With this blog, we will explore a new essential oil Litsea Cubeba. A somewhat lesser known essential oil than many others, Litsea Cubeba is a lovely oil with many benefits. The majority of this oil is produced in China and is obtained through steam distillation of the small berries on the plant. The leaves and the flowers are also lemon-scented.
May Chang essential oil is very fragrant, falling somewhere between lemon with a hint of orange. It is pale yellow and the citrus aroma is quite strong. The oils is rich in Citral but also contains linalool, geranial and limonene. All these constituents have therapeutic power as being highly antiseptic.
Cost wise, Litsea Cubeba is a nice alternative to the more expensive Bergamot. The strong scent is uplifting and has a strong deodorizing ability. A blend of lavender and litsea cubeba makes a very effective personal deodorant, however be sure to use a 2% dilution or less.  Research has supported the use as a disinfectant and encourages diffusing in the home during flu season and winter months when the house is closed up for long periods of time.
Also known as May Chang, for its Chinese origin, it is developing a reputation as an emotionally supportive oil, helping to relax and calm the spirit. For use at home, 1 – 2 drops in a room spray will deodorize a room. A few drops in an unscented cream can be of benefit to an extreme breakout of acne.
Contraindications for this oil indicate this oil should not be ingested, particularly by those people on diabetic medications and at any stage of pregnancy. It should not be used topically at any stage of pregnancy either.
We recently did a trial of May Chang in soap and the scent is quite pleasant and slightly muted.  We observe skin safety by sticking to the published dermal limits in soap. This testing is necessary before we commit to using it in a soap. The good news is we are offering Essential Oil Litsea Cubeba in our molded Namaste Goat Yoga Soap Bars, available in the farm store.  Litsea Cubeba Essential Oil is a wonderful oil to diffuse during Yoga, Mediation or Tai Chi classes.
Frequently confused with Lemongrass, Litsea Cubeba is more pungent, but not quite as “citrusy” as real lemon.
Comments
This sounds as if it could be effective as a mosquito repellant, too. Do you know? There is an entirely ignored HUGE number of women who have developed a rare condition due to treatments for breast cancer. Usually they are affected in the upper body esp the arms etc. Many say this is worse than the cancer AND there is no cure! A simple mosquito bite can kill them…and they are only about 1/3 of this orphaned group in the battle for life! DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING to keep mosquitoes at bay and/or antiseptic? Any injury no matter how small needs immediate attention. Ill share more if you want the knowledge zive gained by being one of the ” mystery* ” sufferers of this condition.
Thank you,
Karen In Nashville (former ad executive and sales director…i see ann opp for my ” sisters” esp and a mountain of income for you!
Karen:
Litsea Cubeba has a lemony odor which has some repellency for insects, as does lemon and citronella oils. We have an essential oil based insect spray and use a blend with two other essential oils that we find works well, however it does not contain Litsea Cubeba. It is a DEET free alternative. Please feel free to read the reviews on our site to see how it has worked for customers.