Lemongrass Essential Oil: Complete Benefits & Uses Guide

What's the Big Deal with Lemongrass?

We all have that one hippie friend on social media who likes to post the latest, greatest essential oil. For most of us, that friend is a sweet, counterculture Earth mama we know from work or school.

I will call my source Michelle. Although Michelle's ubiquitous posts on the miracles of essential oils tend to blend together for me, her latest offering on lemongrass caught my eye.

The myriad of promises in her post drew my attention, as it claimed lemongrass essential oil does everything from disinfect and kill bacteria to repel bugs.

Why wouldn't I want to achieve a healthier, bug free existence by using a few drops of oil? Still, the skeptic in me had to do some research.

Operation Lemongrass was afoot!

*The companies chosen above are based upon my personal opinion based upon me giving them a try and testing their quality.

Here are some historical facts about lemongrass oil:

Also known as citronella grass or fever grass, lemongrass is a subtropical and tropical plant that is mostly native to Asia. It is prized for its citrus-tinged flavor, striking appearance, and nutritional properties.

Lemongrass is added to teas, soups, salads, and other dishes because it is high in:

Lemongrass is used in several Asian recipes, as well as an ornamental plant. The four inch stature of the plant and the stark elegance of the stalks make lemongrass a popular decoration in med spas, restaurants, and homes that prize clean feng shui.

For those who like to garden, lemongrass grows easily in sandy soil and full sun.

Literature on medicinal uses of ingested lemongrass is increasing. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and homeopathic medicine practitioners use lemongrass in plant form to treat:

Some literature even claims the plant form lemongrass is potentially an effective treatment for:

Although the exact chemical composition of lemongrass plants varies by region in which they are grown, the main chemical powerhouse common to all varieties is a compound called citral.

Citral is an aldehyde, or a natural organic compound with a double-bonded carbon. This aldehyde in particular gives lemongrass the following attributes:

Lemongrass also contains ethanolic compounds, which are related to ethyl alcohol. These compounds have been known to stop the growth and mutation of certain cancer cells, as well as stop the movement of tumors.

Another alcohol-like compound in lemongrass (methanol) has been studied for its ability to get rid of free radicals, which makes lemongrass a powerful antioxidant when ingested.

When used as an essential oil, lemongrass has a light, fresh scent that is said to promote calm and refreshed feelings in the user.

Aromatherapists use lemongrass in diffusers for a variety of reasons, including:

Lemongrass is also a popular addition to perfumes and personal care products because of its citrus and earth notes.

Many natural care companies use lemongrass oil in body care products and cosmetics because lemongrass oil can be used as:

Here is a short list of beauty brands that use lemongrass oil in their products:

Those who believe in the spiritual properties of essential oil use lemongrass oil for:

Many homeopathic medicine practitioners use lemongrass topically as:

Some practitioners mix lemongrass oil with grapeseed oil as a massage oil for vericose veins, cellulite, and sagging skin.

In addition to topical and aromatherapy uses, high quality lemongrass oil can be ingested to soothe a variety of ailments, such as:

As impressive as that list was, I decided to start small and use lemongrass in less ambitious ways. I identified my skin and my counters and sinks as the sites of my experiment.

Here are the ways I used lemongrass essential oil to see if it lived up to the hype:

I liked the toner a lot, even though the smell was a tad strange for me. It appeared to take off the lingering dead skin after exfoliating.

As a micellar water, it left my skin looking refreshed and totally hid the fact that I did not get enough sleep the previous night.

The clean smell of the disinfectant recipe was soothing and made the air in my home feel less congested. It's prime allergy and dust season where I live, so this was a distinct bonus.

The cleaning power was on par with many of the all-purpose cleaners I have used.

The massage oil probably takes over two weeks to truly see any real effect on cellulite and spider veins.

However, using it as a nightly ritual has actually helped me fall asleep faster.

My verdict is the oil so far is producing a placebo effect, but moisturizes well.

I started to get pretty creative after these first three experiments. My next use for lemongrass essential oil was as part of a pedicure.

Not only did I use 20 drops as part of my epsom salt, Listerine, and vinegar foot soak, but I also mixed a couple drops with almond oil as a cuticle softener.

