Citrus oil has been used in spas across the world for centuries and offers a wide-range of benefits. With a sweet, tangy taste and fresh aroma, these nutrition-packed fruits embody the feeling of a bright, healthy new day. Citrus is a powerful cleanser and also contains bacteria fighting and antiseptic properties that work wonders in organic skin care.
In addition to aromatic and stress-relieving qualities, citrus boasts anti-aging and other skincare benefits such as brightening skin, increasing radiance, tightening pores, and so much more. Below, we’ll break down the types of citrus oils and products you can use to reap all the benefits of these amazing fruits.
Cleanse
Citrus has powerful astringent and antibacterial properties. When applied to organic skin care, these attributes can help in clearing blemishes, preventing major scarring, and reducing hyperpigmentation that can occur after breakouts. Citrus oil also helps mitigate excess oil in your complexion, which can reduce future blemishes and prevent unwanted shininess.
Orange is one of the least acidic of the citrus oils, and is great for exfoliating and detoxifying skin. It includes powerful nutrients such as vitamins C and E, as well as antioxidants which strip away dead skin cells to leave your complexion smooth and even. Orange is a great ingredient to look for if you have oily or troublesome skin.
As with any cleansing ritual, rebalancing moisture levels is critical. Try to stay away from foaming cleansers even if they’re citrus-based (and especially in the dry winter months), as these often tend to be harsh and strip moisture from the skin. Gentle exfoliants are best, especially those with orange included. Orange has a ton of Vitamin C, which helps decrease transepidermal water loss and actually allows your skin to retain more moisture. Try something like our Mandarin Cleansing Milk, which uses nonstripping ingredients to provide a powerful clean while soothing and protecting the skin's natural moisture barrier.
Repair
One of the most well known benefits of citrus fruits is that they are loaded with vitamin C. In fact, one orange can give you 130% of the daily requirement of this amazing nutrient. Vitamin C is known for boosting our immune system, but it also offers a powerhouse of skincare benefits. As we said earlier, vitamin C can help your skin retain more moisture than it would normally. It also provides a number of great anti-aging benefits.
Vitamin C is an ascorbic acid that helps regenerate collagen, maintaining skin’s elasticity and firmness. It’s also an antioxidant which works to destroy and fight the damage caused by free radicals. We’re exposed to free radicals everyday in the form of chemicals, UV rays and pollution. These harmful stressors are a leading cause of damage to our skin cells and can even accelerate the aging process. Vitamin C helps reverse free radical damage and, when combined with the proper SPF, creates a protective barrier for your skin.
Sometimes the acidity of Vitamin C can cause irritation to sensitive skin. If you have sensitive skin, check out something like our Vitamin C Ampoules, which are stabilized in a pH neutral suspension, instead of the typical acidic solution. They can also double as a brightening primer for a fresh, smooth canvas.
*Tip: Use Vitamin C products in the morning and, if you use retinol, keep it in your nighttime routine. Combining Vitamin C with retinol can cause irritation and a higher risk of UV damage.
Rejuvenate
Another well-known skincare benefit of citrus oils? Rejuvenating, resurfacing and brightening skin.
UV rays from the sun wreak havoc on the skin, depleting antioxidants and causing oxidative damage, which can lead to dark spots and pigmentation. Citrus fruits are a natural antioxidant and help to prevent and even reverse UV-induced photodamage. Citric acid is also an alpha hydroxy acid, which helps to tighten pores and refine skin tone.
Grapefruit and lemon are some of the most acidic of the citrus fruits, but they’re very effective at brightening skin and treating discoloration. Mandarin helps improve skin tone while preventing sun damage. Orange is a great exfoliator. Tangerine fights blemishes while brightening and smoothing. And, just like a tropical smoothie does wonders for your body, these superfruits can do amazing things for your complexion when combined.
We’ve put a powerful blend of citrus together in our Fruition Brightening and Polishing Mask. With 45% real fruit puree, this mask harnesses powerful actives and uplifting superfruits to target dullness and reveal renewed radiance in minutes. It’s a fruit smoothie for your skin, combining real orange, mango, passion fruit, papaya, pink grapefruit and lemon into a high performing at-home mask that will exfoliate, brighten, control acne, hydrate and provide antioxidant benefits.
*Pro Tip: For a vitamin C blast facial, cleanse with our Mandarin Cleansing Milk, use the Fruition Brightening & Polishing Mask, follow with our Dew pH Perfector and one of our Vitamin C Ampoules.