Green Mandarin essential oil is a powerful ingredient in natural healing and wellness. This essential oil is derived from the unripened fruit of the mandarin tree and is known for its fresh, citrusy scent. But, did you know that it’s also packed with terpenes that offer a range of therapeutic benefits?
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Terpenes are organic compounds in plants that give plants, herbs and spices their distinctive scents and flavours. In addition to their aromatic properties, terpenes also have a range of health benefits, including anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant effects.
Green Mandarin essential oil is a potent natural remedy for various health issues due to its high terpene content. I will discuss the benefits of Green Mandarin oil for health and well-being.
Overview of Green Mandarin Essential Oil
Green Mandarin Essential Oil is a clear to slight green oil that has the most amazingly fresh aroma of freshly cut mandarins – with a strong kick of green in the fragrance as well. It is more tart than sweet and is really mouth watering. The peel of the citrus fruit is usually extracted by cold pressing the peel of citrus while it is unripe, although it can be steam distilled as well.
There is also a Red Mandarin Essential Oil and often, you will find they have the same name. After all, it’s not a different fruit, it’s just at a different stage of ripeness. The INCI is Citrus Reticulata Peel Oil or Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil (both are accepted).
INCI is an abbreviation for International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients. It is widely adhered to in the EU, where the Cosing website gives free information. It is because there are several parts of a plant that could be used in cosmetic products like the leaves, flowers, roots, seeds, bark and so on. Knowing the INCI means that you can check the INCI name on the essential oil bottle to ensure that you have got the correct species and variety for Green Mandarin Essential Oil.
Therapeutic Properties of Green Mandarin Oil
As a clinical aromatherapist, I have extensively researched the therapeutic properties of Green Mandarin essential oil. Here are some of the benefits of this oil:
- Antidepressant: Green Mandarin oil has a refreshing and uplifting aroma that can help alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety. It can also help improve mood and increase energy levels.
- Digestive: Green Mandarin oil can help stimulate the digestive system, promote healthy digestion, and relieve symptoms of indigestion, bloating, and constipation. It is important to note that it is not recommended to take this oil internally as it could be dangerous. Inhaling the oil or making a gel to rub over the abdomen is all you need to do to benefit from its digestive benefits.
- Antispasmodic: This oil has antispasmodic properties that can help relieve muscle spasms, cramps, and other types of muscular pain. Use it in muscle balms and gels for pre- and post-exercise. This aspect combines very well with CBD.
- Antiseptic: Green Mandarin oil has antiseptic properties that can help prevent infections and promote healing of wounds and cuts. It is superb to use in an aftershave lotion or just as easy to use in a simple gel formulation to be used all over the body.
- Immune system booster: The oil can help strengthen the immune system and protect the body against infections and diseases.
- Skin care: Green Mandarin oil can help improve the appearance of the skin, reduce the signs of ageing, and promote healthy skin.
Terpenes 101: The Basics
As an aromatherapist and cannabis grower, I really appreciate the therapeutic benefits of terpenes. Terpenes are volatile compounds that are found in various plants, including citrus fruits, conifers, and cannabis. They are responsible for the distinct aroma and flavour of these plants.
Terpenes are also known for their therapeutic benefits. For example, Limonene, a terpene found in citrus fruits, is known for its uplifting and mood-enhancing properties. Pinene, a terpene found in conifers, is known for its anti-inflammatory and bronchodilator properties.
Terpenes are produced in the same glands as cannabinoids, which are the active compounds in cannabis. This is why terpenes are often found in essential oils and can enhance the effects of cannabinoids. There are over 20,000 different terpenes, each with its own unique aroma and therapeutic benefits.
Essential Oil Chemistry
As with most aromatherapy oils, the list of chemical compounds is extensive, but can broadly be summarized to enable an Aromatherapist to make informed decisions about which chemical molecules are relevant.
Typical Chemical Breakdown
Just look at the amount of Monoterpenes in this oil! Monoterpenes are very small molecules and tend to evaporate quickly, meaning you are able to smell them immediately – just like you can with this oil. They have a good tonic effect on the skin and are very good at drying up excess mucous. They are very supportive of the respiratory system, are antibacterial, antiviral, and antiseptic.
Not only that, but they are typically very good at disrupting the inflammatory response that your body has, which means they calm down areas of inflammation. This is very effective in muscle groups. Generally speaking, monoterpenes are natural air purifiers and deodorants.
