40+ Orange Essential Oil Uses, Plus FAQs

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Orange essential oil, also known as orange oil, wild orange oil, and sweet orange oil, brings a peaceful and happy atmosphere when used. It helps your mind and body accept joy into your heart, providing additional emotional support to help you overcome moodiness, sadness, and overwhelm.

While not a true essential oil, orange oil's sweet scent can be both calming and energizing, depending on what you blend it with, and is great for helping with boosting the health of your body's cells, helping you with achieving and maintaining a healthy weight, and helps with cleansing your air.

Keeping a bottle of orange oil on hand serves as a great addition to your essential oil collection.

The information provided on this website is for educational purposes only. Nothing on this page has been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and is not intended to provide medical advice for any health condition, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

How Orange Oil Is Made

Orange oil is not usually distilled like most essential oils are. It is created by cold-pressing orange rinds. This means a bunch of orange peels are placed on and closed on a flat surface that presses down on them until all the liquid is extracted. Typically, this process does not require heat.

This is a very simple process, especially if you grow your own orange trees, and are able to acquire or make a press.

Orange Oil Benefits & Studies

Orange oil is great for helping calm turbulent moods, and helping create an environment conducive to supporting peacefulness, joy, and emotional relief. It is also beneficial for your immune system, natural inflammatory response, cognitive function abilities, and overall health.

Historically, orange aromatherapy has been associated with generosity and gratitude. In old folklore, oranges have also been referred to as “golden apples” symbolizing innocence and fertility. Oranges and their aromas have also been historically used for supporting circulatory system needs, relaxing the throat, lower digestive tract issues, and supporting womens' uteruses.

Studies Featuring Orange Oil

• A study from 2012 found orange oil (rich in limonene) both inhibited the growth and promoted the death of colon cancer cells in culture.
• A 2017 study found that orange oil inhibited the growth and increase the death of lung and prostate cancer cell lines in the culture analyzed.
• A small 2016 study found that student-athletes who inhaled orange oil had a significant decrease in running times as well as an increase in lung function.
• A 2019 study on rats found that obese rats who were fed capsules of orange oil showed a reduction in weight gain and lowered cholesterol levels. Human trials have not been conducted.
• You may also find this study and this study about how orange oil interacts with different bacteria to be interesting.

Orange oil is rich in both monoterpenes and d-limonene (you'll want to click those links to see more health benefits!).

** Please note, we may make a small commission from sales made after clicking on affiliate links provided in this post through predetermined partnerships. For more information, please see my disclaimers page. EssentialOils.Life authors only provide recommendations that we have researched, personally use, and like.

40+ Ways To Use Orange oil

There are many uses for sweet orange oil. The three main categories for using orange oil include topical use (external use), aromatic use, and internal use (in supplements or as a food flavor).

** PLEASE NOTE ** Don't be fooled by clever marketing. Not all essential oils are created equally. Make sure you're not wasting your money on fake or altered essential oils (even if they're labeled as “pure essential oil”). Don't miss our explosive report outlining the dirty little secrets of the essential oil industry to ensure you're not wasting your money on brands of oils that legally mislead you through deceitful marketing practices.

Use Orange Oil In Your Cleaning Routine

Orange oil is an amazing addition to your natural cleaning products, especially those you choose to DIY. You can even add a few drops of orange essential oil to your favorite nontoxic cleaner to change up the aroma.

Use orange oil to dissolve sticky residue from adhesives, foods, and sweets by dripping a few drops directly onto the sticky mess, and wiping it with a paper towel or rag.

Use a few drops of orange oil as an oil degreaser. This works great on greasy oven messes, and also works surprisingly well for washing your hands after working on cars.

Add a drop or two into the toilet before you use it to help control bathroom smells

DIY Multipurpose Cleaner: Take a clean 8oz spray bottle, add 50 drops of orange essential, 1 oz of witch hazel, 4 oz white vinegar, and fill the rest of the way with distilled water. Shake and spray to clean surfaces.

