Citrus × bergamia
✾ The Soft-Spoken Citrus
Source: Cold pressed from the peel of the bergamot fruit.
Character: Fresh citrus with soft floral, green, slightly bitter undertones.
Origins: Though its origins are debated, bergamot found its home in Calabria, southern Italy, where most of the world’s bergamot is still grown today.
Earl Grey tea gets its signature aroma from bergamot oil.
ꕥ Why We Love It
Mind: Uplifting yet calming, bergamot brings lightness, clarity, and emotional ease.
Skin: Its fresh, bright character adds a refined citrus note. We use bergamot FCF, with the sun-sensitizing compounds removed, so it’s suited to skincare.
Wellness: A favorite in aromatherapy, bergamot adds a fresh, gentle lift to everyday rituals.
⚘ A Closer Look
From Calabria to the apothecary.
Bergamot became prized in southern Italy and later found its way into European perfumery, remedies, and aromatic preparations.
A perfumery essential.
Its soft citrus profile bridges fresh top notes with florals, herbs, woods, and resins, which is why it appears in so many fragrance styles.
Beauty is in the peel.
Bergamot may resemble a bumpy green lime, but its famously fragrant peel contains the essential oil that made this humble citrus a perfumery icon.
Bergamot is what happens when citrus learns restraint.
Pictured: a historic bergamot jar at the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum, Alexandria, VA.
✧ Good to Know
Sun sensitivity. Regular bergamot oil can make skin sensitive to sunlight. Bergamot FCF has those compounds removed and is the form used in leave-on skincare.
Always dilute. Blend the essential oil into a carrier oil before it touches skin.
Expecting, nursing, or under medical care? Check with your healthcare provider before use.
✦ Common Questions
What is bergamot FCF?
FCF means “furocoumarin-free.” Regular bergamot oil contains compounds, mainly bergapten, that can make skin more sensitive to sunlight. In bergamot FCF they’re removed, which is why it’s the form used in leave-on skincare.
Is bergamot what gives Earl Grey tea its flavor?
Yes. Earl Grey gets its signature citrus-floral aroma from bergamot oil.
Is bergamot the same as wild bergamot or bee balm?
No. Wild bergamot and bee balm are Monarda, a flowering herb in the mint family that shares the name because of a similar scent. Bergamot essential oil comes from the peel of the citrus fruit Citrus × bergamia.
❀ Find It In
Bergamot appears in these ZenStream blends.
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Flow State Bodhi Wash | Botanical Body Wash$24.00 -
Flow State$18.00 -
Flow State | Aromatherapy Roll-On$18.00
