Flowering gum tree
Tea Tree. Eucalyptus. Lemon Myrtle.
Australian essential oils we know well for their strong medicinal properties and fresh, clean smell of the bush.
But have you heard of Nerolina, Rosalina and Lemon Ironbark?
These not so well known Australian essential oils have very similar benefits, but as their names suggest, they have a softer, milder fragrance making them ideal for personal use.
But have you heard of Nerolina, Rosalina and Lemon Ironbark?
These not so well known Australian essential oils have very similar benefits, but as their names suggest, they have a softer, milder fragrance making them ideal for personal use.
All in the Family
Did you know that tea tree and eucalyptus are part of the myrtle (myrtaceae) family?
Well nerolina, rosalina and lemon ironbark are too (and of course lemon myrtle.) Leaves from the myrtle family are covered in oil glands which is where the essential oil comes from. Understanding the plants biological make up gives us some insight into their shared therapeutic benefits, and for me a greater understanding of our native trees!
Lets take a quick look:
Well nerolina, rosalina and lemon ironbark are too (and of course lemon myrtle.) Leaves from the myrtle family are covered in oil glands which is where the essential oil comes from. Understanding the plants biological make up gives us some insight into their shared therapeutic benefits, and for me a greater understanding of our native trees!
Lets take a quick look:
Melaleuca
paperbark tree They are flowering, evergreen trees that range in size with the larger variety commonly known as Tea Tree. They love low lying coastal swamp as well as a good exfoliate! Most melaleucas shed bark, hence they are also known as Paperbarks. Tea Tree and paperbark are often interchanged when referring to the common name of a melaleuca species. It’s also thought the tea tree name comes from the brown coloured water that appears when the tree has shed its leaves. Brown Lake on North Stradbroke Island (where I am as I write this post!) is a great example of this.
Nerolina (melaleuca quinquenervia) and Rosalina (melaleuca ericiflora) are melaleucas and they shed bark, so they are also referred to as broad leafed paperbark and lavender tea tree respectively. Both are high in the natural compound linalool which has known anti-bacterial effects. Nerolina also has a high concentration of nerolidol which gives it a woody, fresh bark aroma whereas the fragrance of rosalina resembles a softer, sweeter version of tea tree. Some people liken rosalina to lavender because of this.
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptuses are also known as Gum Trees because they exude gum when their bark has a wound. The type of bark also lends to its more common name. Stringybark is so named because the bark fibres can be pulled off in long pieces. Ironbark is so named because the bark does not shed, forming a strong, fire resistant ring of dead bark around it. Both are eucalyptus trees. The natural compound eucalyptol (or cineole 1,8) makes up most of the eucalyptus oil and gives it a strong, camphor-like aroma.
lemon ironbark tree Lemon Ironbark (eucalyptus staigeriana) has a wonderfully subtle and more rounded lemon fragrance than most other lemon scented oils. It’s a lot less aggressive than lemon myrtle or lemon tea tree and it doesn’t have a strong eucalyptus smell. That’s because it doesn’t have a high eucalyptol (cineole 1,8) content. What it does have is a high citral and limonene content which delivers its wonderful citrus lemon fragrance as well as anti-fungal and anti-viral effects.
Backhousia
Lemon Myrtle (backhousia citriodora) is a well-known Australian bush food; its leaves are made in to tea, seasonings and infused into oils. As an essential oil, it has a strong lemon fragrance as its natural compound is mostly citral. Because of this, it is considered more anti-fungal than tea tree with all round anti-microbial benefits. However being 95+% citral, it is also a skin sensitiser so it should be used sparingly in skincare products.
Coastal Fresh
All of the above Australian essential oils are highly ‘anti’ in a good way i.e. anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal. Along with their fresh, uplifting scent they make an excellent addition to any cleansing product.
north stradbroke island Drift Escentuals Coastal Fresh Hand & Body Wash has a unique blend of nerolina, rosalina, lemon ironbark and lemon myrtle essential oils. A totally natural cleansing gel that instantly reminds you of Australia’s coastal bush. Try some today and let our wonderful native essential oils do all the cleansing work.