Clean your cutting boards by combining 12 drops of sweet orange oil with 1/4 cup of salt. Rub on cutting boards and rinse with hot water.

Make a refreshing room spray (or linen spray) by combining 20 drops each of lavender, cedarwood, kunzea, and orange oils in a 4oz spray bottle filled with distilled water and a couple of pinches of salt. Shake, and spray on linens or around the room.

DIY your own Wood Cleaner and Polish using orange oil. Orange oil is a great substitute for lemon oil in a variety of cleaning recipes.

Drip a few drops of orange oil into indoor garbage cans to combat stinky smells and deter some bugs.

Add 12 drops to 1/4 cup each of Castile soap and water, and use to wipe down household surfaces.

Add a few drops of orange oil to a wooden clothespin, diffuser clip, or cotton ball to set on your car's air vents to use as an air freshener in your car

Drip 1-2 drops of orange oil onto your stained tile, let sit for 2 minutes and wipe away the stain.

Use Orange Oil In your Wellness Routine

Enjoy the scent of orange essential oil by diffusing it or add it to your favorite diffusing jewelry to help inspire a more positive mood or reduce stress. This is especially helpful if you're enduring chronic stress.

Soothe sore muscles and joints by diluting 1 drop per ml of your favorite carrier oil and massaging over where you need it

Dilute orange oil, and apply it to your abdomen to help calm and soothe digestive upset.

Use its purifying qualities by adding orange oil to your toothpaste or oil pulling routine.

Use Orange Oil In Your Skincare Routine

Orange oil is a great oil to use on your skin. It may even help lighten dark spots, much like lemon.

Use on your acne-prone skin for a smoother appearance by adding a few drops of orange oil onto a cotton ball and dabbing on your skin where the breakout is

Combine 12 drops of orange oil with 1/4 cup of Epsom salts for a relaxing bath. I love keeping this on hand in a small jar, ready to use.

Use orange oil in your favorite sugar body scrub recipe or in a DIY body butter.

Sweet Orange Essential Oil Recipes

There are many oil blends that are complimented by adding orange oil.

Orange essential oil blends well with cinnamon, frankincense, geranium, juniper, lavender, nutmeg, and rosewood essential oils. It also blends well with other citrus oil and spicier oils.

Orange Oil Rollerball Recipes

Afternoon Slump Roller Blend: 10 drops orange and 6 drops peppermint essential oils

Anger Buster Roller Blend: 6 drops orange, 4 drops cardamom, 2 drops each patchouli and bergamot essential oils

Arrival Roller Blend: 4 drops orange, 3 drops jasmine, and 3 drops lime essential oils

Energized Roller Blend: 4 drops each of frankincense and orange with 2 drops of cinnamon essential oils

Frayed Nerves Roller Blend: 3 drops each of lavender and orange with 2 drops each of geranium and clary sage essential oils

Happy Roller Blend: 14 drops ylang ylang, 10 drops black spruce, 6 drops orange essential oils

Happy Place Roller Blend: 3 drops ylang ylang, 4 drops orange, 3 drops lavender essential oils

Happy Teacher Roller Blend: 5 drops each of frankincense essential oil, Joy essential oil blend, orange oil, grapefruit oil, and bergamot oil

Love Is In The Air Roller Blend: 4 drops each ylang ylang, orange, and bergamot with 2 drops each sandalwood and black pepper essential oils

Mental Lift Roller Blend: 2 drops each bergamot, clary sage, grapefruit, and orange with 6 drops of frankincense essential oils

Peaceful Sleep Roller Blend: 7 drops each lavender and vetiver, 5 drops of each orange and frankincense, and 3 drops of cedarwood essential oils

To turn these recipes into a rollerball, simply add the amounts of essential oil into an empty 10 or 15ml bottle, fill the rest of the way with your choice of carrier oil, and top with a roller top fitment.

