Petitgrain Essential Oil (Paraguay) - 10 ml (100% pure concentrated)

Holisticshop own brand oils - Essential oils
Originally the Holisticshop range of essential oils went under the name of Windflowers. This company was founded by a qualified aromatherapist, selling high quality oils to shops and aromatherapists throughout UK and the world. In October 2003 the opportunity came up for Holisticshop to buy Windflowers, which we did. This acquisition has meant Holisticshop customers can now buy high quality oils at the price professional aromatherapists would expect to pay. These are aromatherapist quality oils. Lower quality oils are available on the market but we continue to pick the best quality source for every oil. For example Windflowers lavender oil is "High Alpine" lavender from Mount Ventoux in the Pyrennes and the ylang ylang is the "complete" oil, not the ylang ylang II or III which come from a different stage in the distillation process.

Petitgrain - Grounding, relaxing, sedative, stimulating
Name: Petitgrain, Citrus aurantium/vulgaris, Petitgrain bigarade

A mysterious, alluring, delightfully complex and multi-layered fragrance. Calming, yet revitalizing and invigorating

Essential information: Let petitgrain's positive influence cheer and lift you up, or sooth and calm you down, while balancing your whole being. This uniquely distinct oil is a real boost to the immune system, providing effective preventative measures against illness, and aiding a speedy recovery if you are convalescing.

Description of aroma: Fresh, light, floral and citrussy. This distinctly alluring scent has a resemblance to neroli, with a slightly bitter note.

Ruling planet: Sun

Properties beneficial to the mind, emotions and spirit: Intellectually stimulating, petitgrain is said to strengthen both the astral body and the memory. It gladdens the heart, refreshes the mind, and relaxes and balances the whole being. This oil has a positive influence if you are feeling sad or disappointed, and it also contains antidepressant qualities.

Holding a position somewhere between a sedative and a stimulant, it blends well with either type of essential oil, depending on the effect you wish to achieve. Soothing to the emotions, petitgrain is useful if you suffer from anxiety, (especially blended with neroli ), it may calm anger or panic attacks, and is helpful if you suffer from insomnia.

Of interest: Native to central Asia, true petigrain is obtained from the leaves of the bitter orange tree, which also gives us the beautiful neroli and the cheerful orange oils, with which it shares many chemical components. The oil is obtained from the leaves, and also the young shoot tips. It is also produced from bergamot, lemon and mandarin trees, though more rarely. The high price once lead to adulteration using a mixture of sweet and bitter orange oils.

In earlier centuries the oil was pressed from the rind of unripe oranges, picked while they were still green and about the size of a cherry. Hence the name 'petit grains' or little grains. However this source of oil was not economical, as it drastically reduced the size of the later orange crop, so oil production was transferred to the leaves and twig shoots. In the past the leaves have been used to treat epilepsy.

As with other citrus oils, the best quality is said to come from the Mediterranean region, some sources specify France. Petitgrain is widely used in perfumery - it is a basic ingredient in good quality colognes - and in the pharmaceutical industry.

Properties beneficial to the physical body: As a sedative to the nervous system, petitgrain also reestablishes nerve equilibrium. Its relaxing properties can calm a rapid heart beat and slow the body down, relaxing muscle spasms and easing breathing. As a mild stimulant to the immune system, it encourages general resistance to illness, making it useful if you are convalescing or just need effective preventative medicine. Its deodorizing properties revive and refresh the body, and it is believed to calm the muscles of the stomach, thereby aiding digestion.

The tonic effect of petitgrain tightens and cleanses the skin, making it particularly helpful for blemishes and acne.

Scentsual blending suggestions: Petitgrain combines delightfully well with most oils, and is especially appealing when added to fragrances that refresh and revitalize. You may like to try it with rosemary, lavender, geranium, bergamot, cedarwood, cardamom, melissa, palmarosa, sandalwood and ylang ylang.

For a particularly delicious scent, combine neroli and orange with petitgrain; a unique combination of the flowers, fruit and leaves of the orange tree.

Alternative suggestions for use: Try adding petigrain to your shampoos and shower products for a refreshing and sweet-smelling bathing experience .

Essential safety precautions: Considered a safe oil, but may be phototoxic to sensitive skins, so avoid application before exposure to sunlight or UV rays.

Do not use essential oils undiluted or take internally without the guidance of a qualified practitioner. The information contained here is for general interest and is not intended to replace medical diagnosis or treatment.