Life Gets Better With Bergamot Essential Oil! 7 Uses That Will Dramatically Change Life.

If you’re into essential oils you’ve probably come across bergamot. It’s incredibly popular as an essential oil but if you’re unfamiliar (or maybe don’t know much about it) with bergamot, let’s catch you up to speed.

The origins of bergamot aren’t very clear. Today it is grown primarily in Southern Italy, Corsica, Morocco and the Ivory Coast. Some believe that Columbus brought it to Italy but we all know how many thing Columbus has been credited for that aren’t true so let’s not jump on that bandwagon just yet.

The name “bergamot” comes from a town in Italy, “Bergamot” (big surprise) where the essential oil is heavily produced. Back in the day, bergamot became extremely popular as a cologne or perfume which is still the case today. What you may not know is that bergamot is what gives Earl Grey tea its distinctive flavor.

Bergamots are citrus fruits that grow on trees. They look like knobby limes. The fruit itself is extremely sour and bitter and thus is not used for culinary or eating purposes which leaves plenty of them to make wonderful essential oils! Apparently they’re nearly impossible to grow from seed and so they’re most commonly grafted to lemon or bitter orange trees - this seems weird to me. How did they get started in the first place? Columbus must have invented them.

The oil itself comes from pressing of the rind. It’s an olive green looking oil that turns more yellow as it gets exposed to oxygen. It has a sweet, fruity, citrusy smell to it with a slightly bitter-ish finish.

Bergamot essential oil has many health benefits and I’d like to share some of them with you today so that you too may enjoy this amazing oil.

Powerful Antidepressant

By diffusing bergamot essential oil throughout the day, it helps greatly to enhance ones
mood. Bergamot essential oil can help alleviate apathy, fatigue, negative feeling, sadness, lack of appetite, low libido, and feeling of helplessness or disinterest in activities you used to love. Bergamot oil can stimulate uplifting thoughts and feelings and improve energy levels. To diffuse, put 5-10 drops of bergamot essential oil into your diffuser and let it run.

2. Get yourself a great sleep at night

Bergamot oil has sedative qualities that help you improve sleep so that you can be at your best each morning. Simply add 5-10 drops into your diffuser and let it run through the night.

3. Antiseptic

Bergamot essential oil is a very effective antibacterial agent. This is especially useful during the winter cold and flu seasons. You can either make your own disinfectant spray or add it to your existing cleaner:
1/2 cup high-proof vodka or rubbing alcohol or vinegar.
1/2 cup white distilled vinegar.
3/4 cup water.
4. 50-60 drops bergamot essential oil.

4. Relieves muscle and joint pain

Make yourself a homemade muscle rub - it smells a lot better than Ben-Gay. To do so, add some bergamot essential oil to your massage oil or a carrier oil such as coconut or jojoba oil and apply after exercise. It’s anti-inflammatory and circulatory boosting benefits will reduce muscle soreness over time.

5. Reduces coughing and loosens phlegm

Make your own chest rub for those nights when coughing and phlegm would prevent you from getting quality sleep. Just add some bergamot essential oil to a carrier oil and then rub on the chest as you would a vapor rub.

6. Controls sebum production on the skin.

Bergamot essential oil has great properties for the skin. Due to its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, bergamot essential oil can dramatically improve skin complexion by reducing the appearance of scars while keeping bacteria caused acne to a minimum. It’s recommended that skin applied bergamot essential oil be “FCF” which stands for “furocumarin free”. Furocumarins are very phototoxic meaning that if you apply them to your skin and then go out in the sun - even days later, you will get a nasty sunburn!

7. Freshen up your pits

As we’ve covered in this article, bergamot essential oil has a great capacity to keep bacteria to a minimum while it also smells fantastic. Why not combine these two benefits and use them to keep you odor free and smelling great?! Green Theory uses bergamot essential oil in its Citrus & Vanilla natural probiotic deodorant (Women’s Daily Wear Collection). Green Theory uses 100% all natural ingredients, odor fighting probiotics and detoxifying bentonite clay to leave you with fresh pits and peace of mind all day long! 

What do you use bergamot essential oil for? Share your secrets in the comments below!