Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil
Bergamot Essential Oil
Characteristics
- INCI
- Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil
- Ru.
- Bergamot Essential Oil
- CAS
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89957-91-5
This is the substance number in the Chemical Abstracts Service registry. The CAS number uniquely identifies a substance regardless of language, trade name, or synonyms.
- EC
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289-612-9
This is the substance number in the European chemical identification system (EC number), used in European regulatory databases including ECHA/CosIng.
Who it's for
Description
The essential oil coming from the peel of the bergamot orange. It's a common top note in perfumes and contains (among others) fragrant compounds limonene (37%), linalyl acetate (30%) and linalool (8.8%).
Fragrant compounds smell nice but are common allergens and can be a problem for sensitive skin types. The bigger problem with bergamot oil though, is that it also contains furanocoumarins(more specifically, bergapten and bergamottin) that have well-documented phototoxic effects. A phototoxic reaction is a not nice one causing red, edematous lesions on the affected area. We think it is a good idea to avoid bergamot oil but if you have a product that you love, make sure to use it at night only.
Nowadays, furanocoumarin-free versions of bergamot oil are also available and more and more common, and they usually go by the INCI name Bergamot Fruit Oil.
Evidence & Research on Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil
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1
Kaddu, Steven, Helmut Kerl, and Peter Wolf. "Accidental bullous phototoxic reactions to bergamot aromatherapy oil." Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 45.3 (2001): 458-461.Find in PubMed
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2
Dermatologica. 1979;158(4):229-43., Phototoxicity of Bergamot oil. Comparison between humans and guinea pigsFind in PubMed
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3
Contact Dermatitis, Volume 3 (5) – May 1, 1977, A study of oil of bergamot and its importance as a phototoxic agent
Products with Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil (618 total)
Most often found in Neal's Yard Remedies products (43 items)
