Lemon, Lemongrass

What Are Lemon and Lemongrass in Skincare?

Lemon and lemongrass are two different plants that share a bright, citrus scent. Lemon (Citrus limon) gives skincare its peel oil, juice, and fruit extract. Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus and Cymbopogon flexuosus) is a tropical grass whose leaves are distilled into an essential oil rich in citral. In cosmetics, both are used in small amounts for a fresh scent, a clean feel, and the look of balanced, less shiny skin, especially in cleansers and toners for oily skin.

EWG Skin Deep rating for Lemongrass

Lemon and Lemongrass Quick Facts

IFRA limits above come from supplier IFRA certificates for one lemon oil and one lemongrass oil. Limits vary by lot and supplier, so always use the certificate that came with your oil.

How Lemon and Lemongrass Work on the Skin

Lemongrass: clean, balanced, fresh

In a 2011 review of lemongrass research, Shah and colleagues list citral, geraniol, nerol, citronellal, and myrcene as the main oil compounds and summarize lab studies showing antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant activity. Most of that work was done in test tubes or animals, not on human faces. For skincare, this supports the classic use of lemongrass in cleansers, toners, and products for oily skin that want a fresh, clean look. Its lemon scent is also why it shows up in so many spa products.

Lemon: scent and a brighter look

Lemon peel oil adds an uplifting scent, and lemon fruit extracts contribute small amounts of fruit acids and antioxidants that support the look of brighter skin in a finished, pH-balanced formula. A formulated lemon extract is very different from raw lemon juice, which is strongly acidic and unstandardized.

Why the sun matters with citrus

Cold-pressed citrus peel oils and citrus juices contain furocoumarins, compounds that react with UVA light. In a 2015 case report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, Mioduszewski and Beecker described a 26-year-old woman who squeezed limes and lemons for sangria, spent the day outdoors without sunscreen, and developed painful burning and large blisters on her hands within hours. This is the reason IFRA limits lemon oil in leave-on products and the reason raw lemon juice does not belong on your face before going outside.

Why lemongrass is used at such low rates

Lemongrass oil is rich in citral, a fragrance compound that can trigger skin sensitivity at high doses. That is why the IFRA limit for a face moisturizer is only 0.20%, about one tenth of the lemon oil limit. A little goes a long way.

How to Use Lemon and Lemongrass: Formulating Notes

• Rate: Stay at or below your oil's IFRA certificate. For a leave-on face product that means up to 0.20% lemongrass oil (0.2 g per 100 g of product, about 0.06 g per fluid ounce) and up to 2.0% lemon oil. In rinse-off cleansers and scrubs, lemongrass oil can go up to 1.60%.
• Phase: Add essential oils at cool-down below 40°C (104°F) to keep the scent. In water-based toners, pre-mix the oil with a solubilizer such as polysorbate 20 before adding water, or it will float on top.
• Choose the right lemon oil: Steam-distilled or furocoumarin-free (FCF) lemon oil is the better choice for leave-on products. Save cold-pressed lemon oil for rinse-off products or evening-only use.
• Skip raw lemon juice: Use citric acid or a formulated fruit acid when you need acidity or exfoliation. These can be measured and pH balanced; juice cannot.
• Storage: Citrus and lemongrass oils oxidize. Store them in dark glass, tightly capped, in a cool place, and replace them once the scent turns harsh or stale.

Rinse-Off Lemongrass Sugar Scrub (100 g)

1. Mix 60 g fine sugar with 38.4 g jojoba or sunflower oil.
2. Add 1.6 g lemongrass essential oil, the 1.60% IFRA rinse-off maximum. Stir well.
3. Spoon into a clean jar with a lid. Use on damp skin, massage gently, and rinse off completely. Do not use on broken or freshly shaved skin.

Lemon Night Oil for the Look of Age Spots (1 fl oz)

Sun warning, read first: lemon essential oil can cause sun sensitivity (a phototoxic reaction) because cold-pressed lemon oil carries furocoumarins. Use this oil at night only, do not go in the sun after applying it, and always wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher during the day. This recipe is best made and used in the winter months, when UV is lower and you spend less time outdoors, for the same reason many people schedule IPL sessions in winter. If you cannot avoid the sun, skip this recipe or use the rinse-off scrub above instead.

