sedative effect demonstrated by helping subjects fall asleep faster.
When rat brains were wired by electroencephalogram (EEG) to compare the effects of aromatherapy with Citrus reticulata essential oil to those of diazepam, an anxiolytic drug, results showed that the EEG patterns of the two substances were similar. However, whereas diazepam caused more disturbed sleep and reduced REM sleep, tangerine essential oil helped subjects fall asleep faster and increased REM sleep.
Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of tangerine essential oil - 2020, 2021
Of four different citrus fruits tested, Citrus reticulata essential oil was found to have the strongest antioxidant effects. It was also to have antibacterial effects against five common bacteria that infect humans and skin including Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhimurium.
Citrus reticulata oil has also been found to have antifungal properties against various Aspergillus species and Candida albicans.
Tangerine oil for skin - 2021
On top of its antibacterial and antifungal activity, Citrus reticulata essential oil was found to significantly reduce wound size in vivo in skin, demonstrating its ability to accelerate wound healing. All of this together makes it a great addition to your skin care regimen.
Mosquito repellent effects of tangerine essential oil - 1995, 2017, 2018
Of four different citrus peel essential oils studied, tangerine essential oil had the highest limonene content (97%), killed mosquito larva and was the only essential oil to reduce mosquito landings, which were reduced by 50%. Its superior mosquito repellent effect was also confirmed in another study.
Citrus tangerina has also been shown to repel aphids and mites.
Tangerine essential oil for weight loss - 2013, 2014, 2017
Flavonoids in tangerine/mandarin peel have been discovered to have many favorable effects on metabolism, including burning fat, lowering blood sugar, lowering blood lipids, reducing inflammation and more. The flavonoids responsible for these benefits include hesperidin, nobiletin and tangeretin.
While consuming the fruit or the pith may offer plentiful flavonoids, essential oil contains fewer. In addition, the effects of these flavonoids are exerted internally from ingesting the oils.
Lung protective properties of tangerine essential oil - 2012, 2018
In both in vitro research on human embryonic lung fibroblasts and in the lungs of live rats, Citrus reticulata essential oil was found to reduce fibrosis or thickening of the lung tissue and inflammation of the alveoli while increasing antioxidant activity.
In a similar study in vitro on lung cancer cells and in mice, Citrus reticulata essential oil provided powerful protective effects, leading the authors to suggest it as a natural preventative measure.
Side effects of tangerine essential oil
There are no known side effects, interactions or allergic reactions with tangerine essential oil, but overuse or undiluted use can potentially cause skin reactions. Because tangerine oil is cold pressed, concentrated and high in limonene, the essential oil can be phototoxic, which means you should avoid direct sun exposure after applying the oil to the skin as this may cause skin irritation or burns.
We recommend doing a patch test before applying the oil topically. You can do a patch test by applying a drop of tangerine essential oil with some carrier oil behind the ear, covering it with a band aid and leaving it for 24 hours. If there is no reaction, then you are good to use the oil topically more liberally.
Contraindications of tangerine essential oil
Vitamin C is great, but some people have been known to experience side effects or allergic reactions to citrus, in which case it is best to avoid using tangerine essential oil. If you are unsure of any allergies to citrus, consult a medical practitioner beforehand.
Do not use tangerine essential oil (or any essential oil) on infants under 3 months.
Some benefits of tangerine essential oil can be achieved through internal use. At volant, we do not recommend ingesting essential oils due to their concentrated nature. If you wish to do so, be sure to enlist medical supervision.
Where to buy tangerine essential oil
Tangerine essential oil is widely available online and in stores. When purchasing tangerine oil, be sure to look for a 100% pure essential oil - not an extract. This ensures that you're getting an authentic product with all the therapeutic benefits of tangerine. If it’s organic, even better!
Here are some of the places where you can purchase tangerine essential oil.
Volant
At Volant, all our essential oils are produced using only the highest-quality plants, which are harvested and distilled with the utmost care. Volant’s Ocean Blend is a mix of Amyris, Tangerine, Tea Tree, and Bergamot oils meant to inspire and relax while Volant’s Clean Air Blend is a beautiful blend of Lemon, Myrrh and Tangerine designed to purify the air in your space and help you breathe easier. Both provide the relaxing, uplifting atmosphere you’re after. With Volant you’ll get 100% pure and organic essential oil with no additives or synthetic ingredients. This ensures that you receive the greatest possible benefit from the essential oil.
Amazon
Amazon is a popular place to shop for essential oils. It's important to note that Amazon is a marketplace rather than a store, so there are many different businesses selling essential oils through Amazon. For this reason, we'd recommend checking the ingredients and reviews of any essential oil that you choose to purchase through Amazon, as not all essential oils sold on the platform are pure, organic and trusted.
Pharmacies
If you prefer in-person shopping, holding the product in your hand to get a better idea of what you’re buying, then you will find that your local pharmacies and homeopathic stores will have just what you’re looking for. Always check that the oil you're buying is an essential oil rather than an extract and that it is 100% pure.
doTERRA
doTERRA is a company that manufactures organic essential oils, including tangerine essential oil. If you’re looking for a 100% pure tangerine oil, you can feel safe and certain purchasing from doTERRA.
Tangerine essential oil FAQs
Is tangerine essential oil good for the face?
Tangerine essential oil consists of great properties that are known to have antioxidant, antiseptic and anti-aging benefits. Some experts suggest applying some to the face to heal burns and other skin damage.
What does tangerine essential oil do?
Tangerine essential oil does a whole lot and more. It elevates your mood, relieving stress and anxiety. It can boost your brain function or relax you and help you sleep better. It can help keep your skin and your home healthy and free of harmful germs while repelling mosquitoes and other bugs. It can help you breathe easier and even protect your lungs and other tissues from abnormal growth. It may even help support your weight loss efforts!
What blends well with tangerine essential oil?
Tangerine oil contains limonene and blends exceptionally well with other citrus oils, lavender, peppermint, cinnamon, frankincense, sandalwood or juniper essential oils.
Is there vitamin C in tangerine essential oil?
Yes! Tangerine is rich in vitamin C and is an excellent antioxidant, it also delays aging signs and stimulates collagen, giving you that youthful glow.
In summary
Citrus fruits never seem to disappoint. Whether in the food form or as an essential oil, they always come through with a vitamin C boost, giving you that uplifting feeling, combating stress and anxiety, and simply giving you the pick-me-up you need after a long day.
Enjoy the benefits of tangerine oil whether you opt to use it in a diffuser at home, in a spray bottle or as a cleaner, treating yourself to a little self-care day by applying it topically or choosing it as an oil for an aromatherapy session to combat stress.
We’re here to help if you have any questions about tangerine essential oil. You can contact our support team at support@volantaroma.com and we will be more than happy to assist you with any queries you may have.
