Bergamot Essential Oil Benefits and Uses

Next time you’re in the perfume aisle, switch on to bergamot and we’re betting you’ll suddenly see it EVERYWHERE. Its fresh scent not only blends well with lots of other oils (making it sought-after for perfumers), but it transports you to the groves of Southern Italy with its aroma. And who doesn’t want that in spritz-able form? But beyond the scent, are a host of wellbeing benefits that keep us coming back for more.

Six Bergamot Essential Oil Benefits

1. A mood boost

We love using bergamot in some of our happiest, sunniest Essential Oil Blends, as it has a direct effect on your serotonin (stress hormone) - calming anxieties and supplying a mood boost too. That’s on top of the uplifting scent of citrus you get when you inhale it, so think de-stressing and soothing, helping you feel calm, confident and centred. Oh and the scent is so reminiscent of the Italian hills where it’s grown, it’s like an actual ray of sunshine to your mood. Bergamot extract is also used in Earl Gray tea, so if you’ve ever felt better after a cup, now you know why.

2. Eases congestion

Like a lot of its citrus brothers and sisters, bergamot is an antispasmodic (relaxes those tight, sore muscles) and is great in a diffuser for detoxifying the air - it’s antibacterial and antifungal so if you have any congestion in your breathing, a few drops in your Wellbeing Pod could be just what you’re after. And when you’re breathing easier, the other benefits of bergamot kick in and those anti-anxiety effects take over, leaving you calmer overall. 

3. Soothing on your stomach

We’re all too familiar with the important link between happy mind and happy gut, so when something comes along to help, we’ll take it. The peel of bergamots has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for years to soothe an upset stomach and fight food poisoning, so while there’s not many scientific studies in this area, there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence. Try mixing bergamot with a carrier oil like almond, and gently rubbing it into your stomach to aid digestion.

4. Skincare

Bergamot is antibacterial and antifungal, so if acne is one of your skincare concerns, consider adding bergamot into the mix of your favourite oils. It’s a dry oil, which means it sinks into skin fast, and is non-comedogenic so it won’t clog your pores and make your problem worse. If you do use bergamot as part of your skincare routine though, make sure you do it in the evening only as it can make you more sensitive to sun damage.

5. Hair and scalp

Aside from the lovely scent, the same antibacterial and non-comedogenic properties that make bergamot good for skincare, make it a good essential oil for hair growth too. It clears and nourishes your scalp promoting hair growth, and as we all know, a healthy scalp means healthy hair!

6. Sleep

Though not one of the first things you think of when choosing essential oils for sleep, bergamot’s anti-anxiety powers can be really useful in preparing for bedtime. As the calming member of the citrus family, it lowers your blood pressure and helps soothe a busy mind, helping you switch from ‘on’ mode to relaxed and happy. And that’s in addition to easing those aches, pains and congestion.  Which can only mean one thing… sweet dreams.

Quick tips

Working from home? Try a few drops of Black Pepper & Bergamot Essential Oil Blend in your Wellbeing Pod to not only make your home office smell amazing, but give you a confidence boost too. 

Carry a scent that uses bergamot in your bag (our bottles are just 10ml) or put a few drops on your face mask (the Covid kind!) for a moment of happiness while you’re out and about.

Bergamot in NEOM

We source our bergamot from Calabria in Italy, though it is also grown in the South of France. The essential oil is extracted my cold expression of the peel, but the growers we work with are zero waste so the whole fruit is used. We also have 10-year commitments to sustainability in place, and fair trade agreements, to ensure the long-term future of the crop, and minimum impact on the environment.