Key Terpenes in Green Mandarin Essential Oil
As a citrus fruit, the chemical composition of this oil has a variety of bioactive compounds and terpenes that offer a range of benefits. Here are some of the key terpenes found in green mandarin oil:
d-Limonene
d-Limonene is a terpene found in high concentrations in Green Mandarin oil. It is known for its uplifting and energising properties, making it a popular choice for aromatherapy. It has a calming effect on the mind, affecting serotonin and dopamine (happy hormones), as well as supporting skin health.
It helps to maintain normal inflammatory levels of the skin, as well as being a great antioxidant to protect you from free radical damage. d-limonene enhances the effect of certain cannabinoids and CBD. If you are making your own topical products, adding Green Mandarin Essential Oil for its d-Limonene content will enhance the effects.
γ-Terpinene
Another terpene found in Green Mandarin oil is γ-terpinene, which has a fresh, citrusy aroma. It is also known as Gamma Terpinene and is a good antimicrobial agent. This terpene has antifungal properties, making it a functional component in foot creams and sports gels.
As a good antioxidant, it protects from free radical damage as well as being anti-inflammatory. It also helps to support the immune system and promote overall health.
α-Pinene
α-Pinene is a terpene found in many different types of plants, including Green Mandarin. It has a fresh, pine-like aroma and can help as a bronchodilator, easing some respiratory problems. As an anti-inflammatory and analgesic terpene, it helps to reduce pain and inflammation in the body.
It has a positive effect on cognitive function and supports memory formation, which can make it a useful trigger when used well.
β-Pinene
Another terpene found in Green Mandarin oil is β-pinene, which has a fresh, woody aroma. Like α-pinene, β-pinene has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, making it a useful addition to natural remedies for pain relief. It, too, has a positive effect on respiratory health, helping to reduce symptoms of asthma and other respiratory conditions.
p-Cymene
This is another terpene that is antimicrobial and antifungal, which makes it very desirable to include in skin care products. In combination with other terpenes, it has a good analgesic effect. Because it is an AchE Inhibitor, it can improve memory and increase motivation. This helps with nervous stress or if you are struggling with moods. Another great combination to boost the desirable effects of CBD.
b-Myrcene
This particular terpene promotes healthy inflammatory responses in the body. It relaxes your muscles, and it’s great to include Green Mandarin Oil in a massage or bath. It has some pain-relieving qualities and is very calming for a busy mind.
Cannabis Terpenes to Complement Green Mandarin Essential Oil
Cannabis strains can vary widely in their terpene profiles, and specific strains are known for containing certain terpenes in higher concentrations. Finding a strain that contains all six terpenes in significant amounts can be challenging, but these strains are known to have diverse terpene profiles that include the same terpenes as in Green Mandarin oil.
- α-Pinene and β-Pinene
Jack Herer enhances mental clarity and focus with an overall feeling of being uplifted and reduces pain. This helps with depression and anxiety.
Blue Dream gives a balanced high with both physical and cerebral effects. This helps with chronic pain, stress and anxiety. - p-Cymene
OG Kush gives a tension-busting body high with euphoric effects. It helps with pain, anxiety, depression, and insomnia.
Sour Diesel heightens your senses for enjoying art and music with a clear-headed high. It’s a good analgesic giving relief from chronic pain, stress and depression. - γ-Terpinene
Super Lemon Haze is energising and uplifting, giving heightened focus and creativity. It gives a peaceful happiness and a positive mindset improving your mood.
Tangie gives a strong mental high that is focused and creative. - β-Myrcene
Granddaddy Purple gives an uplifting mental high with a pleasant feeling of numbness in the body that relaxes muscular tension and stress. This is effective at relieving pain and sleeping better.
White Widow gives a very relaxing euphoria with enhanced concentration and focus. It increases physical motivation and improves the mood. - d-Limonene
Lemon Skunk gives good pain relief and is very energising for daytime use. Overall, the feeling is relaxing and calm.
Durban Poison gives an energetic, creative high that makes you very social. It lifts fatigue and helps with ADHD by maintaining a deep focus.
So, has it been a surprise to find out how much of an overlap there is between some essential oil components and many strains of cannabis? Terpenes in essential oils can also boost the effect of cannabinoids when cannabis is used to make creams and lotions. You can read more about the 14 Top Terpenes in Cannabis and Essential Oils
Benefits of Green Mandarin Essential Oil
As a clinical aromatherapist, I have found Green Mandarin essential oil to be a versatile and effective option for a range of health concerns. Here are some of the benefits that I have personally experienced and researched:
- Surprisingly, for a citrus essential oil, Green Mandarin is very calming and will help with getting a good night’s sleep. In fact, it is said to be better than Roman Chamomile Essential Oil for this.
