I'm taking a mini break from playing Dance Central. I almost forgot how much fun it was. I downloaded a few new songs, I was actually kind of shocked the store was still up. I feel like I need to download all the songs I want while they are available because they probably won't keep the store up forever. Sadly they took the Just Dance store down before I could get a few songs I wanted. Anyway...Citronella. A summer essential..or it is?
Aura Cacia claims:
Citronella java (Citronella winterianus) essential oil has a lemony aroma and cleansing, protecting properties. It’s great for outdoor diffusions and sprays, and also finds its way in soothing body care blends.
Country of Origin: Indonesia
Most people probably associate the smell of citronella with bug repellant. It's used in sprays, body oils, and candles to keep bugs away. And much safer than alternatives like DEET. A few years back I went to family reunion/cookout...only for a little while. It was a muggy, humid North Carolina summer day/night and the bugs were out in full force to eat people up. I had just started getting into oils and made my own bug spray with cheap alcohol and a bunch of different oils like Lavender, Eucalyptus, etc. It ended up smelling lime lemon lime soda. And it worked so well! I didn't get not one bite. I ended up sharing it with a few people there and they loved it as well!
I don't really have much use for bug spray these days. I don't have a problem with mosquitos here...but when I go back to the South in the summer months I will be SURE to have bring some with me.
That being said...I really hate the smell of Citronella. It is super strong and headache inducing. I've tried and tried to love it, but I just can't. It can be toned down in a blend but most of the time I don't want to mix it with oils I DO like, just in case I don't like the Citronella note.
BUT I do like it for cleaning. I make my own cleaners which is usually just a mix of vinegar/little bit of dish soap/water and a few drops of Citronella. It disguises the smell of the vinegar and leaves everything smelling super fresh. Also it leaves bath fixtures shiny and everything sparkling clean and fresh. It's great o clean the floors etc. Especially if you leave the Windows open afterwards.
It also has amazing deodorizing properties. If you want to freshen carpet you can mix it into some baking soda and sprinkle into carpet, let it sit a couple hours and vacuum it up.
It would probably make amazing DIY Beeswax candles for outdoor use. I haven't attempted candles yet though. One day.
It's supposed to be a great oil for repository health and relaxing. If you can stand the scent it's supposed to be a good one to diffuse during times of seasonal illness. It does smell a lot better diffused than out of the bottle.
It's also super affordable. I bought the 15 ml bottle for about three dollars a few years back and a little goes a long way. Definitely bang for your buck.
It's not my favorite oil...but it has its uses and I would probably always keep a bottle in my collection. If only to use in DIY Bug Repellant.
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