Melissa, 10% Dilution.

Lemon balm grows easily in almost any garden, and yet its true oil is one of the rarest in the apothecary: it takes approximately three tons of plant material to yield half a kilo of essential oil. So much of the so-called melissa oil on the market is really lemongrass and citronella; this is the real thing, in a dilution that lets it go further.

It is steam-distilled from the leaves of ethically farmed Melissa officinalis in Bulgaria, then diluted to 10% in clear, odorless fractionated coconut oil. Emotionally, melissa is a delight: both calming and uplifting, a companion in times of emotional shock, grief, fear or anger, and said to bring acceptance and understanding. Because the oil can irritate the skin, melissa hydrosol remains the gentler choice for skin care.

Details

• Botanical name: Melissa officinalis
• Origin: Bulgaria
• Method: Steam-distilled leaves
• Growing: Ethically farmed
• Dilution: 10% in fractionated coconut oil
• Shelf life: about 1 to 2 years after opening

How to use

Melissa should make up no more than 0.7% of anything applied to skin (4 drops of the pure oil per fluid ounce); remember that this bottle is already a 10% dilution. It contains citral, a strong sensitizer: avoid broken skin and do not use it during pregnancy. Never take it internally. Store it in the dark and refrigerated, and decant a half-empty bottle into a smaller full one.

A rare, bright breath of the summer garden, made to go further.