Winter days often run on without ceremony, one thing straight into the next, still thinking about tomorrow. A minute marked out for rest and for reflection is easy to skip and worth keeping.
The bitter orange, the Seville orange of marmalade, has been grown around the Mediterranean for centuries, and its white blossom distilled for as long. In the seventeenth century the Princess of Nerola scented her gloves and bath with it and gave it her name. Orange blossom crowned Victorian brides, Queen Victoria among them, and orange flower water still perfumes pastries from Seville to Beirut.
The Neroli Mist is the water distilled from the blossom, soft enough to mist straight onto the skin.
This is the mist for a minute of stillness, whenever you can take one.
The Plant in the Field
Citrus aurantium var. amara
Bitter orange blossom, shaken from the tree
In spring the blossoms are picked by hand or shaken onto cloths laid beneath the trees, then distilled within hours. The oil that rises is neroli; the water left behind is orange flower water, sweet, warm and softer than the oil.
Formulator’s Note
Where rose is for a pause, neroli is for taking stock. After your balm, mist the face and neck, eyes closed, take one slow breath, and sit for a minute before doing anything else.
That minute is the point. It is the smallest version of what this whole collection is about: a season for rest, and for reflection.
Orange blossom, sweet and warm, for rest and reflection.
These notes honour tradition and ecology. Full dosage and safety guidance live in the monographs.
References
Meta-analysis of Citrus aurantium and neroli oil inhalation for anxiety, 7 RCTs, 666 participants. Journal of Traditional and Integrative Medicine.