Key Facts
- Source: Neroli oil is derived from the blossoms of the bitter orange tree.
- Extraction: The oil is extracted through hydrodistillation, a process that requires many blossoms for a small yield.
- Benefits: Neroli oil offers skin regeneration, making it effective for scars and fine lines.
- Application: This oil can enhance hydration and balance oily skin, making it suitable for various skin types.
Even skin care fanatics meet an ingredient now and then that feels unfamiliar or unexplored. Case in point: neroli oil. This essential oil has been used as a fragrance for hundreds of years and has become a popular ingredient in skin care as well. Let’s take a closer look and find out exactly what neroli oil is, its surprising origins and its benefits in organic skin care.
What Is Neroli Oil?
You may be surprised to hear that this mysterious ingredient is actually derived from the humble orange. Neroli is the prettier label given to the bitter orange flower, a close relative of the common navel orange. As the name implies, neroli oranges are bitter, unlike the more popular sweet navel oranges that we are familiar with. In fact, they are commonly called “marmalade oranges” as they are historically used to make the tart British spread.
The name “neroli” came about after crusaders first brought the brightly-colored bitter orange from Asia to Europe. It was named after Anna Marie Orsini, the 17th century Princess of Nerola, Italy, who used it in her bath as a perfume and to scent her gloves. Anna popularized the use of neroli in beauty, but prior to her, neroli oil was a highly traded commodity used in ancient Egypt, traditional Chinese medicine and even to help fight the plague. The scent is often cited for its use in aromatherapy as it can reduce the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the brain.
How is Neroli Oil Extracted?
Much like rose oil, neroli oil is distilled from the petals of the bitter orange flower via hydrodistillation. This process involves using steam to vaporize the aromatic compounds from the blossoms, which are then collected as neroli oil.
Because the essential oil is less dense than water, it floats to the top of the condensed liquid and can be easily separated. The remaining water, which also contains aromatic compounds, is called neroli hydrosol or orange blossom water. The extraction process is labor-intensive and requires a large number of blossoms to yield a small amount of oil.
How Does Neroli Benefit the Skin?
In addition to its pleasant orange blossom scent, neroli oil can also be used in skin care. According to Patricia Davis, author of Aromatherapy: An A-Z, neroli oil stimulates skin cells to regenerate, giving it anti-scarring properties. This makes neroli a fantastic ingredient to rub on stretch marks, dark spots and scars.
Along with its regenerative qualities, neroli oil is also antiseptic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving. This makes it useful to treat acne and to reduce the redness associated with breakouts. Solidifying neroli as a skin care multi-tasker, it can also be used to brighten the complexion, treat oily skin, reduce fine lines and hydrate all skin types.
How Neroli Oil Can Improve Your Skin Care Routine
Because of its diverse benefits, the addition of neroli to your skin care routine can be a game-changer. Here are some of the ways this special oil can enhance your complexion:
1. Hydration & Nourishment: Neroli oil is easily absorbed and helps to hydrate all skin types, especially mature skin which can skew in the dry direction. It also helps to lock in moisture, preventing dehydration and leaving skin feeling soft and supple.
2. Balancing Oily Skin: Thanks to its astringent properties, neroli oil can help regulate sebum production, making it ideal for oily and combination skin types. It can help to refine pores and reduce the appearance of excess oil without over-drying the skin.
3. Adding a Youthful Glow: Neroli oil contains antioxidants that help neutralize free radicals, which can cause premature aging and damage skin cells. It also stimulates skin cell renewal, improving elasticity and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
4. Scar & Stretch Mark Reduction: Neroli oil can promote skin regeneration and improve elasticity, potentially fading the appearance of scars and stretch marks.
How To Incorporate Neroli Oil Into Your Skin Care
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. At Eminence Organics, we leaned into its properties that gently minimize the look of fine lines and wrinkles.
Our Neroli Age Corrective Eye Serum hydrates the look of delicate skin around the eyes. Along with coconut water and Swiss green apple, neroli oil fights the visible signs of aging in the eye area, including fine lines and crow’s feet. This award winner isn’t short on glowing reviews either. Happy customer, Lynn G., gives this serum five stars in an online testimonial, saying: “This is the best eye serum moisturizer! I’ve used this product for years because it absorbs and is not greasy. No eye irritation at all and allows makeup to be applied without pilling. Love this product!”
With one fragrant spritz, our best-selling Neroli Age Corrective Hydrating Mist can tone and smooth the skin. This refreshing mist is a wrinkle-busting must-have. Neroli oil, as well as Natural Retinol Alternative and Swiss green apple, immediately gives skin the appearance of firmness and tightness. This stellar skin care product leaves the complexion looking vibrant and revitalized.
Frequently Asked Questions About Neroli Oil
What is neroli oil? Neroli oil is extracted from the blossoms of bitter orange trees. It has been used in medicine, aromatherapy and skin care for hundreds of years.
What are the benefits for skin? Neroli oil is known for its potential to regenerate skin cells, making it useful for reducing the appearance of scars, dark spots and fine lines. It also provides lightweight hydration, is safe for sensitive skin and can be used as a spot treatment for acne when diluted.
What are its aromatherapy benefits? Aromatherapy using neroli oil may help reduce stress, anxiety and anxiety-induced depression. When inhaled, neroli oil may help the brain release serotonin and reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Can it be used on other parts of the body? As well as being a multi-tasker in the skin care world, neroli oil is known for many other functions. It can be added to hair masks and conditioners to hydrate and add shine, and there is some evidence it can help with pain relief due to its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.
Now that we’ve revealed the mysteries of neroli oil, are you ready to experience this key ingredient in our Neroli Age Corrective Eye Serum and Neroli Age Corrective Hydrating Mist? Visit an Eminence Organics Spa Partner near you and enjoy the fragrant skin care benefits of neroli.