Essential Oil of the Week: Neroli Essential Oil

I have always enjoyed essential oils for their fragrances, but my experience in the past was limited to those oils that I thought smelled good, like Lavender, Peppermint or Patchouli. I honestly had no idea that there were so many diverse and beneficial oils to learn about. When I started the med-spa, I was exposed to a slightly wider variety of essential oils, mostly because the massage therapists used them in treatments. When I started writing the blog and researching ways to help women over 50 that struggle with menopause and issues that go along with aging, I was amazed that there were so many essential oils that could be useful for these conditions. Neroli Essential Oil is one that I had not heard of or used in the past. It has a wide range of health and beauty benefits that can be especially useful for some of the issues that plague women in the over 50 age group.

Neroli oil is steamed distilled from the fragrant flowers of the bitter orange tree. It is pricey because it takes over 1000 pounds of hand-picked flowers to make one pound of the essential oil. In ancient times this oil was used to treat fevers and even the plague. The fragrance is sweet, citrusy and floral, making it popular in the perfume and aromatherapy industry, but it has many more medicinal properties including:

●    Anti- Inflammatory- Great for joint and muscle pain when diluted with a carrier oil and applied to affected areas of the body, or a few drops added to a warm bath. You can also rub a couple of drops into the temples or onto a hot or cold compress to relieve a headache.

●    Anti-anxiety and antidepressant qualities- Very useful in reducing stress and anxiety and has been used for this for centuries. It has also been clinically shown to reduce cortisol levels (the stress hormone). Using Neroli in an inhaler or diffuser may help you feel calm and relaxed. Since mood disruptions and anxiety can come along with aging and menopause it is a great choice. Mixing it with Lavender in the diffuser adds an extra layer of relaxation.

●    May improve estrogen levels- a 2014 study of the effects of Neroli Essential Oil on menopausal women demonstrated an increase in estrogen levels, increased sex drive, reduction of pulse rates and improved cortisol levels (Seward, online 2018).

●    Antimicrobial and Antifungal- Neroli oil can kill up to 6 kinds of bacteria, as well as some types of yeast (Seward, online article,2018), making it good for such things as acne and minor skin irritations and wounds. Neroli should be mixed with a carrier oil before applying it to the skin.

●    Antioxidant qualities and Skin Rejuvenation- Neroli’s antioxidant qualities help it reverse aging at the cellular level, making it great to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.  It can even reduce the appearance of stretch marks and scars.

Neroli Essential Oil may be a bit on the pricey side as essential oils go, but it has many beneficial uses and its fragrance is delicious. I just touched on a few that I thought were interesting. If you want to learn more about this wonderfully diverse essential oil, my favorite source is Aromatics International. Their essential oils are top-notch, and they have a lot of good educational material. Check it out:

https://www.aromatics.com?sca_ref=6812376.l0Uc2Vum6i