Bergamot
Latin Name: Citrus bergamia
I love this essence; it smells so sweet! One of my favorite aromas to use all year round! Bergamot makes you feel rejuvenated, happy and just very uplifted! I know these winter months can be so cold and make you feel down with being inside all the time. I love to use this in the diffuser with lavender or even ylang ylang.
Bergamot comes from the citrus plant and it is extracted from the peel. This process is called a cold expression or expressed citrus fruits and is called an essence. Some other oils are made from a process called steam distillation.
WARNING: When using Bergamot on the skin…it can cause photosensitivity. So if you are out in the sun, you will get burned. They do have Bergamot that is Bergaptene -Free which takes that component out. Just make sure to READ the label to make sure, it will usually say. Also, make sure that you know that this is a PURE essence and no added oils or extra ingredients are in the final product that you purchased.
Some uses for the oil:
Diffuser– you can use about 4-6 drops in a water diffuser. This will make your room smell so good and lovely! It brings a brightness to the room!
You can wear it in a perfume blend, just make sure it’s Bergaptene- free. I like mixing it with Lavender or Ylang Ylang or even Patchouli.
Also, you can just keep it in the container and carry it around and smell it thru-out the day. It can help you feeling light, good, and inspired! Just make sure you store the oil in a cool, dry, dark place, as it is sensitive to light. Not a good thing to keep in your car in the summer months:(.
Fun Fact: Did you know Earl Grey Tea is made from Bergamot?
Bergamot helps with: Depression, Calming, Anti-Inflammatory, Anxiety, Stress, Insomnia, Improves Circulation, Kills Germs and many more benefits. You can mix it with a carrier oil to help with skin inflammation or just to make a nice oil for your body. Bergamot smells good with a lot of other oils. I recommend using jojoba oil, as it’s gentle and good with inflammation, on all skin types. Sunflower oil is also a good carrier oil to mix with Bergamot for inflammation. ***When using oils, start slow to get your body used to it. ALWAYS, do a patch test first on your inner wrist to make sure you don’t react to the oil or essence. When I say start slow, use a few drops when making a blend to a 4 oz container. That’s a very low dilution which is a good start to ease into it!
Where to get oils from: Original Swiss Aromatics and Rose Mountain Herbs.
Have fun and enjoy your experience with Bergamot! Please reach out if you have any questions…
Sources:
In regards to SAFETY: The Herbal Academy
Books:
Jeanne Rose, (1937). 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols.
Ecole Lyonnaise De Plantes Medicinales, Patrice De Bonneval and Cathy Skipper, (1983). Aromatic Medicine : Integrating Essential Oils into Herbal Practice.