Bonding was an unexpected perk of Operation Lemongrass. While I was researching how I was going to use lemongrass essential oil, a friend of mine told me she uses it in a homemade deodorant paste. She was kind enough to let me share it below.

Ingredients

Directions

Again, my friend swears by this deodorant. She says it makes her feel cleaner than commercial grocery store brands and it's cheaper than comparable organic brands and is aluminum-free.

My lemongrass mission was thus far successful, but more still needed to be revealed. I had to know if there was any substantive clinical research behind the almost mystical claims.

This led me to read the following studies:

1. Narisa Kamkaen, Natadaow Na Patalung, Nijsiri Ruangrungsi, and Rith Watthanachaiyingcharoen studied the effects of lemongrass essential oil and sweet almond massage oil on human vital signs. This 29-participant study compared the blood pressure and pulse rates of the control group (no treatment) and the experimental group (received one of three types of massages using the oil for three weeks). The results of this study indicate the combination of massage and the aromatherapy effects of lemongrass oil have a harmonizing effect on the human nervous system. ​[source]

2. Javid Ahmad Bhat, Bashir Ahmad Fomda, Ebenezar Jaykumar, and Mohd Irfan Naik studied the disinfectant properties of lemongrass oil on Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Bacillus cereus (B. cereus), Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis), Escherichia coli (E. coli), Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa). The researchers found lemongrass oil was effective on all multidrug resistant pathogens, except P. aeruginosa. ​[source]

3. Luis Barbisan, Lucas Bidinotto, Celso Costa, Mirtes Costa, Daisy Salvadori, and Regina Takahira conducted an animal study on the effects of lemongrass on cholesterol.

The mice were given an oral dose of lemongrass oil for 21 days to assess not only the effects of lemongrass oil on blood cholesterol levels, but also the toxicity level of lemongrass oil.

This study concluded the mice started to lose weight after Day 16, there was a significant reduction in cholesterol in the experimental group, and there were no significant indicators of toxicity in the research subjects. [source]

4. R. Ashokkumar, Niranjali Devaraj S., S. Jamuna, S. Sivan Mozhi, Sakeena Sadullah, and Gokul Shanmuganathan studied the antioxidant and cell protective properties of lemongrass on human blood cells.

They found significant antioxidant effects on the cells exposed to lemongrass essential oil. The cytoprotective properties of lemongrass on human blood cells appeared just as promising. [source]

5. Cristiane de Bona da Silva, Silvia Guterres, Elfrides Schapoval, and Vanessa Weisheimer evaluated the ability of lemongrass essential oil to combat candida skin disease.

The study concluded lemongrass essential oil had a significant antifungal effect on all strains of candida tested. [source]

6. Nagaraj Kalburgi, Veena Kalburgi, Sahana Kolar, and Shivaraj Warad studied the effects of lemongrass essential oil gel on the microbes that cause periodontal disease.

The researchers found lemongrass effective in inhibiting the growth of periodontal pathogens. [source]

The above list of studies is only a drop in the bucket compared to the available research on lemongrass essential oil.

Scientists are discovering lemongrass essential oil is also beneficial in the following ways:

Although the current research surrounding lemongrass essential oil appears mostly positive, it should be noted that there are limited studies on pregnant women and limited human clinical trials to study the benefits of lemongrass.

As with any potential remedy, though, it's best to use common sense and consult a medical professional other than Dr. Google before taking it.

No remedy is for everyone. Lemongrass essential oil has been linked to the following side effects:

Lemongrass essential oil has also been known to cause photosensitivity (sensitivity to sunlight) and allergic contact dermatitis in those with skin sensitivities or allergies.

Some signs of dermatitis are:

Yikes. If you experience any of those symptoms after ingesting or using lemongrass essential oil on your skin, consult a medical professional.

Although lemongrass essential oil appears to be generally well-tolerated, I found out it does not always play nice with others.

You are more likely to experience side effects from lemongrass essential oil if you are also:

This article covered a lot of ground regarding lemongrass essential oil, so I'm taking this opportunity to provide an overview of the facts and research.

The Lemongrass Plant:

Lemongrass is commonly used:

Cosmetic and personal care uses for lemongrass essential oil include:

Household uses for lemongrass essential oil include:

Aromatherapy enthusiasts use lemongrass essential oil to:

Current research on lemongrass essential oil indicates: