Neroli Oil

What precious botanical oil requires around 1,000 pounds of handpicked flowers to be produced? I’ll give you a hint — its fragrance can be described as a deep, intoxicating mix of citrus and floral aromas.

Its scent isn’t the only reason you’ll want to read on. This essential oil is excellent at soothing agitated nerves and is especially effective at relieving feelings of grief and despair. Plus, studies indicate that you can actually reduce your blood pressure and cortisol levels just by smelling this wondrous oil.

What Is Neroli Oil?

The interesting thing about the bitter orange tree (Citrus aurantium) is that it actually produces three distinctly different essential oils. The peel of the nearly ripe fruit yields bitter orange oil while the leaves are the source of petitgrain essential oil. Last but certainly not least, neroli essential oil is steam-distilled from the small, white, waxy flowers of the tree.

Uses

Neroli essential oil can be purchased as a 100 percent pure essential oil, or it can be purchased at a lower price tag already diluted in jojoba oil or another carrier oil. Which should you buy ? It all depends on how you plan to use it and your budget.

Naturally, the pure essential oil smells stronger and therefore is a better choice for use in homemade perfumes, diffusers and aromatherapy. However, if you plan on using the oil mainly for your skin, then it’s not a bad idea to buy it blended with a carrier oil like jojoba oil.

Once you’ve purchased your neroli essential oil, here are some awesome ways to use it on a daily basis:

1. Clear your head and reduce stress: Take a sniff of neroli essential oil while commuting to or from work. It’s sure to make rush hour a bit more bearable and your outlook a little brighter.
2. Sweet dreams: Put a drop of the essential oil on a cotton ball and tuck it inside your pillowcase to help you relax into a great night’s slumber.
3. Acne treatment: Since neroli essential oil has powerful antibacterial properties, it’s a great home remedy for acne to treat breakouts. Wet a cotton ball with water (to provide some dilution to the essential oil), and then add a few drops of neroli essential oil. Dab the cotton ball on the problem area gently once a day until the blemish clears up.
4. Purify the air: Diffuse neroli essential oil in your home or office to clean the air and breathe in its anti-germ properties.