Neroli Orange Blossom (Citrus Aurantium)

What is Neroli?

The essential oil of Neroli truly is sweet sunlight or liquid sunshine, and is one of the most precious and sought after essential oils around the world.

Neroli oil comes from the careful low pressure steam distillation of the fragrant orange blossoms from the bitter orange tree. These delicate blossoms are hand-gathered just as they begin to bloom in late April to early May and it can take at least 1,000 pounds of orange blossom flowers just to make one pound of Neroli essential oil. Neroli oil has been used as far back as the 17th century, when Italian aristocrats discovered its skin rejuvenating abilities.

FLORACOPEIA

What Are The Benefits Of Neroli?

In addition to its irresistible orange blossom scent, neroli oil can also be used in skin care.

Neroli will also help refresh the skin and its natural astringent properties will help to shrink pores and blood vessels. Neroli also helps balance the overproduction of sebum in the skin, aiding in a more even and clear complexion.

Boosts Cellular Regeneration: Age Spots, Stretch Marks, Scars; Repairs and Rejuvenates Skin

Neroli works magic on the skin by helping to boost cellular regeneration and elasticity, reduces scaring, and aids in healing acne and broken capillaries.

Neroli oil stimulates skin cells to regenerate, giving it anti-scarring properties. This makes neroli a fantastic ingredient to rub on age spots, stretch marks, and scars.

By boosting skin cell renewal and growth, neroli also has some interesting anti-scarring properties, making it a good option for fading all types of scars, from acne scars, to wounds, to stretch marks.  Neroli reduces stretch marks and broken capillaries on the skin.

Since neroli essential oil has powerful antibacterial properties, it’s a great  remedy for acne to treat breakouts.

Due to its ability to revive skin at the cellular level, neroli essential oil can be beneficial for wrinkles, scars and stretch marks.

If you’re looking to buy some essential oils to add to your beauty routine, you’ll definitely want to consider neroli essential oil. It’s known for its ability to regenerate the skin cells and improve the elasticity of skin. It also helps maintain the right oil balance in the skin, making it an excellent choice for all skin types.

Any skin condition caused by or related to stress should also respond well to the use of neroli essential oil since it has wonderful overall healing and calming abilities.

Antiseptic, Antibacterial, AntiMicrobial, Anti-Inflammatory

Along with its regenerative qualities, neroli oil is also antiseptic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving. This makes it useful to treat pimples and acne and reduce the redness associated with breakouts.

Although neroli has rejuvenating and regenerating benefits for every skin type, its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties make it ideal for oily, acne-prone, and blemished skin.

It can also be useful for treating bacterial skin conditions and rashes.

The fragrant blossoms of the bitter orange tree don’t just produce an oil that smells amazing. Research shows that the chemical composition of neroli essential oil has both antimicrobial and antioxidant powers.

Antimicrobial activity was exhibited by neroli against six kinds of bacteria, two types of yeast and three different fungi in a study published in the Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences. Neroli oil exhibited a marked antibacterial activity, especially against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Neroli essential oil also exhibited a very strong antifungal activity compared with the standard antibiotic (nystatin).

It can also be useful for treating bacterial skin conditions and rashes since it has antimicrobial ability.

Supports Elasticty and Reduces Fine Lines and Wrinkles

Solidifying neroli as a skin care saviour, it can also be used to treat oily skin, reduce fine lines and hydrate all skin types.

“The cytophylactic effects of Neroli help maintain the health of skin cells and promote the growth of new ones.,” says Noik. “This keeps the skin’s elasticity, allowing it to remain supple while reducing unsightly lines and wrinkles.”

Hydrates All Skin Types

This fruity-floral-scented oil is loaded with skin benefits: “It improves skin’s flexibility, combats acne, and is best known for its soothing and skin regenerating effect on even the most environmentally stressed complexions,” Noik explained. It’s also safe to use on the most sensitive skin, and one of the few citrus oils that is not phototoxic — meaning it can damage the skin when exposed to light. “It’s also rich in antioxidants and vitamin C,” Noik added, which is what makes it so useful in eliminating free radicals and protecting skin against environmental stressors and inflammation.  It will help maintain moisture levels and balance oily skin.

Supports Collagen Production

Neroli also supports collagen production, smoothes skin, and helps nix dullness and impart a healthy glow.

“It tones and tightens the skin, balances sebum and assists in reducing inflamed acne,” said Noik. “Any skin condition caused by or related to stress will respond well to Neroli as it has a wonderful calming and healing quality for both the skin and overall well-being.”

How Do You Use Neroli Oil For The Skin?

