Petitgrain is made from the leaves and twigs of citrus plants.
Petitgrain is an essential oil distilled from the leaves and twigs of citrus plants, usually the bitter orange tree (Citrus aurantium). This plant also provides neroli (distilled from the blossoms) and bitter orange essential oil (cold pressed from the rinds of the fruit).
Petitgrain is a crisp, fresh, green, woody and slightly fruity fragrance. The oil is of thin consistency and its color ranges from light yellow to amber. In perfumery, it is classified as a top note.
Aromatherapy
Petitgrain essential oil balances body and spirit.
Aromatherapists praise the various benefits of this petigrain oil. It clears and calms the skin, and is used to treat acne. However, it is beneficial for every skin type, from oily to dry. Petitgrain appears in several recipes to pamper the face and neck in Valerie Ann Worwood's book "The Fragrant Pharmacy".
Natural Antidepressant
The scent of petitgrain in the office enhances concentration and performance.
Like every essential oil derived from the citrus family, petitgrain is best known for its mood enhancing qualities. In "The Fragrant Mind", Valerie Ann Worwood recommends petitgrain to improve alertness, to strengthen memory, to increase performance, to calm anger and to alleviate anxiety and depression. She frequently suggests it to get into a positive state of mind and to promote emotional healing.
Rescue Remedy
Aromatherapy specialist Gerti Samel appreciates the refreshing properties of petitgrain oil in an aroma lamp to enhance concentration in the work place. In her book, "Aromastoffe", Samel recommends opening a bottle of petitgrain and sniffing it if you are ever in shock and in need of an instant "rescue remedy".
Success and Prosperity
According to Valerie Ann Worwood, you can use aroma oils cunningly in subtle ways to everybody's benefit. In "The Fragrant Mind", she suggests an experiment for budding entrepreneurs: They should send out two sets of brochures. One set should get no treatment at all; the second should be infused with a mixture of fragrances that implicate success and prosperity. Worwood is confident that the recipients of the scented batch would be more interested in buying the company's products than the control group. Yes, as you may have guessed, petitgrain is a substantial ingredient in this success-and-prosperity mixture.
Personality
For fans of psychological tests and games, "The Fragrant Mind" has a chapter on personality types related to essential oils. The "Petitgrain-Personality" is characterized as follows: "...This personality appears to be in control, capable and never fazed. . . they are respected at work and deemed responsible and steady. Petitgrains are the keepers of small niceties that stop this world from going out of control..."
Tags: Fragrant Mind, Valerie Worwood, bitter orange, citrus plants, distilled from, from leaves, from leaves twigs