The tea drinkers in the curly girl world will love this essential oil and for good reason, as this sweet, citrus essential oil is the flavoring in the ever popular Earl Grey tea. I like bergamot oil even though I am not a fan of citrus. I like how most essential oils are extracted from the leaves, seeds or stems but Bergamot oil is extracted from the fruit’s peel.
Bergamot oranges (Citrus bergamia”> can be traced back to Southeast Asia and it is widely cultivated in the southern region of Italy. Bergamot oil is an essential oil that comes from the Bergamot orange, which is part of the citrus family that includes oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits, tangerines, and pomelos. They are delicious, refreshing, and are considered an all-star food because they contain flavonoids. Many flavonoids are shown to have antioxidant activity, free-radical scavenging capacity, coronary heart disease prevention, and anticancer activity, according to PubMed. Bergamot oil is a complex mixture of more than 300 compounds and the most prevalent compounds are linalyl acetate (30% to 60%”> and linalool (11% to 22%”>, which are high in anti-inflammatory activity.
There are several other positive attributes of this sweet smelling oil like being an antiseptic, disinfectant, and antispasmodic. It has a powerful aroma, which makes it a popular component in numerous perfumes. Like many other oils, it is primarily derived from cold pressing instead of steam distillation. Earl Grey tea would only be black tea if it weren’t for the irreplaceable bergamot essential oil. It blends well with other citrus oils and pairs well with black pepper, chamomile, clary sage, cypress, frankincense, jasmine, nutmeg, rosemary, sandalwood, and ylang-ylang.
Bergamot benefits for hair
Because of its high activity of inflammatory compounds, this oil is perfect for treating dandruff and any inflammations on the scalp while also protecting the skin and hair from infections if used regularly. The vitamin C found in all citrus fruits is known to be one of the most effective for strengthening, stimulating hair growth, and creating luster and softness. Bergamot oil will also protect your scalp against fungal infections with its disinfectant properties.
How to use Bergamot essential oil on your hair
- Apply a few drops to your shampoo to help with your hair’s pH balance
- Apply to wet hair to add shine and luster
- Add a few drops to your heat protectant to get frizz-free straight hair
- Mix a few drops with a castor and coconut oil mix for a scalp massaging hair tonic
Precautions
WebMD says you should avoid sun exposure after applying bergamot oil to skin or hair until it completely absorbs, as it contains active ingredients that may cause skin problems like blisters, scabs, pigment spots, rashes, and cancerous changes. Consider blending this essential oil with a carrier oil when treating psoriasis and fungal infections.
Do you use bergamot oil?
