Lemon Balm Oil vs Lemon Balm Essential Oil

Both contain lemon balm, also known as Melissa from it's Latin name Melissa officinalis, but each product is very different from the other. You want to be sure that you are buying the right product for the right need.

Lemon balm oil is an oil that the herb lemon balm has been added to by soaking the herb in the oil

Most lemon balm oils are made using the cold pressed method. This method is the best for extraction of the herb, with no damage to the herb or the oil. Hot pressing can cause damage to the natural chemicals in both the oil and the herb.

To cold press means to extract the healing properties of the herb over time. The lemon balm is soaked in a carrier oil for 6- 8 weeks and then the herb is strained off. What is left is pure gold for healing skin conditions. Lemon balm oil is used externally only. It is used topically for the healing of shingles, herpes, and herpes cold sores. It should never be ingested. Lemon balm oil is not lemon balm tincture. Read more about that here on our blog.

Lemon balm essential oil is the volatile oil that comes directly from the plant itself. It is not a typical oil, but is the life's energy from the lemon balm. To make an essential oil the plant is steam distilled through the evaporation process. The aerial parts of the lemon balm plant are used to make the essential oil.

Lemon balm essential oil is used in aromatherapy for stress and anxiety. You can add a few drops to an oil (apricot, olive or other carrier oil) to make a lemon balm healing oil, but this is not to be confused with lemon balm oil itself. The essential oil can be burned in a diffuser, as well as added to the bath water. This is called the inhalation method of aromatherapy.
The essential oil should not be ingested. For ingestion methods of healing stress and anxiety with lemon balm please read "Using Lemon Balm for Anxiety"