Our Favourite Essential Oils - Part 2

Following on from our previous blog on our favourite essential oils, this post covers three more oils that we love to use in our soaps.

Bergamot (Citrus Bergamia)

Bergamot (a variety of orange) is used in our oatmeal, calendula and carrot soaps. It’s a gorgeous citrussy scent which blends well with many other essential oils. The oil also goes well through the saponification process unlike other citrus essential oils which means it doesn’t lose its scent. Perfect for soapmaking!

Bergamot has many benefits including soothing and calming dry itchy skin, balancing oily skin and improving skin tone. It’s gorgeous scent can help lift mood so good to use in a diffuser if you’re feeling stressed or anxious.

The bergamot orange is named after the Italian city of Bergamo near Milan although most Bergamot is grown in southern Italy. It is also used in Earl Grey tea.

Bergamot oranges

Petitgrain (Citrus Aurantium)

Petitgrain is produced from the leaves and twigs of the bitter orange tree. It has a slightly floral aroma with woody undertones. Our Petitgrain oil is sourced from Spain, famous for its bitter (Seville) oranges. We use it in our nettle, calendula and carrot soaps.

As with Bergamot, Petitgrain balances oily skin and can help calm problem oily skin. The scent can also help to calm and balance the mind when feeling anxious. We think it blends really well with other oils such as lavender, bergamot, carrot and rosemary.

Petitgrain comes from the leaves and twigs of the bitter orange tree

Cypress (Cupressus Sempervirens)

Cypress is another oil we love. The oil is steam distilled from the leaves/needles of cypress tree which is native to the Mediterranean. It has a fresh woody citrussy scent that we think blends really well with bergamot, lavender and rosemary. We use it in our nettle and cucumber soaps.

The oil can help circulation and tone veins so helpful for spider and varicose veins. It also balances the complexion, particularly for oily skin. Further benefits help ease tension and stress.

Leaves of the Cypress tree

As with all essential oils, great care must be taken when blending them. See our diluting notes in our previous post on essential oils.