The Princess and Queen of Aroma-Aesthetics
Neroli (citrus aurantium var. amara)
A little history:
Neroli is the flower of the bitter orange tree. Native to India and China, its popularity quickly spread throughout the Mediterranean basin over 1,000 years ago.
This liquid gold has long been associated with the legend of the Garden of the Hesperides in Greek mythology; Zeus offered the golden apple (orange) as a wedding gift to his third wife Hera. It symbolizes fertility and has long been part of wedding celebrations and adornments.
Bitter orange was introduced to Italy in the 13th century and to Versailles and Grasse in the 17th century. Orange blossom water was the basis of a multitude of perfumes such as Eau de Cologne, Eau de la Reine d'Hungrie, Eau de Naphe and Eau Impériale.
In 1675, Anne-Marie de la Tremoille married Flavio Degli Orsini, Prince of Nerola; a province northeast of Rome, Italy. She became Anne-Marie Orsini, Princess of Nerola. It is said that the princess was crazy about the aroma of orange blossom and used excessive quantities of neroli to perfume her clothes and gloves with this exquisite fragrance. As a result, the orange blossom became the emblem of the Nerola family. The flower quickly became fashionable in Rome and the name Neroli was adopted to designate this perfume. Note that in the 16th and 17th centuries, a fashion from Tuscany was to perfume one's gloves. Thus, in the 17th century , a generation of glove-maker perfumers emerged.
This delicate and feminine essential oil is widely used in the perfume industry. Coco by Chanel, Scandal by Lanvin, Infini by Caron, Bal à Versailles by Guerlain, Byzance by Rochas, 'La vie est belle' by Lancôme, Miss Dior are some of the perfumes that use orange blossom as a component of their aromatic composition.
Neroli essential oil is far from cheap. It takes more than a ton of petals to produce 1 kilo of essential oil.
Properties :
Generally speaking, neroli essential oil has calming properties for the nervous system, antidepressant, digestive and antibacterial properties.
On the skin:
I would say that this essential oil is very calming for the nerve endings found on the surface of the skin. It soothes stressed and damaged skin due to emotional tension. This essential oil, whose very feminine scent is wonderfully well received by hyper-reactive, sensitive and thin skin. It is suitable for all skin types. Some scientific studies give neroli cytophylactic properties (protection and regeneration of the epidermis). Since our cell regeneration metabolism tends to slow down after a certain age, the small molecules of this delicate flower would maintain the preservation and renewal of skin cells. Neroli is widely used in aromatherapy against wrinkles and stretch marks.
Simply breathing in the essential oil contained in a serum will have a calming effect on the nerves and will calm emotional tensions. This neroli is so good! An exceptional flower!
In short, this essential oil is very delicate and feminine; a truly exquisite fragrance that 'feminizes' the skin. A true princess! It soothes the skin and emotional stress, calms anxiety and has a positive effect on our mood. I would dare to say that it is one of those rare essential oils that gives the impression of being young and beautiful.
The rose (rosa damascena)
A little history:
Native to China, this flower is remarkable for its beauty, fragrance, and what it evokes. Considered by many to be the "queen of flowers," the rose was included in certain writings in China over 5,000 years ago.
Of course, the popularity of the rose has largely been part of several mythologies and female deities, including Lakshmi (India) and Venus (Rome, Italy) among others. The most popular remains Greek mythology: The day Adonis was mortally wounded by a wild boar that attacked Adonis and pierced his body, Aphrodite (Greek goddess of love) was horrified, rushed to her lover's aid and pricked herself on a rose thorn, which at the time were only white. The red rose was thus created from Aphrodite's "tears of blood" at the time of Adonis's death, hence the symbol of eternal love represented by the rose.
Moreover, the rose has always been a major part of the perfume industry and is used in the composition of a multitude of fragrances. Joy by Patou, Miracle by Lancôme, Parfum Sacré by Caron, Rose by Chloé, the famous Nahema, French Kiss as well as the legendary Shalimar by Guerlain, among others.
Rose essential oil is very expensive. It takes an average of 3,000 kilos of rose petals to produce 1 kilo of essential oil.
Properties :
It regenerates the skin and harmonizes psycho-emotional tensions. It is very healing on wounds and sores. Described as a neuro-tonic; it can very well soothe a nervous state and stimulate an asthenic state. It is a nervous rebalancer.
On the skin:
Although rose essential oil has several therapeutic properties, its preferred area of application is the skin. It is ideal for mature skin that needs to be toned and regenerated. It has a unique biochemical composition in aromatherapy. This gives it skin astringent properties; it therefore tightens the tissues of our skin. Rose is anti-inflammatory and is also refreshing for our epidermis. It is therefore ideal for couperose or irritated skin. It is very healing in cases of damaged skin. In my opinion, it is the most rejuvenating essential oil in my aromatherapy arsenal.
It is particularly interesting for tightening skin pores and restoring tone. In short, I believe that this essential oil is the most precious and interesting in cases of aging skin. Rose is simply exceptional! On a more personal note, I would say that having worked and applied rose serums to my skin for several years, I feel this divine and pure scent that does my soul a lot of good. This sensation is very subtle, but profound.
Luc Larivée
Specialist in aesthetic aromatherapy
aromatherapist
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