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The blood orange is an intriguing variety of sweet orange that shares the same botanical name, Citrus sinensis. The blood orange is named as such because its fruit segments are blood red in color. Aromatically, both Sweet Orange Essential Oil and Blood Orange Oil are similar. However, Blood Orange Essential Oil is a bit more tantalizing, bright and tart. As the aromatic and therapeutic properties are similar, Blood Orange Essential Oil can be used in place of Sweet Orange Oil in both aromatic and therapeutic blends. The distinct dark flesh of the Blood Oranges us due to the plentiful presence of a certain kind of antioxidant pigment called anthocyanins.

Conventional or organic available The Clementine is a citrus hybrid of mandarin and sweet orange. Clementine Essential Oil is extracted from fruit peel. Oil content in peel varies from 0.3 to 0.9%. Like other citrus oils, Clementine is rich in the cleansing chemical component Limonene. In Ancient times Clementines were referred to as the “crown jewel” of the Mandarin family. The clergyman Pierre Clement is credited with crossing a Mandarin and an Orange. This coupling resulted in a seedless mandarin with loose skin and a smooth and shiny appearance. Clementine is another variety of mandarin like Tangerine. It is sweet and easy to peel. It is grown commercially in Algeria, China, Spain, Turkey, Morocco, Brazil, Egypt, the United States, Iran and Argentina.

Balsam is the resinous exudate (or sap) which forms on certain kinds of trees and shrubs. Balsam (from Latin balsamum gum of the balsam tree, ultimately from Semitic, Aramaic busma, Arabic balsam and Hebrew basam, spice, perfume) owes its name to the biblical Balm of Gilead. Copaiba Oleoresin is a unique, gentle oil that is tree tapped from the Balsam of the Copaiba tree to produce a pure, undiluted oleoresin with absolutely no additives or fillers. Copaiba Balsam resin is extracted from the wild trees which are found mainly in the South American rain forests – particularly in Brazil, Columbia, Peru and Venezuela. It is the further refined to produce the oil. The trees have large branches and can grow up to 18 to 30 meters in height. The resin is harvested by tapping or drilling holes into the trunk of the tree much like tapping maple for syrup. Although this resin is often referred to as balsam, it is not a true balsam but an oleoresin. A single Copaiba tree can provide about 40 liters of oleoresin annually, making it a sustainable rain forest resource that can be harvested without destroying the tree or the forest in which it grows. When tapped, the initial oily resin is clear, thin, and colorless; it thickens and darkens upon contact with air. Commercially sold resins are a thick liquid, with a color that varies from pale yellow to golden light brown. The variety gathered in Venezuela is said to be thicker and darker in color.

Conventional or organic available Yarrow has been known by several common names including Devil’s nettle, Old Man’s Pepper, Yarroway, Woundwort, Milfoil, Angel flower. The Achillea genus contains over 120 species and several subspecies. Achillea millefolium is widespread throughout Europe while A. lanulosa is common to North America although A. millefolium has been introduced as well. These two species are practically identical Achillea millefolium is native to Europe, Asia and has naturalized throughout North America as well as to other temperate zones of the world. It is a perennial herb with several erect stems arising from multiple rhizomes below the ground. The compound leaves are bright green and feathery. Numerous small, white to pink flower heads are borne in flat-topped clusters (Van Wyk and Wink, 2004). Yarrow is a venerable plant of ancient medicinal repute (Hatfield, 1971). According to legend, the Greek hero Achilles is said to have utilized Yarrow to stop the bleeding (styptic) of his soldiers as well as his own wounds during the Trojan War. It is thought that the genus name, Achillea, comes from this great warrior of Greek mythology. Roman centurions knew this plant under the name Herba militaris and later by ‘Soldier’s Woundwort’ and Carpenter’s Weed, reflecting its use for treating wounds. The species name millefolium is derived from the common name Milfoil which comes from the French mile feuille, meaning ‘1000 leaves’, referring to its feathery leaves, which are divided into thousands of tiny leaflets (Balick, 2014). Yarrow was formally named Achillea millefolium by Linnaeus in 1753 (Keller, 2014).

Conventional or certified organic available Shea oil is a pure lightweight oil extracted from the nut of the shea tree (Karite tree) It is naturally high in fatty acids making it an ideal cosmetic ingredient for softening dry hair and as an all-over moisturizer for the skin. Shea oil is a lighter alternative to Shea butter. The process of making Shea Nut Oil is similar to the production process of other fractionated carrier oils. The raw Shea Butter pressed from the Shea nut undergoes a process known as fractionation, which allows its liquid oil (olein) to separate from the heavier components (stearin). The resulting Shea fraction contains higher proportions of the liquid Oleic Acid and lower proportions of solid Stearic Acid, may be liquid or semi-liquid at room temperature, and is considerably less waxy in its consistency. The product may undergo refining, deodorization, and filtering to further improve its sensory profile.

Tangerine oil is extracted from Citrus reticulata of the Rutaceae family. The name comes from Tangier in Morocco, the port from which the first tangerines were shipped to Europe. Tangerines originate from China but are now grown in a variety of regions around the globe including Australia. Tangerine has a long history of use in Chinese culture and herbal health practices. Citrus reticulate are small trees about 2-4 m high with slender branches, and lance shaped shiny evergreen leaves. Flowers are white and attractive to bees. The fruit is similar to the mandarin. Tangerine oil is extracted from the peel by cold expression. This uplifting zesty citrus oil is refreshing and rejuvenating with many beneficial compounds.

Nerolina: Melaleuca quinquenervia CT ‘Nerolina’ Native to Australia, Melaleuca quinquenervia CT ‘Nerolina’, commonly known as broad-leaved paperbark or the paper bark tea tree, is a small- to medium-sized tree of the Myrtaceae family. It is an evergreen tree that grows up to 35 feet and has papery bark, fragrant leaves and green or red flows. Nerolina is the linalool chemotype of Niaouli. Nerolina essential oil is extracted via steam distillation of the leaves and green branchlets. Nerolina is grown in plantations, in northern New South Wales and Queensland, wild harvesting also occurs. Nerolina essential oil has a fresh, aromatic, earthy, fruity aroma with distinctive notes of lavender and lilac. Nerolina Australian essential oil is a valuable blending oil with the ability to ‘lift’ ordinary aromas with small additions to the compound. In cosmetics and perfumery, Nerolina can be very cost effective, and it can be successfully used as an adjunct to the top grade Lavender oils.