• 2 Tbsp (1 fl oz) evening primrose oil
• 7 drops carrot seed essential oil
• 5 drops lemon essential oil (about 0.6% at the Skin Perfection house rate of 9 drops = 1% per fl oz)
• 3 drops rose essential oil
• 3 drops frankincense essential oil
• 2 drops neroli essential oil

1. Choose your lemon oil carefully. Steam-distilled or furocoumarin-free (FCF) lemon oil is the safer choice for a leave-on product. If you use cold-pressed lemon oil, keep it at or below the leave-on face limit on your oil's IFRA certificate; the reference certificate cited below lists 2.0% for face products, and this recipe uses about 0.6%.
2. Add all ingredients to a clean glass bowl with a spout, stir, and pour into an airless bottle or dark glass dropper bottle.
3. Shake before each use. At bedtime, press 2 to 3 drops onto clean, dry skin over the areas of uneven tone.
4. Give it 4 to 8 weeks of steady nightly use before judging the look of your dark spots, and wear sunscreen every morning.

Patch test on the inner arm for 24 hours before first use, never apply lemon oil undiluted, and stop if you see redness or irritation.

Who Lemon and Lemongrass Suit

Lemongrass suits oily and combination skin that wants a fresh, clean, matte look, used in cleansers, toners, and light lotions. Lemon suits rinse-off products and scented formulas for normal and oily skin, and, with the sun precautions above, a night-only leave-on oil for the look of age spots.

Sensitive skin: Patch test any product with lemon or lemongrass on the inner arm for 24 hours. Start at the lowest rate, well under the IFRA maximum (for example 0.05% lemongrass oil in a leave-on), and work up only if your skin stays calm. Never apply either essential oil undiluted, and wear sunscreen during the day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is lemongrass good for your skin?

Yes, in small amounts. Lemongrass oil helps skin look and feel clean and fresh, and lab studies report antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant activity. It is best in cleansers, toners, and products for oily skin.

Can I put lemongrass oil directly on my face?

No. Lemongrass oil is rich in citral and must be diluted. IFRA limits it to 0.20% in a face moisturizer, which is about 0.06 g in a fluid ounce of lotion.

Is lemongrass oil good for oily skin?

Yes, it is one of the most popular essential oils for oily and combination skin. Its fresh, astringent feel and clean scent fit well in cleansers and toners used at the correct rate.

Is lemon juice safe to put on your face?

It is not recommended. Raw lemon juice is strongly acidic and contains furocoumarins that react with sunlight, and a published case report describes painful burns and blisters after lemon and lime juice met the sun.

Is lemon essential oil phototoxic?

Cold-pressed lemon oil can be phototoxic because it carries furocoumarins. Choose steam-distilled or furocoumarin-free lemon oil for leave-on products, and keep cold-pressed oil within the IFRA limit of 2.0% for face products.

Does lemongrass oil lighten dark spots?

There is no verified human study showing that. For the look of a more even tone, choose an ingredient with human data such as vitamin C, niacinamide, or alpha arbutin.

What is the difference between lemon and lemongrass?

They are unrelated plants. Lemon is a citrus fruit, while lemongrass is a grass whose oil gets its lemon scent from citral, and the two have very different safe usage limits.

Shop Lemongrass

Add a fresh note to your own rinse-off and leave-on formulas with our Organic Lemongrass Essential Oil, or find organic lemongrass in the finished Liquid Facelift Collagen Serum. For oily skin routines, see our homemade face wash recipes for oily skin, and for a citrus brightening ingredient, visit the vitamin C glossary entry.

Sources

• Shah G, Shri R, Panchal V, Sharma N, Singh B, Mann AS. Scientific basis for the therapeutic use of Cymbopogon citratus, Stapf (Lemon grass). Journal of Advanced Pharmaceutical Technology and Research. 2011;2(1):3-8. doi:10.4103/2231-4040.79796 (review)
• Mioduszewski M, Beecker J. A phototoxic reaction to lime and lemon juice from making sangria (title shortened). CMAJ. 2015;187(10):756. doi:10.1503/cmaj.140942 (case report)
• Equinox Aromas, IFRA 51st Amendment certificate for lemongrass oil (Category 5B 0.20%, Category 9 1.60%) (supplier data)
• DistrEbution, IFRA 51st Amendment certificate for lemon oil (Category 5B 2.0%, Category 9 40%) (supplier data)

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

About the Author
Written by Kari Thomas, cosmetic formulator and founder of Skin Perfection.