Common Name: Bergamot
Botanical Name: Citrus Bergamia
INCI Name: Citrus Bergamia (bergamot) oil
Common Extraction Method: Cold pressed from the fruit peel.
Plant Origin: Italy, Asia and the Mediterranean.
Physical Description: Light greenish yellow to a brownish green color with a thin consistency.
Aromatic Description: Fresh, sweet-citrus with spicy, floral notes.

Properties & Benefits

According to research, bergamot has anti-depressant, anti-septic, anti-spasmodic, deodorizing and astringent properties. Is reported to help alleviate anxiety, depression, stress, fatigue and relieve skin irritations like eczema, psoriasis, acne, insect bites, wounds, ulcers and herpes. Is considered uplifting, rejuvenating, and balancing.

What is Bergamot Oil?

Bergamot oil is extracted from the rind of the bergamot fruit. The powerful sweet aroma of bergamot oil makes it a popular component in perfumes, and it is often used as the “top note”. It is derived from cold compression, as opposed to the steam distillation through which many other essential oils are derived.

Health Benefits of Bergamot Essential Oil

1. Helps Relieve Depression

Bergamot essential oil helps you relieve signs of depression.

A study published in 2011 stated that bergamot oil contains ingredients like alpha-pinene and limonene. The amazing compounds are therapeutic and stimulating in nature. They help to generate a feeling of calmness and make you more relaxed.

An article published in the Phytotherapy Research journal in 2017 revealed that the hormonal impact of this essential oil is part of the reason that it is so powerful in these neurological and mental conditions.

2. Relaxant & Sedative

The flavonoids present in bergamot oil are very good relaxants. They soothe the nerves and reduce nervous tension, anxiety, and stress, all of which can help treat ailments associated with stress such as high blood pressure, insomnia, and depression. They can also stimulate the activity of certain hormones in the body like dopamine and serotonin, which induce feelings of relaxation and sedation.

3. Skin Care

Studies suggest that bergamot essential oil also aids in keeping the skin youthful. This property of bergamot oil is the reason behind its extensive use in cosmetics such as beauty soaps, creams, and lotions. The cicatrizant in bergamot helps heal scars and other marks on the skin. It also makes the distribution of pigments and melanin uniform, resulting in the fading away of marks and an even, attractive skin tone. This essential oil is commonly used to eliminate the unsightly effects of acne, which can leave noticeable scars on the affected areas for many years.

Handmade soap is better for you and for the environment

Traditional ways of soap-making are gaining momentum and people increasingly favor natural ingredients and all things handmade.

Is homemade soap better for your skin compared to manufactured, mass produced soap?  Us soap artisans would certainly argue in favor of handcrafted soaps and their natural ingredients, especially glycerin. If you are looking for a bar of soap that nourishes the skin without excessive chemicals, you cannot beat handmade soap.

Let us take a deeper look at the soap-making process, the ingredients used, and the differences between a bar of handcrafted soap vs. manufactured soap.

The pH of your skin

The pH scale runs from 1 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Numbers below 7 are considered acidic, while higher numbers are alkaline.

The pH of a healthy adult skin is between 5.4 – 6.0 which although slightly acidic, is necessary to combat harmful microbes. Our soaps are naturally alkaline with a pH of around 9-10 which gently cleanse, leaving your skin feeling clean and healthy, without changing the natural pH.

Glycerin

One great byproduct of handcrafted soap is glycerin. Glycerin is a natural substance created, and left intact, when making soap using the cold process method. It is an emollient and acts as a moisturizing agent that creates a natural protective barrier on the skin.

Manufactured soaps remove the glycerin to make other products, such as hand lotions, and they replace glycerin with synthetic materials that unfortunately fall short of the natural moisturizing properties of glycerin. While many store-bought soaps are good, the added chemicals tend to leave skin dry, and will influence your skins’ natural pH.

Benefits of using our products

The glycerin in our soap is a wonderful benefit and it remains intact during the soap-making process.

The best part of natural soap is the ingredients, and a handcrafted bar of soap is only as “natural” as the ingredients you use to make your soap. Soap is the result of a basic chemical reaction between fats, oils, and lye. This chemical reaction is called saponification and once fully cured, there is no lye present in the soap.  That is why the curing process of 4-6 weeks is so important.

By carefully choosing a combination of quality oils, plant-based butters, organic essential oils, dried herbs, botanicals, and natural clays, we create the recipes of our soaps. We make our soaps in small batches so that we can better control the process and to be sure the soaps pass the signature test.

What about the environment?

Our products contain no synthetic chemicals, so you do not have to worry about harming the environment. They are made of natural ingredients and will naturally decompose and will not disturb natural organic cycles.

Bentonite clay is a natural clay with a fine, soft texture. It forms a paste when mixed with water. Some people use this paste for medical or cosmetic benefits, such as treating rashes and acne or as a hair mask.

People have used bentonite clay to remove impurities from the skin, such as oils, and toxins from the body, for thousands of years.

Bentonite clay is present in many skin products, but some people also add it to foods or drinks with the aim of relieving digestive issues or removing toxins from the body.

Many studies have looked at the health benefits of bentonite clay, though most of this research has used animal or cell models. More research is needed before scientists will know the true benefits and risks of bentonite clay in humans.

Scientists believe that bentonite clay works by adsorbing oil and dirt from the skin.

The theory is that bentonite clay adsorbs materials by sticking to their molecules or ions. As the clay leaves the body, it takes the toxin or other molecules with it.

When a person uses it on the skin, bentonite clay may have the power to adsorb oil and bacteria. When they consume the clay, it may adsorb toxins or other unwanted substances from the digestive tract.

Bentonite clay contains natural minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and iron, which may provide additional benefits.

Bentonite clay forms from volcanic ash. It gets its name from Fort Benton in Wyoming, where it occurs in large amounts. People can also find this clay in other places where volcanic ash has settled into the ground. Montmorillonite clay, named after Montmorillon in France, is the same type of clay.

Interested in research? Then you will enjoy reading this:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5632318/

Clay is a wonderful natural colorant to use in cold process soap. There are so many different types of clay and not only do you get the stunning natural coloring, but you also get the benefit of the clay in your soap.
Clays come in a gorgeous rainbow of natural color, perfect for customizing cold process soaps. In addition to providing a wide range of coulors, clays also offer great variety of natural benefits. Known for their ability to cleanse and draw out oils and impurities, using clays in cold processed soaps is a simple way to make great soap recipes even better.