Essential Oil of the Month – May: Neroli Oil
Let me introduce you to May’s essential oil of the month, Neroli oil. It might come as a surprise to you, but this oil is derived from the humble orange. It also goes by the name of orange blossom oil. The flowers from bitter oranges, or as we know them: marmalade oranges, undergo a hydro-distillation process that results in the fragrant essential oil. Neroli oil has significant medicinal value, especially in ancient Egypt and traditional Chinese medicine where it was used to fight the plague. The oil was named after the 17th-century Italian princess of Nerola, Anna Marie Orsini, who used the oil as a perfume in her baths and gloves. This resulted in the widespread use of the oil...