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Tangerine Essential
Oil
Botanical Name~ Citrus
reticulata
Origin~ USA
Benefits~ Refreshing
and rejuvenating, its aroma inspires and brings fresh energy; clears the mind.
Citrus oils help to eliminate emotional confusion and increase one's sense of
humor and well-being. Very comforting, soothing and warming. Helps acne,
congested and dull skin, increases blood circulation, calms the nervous system,
helps to prevent stretch marks and prevent fluid
retention.
Notes~ Cold
pressed from the peel of the ripe fruit
History~ Tangerines were originally from China but were transported by early traders to
Europe around the early 1800's. It did not take
long for this tangy fruit to travel to the United States
where the largest harvests come from today. Tangerines are for the most part,
harvested in November. The tangerine is a sweet and tangy fruit which has a deep
orange color and does not contain any pits. Tangerine essential oil is extracted
from the peel of the tangerine by cold expression. This essential oil is used
for dietary, aromatic or topical use and is used as a calming agent. Tangerine
essential oil is an excellent oil to help uplift the spirits and bring about a
sense of security. Tangerine essential oil is also highly enriched with the
antioxidant d-limonene and is extracted from Citrus reticulate of the Rutaceae
family and is also known as the European mandarin.
Constituents~ Limonene, methyl methylanthranilate, geraniol, citral,
citranellal.
Tea
Tree Essential Oil
Grown using organic methods
Botanical Name~
Melaleuca alternifolia
Origin~ Australia
Benefits~ Tea tree essential oil is excellent
for balancing sebum production and it has antibacterial and antiseptic
properties that have been shown to be effective against the bacteria that cause
blemishes. According to Healthnotes Review of Complementary and Integrative
Medicine (www.healthwell.com/healthnotes/Herb/Tea_Tree.cfm) and the Medical
Journal of Australia (October 1990, pages 455-458), tea tree oil is effective in
reducing the number of blemishes, and lessening skin oiliness without irritating
side effects. The leaves are the medicinally useful part of the plant and
contain a volatile essential oil known as tea tree oil. Less commonly, tea tree
oil is extracted from M. linariifolia and M. dissitiflora.
Notes~
A member of the family Myrtaceae, the
tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) is one of over 150 species of Melaleuca, which
is indigenous to Australia. The tea tree grows in
swampy, low-lying areas on the northern coast of New South Wales, where the leaves of the tree
have been used by aborigines for centuries as a local
antiseptic.
History~ Early European settlers to Australia began to use the leaves to
treat a variety of skin disorders such as cuts, burns, insect bites, and
athletes foot. Tea trees, also called paper bark trees, were named by Captain
James Cook, who first brewed a tea from the leaves soon after arriving at the
coast of New South Wales in 1770 (hence its common name). Soon the use of tea
tree oil spread, and it is now popular all over the world as a natural
antimicrobial agent. As the demand for tea tree oil increased, tea tree
plantations were established in Australia. Cultivated from seed, tea
tree leaves can be harvested from a plant in about 12-13 months. Seeds from
hearty trees growing in the wild have been collected, and, through years of
selection, the quality of the oil extracted from the leaves has improved. The
trees do not need to be harvested in order for their oil to be extracted; in
fact, some trees have provided their oil for over 60
years.
Constituents~
Tea tree oil is steam-distilled primarily from the leaves of M. alternifolia.
The leaves contain 2% of a pale-yellow volatile oil. Approximately one-third of
this essential oil fraction is composed of terpene hydrocarbons such as
beta-pinene, p-cymene, limonene, aromadendrene, 1-8 cineole and many others. The
remaining portion of the essential oil fraction is composed of oxygenated
terpenes, with 30%?0% made up of terpinen-4-ol.2 Terpinen-4-ol
appears responsible for most of the antimicrobial activity of tea tree oil.
Terpinolene (1%?%), alpha-terpineol (1%?%), and alpha-terpinene are other
abundant terpenes present. The Australian standard Oil of Melaleuca contains
30%-7% terpinen-4-ol and less than 15% cineole.
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