Natural Materials: Bergamot

Bergamot essential oil has a wonderful fresh, uplifting scent. It makes an excellent top note and is another favorite oil of mine.

Photo by jen_maiser CCL

Bergamot

• Source - Citrus aurantium ssp. bergamia, cultivated in Italy
• Plant parts used - rind of the fruit
• Aromatic extract - expressed essential oil

In perfumery, bergamot is used extensively as a top note and is common to many fragrances and cosmetics. It is very uplifting, and in aromatherapy has been used to treat tension, anxiety stress, depression and more. Bergamot oil is phototoxic, meaning it can cause sensitivity, sunburn and skin pigmentation when exposed to sunlight. The chemical components that cause phototoxicity can be removed through distillation or treatment so that it may be used for leave-on skin products without problems.

The oil is extracted from the rinds of the small pear-shaped fruits. The fruits are called bergamot oranges, but the skin is yellow to green. They are commonly grown in Italy and named for the city of Bergamo where it was first sold. Earl Gray tea is flavored with bergamot oil. The fruit itself is not eaten, and it is cultivated just for its oil.