For today i made a re-post, since the scent of oranges suits so well in this time of year.
The really sweet oranges arrive here in winter time.
Let me inform you once more about the orange tree and it's many different oils.
There is more than one oil derived from the orange tree, so you might want to sit down for this ;-) LOL
The Orange tree, or ‘pomerans’, is the oldest of the orange tree-family.
It is often called ‘bitter orange’ and its fruit is smaller and the peel darker then what we call ‘sweet orange’, the latter are not to be eaten.
The sweet orange (Citrus sinensis or citrus aurentium var dulcis) is cultivated out of the bitter one (citrus aurantium var. Amara or citrus vulgaris or citrus bogardia), that originates from China.
Sweet oranges are cultivated all over the meditarrenean.
The bitter orange, for now on to be called Pomerans ( this comes from ‘pomum’ and ‘aurantium’ and it means: golden Apple), makes a tree that can get up to 10 meters high, with dark, oval and shiny leaves that are lighter on the bottomside.
The small white flowers of this peticular tree are known as Neroli.
Essential oil from the Pomerans is pressed out of the bitter peels; this scent is then more bitter; a bit like the white inside of the peels smells.
This oil is mostly used for food and perfume industry, and there is mention of perfumers that require an essential oil from which the terpenes are withdrawn.
The bitter peels are used to brew beer (‘Curacao peel’) and to make candied peel.
Orange oil, bitter or sweet, has up to 90% of monoterpenes but unlike all other
monoterpenic oils the citrusses have a strong interaction with the parasymphatic nerve system: meaning they are literally cooling you down and giving you rest.
Pomerans oil is a good stomach medicine: #spasm of the stomach #distended stomach #nausea and poor appetite are indications for bitter orange oil. In case of stomach problems you can dillute a drop or two of orange juice in a bit of honey that you taken in on a glas of luke warm water.
I don’t often recommend to take essential oils orally but there are a couple of save ways and indications in which is no harm.
(Beware, because there can be harm in taking essential oils orally, even severe harm!)
Be sure to buy an biological oil – these pressings are logically sensitive for pesticides.
Bitter orange is used in the orient to give way to stagnating liver qi (as is grape)
Evaporation of this oil has a good influence on the airways (there is even an itsibitsy cineol in this oil) but the best indication is for people under to much pressure. People that are perfectionists and who are having trouble with ‘letting go’.
This oil cools them down in a way that creates a bit of room to look at this perfectionism. If you consiously look at yourself you might be able to see the origin of your habits, wich may help you in letting go…
You can combine this bitter orange very well with sweet tropical scents, like ylang ylang, to make the sweet scent a bit ‘less heavy’. I love to combine oils for scent purposes, but when i work on indication i prefer to work with one oil – the message of one oil is strong enough.
Neroli, the oil that is distilled from the flowers, is named after a 16th century Italian princess Anna Maria di Nerola, who used this fragrance to perfume her gloves.
Neroli is the highlight in the famous eau de Cologne.
In a bouquet this flower symbolises purity and the art of keeping your nerves in control – excelent flower for wedding day bouquets!
There are 1000 kg flowers needed to make 1 liter oil; this is a costly oil. The best quality comes from the pomerans (Italy, France and Morocco) but the sweet orange flowers are distilled too – this oil is called ‘Portugal neroli’.
Neroli, because of its costs, is not widely used in aromatherapy.
Like rose there are special occasions to use them. A collegae of mine is specialised in end of life care with essential oils, and there are many and beautiful opportinities in there for the aromatherapeutic use of these oils. That will be fora n other post.
I like neroli in facial care, especially for mature women who suffer to much of tension, up to a neurotic level.
I make ‘neroli oil’ by mixing one or two drops on 10 ml sweet almond oil, i put this in dark glass bottles and leave them unused on a dark spot for a week or three. The whole 10 mls are then scented and can be used in facial massages.
Neroli makes the skin softer and diminishes wrinkles and rosaceae (vasoconstrictor)
For younger girls i prefer the oil that is distilled from the branches and leaves – the ‘petit grain’. Here is still the sweet scent of the flowers, but much more greener and a bit more pungent and herbal.
It is not a special cosmetic oil (though very appt for skincare), like neroli is, but the true strenght of Petit grain lies in its capacity to stimulate intuition and creativity. This is an perefct #anti-deppesant that has the energy of ‘going’ in it too – like most leaves oils it gets the energy flowing.
Perefct massageoil for teenage girls that get overwhealmed by the pressure of society, it gives them back the #Joy they need to learn in a playful way.
The oil distilled from the sweet and the eadible orange is about the happiest essential oil there is, maybe just topped by tangerine, but that is a scent that means more to little kids than too grown ups. This, ofcourse, is also pressed from the fresh peels and needs to be of biological quality for proper use in aromatherapy.
Apart from being anti-depressant this oil is a good sleep inducing oil, its calming and soothing and can ease #palpitations.
These citrus oils are very appropriate to use in elderly care, during daytime, especially to accompany a group activity like playing a game.
They keep inhabitants alert, uplifted, focused and they stimulate creativity. This makes that there is less room fo napping duing daytime which also meeans a better night rest – and a bigger capacity overall.
Sweet lemon is a good oil to use when you like to make your own toothpaste, with coconut and baking powder, since its gives a fresh breath and it cures inflammation of the gums.
In Chinese medicine sweet Orange oil is used for kidney and bladder disseases.
Cosmetical uses are broad: its cleanses and calms the impure skin, it regenerates and softens the upper lower of the skin. Its deals with trims an is effectivly used to fight cellulite (which we call ‘orange peel skin’).
On a spiritual level all citrusses bring back the child in you. These are great oils to evaporate if one needs to focus back cognitively to a period in childhood.
It makes the weary more uplifted and the serious more playful.
It reminds everybody of times when there was room for joy, without the heavy burden that society can put on you when you grow older.
The water that is used for distillation contains all the constituents that are not oil but water soluble. We named this ‘hydrosols’ – these are well used in skin care since they are softer, and have the plant parts that lack in the essential oil. This water has a very little percentage essential oil in there too.
Orange water is a perfect moisturizer for your skin. You can use it in a spray and you will be suprised how good your day begins with that!
Sunday Scent Experience is a challenge for lazy sundays; make a post about something that you think smells good (or bad) and tell us why you feel that way.
Scent does much for the memory!
Use the proper hashtag: #sundayscentexperience
(All pics are my own)
Wishing you all a good and Sunny weekend – lots of oranges!
Don't forget: tomorrow will be about fruits and veggies! Initiated by 