A carrier oil can be any cold-pressed, seed-based oil (ideally organic and unrefined). This includes most cooking oil, like coconut oil, avocado oil, and olive oil. Personally, we LOVE using sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil, and the V6 Carrier oil (made by Young Living). This is the best way to dilute your essential oils for topical use.

Relaxing DIY essential oil diffuser recipes featuring orange oil:

• 3 drops of each orange and lavender in your diffuser
• 2 drops orange, 1 drop roman chamomile, 2 drops tangerine, 1 drop ylang ylang, and 1 drop patchouli
• 2 drops each: orange, lavender, cedarwood
• 2 drops each: orange, lavender, black spruce
• 3 drops each: orange and patchouli
• 2 drops orange, 2 drops lavender, 1 drop clary sage, 1 drop geranium
• 3 drops lavender, 3 drops orange, 1 drop frankincense, and 1 drop spearmint

Energizing essential oil diffuser blends featuring orange oil:

• 3 drops orange and 2 drops peppermint
• 1 drop orange, 2 drops lemon, 1 drop lime, 1 drop grapefruit, 1 drop spearmint
• 2 drops each of orange, bergamot, and lemon
• 3 drops orange, 2 drops rosemary, and 1 drop clove bud essential oil
• Calm down from stressful moments with a chill-out blend of 1 drop bergamot, 1 drop lavender, and 2 drops orange. Diffuse or dilute with 5ml of carrier oil of your choice and apply it to the back of your neck.

Orange Oil Safety Info

** Please note that orange oil is a photosensitive oil. Avoid sunlight where you apply it on your skin for at least 12 hours.

Please remember to dilute your orange oil with a carrier oil before using it topically.

If you have sensitive skin, you may want to avoid using citrus oils, like orange oil, directly on your skin, unless in blends. I highly recommend doing a small patch test on your skin to see if your body is ok using orange oil. To do so, simply dilute orange oil in your favorite carrier oil, and apply it to a small section of your skin (in an area that will not receive direct sunlight for the following 12 hours). If you do not experience a negative reaction, then you're likely good to continue using orange oil topically (diluted).

Your orange oil should be stored in amber glass bottles, out of direct sunlight, in a cool, dry place, and out of reach of children.

Food and Drink Dishes Featuring Orange Oil

While ingesting essential oils is a controversial topic, there are safe ways to do so, namely through creating some delicious culinary creations. Using orange oil, however, is very similar to grating orange rind.

Orange Vitality oil is a wonderful addition when used for baking, and other culinary creations. It has a bright, rounded orangey flavor, and is delicious in a variety of dishes. I love adding a drop or two to dishes calling for citrus juices and zests or just brightening up a variety of fun dips. It especially works well replacing orange juices and zests.

Here are some of our favorite orange flavor culinary uses:

• Add 1-2 drops of orange vitality oil to your homemade smoothies for a bright fresh taste
• Add a little orange vitality oil to berry dishes to complement their natural sweetness
• Honey Orange Whipped Cream: whip 1 pint of whipping cream, then fold in 20 drops of orange vitality and 3 Tbs honey.
• Add a drop of orange vitality to your favorite toothpaste for extra whitening! (seriously… try it every day for 30 days, and be sure to take before/after photos)!
• Dreamsicle Fruit Dip – 8oz softened cream cheese, 4oz whipped cream, 1/3 cup powdered sugar, 3 drops orange vitality

Culinary essential oils that compliment orange vitality oil

Orange vitality pairs especially well with basil bergamot, grapefruit, lavender, lemon, and tangerine vitality oils.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Orange Oil

What is the difference between orange oil and orange vitality oil?

Absolutely nothing aside from the label printed. They are 100% the exact same oil that may be used in the exact same ways interchangeably. Young Living adopted the Vitality label in 2015 to remain legal with the FDA and FTC's marketing requirements that state a supplement cannot be labeled as topical and oral at the same time.

This means legally, you cannot discuss using essential oils in your cooking, baking, drinks, or any oral supplement form if it is the same bottle you're discussing using in your diffuser or topically on your skin.

