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Profile: Bergamot Essential Oil

Commonly known as: Expressed Citrus Bergamia Peel Oil (I.N.C.I.).

Botanical name: Citrus limon (L.) Burman f / Citrus bergamia Risso & Poiteau.

Extraction process: Cold pressing of the fresh pericarp of the fruit derived from organic farming.

Family: Rutaceae.

Part of the plant extracted: Pericarp (fruit's envelope).

Location: The majority of bergamot plantations are located in Calabria, in the south of Italy.

Flowering: End of November to February.

Provenance, origin: Italy.

Phytochemical composition: Terpenic esters (linalyl acetate, neryl acetate, geranyl acetate), monoterpenes (α-pinene, camphene, limonene, gamma-terpinene, β-pinene, sabinene, myrcene, β-phellandrene, cis-β-ocimene), terpenic alcohols (linalool, geraniol, nerol, terpinolene), terpenic aldehydes (citral), coumarins (bergapten), sesquiterpenes (beta-bisabolene, trans-α-bergamotene).

Sensorial properties: Appearance: Clear, mobile liquid (sediment may appear after storage); Colour: Dark yellow to green; Scent: Fresh, distinctive, pleasant.

Physical characteristics: Density: 0.874 - 0.883 g/cm3; Refractive Index: 1.460 - 1.472.

Benefits: Purifying, astringent, sebum-regulating, antibacterial, fragrant.

Concerns: All skin types, particularly combination to oily skin, skin with blemishes, and acne-prone skin; All hair types, especially oily hair.

Details

Applications

Facial Care(serums, creams, lotions, scrubs, cleansing gels, masks);
Haircare (shampoos, conditioners) ;
Hygiene (deodorants, solid soaps, shower gels).

Method of Preservation

Store away from air, light, heat, and at a stable and moderate temperature.

Contraindications, Usage Precautions

Potentially irritating, dermocaustic and allergenic. When applied topically, do not use in children under 6 years of age, and in pregnant and breastfeeding women. Do not use undiluted on the skin. Dilute to 20% before any application.

Furthermore, the presence of furocoumarins (bergapten) gives this essential oil a photosensitising risk. Therefore, do not apply bergamot essential oil before sun exposure.

Some natural compounds found in high proportions in this essential oil, such as linalool, limonene, and geraniol, may pose a risk of allergy in certain sensitive individuals when the essential oil is incorporated into a cosmetic composition (according to the 7th Amendment of the European Directive on cosmetic products (2003/15/EC)).

As a general rule, always perform an application test of your preparation on the crook of your elbow, at least 48 hours before using it on the targeted area.

Find out more

The bergamot (fruit of the bergamot tree) is a citrus fruit resembling limes. It is said that during his Italian campaigns, René 1st of Anjou discovered bergamot while staying in an abbey near Bergamo, where the monks primarily distilled bergamots from Calabria, which could explain the origin of its name. Others suggest it was named after being found and cultivated in Berga, a town in the province of Barcelona, brought back following the voyages of Christopher Columbus. Another hypothesis is that its name comes from a city in Turkey, Bergama or Pergamo. Indeed, some see in the word bergamot a Turkish derivative "Beg ar mudi" which means "Princess of pears". As for its origin, it is uncertain. Some botanists believe the bergamot tree is the result of a cross between a bitter orange and a lime, while others suggest it could be a hybrid that accidentally appeared from a lemon tree.