Bergamot oil smells divine. The aroma of this essential oil is gently citrus and fragrant. It is sweet and fruity, sunny and light. It is especially uplifting and refreshing and instills optimism. At the same time it is calming and releasing encouraging relaxation and the ability to just ‘let go’.
Bergamot oil is extracted from the fruit of the bergamot orange or Citrus bergamia. The plant is of unclear origins but is mostly grown today in southern Italy, and in other Mediterranean countries.
Citrus bergamia is a small tree. It blossoms during the winter and produces fruit that look like a mix of an orange and a lemon. The peel of the fruit is what’s used to create the essential oil of bergamot.
Traditionally, bergamot oil was made manually. This method is rarely used today, but it does produce a better quality bergamot essential oil.
Mechanical extraction processes are more widely used today.
Bergamot Oil Helps Relieve Anxieties Caused By:
- Anger and frustration
- Emotional tension and ongoing stress
- Moodiness and irritability
- Repressed Emotions
Blending Bergamot Oil for Additional Anxieties:
- Peppermint and Lavender: Promotes patience and tolerance.
- Coriander and Patchouli: Relieves boredom, monotony and routineness.
- Neroli, and Orange: Relieves the feeling of repression or feeling ‘stuck’.
- Orange and Clary Sage: Encourages clear decision making.
- Orange and Camomile: Dispels anger and resentment. Encourages compromise.
Uses of Bergamot Oil for the Body
Bergamot oil acts as an analgesic, reducing pain and increase the body’s resistance to it. It can help soothe muscle pains, joint pains, and headaches. It also acts antispasmodic, which is why it can assist in reducing muscle spasms and cramps. Bergamot oil can be used to reduce fevers.
The essential oil of bergamot can be used to aid digestion. It supports the release of digestive fluids, and it regulates the motion of bowels. It can be used in cases of constipation, and it can ease the passage of stool, reducing the need to strain. Bergamot oil can also be used as a vermifuge, to deal with worms.
The cicatrizing properties of bergamot essential oil benefit the skin. It also helps in the healing of scars and other skin imperfections. Bergamot oil also has antiseptic properties.
Uses of Bergamot Oil for the Mind
Bergamot oil has a relaxing effect on the mind. Its pleasant notes can produce calm during times of increased stress and anxiety. The essential oil of bergamot can also help treat other symptoms caused by stress, such as headaches, high blood pressure, insomnia, and bad mood.
Bergamot in Ancient History
Bergamot orange is a mysterious plant – no one can tell for sure where it originated from. South Asia is a strong contender, while some say that it is native to Mediterranean countries. Either way, the plant was not well-known until the sixteenth century.
Bergamot in Modern History
While the origin of the plant is mysterious, there also seems to be some disagreement on the origins of its name as well. Some claim it comes from the town where people traded bergamot essential oil – Bergamo, in Italy. Others say it comes from the Turkish expression “prince’s pear,” or “prince of pears.”
Bergamot orange piqued the interest of perfumers after its introduction to South European countries, . In the early eighteenth century, it was used as an important ingredient in one of the most popular perfumes of all time – the Eau of Cologne.
While originally used only as a perfume – and an expensive one at that – by the early nineteenth century Eau de Cologne was also marketed by some as a cure-all tonic.
This passage from the 1855 American Journal of Pharmacy, Volume 27, describes it:
“Although eau de Cologne was originally introduced to the public as a sort of ‘cure-all,’ a regular ‘elixir of life;‘ it now takes its place not as a pharmaceutical product, but among perfumery. Of its remedial qualities we can say nothing, such matter being irrelevant to the purport of these articles. Considered, however, as a perfume, with the public taste it ranks very high; and although it is exceedingly volatile and evanescent, yet it has that excellent quality which is called ‘refreshing.'”
In the mid-nineteenth century, bergamot also became the flavoring for one of the most popular blends of tea – Earl Grey.
Bergamot Oil Cautions:
The major issue with the essential oil of bergamot is its photo-toxicity. Avoid direct sunlight and UV light after using it. Bergamot oil should also be stored in dark because it becomes toxic when exposed to light.
