Bergamot oil has been one of my favorite essential oils since before I got into learning about EOs. It builds up positivity and confidence, elevates your mood, and is known to be a powerful ally in skin care and general wellness. It's no wonder I can't live without my Earl Grey tea, because who doesn't need a bit of mood stabilizing effects in the morning?

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10 Bergamot Oil Uses You Need to Know!

I've written about bergamot essential oil in past, but I thought that this time I would give you some of my favorite uses along with a bit more info on this amazing essential oil.

Bergamot Definition/What is Bergamot Oil?

Bergamot, or Citrus bergamia, is a citrus fruit that grows in the southern regions of Italy. It is defined as a hybrid between sour orange and lemon and produces a fruit that is extremely sour with fragrant peels. Its aromatic profile is so compelling that it has been used for centuries in perfumery for its tangy green top note.

It is from these peels that bergamot essential oil is made through cold compression instead of steam distillation like most essential oils. This keeps the essential oil nuanced and bright and is what gives Earl Grey tea its coveted flavor.

In fact, I have used high-quality bergamot essential oil to create my own Earl Grey tea! You can learn how to make your own here.

And, you don't need to use just YL's bergamot, you can also use DoTerra's bergamot oil or Plant Therapy as well, just make sure whatever bergamot oil you use is 100% PURE and "furocoumarine free" or "FCF" since you don't want to be ingesting adulterated oils or getting burned in the sun. A lot of random brands on Amazon have been proven to contain fillers, so just get informed 🙂

10 Bergamot Oil Uses You Need to Know!

Bergamot Oil Health Benefits

If you've never used bergamot essential oil before, you may be wondering "what is bergamot oil used for?" or "what does bergamot oil do?".

Just like most essential oils, bergamot oil has a multitude of uses and applications for both mental and physical health and beauty.

It's anti-bacterial, anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory, and antispasmodic and its scent is uplifting and bright, cutting through gloom and crankiness like a knife of pure sunlight.

Here are my top 10 bergamot oil uses for health and beauty:

1. Acts as a powerful antidepressant - Diffuse 5-10 drops of bergamot essential oil 2-3 times daily for 20 minutes. This can help alleviate apathy, fatigue, negative feeling, sad mood, lack of appetite, low libido, and feeling of helplessness or disinterest in activities you used to love. Bergamot oil can stimulate uplifting thoughts and feelings and improve energy levels.

2. Controls sebum production in the skin - One of my favorite bergamot oil uses is using it to help control oily skin and excess sebum production. It helps reduce scarring, hyperpigmentation, stretch marks, and even out skin tone. it's also great for killing acne causing bacteria and for soothing redness and irritation. Just keep in mind that you MUST use FCF bergamot essential oil for topical use or you can get very badly burned in the sun even 72 hours after application. You can find FCF bergamot oil here.

3. Has sedative qualities which can help you get restful sleep - Diffusing bergamot essential oil in your bedroom as you setting into bed is a great way to relax the mind and dispel any negative circulating thoughts that may keep you from getting a good nights rest.

4. Helps you release emotional pain and trauma - Due to its mood elevating effects, inhaling the scent of bergamot essential oil can allow you to move past mental roadblocks that are preventing you from moving forward. These block can include trauma from past relationships, confrontations, or events. You can simply sniff straight from the bottle, apply a drop to a tissue and inhale, make a personal nasal inhaler (my personal favorite), or diffuse it.

5. Kills germs and bacteria - Adding FCF bergamot oil to homemade cleaning recipes like surface sprays, soft scrubs, and carpet freshening powder will help keep bacteria and other germ levels to a minimum in your house, especially during cold and flu season. I will often add bergamot oil to my shower and toilet sprays to help keep mold, mildew, and other yucky stuff from making their homes in my bathroom.

6. Relieves muscle and joint pain - Adding FCF bergamot oil to homemade muscle gels and rubs will help tremendously with the discomfort associated with inflamed stiff joints and muscles. I like to use it after a workout in a massage oil to help reduce post-work-out muscle soreness since it's great for encouraging healthy circulation and blood flow

7. Relieves stress - Simply smelling the bright aroma of bergamot essential oil is known to help reduce stress and uplift the mind. pair it with rosemary, and you've got yourself the perfect remedy for reducing spiked cortisol levels in less than 30 seconds! making a personal nasal inhaler is a great way to reap the benefits of this little trick - simply add 4 drops bergamot oil and 2 drops rosemary oil to a nasal inhaler, and viola!

8. Soothes irritated skin and reduces sebum - Add a drop or two of FCF bergamot essential oil to your homemade skin serum and focus on areas where your skin produces the most oil. With consistent use, you should start to see a reduction in sebum and redness!

9. Soothes spasmodic coughing - Add a few drops of FCF bergamot EO to homemade vapo-rub and apply it to chest, back, and throat to help relieve spasmodic coughing. this works especially well before bedtime when coughing tends to get worse. It will also help loosen phlegm and mucus in the sinuses and lungs.

10. Supports healthy digestion - Diluting a few drops of FCF bergamot oil in a teaspoon of carrier oil and applying it to the abdomen helps with bloating, gas, cramping, and other digestive distress by encouraging bile production and stimulating the proper breakdown of food.

Simple Bergamot Oil Diffuser Blend Recipe

One of my favorite diffuser blends that features bergamot essential oil includes:

It's super uplifting and smells downright divine! I love using this blend to clarify my mind and reduce fatigue and stress while working. I think you should try it!

Bergamot Oil Side Effects

Despite many bergamot oil skin benefits, it's super important to note that applying just any ol' bergamot oil to your skin can be really dangerous. Not only do you need to ensure the quality of the essential oil you use, you must also make absolutely sure that if this oil is going to get on your skin in any way, you NEED TO USE FCF BERGAMOT ESSENTIAL OIL.

FCF stands for "furocoumarin free". Furocoumarins are extremely phototoxic, which means that if you apply them to your skin and go out in the sun (even DAYS later), you will absolutely burn - and it isn't your typical sunburn either. Where a regular sunburn turns bright red, furocoumarin burns will often turn your skin into a super damaged, brown,hyperpigmented patchy mess.

You do not want to mess around with bergamot essential oil, so when in doubt, use FCF version. It has the same properties and benefits of regular bergamot essential oil.

To learn more about phototoxic essential oils, check out my post on the topic here.

What have been some of your favorite bergamot oil uses? Please share in the comments below!

You may also enjoy reading:

Bergamot Essential Oil Properties and Benefits
How to Blend a Perfume Using Essential Oils
Essential Oils for Depression
6 Health Promoting Earl Grey Tea Benefits
7 Benefits of Using an Essential Oil Diffuser