If you have ever had a cup of Earl Grey, you already know bergamot. This small green citrus gives the tea its distinctive floral, citrus scent, and its oil is one of the most loved ingredients in natural fragrance. Here is what bergamot is, how to use the oil and the one safety point everyone should know.
Quick answer: bergamot essential oil is cold pressed from the peel of Citrus bergamia, a citrus grown mainly in Calabria in southern Italy. It smells fresh and citrusy with a soft floral edge, and blends well with almost anything. Unless it is labelled bergapten-free, it can make skin more sensitive to sunlight, so apply it where your skin will be covered or keep it out of the sun for 12 hours.
What bergamot is
Bergamot orange (Citrus bergamia) is a fragrant citrus about the size of an orange, with a green to yellow skin. Most of the world's supply grows along a narrow strip of coast in Calabria, Italy. The fruit is sour and rarely eaten; its value is in the peel, which is pressed for oil. That oil flavours Earl Grey tea and appears in a huge number of perfumes.
What bergamot oil smells like
Bright and citrusy, but softer and more rounded than lemon, with a gentle floral, almost peppery note underneath. It sits at the top of a blend and works as a bridge between citrus, florals, spice and woods.
How people use bergamot oil
- In natural perfume. It gives a blend sparkle without sharpness. See our guide to natural perfume.
- In blends. It lifts heavy base notes such as cedarwood and patchouli.
- In daily rituals. A few slow breaths of a bergamot blend is an easy way to mark a pause in the afternoon.
Bergamot and the sun
Sun-safety note
Bergamot oil naturally contains bergapten, a compound that can make skin react to UV light, causing redness or dark patches. Bergapten-free oils have this removed. If you are not sure whether a product is bergapten-free, apply it to skin that will be covered, such as under a sleeve, or wait 12 hours before going into the sun. In an Australian summer, please take this seriously.
Bergamot in Generosity and True Self
Bergamot appears in two Mirosuna blends:
- Generosity (warm spice): bergamot and pink grapefruit at the top, palmarosa, ginger and cinnamon bark in the heart, and cedarwood and clove at the base. Warm, cosy and open.
- True Self (minty): bergamot with peppermint, orange, black pepper, rose petals and patchouli. Clear and grounding.
Both are certified organic, vegan, made in Melbourne and free from synthetic fragrance. Read how each blend is layered in essential oil blends explained.
$38 each, or all five in the Full Set of 5 Mirosuna Oils for $190. Ships Australia-wide. Thank you for supporting a small Melbourne studio.
Every Mirosuna oil is for external use only. Please patch test on a small area of skin first, keep it away from your eyes and face, and stop using it if irritation occurs. Take extra care with aromatherapy in pregnancy and around children, and if you have any health concerns, please check with a registered health practitioner before use.
Frequently asked questions
What is bergamot oil used for?
Mostly for its scent, in perfume, roll-on blends and diffusers. It is also the flavour in Earl Grey tea.
Is bergamot oil safe on skin?
Diluted, and after a patch test, most people can use it. Because of the sun-sensitivity risk, wear it where skin will be covered or avoid the sun for 12 hours, unless the oil is bergapten-free.
Does bergamot smell like Earl Grey?
Yes. Earl Grey is black tea flavoured with bergamot, so the oil smells like a brighter, fresher version of the tea.
Thank you for reading. If you have a question about our blends, please email hello@mirosuna.com.