DESCRIPTION
Melissa Oil comes from plants just before first flowers appear as aroma is less interesting when plant is in full bloom. The oil is steam distilled from melissa leaves & tops and is pale yellow in color with agreeable & subtle, warm, lemony aroma. Rare oil, it is very expensive as 7 tonnes of leaves and tops are needed to produce 1 kg (21/4 lb) of oil.
COMMON NAMES
Melissa, Lemon Balm
BLENDS WITH:
Geranium Oil, Orange Oil, Lavender Oil, Lemon Oil.
CONSTITUENTS
Citral, geraniol, citronellal , citronellol (responsible for the lemony smell), limonene, linalool, pinene.
USES
Having therapeutic properties, it is used for nerve calming applications. It is also a good sedative and has anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, stomachic and choleretic properties.