Sweet, fragrant orange oil is a key ingredient in many soaps, bath gels and other personal care products, as well as a wide variety of household cleaners. Essential orange oil, which derives from glands within orange peels, has many beneficial properties that have made it a staple among commercial soap manufacturers, specialty beauty care companies and individuals interested in making their own artisan soaps at home.
Skin Care
The Organic Facts Website lists many benefits of pure orange oil for the skin and muscles, including the ability to reduce inflammation, calm muscle spasms, combat acne and treat dermatitis. The Mabel White Website includes a glossary of natural skin care ingredients that indicates that many of these benefits remain when orange oil is included in soap. Soap with orange oil can reduce skin puffiness, moisturize skin to discourage wrinkling, enhance blood circulation, minimize blemishes and exfoliate the skin for healthy tone and texture.
Aromatherapy
In 2005, the journal Physiology and Behavior published a study by researchers in Austria and Germany who found that the aroma of orange essential oil significantly reduced anxiety and improved mood in study participants. These results were no surprise to anyone who has used orange oil in aromatherapy, or those who appreciate the energizing, calming scent of fresh oranges. In addition, the Organic Facts site suggests that orange oil can serve as an effective, natural antidepressant and may even function as an aphrodisiac.
Cleansing Power
Orange oil is found in many commercial and homemade cleaning products, because it has strong disinfectant properties. In fact, a study by researchers in Chennai, India, in 2006 revealed orange oil to be a particularly effective antibacterial agent. The study showed that orange oil inhibits many strains of bacteria, including S. aureus, which is a common source of staph infections, and E. coli, the infamous bacteria often implicated in outbreaks of food poisoning. Orange oil was so potent that it actually outperformed the synthetic antibiotic streptomycin in several tests. A few drops of orange oil in household cleaners or personal care products can provide these antibacterial benefits, giving soap of all sorts a germ-fighting, deep-cleaning boost.
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