- A good tip for getting the kids to bed is to add a couple of drops to a bubble bath just before bedtime. Use an egg cup full of sunflower oil (essential oils should always be diluted) and then mix that with an egg cup full of bubble bath. Create a soothing atmosphere for your kids’ bedtime bath ritual with an abundance of delightful bubbles that will gently calm them down. You as well!
- As an aromatherapist, it has always been one of my favourite oils for aromatherapy massage. Treatments for clients would always have essential oils chosen for their specific issues at the time. However, for a general relaxation massage that is safe for everyone, Green Mandarin Essential Oil is great. It can even be used during pregnancy.
- When combined with Shea Butter, Rosehip Seed Oil and Vitamin E, you can make a great stretch marks cream to reduce the formation of stretch marks during pregnancy and even reduce existing stretch marks. Stretch marks on the stomach from weight loss are also improved.
- It’s a good essential oil to use in a blend when making skincare products for oily and congested skin – ideal for a spotty teenager. It helps to clear congested pores and improve the skin tone.
- In France, it’s a very popular oil and is often used to help with children’s digestion. Remember that kids on the continent typically encounter a much wider range of foods at a much younger age than kids in the US do. It is only used externally, not internally.
- At the other end of the age range, the use of Green Mandarin Essential Oil is popular with a lot of the elderly population in France, who use it to improve sluggish digestion and stimulate the liver. Again, external use only.
- In a reflection of these two age ranges, Green Mandarin Essential Oil was an oil I frequently used at the beginning and end of life. I have assisted several women during their pregnancy and been with far too many people at the end of their lives, where the oil can induce peace, acceptance, and calm.
- For eczema, Roman Chamomile Essential Oil blends very well with Green Mandarin Essential Oil. Remember earlier that it was mentioned how gentle it was on even the most sensitive skin? This is a superb combination with CBD. Click here to read about the 8 Best Herbs for Treating Eczema Naturally
- Green Mandarin Essential Oil blends well with all the other citrus oils as well as Ylang Ylang Essential Oil where it cuts through the floral sweetness. It works harmoniously with Cedarwood Essential Oil, which grounds and centres the blend.
- In the same way that other citrus oils like Sweet Orange Essential Oil and Bergamot Essential Oils lighten the mood, Green Mandarin oil releases nervous tension. Frustration and depression seem to be less of an issue and there is a feeling of letting go.
- Even in hair products it has a good function as it helps to stimulate the circulation in the scalp. That will improve oxygen levels to the hair follicles, giving your hair a head start.
How To Use Essential Oils To Scent A Room
The simplest way is to put a couple of drops of essential oil onto a tissue and tuck behind a radiator that is warm. Very quickly, you will get a drift of delightful, green citrus that is very gentle and not overpowering.
Another option is to use one of the ceramic dishes that holds some water and has a tea light underneath. Again, a few drops added to the water and pretty soon you get the amazing fragrance. The problem with those is that they dry out quite quickly and are a risk with pets and young children around.
My favourite is to use an Aromatherapy Diffuser that has been specifically designed to work with essential oils. They don’t need candles and are often USB-charged. You screw the essential oil bottle into the diffuser and select the setting you want, be it continuous or on and off every few minutes or so. The diffuser creates sonic vibrations of the essential oil, so you get the pure aroma and benefits. This is a good one here.
Esoteric Aspects & the 7 Chakras
As an old school aromatherapist, I appreciate the esoteric aspects of essential oils. Green Mandarin oil has a unique energy that resonates with the seven chakras of the body.
The seven chakras are energy centres that run along the spine, from the base to the crown of the head. Each chakra is associated with a specific colour, element, and aspect of our being. Green mandarin essential oil can help balance and activate these energy centres, promoting physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Green Mandarin is very effective at balancing and energizing several of your chakras. This will work in a diffuser, but is even better when blended into a simple homemade cream and applied around the chakra areas.
- 2nd Chakra / Sacral Chakra / Swadhisthana / Lower abdomen
This chakra connects with how we relate to our own emotions and the emotions of others. It deals with creativity as well as sexual energy. When the chakra is open, we feel abundant with well-being and sexuality. It enhances the energy for creation.
Mantra: “I always honour others, but not before myself.”
Colour: Orange
Element: Water
Stone: Tiger’s Eye
- 4th Chakra / Heart Chakra / Anahata / Center of the chest, above the heart
This chakra is the link or bridge between the lower chakras (more material) and the upper chakras (more spiritual). It can influence our ability to give and receive love. This applies to ourselves as well as others. When open, it allows empathy and compassion. It is supportive of unconditional love, compassion, joy and intense emotions that cannot be put into words. Who doesn’t want some of that?