To reduce confusion and stay in the eyes of the law, Young Living separated their labels to compliantly discuss all the benefits essential oils can provide in all use capacities.

Is orange oil safe to use while pregnant?

Yes. Generally, orange oil is considered safe to use while you're pregnant.

If you're using oils while pregnant, I highly recommend this reference guide. It contains some great advice for using essential oils while pregnant, plus some DIY Recipes you'll love too.

Is orange oil safe for kids and babies?

Generally, yes for children over 6. We do not recommend using orange oil by itself with children under 6. If you choose to, please use it with greater dilutions, ideally blended with other essential oils and carrier oil.

While essential oils may be safe for kids to use, please do not have your child use an essential oil internally without being under the direct guidance of a naturopathic doctor or qualified aromatherapist.

Can you be allergic to orange oil?

Yes. Orange oil is created by cold-pressing orange rinds. If you are allergic to oranges, you may want to skip this oil and use something you're not allergic to or replace it in diffuser recipes with neroli essential oil. Neroli is made by distilling orange blossoms and is a true essential oil, which is less likely to provoke a reaction.

Is orange oil safe for dogs and cats?

Orange oil is safe to use with your dogs. It is NOT safe to use around cats.

If you're using essential oils around your family pets, be sure to allow them to access out of the room and into a room where you're not diffusing. This way they're able to escape when they feel they've had enough. Please also consider picking up a reference guide specific to using essential oils with animals. There are also reference guides specific to Young Living's oils too.

Should you use orange oil if you're taking medication?

This is a very personal question, and really depends on which medications you're taking. I have an entire article dedicated to known medication contraindications that I highly recommend you check out… in addition to having a lengthy conversation about your medical condition with your aromatherapist, naturopath, or pharmacist.

How often should you use orange oil?

This is also a personal question. This depends on what you're using it for and how experienced you are using it. For beginners, I recommend only diffusing for 30 minutes at a time, then giving your body an hour break. If you diffuse too much, you could end up lightheaded. Personally, I have a diffuser running most of the day intermittently (using the intermittent setting on our diffuser). Or I'll wear a piece of diffusing jewelry with 3 drops of oil on it throughout the day (those 3 drops usually last a few days). Check out our article about diffusing essential oils safely for more info.

Don't see an answer to the question you have about orange oil?

Have an unanswered question about essential oils? You're welcome to fill out this form to ask anonymously.

Where to Buy High-Quality Orange Oil

Orange oil is among the most affordable oils to have and use, but not oils are created the same (contrary to what many bloggers and aromatherapists claim). Don't miss our article about the top 10+ dirty little secrets of the essential oil industry to know what to look out for.

Warning: DO NOT purchase your oils through Amazon or similar websites!

Any website that allows anyone to sell on, such as Amazon, eBay, Walmart… etc… are terrible places to purchase essential oils. While you may get a “good deal,” knowing who you're purchasing from is difficult. There are many counterfeit essential oils being sold that are causing health ailments, major skin reactions, and a lot of misery. These are NOT high-quality essential oils. Often, they are fakes being sold purely for profit.

Where we purchase our oils, and why

We purchase our oils through Young Living because they set a higher standard for essential oils than the rest of the industry. Their Seed to Seal guarantee is unmatched and shows their dedication to a farm-to-table type of approach. This company has proven to me time and time again to be the closest thing out there to buying from your local farmer. They are totally transparent in their processes, and even open their farms so you can see for yourself (or involve yourself in the process).

Pre-made essential oil blends that feature orange oil

You'll love these pre-made essential oil blends that feature orange oil. You definitely won't want to miss these!

• Abundance,
• Awaken,
• Christmas Spirit,
• Citrus Fresh,
• Envision,
• Harmony,
• ImmuPower,
• Inner Child,
• Into the Future,
• Lady Sclareol,
• Longevity,
• Peace and Calming,
• SARA

Looking for more info about essential oils and adopting a healthier lifestyle? Be sure to check out our Healthy Home online course for tips on how to identify and replace common harmful products from your home.

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