There are many ways to apply this exquisite oil to the skin, and as it works beautifully on an array of skin types, neroli is a wonderful option for everyone. Because of its anti-aging properties, we chose to create a products that gently minimizes the look of fine lines and wrinkles; our Neroli and Blue Chamomile Anti-Aging Serum.

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, you can actually reduce your blood pressure and cortisol levels just by smelling this wondrous oil. (1) Give up? I’m talking about neroli essential oil, which comes straight from the flowers of an orange tree!

Neroli Essential Oil Origins & Components

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.

The bitter orange tree is native to eastern Africa and tropical Asia, but today it’s also grown throughout the Mediterranean region and in the states of Florida and California. The trees bloom heavily in May, and under optimal growing conditions, a large bitter orange tree can produce up to 60 pounds of fresh flowers.

Timing is crucial when it comes to creating neroli essential oil since the flowers quickly lose their oil after they’re plucked from the tree. To keep the quality and quantity of neroli essential oil at their highest, the orange blossom must be handpicked without being excessively handled or bruised.

Some of the major components of neroli essential oil include linalool (28.5 percent), linalyl acetate (19.6 percent), nerolidol (9.1 percent), E-farnesol (9.1 percent), α-terpineol (4.9 percent) and limonene (4.6 percent).

Other Uses for Neroli

Lowers Inflammation & Pain

Neroli has been shown to be an effective and therapeutic choice for the management of pain and inflammation. Results of one study in the Journal of Natural Medicines suggest that neroli possesses biologically active constituents that have the ability to reduce acute inflammation and chronic inflammation even more so. It was also found that neroli essential oil has the ability to reduce central and peripheral sensitivity to pain.

Decreases Blood Pressure & Cortisol Levels

A study published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine investigated the effects of using essential oil inhalation on blood pressure and salivary cortisol levels in 83 prehypertensive and hypertensive subjects at regular intervals for 24 hours. The experimental group was asked to inhale an essential oil blend that included lavender, ylang-ylang, marjoram and neroli. Meanwhile, the placebo group was asked to inhale an artificial fragrance for 24, and the control group received no treatment.

What do you think researchers found? The group that smelled the essential oil mix including neroli had significantly decreased systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared with the placebo group and the control group after treatment. The experimental group also showed significant decreases in the concentration of salivary cortisol. It was concluded that the inhalation of neroli essential oil can have immediate and continuous positive effects on blood pressure and stress reduction.

By using neroli essential oil in a diffuser or just taking a few sniffs of it right out of the bottle, studies have shown blood pressure as well as cortisol levels can be lowered.

Reduces Stress, Clears your Head, Lifts your Mood

Floral essential oils are known to calm the spirit, increase optimism, and balance emotions. Neroli makes your outlook a little brighter. When inhaled, it travels directly to our limbic system (the pleasure centre of the brain). Neroli oil is especially beneficial for anxiety, depression, panic, hysteria, worry, stress, shock, and sadness. Many people with seasonal affective disorder find the uplifting and nurturing scent of Neroli oil eases a gloomy mood.

Alleviate Tension and Headaches

Neroli eases and soothes headaches, especially ones caused by tension.

Improve Symptoms of Menopause and Relieves PMS

The effects of inhaling neroli essential oil on menopausal symptoms, stress and estrogen in postmenopausal women were investigated in a 2014 study. Sixty-three healthy postmenopausal women were randomized to inhale 0.1 percent or 0.5 percent neroli oil, or almond oil (control), for five minutes twice daily for five days in the Korea University School of Nursing study.

Compared with the control group, the two neroli oil groups showed significantly lower diastolic blood pressure as well as improvements in pulse rate, serum cortisol levels and estrogen concentrations. The findings indicate that inhalation of neroli essential oil helps relieve menopausal symptoms, increase sexual desire and reduce blood pressure in postmenopausal women. In general, neroli essential oil can be an effective intervention to reduce stress and improve the endocrine system.

Ease Labor

Childbirth is certainly far from easy, but the essential oil of neroli can be used to help with fear and anxiety during labor. Diffuse it in the air, or include it in a massage oil for the lower back.

Natural Antispasmodic

Diffuse or use in a blended massage oil and rub it over the lower abdomen to improve colon problems, diarrhea, and nervous dyspepsia.

Acts as an Anti-Seizure & Anticonvulsant Agent

Seizures involve changes in the brain’s electrical activity. This can cause dramatic, noticeable symptoms — or even no symptoms at all. The symptoms of a severe seizure are often widely recognized, including violent shaking and loss of control.

A recent 2014 study was designed to investigate the anticonvulsant effect of neroli. The study found that neroli possesses biologically active constituents that have anticonvulsant activity, which supports the use of the plant in the management of seizures.

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.

Purify the Air

Diffuse neroli essential oil in your home or office to clean the air and breathe in its anti-germ properties.