Looking for something that has a lovely scent, plus a myriad of skin care benefits? Neroli is your answer. Extracted from the blossoms of the bitter orange tree (Citrus aurantium subsp. amara), it has a sweet, floral smell that gives you a spring in your step, while toning and brightening skin. Check out our favorite product—the Neroli Toning Mist—then read on for more on this natural skin care ingredient.
A Little Bit About the Plant Itself
The bitter orange tree is a spiny evergreen native to southern Vietnam, but widely cultivated around the world. One of the many citrus trees, it creates fruits often used in marmalades and liqueurs such as triple sec. The flowers produce neroli oil, which was first used in perfumes and bath products because of the lovely scent.
The name is reputed to have come from the Italian princess Anne-Marie de la Tremoille, Countess of Nerola, who apparently used the oil to perfume her bathwater and gloves. In aromatherapy, neroli is used to help lift spirits.
Neroli's Benefits to the Skin
Neroli is very gentle and non-irritating, making it perfect for those with sensitive skin. Think of this as your “user-friendly” product—you can pretty much use it wherever and however you like. In addition, it has some very powerful properties:
- Refreshes the look of tired skin: Neroli has a toning, cleaning, and tightening effect that helps skin look more awake and lively.
- Minimize the appearance of pores: Like other citrus elements, neroli naturally has a natural cleansing property, which means it minimizes the appearance of pores, smoothing skin's appearance and diminishing the look of under-eye circles.
- Helps with oily skin: Neroli naturally helps balance oil.
All this and it smells good too, without any potentially harmful synthetic fragrances! One caution—according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, constituents from bitter orange may slightly increase photosensitivity in skin. Be sure to always use a safe sunscreen, like zinc oxide, to protect skin from damaging UV rays.
What do you think of neroli? Have you tried the Neroli Toning Mist? Please share your tips and experiences!
Really great information about Neroli oil. I have only used tea tree oil for acne but started doing research on other essential oils for acne so this was a very informative read.
I found it interesting that Neroli oil is extracted from the bitter orange plant because I know of bitter orange for being a natural stimulant which is why this oil has stimulating effects.
Thanks again for this information!