Essential Oils

Lemongrass is a fast growing tall aromatic grass that grows up to a metre and a half tall. The oil is extracted from the fresh, or partially dried leaves using steam distillation Lemongrass blends well with Geranium, Bergamot and other Citrus oils.

Bergamot is a small tree that reaches about 4.5m (15ft) high. It has smooth, oval leaves and bears small round fruits that turn from green to yellow when they ripen. Pure Bergamot oil is extracted by cold pressing the peel of the fruit. However, Bergamot contains Bergaptenes, chemicals which are believed to lead to photosensitivity of the skin, and the prevention of the intestine absorbing Potassium, an important element. Bergaptene free Bergamot oil is made using fractional distillation of pure Bergamot Oil. Bomb Cosmetics only sells Bergaptene free Bergamot Oil. Bergamot Oil blends well with Lavender, Neroli, Geranium, Clary Sage and other Citrus essential oils.

Ylang Ylang oil is made from the flowers of the Cananga Odorata tree which grows up to twenty metres in height. Ylang Ylang essential oil is produced by water or steam distillation of the freshly picked flowers. Yellow flowers are believed to yield the best oil although pink or mauve flowers may also be used. Ylang Ylang blends well with Sandalwood, Jasmine, Vetiver, Jamsine, Bergamot and Rose essential oils.

Thyme is a perennial evergreen shrub that grows up to 45cm in height with small, gray/green aromotic leaves and purple or white flowers. Thyme oil is extracted by water or steam distillation of the fresh leaves and flowering tops. Thyme oil blends well with Bergamot, Lemon, Rosemary, Lavender and Marjoram essential oils.

Rose Oil is generally produced from a hybrid between Rosa Centifolia and Rosa Gallica, a plant that grows to around two and a half metres tall and produces pink petals. Rose otto is produced by steam distillation of the petals while Rose Absolute is produced using solvent extraction of the petals. Rose oil is extremely expensive to produce, requiring about 1000kg of rose petals to produce 1kg of oil.

Peppermint is a perennial herb that grows up to one meter high. White Peppermint has green stems and leaves while Black Peppermint has dark gree serrated leaves, purple tinged stems and red/violet flowers. Peppermint essential oil is extracted from the herb by steam distillation. Peppermint blends well with Rosemary, Lavender, Marjoram, Lemon, Eucalyptus and Bergamot essential oils.

A tender, bushy perennial plant that grows to about 60cm in height. The leaves are dark green and oval in shape and the stem of the plant is'hairy' in texture. The flowers are small and greyish/white and grow in small clusters. Marjoram essential oil is produced by extracting the oil from the flowering herb by steam distillation. Marjoram blends well with Lavender, Rosemary, Chamomile, Bergamot, Tea Tree and Eucalyptus oils.

Lemon is the familar yellow fruit of the Lemon tree, which is a small evergreen tree that can grow up to six metres in height. The tree has serated oval leaves, stiff thorns and fragrant flowers. Lemon essential oil is produced by cold extraction of the outer peel. Lemon blends well with all Citrus oils, as well as Lavender, Neroli, Ylang Ylang, Rose, Chamomile and Geranium.

Jasmine is an evergreen shrub or vine that can grow up to ten metres high. It has delicate, bright leaves and very fragrant, star shaped white flowers. Jasmine oil, combined with Rose oil forms the base for many of the worlds most famous floral fragrances. Production of Jasmine is an extremely expensive process as the flowers do not yield very much oil and are hand picked. Therefore, Bomb Cosmetics Jasmine essential oil is blended into Grapeseed oil and is 5% active. Jasmine is produced from the flowers by solvent extraction. Various grades of Jasmine may be produced such as concretes and absolutes using different solvents such as alcohol. Jasmine blends perfectly with Rose, but also with Sandalwood and all citrus oils.

Grapefruits are the familiar yellow fruit of the cultivated tree that often grows up to ten metres in height. Grapefruit essential oil is extracted from the fresh peel by cold expression. Grapefruit blends well with other citrus oil such as Lemon and Bergamot, as well as Geranium, Roseary, Lavender and Neroli.

Clary Sage is a stout biennial or perennial herb that grows up to one metre in height. It has large, hairy leaves that are generally green with a hint of purple and small blue flowers. Clary Sage oil is generally produced by steam distillation of the flowering tops and leaves. Clary Sage blends well with Lavender, Geranium, Sandalwood, Jasmine and Bergamot.

Amyris Essential Oil, also known as West Indian Sandalwood is produced from the wood chips of the Amyris Balsamifera tree, native to the West Indies and Central America. The trees grow to about 60 feet high and have clusters of white flowers that develop into an edible black-blueish fruit. The essential oil is produced by steam distillation of the twigs and bark. Amyris is most commonly used either as a fixative in perfumery, or to adulterate pure Sandalwood oil which is much more expensive. The wood burns like a candle and is also called'Candlewood'. Amyris blends well with Sandalwood and Lavender.