Kaffir Lime Petitgrain Essential Oil
Citrus hystrix
Kaffir Lime Petitgrain Essential Oil is also known by the following names:
- Combava Petitgrain Essential Oil
- Combava Leaf Essential Oil
- Makrut Lime Petitgrain Essential Oil
- Makrut Lime Leaf Essential Oil
Kaffir Lime Petitgrain Essential Oil should not be confused with Kaffir Lime Essential Oil (also known as Makrut Lime Essential Oil) that is cold pressed or distilled from the rind. The information and safety comments included in this profile pertain to the essential oil distilled from the leaves, not the rind (peel).
Description
Kaffir Lime Petitgrain Essential Oil is steam distilled from the leaves of the Kaffir Lime Tree, a citrus tree that is native to regions of Asia. The leaves are very aromatic and are used to flavor numerous Asian culinary dishes.
When I first smelled Kaffir Lime Petitgrain Essential Oil nearly ten years ago, I fell in love with its intriguing aroma and have enjoyed working with it ever since. Even a fraction of a percent can liven up an otherwise typical smelling blend. It's aroma and composition are different than that of Petitgrain Bigarade Essential Oil.
Described as simply as possible, the aroma of Kaffir Lime Petitgrain Essential Oil is a fresh, lemon-lime scent with notes of lemongrass, citronella, wood and subtle rosy/floral aromatic characteristics. It's a pleasant aroma that you will likely be pleased with it if you enjoy Lime, Lemon, Lemongrass, Citronella and Petitgrain Bigarade Essential Oils.
Tony Burfield describes the aroma as having a "citronellal odour character, being fresh citrus, aldehydic and oily. The citrus note has a lemon/lime twist, strongly reminiscent of the oil of Eucalyptus citriodora. Dry-down is quite altered, with sweet geraniol and rosy notes predominating and just a slight citrus twist." Jennifer Peace Rhind describes the aroma as having a "strong, citronella-like odour, with warm lime-like and floral-rosy nuances."
Kaffir Lime Petitgrain Essential Oil blends especially well with citrus essential oils and most floral, wood, conifer and a wide range of other essential oil categories. The aroma is rather potent, and it can easily overpower a blend. Therefore, it's best to start by using it very sparingly in your blends.
Kaffir Lime Petitgrain Essential Oil is not as widely available as Petitgrain Bigarade Essential Oil or numerous other essential oils, but it is available from several reputable sellers. It is also not widely used in aromatherapy, but it has a history of interest and use within the perfumery industry.
There is not much documented information available on the therapeutic uses of Kaffir Lime Petitgrain Essential Oil. I see Kaffir Lime Petitgrain Essential Oil as showing promise for use in helping to combat stress, rejuvenate the mind and to help promote focus. View the Kaffir Lime Petitgrain Essential Oil Benefits and Uses section below for more possible uses for this intriguing essential oil.
Kaffir Lime Petitgrain Essential Oil Benefits and Uses
- Musculoskeletal (pain, inflammation and tension)
- Antimicrobial (Respiratory Pathogens)
- Skin (Acne)
- Psyche (Stress, Tension and Insomnia)
Source: Jennifer Peace Rhind, Aromatherapeutic Blending: Essential Oils in Synergy (London and Philadelphia: Singing Dragon, 2016, 208.
Botanical Name
Plant Family
Common Method of Extraction
Kaffir Lime Petitgrain Essential Oil is steam distilled.
Plant Part Typically Used
Color
Clear to Pale Yellow
Consistency
Thin
Perfumery Note
Top
Strength of Initial Aroma
Medium to Strong
Aromatic Description
Kaffir Lime Petitgrain Essential Oil has a fresh, lemon-lime scent with notes of lemongrass, citronella, wood and subtle rosy/floral aromatic characteristics. Read the Description section at the top of this page for a more detailed explanation of the scent.
Major Constituents
- Citronellal
- Citronellyl acetate
- Isopulegol
- Sabinene
- Linalool
- B-Pinene
- B-Myrcene
- Gamma-Terpinene
See Essential Oil Safety for more complete list of typical constituents.
Source: B.M. Lawrence, Essential Oils 1988-1991 (Wheaton: Allured Publishing, 1995), 122. Source cited in Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 258.
Kaffir Lime Petitgrain Essential Oil Safety Information
Tisserand and Young do not indicate any special precautions when using Kaffir Lime Petitgrain. Reading Tisserand and Young's full profile is recommended. [Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 258-259.]
Kaffir Lime Petitgrain Essential Oil References
- Tony Burfield, Natural Aromatic Materials: Odours & Origins, Second Edition (Tampa, FL: The Atlantic Institute of Aromatherapy, 2016), 309-310.
- Jennifer Peace Rhind, Aromatherapeutic Blending: Essential Oils in Synergy (London and Philadelphia: Singing Dragon, 2016, 208.
- Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 258-259.
- Steffen Arctander, Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin (Reprint Edition. Elizabeth, NJ: Pathfinder., 2017), 126.
General Safety Information
Do not take any oils internally and do not apply undiluted essential oils, absolutes, CO2s or other concentrated essences onto the skin without advanced essential oil knowledge or consultation from a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. For general dilution information, read AromaWeb's Guide to Diluting Essential Oils. If you are pregnant, epileptic, have liver damage, have cancer, or have any other medical problem, use oils only under the proper guidance of a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. Use extreme caution when using oils with children and be sure to first read the recommended dilution ratios for children. Consult a qualified aromatherapy practitioner before using oils with children, the elderly, if you have medical issues or are taking medications. Before using this or any essential oil, carefully read AromaWeb's Essential Oil Safety Information page. For in-depth information on oil safety issues, read Essential Oil Safety by Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young.
Shelf Life
Important Information About the Profiles
The essential oil information provided on AromaWeb is intended for basic educational purposes only. The references to safety information, test results, constituents and percentages is generalized information. Essential oils can vary greatly in composition. The data is not necessary complete and is not guaranteed to be accurate. The essential oil photos are intended to represent the typical and approximate color of each essential oil. However, essential oil composition and color can vary based on harvesting, distillation, age of the essential oil and other factors. Profiles for several CO2 Extracts and absolutes are included within the directory, and are denoted as such.