Mantra: “When I love myself, loving others comes easily”
Colour: Green
Element: Air
Stone: Rose Quartz
- 6th Chakra / Third Eye Chakra / Ajna / Forehead, between the brows and the eyes
This chakra allows us to see the bigger picture and connect with our own intuition and wisdom. It registers information beyond what is merely visual. When open, your intuition increases with an increased imagination for visions. This resonates with our self-beliefs and attitudes, both conscious and unconscious. It hones our mental skills, and it is good to be balanced with the unconditional love of the Heart Chakra.
Mantra: “I am open to exploring what cannot be seen”
Colour: Dark Blue / Purple
Element: Light
Stone: Amethyst
Incorporating Green Mandarin essential oil into your daily routine can help support the health and balance of your chakras, promoting a sense of well-being and harmony in all aspects of your life.
Essential Oil Blends
Here are some suggestions for blends that are not only functional, but also delightful to smell. All of them use Green Mandarin Essential Oil. I use the numbers for parts – this could be drops or grams if making a larger volume. The number just gives a ratio between the other oils used.
The blends could go straight into a diffuser (like the one shown above), or you could add 20 drops of the blend to 99g of vegetable oil like Jojoba Oil and apply it to your skin. This gives you a safe 1% dilution. Of course, you should do your own research to check the safety of the other essential oils before using them.
And, Relax … 10 Green Mandarin + 6 Lavender + 4 Roman Chamomile
It’s Christmas! … 14 Green Mandarin + 3 Cinnamon + 2 Nutmeg + 1 Vetiver
Fresh Christmas … 9 Green Mandarin + 8 Black Spruce + 2 Cinnamon + 1 Clove
Deeply Exotic … 12 Green Mandarin + 5 Patchouli + 3 Ylang Ylang
Breathe Easy … 9 Black Spruce + 6 Green Mandarin + 3 Eucalyptus Radiata + 2 Cypress
Stop & Relax … 9 Petitgrain + 6 Frankincense + 3 Green Mandarin + 2 Patchouli
Fresh Cologne … 9 Green Mandarin + 6 Sandalwood + 5 Lavender
Fruit Grove … 8 Green Mandarin + 6 Lime + 6 Petitgrain
Fresh Spice … 11 Green Mandarin + 5 Black Spruce + 4 Black Pepper
Ease Nausea … 8 Spearmint + 6 Green Mandarin + 6 Ginger
Muscle Ease … 7 Green Mandarin + 4 Plai + 4 Fragonia™ + 3 Eucalyptus + 2 Roman Chamomile
Get Going … 6 Green Mandarin + 6 Lemon + 6 Spearmint
You can read more blog posts about essential oils here.
Safety and Precautions
Overall, Green Mandarin essential oil is considered safe for most people when used properly. As with any essential oil, there are some safety precautions that should be taken when using any essential oil. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Dilute properly: Essential oils are highly concentrated and should always be diluted before use. A general rule of thumb is to use no more than a 1% dilution (20 drops of essential oil per 99g of carrier oil).
- Avoid contact with eyes and mucous membranes: Essential oils should not be applied directly to the eyes or mucous membranes. If contact does occur, flush the area with a carrier oil or milk and seek medical attention if necessary.
- Do a patch test: Before using any essential oil, it’s a good idea to do a patch test to check for any allergic reactions. Apply a small amount of diluted oil to a patch of skin and wait 24 hours to see if any irritation occurs.
- Keep out of reach of children: Essential oils should be kept out of reach of children and pets. If ingested, seek medical attention immediately.
- Consult a healthcare professional: If you are pregnant, nursing, or have a medical condition, it’s important to consult a healthcare professional before using any essential oil.
Conclusion
In this article, I have explored the benefits of Green Mandarin essential oil and provided an overview of terpenes. Through my research, I have discovered that Green Mandarin essential oil contains a variety of terpenes that can provide numerous health benefits.
One of the main benefits of Green Mandarin essential oil is its ability to promote relaxation and reduce stress. This is due to the presence of d-Limonene also known as the happy terpene with calming effects on the body and mind.
Another benefit is the ability to improve digestion and has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can help to support digestive health.
Overall, Green Mandarin essential oil is a versatile and beneficial oil that can be used for a variety of purposes. Whether you are looking to reduce stress, improve digestion, or support your overall health and wellbeing, it’s a safe and very affordable essential oil to use.
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