Niaouli

Niaouli

The Niaouli (Melaleuca viridiflora) is a plant closed to
Eucalyptus, which comes from the heart of the Gomen swamps (North of New Caledonia). This tree, also called « skin tree » because of its numerous successive layers that easily crumble, is a little green tree, with numerous and thin aromatic leaves,
with yellow flowers and fruits looking like a bunch of capsules.

Niaouli is traditionally used for its curative and relaxing properties. It calms down the spirit clarifying the thoughts. 

The Aborigines of South Pacific and Australia were already using it in their traditional medicines to heal the skin or to treat the bronchial tubes and the urinary tract. Nowadays, it is still used by the Kanaks of New Caledonia to purify water and heal
everyday aches and pains. With its strong camphor smell, both pleasant and refreshing, its natural composition and its healing action, the Niaouli essential oil, also known as Gomenol, is a much appreciated ingredient in cosmetics and in aromatherapy for its relaxing and antibacterial properties.

 

Gomenol : the story of a miraculous product

The history begins at the end of the 18th century,
when french explorers were harvesting plants from the Myrtaceae family, which Melaleuca species were still unknown in Europe. The first distillation of the Niaouli leaves was done in 1862 by De Rochas. Prévet, an industrialist from the 19th century, realized that the coffee picking spread in the Gomen area in New Caledonia, was hurting the pickers who used to chew Niaouli leaves to put this medicated plaster on the wounds to avoid infection. Its discovery was brought back to France from the 19th century, under Gomenol trademark, as a very pure oil obtained by steam distillation. From its first promotion, people talk about Gomenol and about the range of its applications. The Academy of Sciences talks about natural terpenol that has no aldehydes and, as a consequence is not toxic. Gomenol production is one of the oldest transformation and exportation industry of New Caledonia, but its real industrial production started around 1920. Beyond the medicine industry, Niaouli oil and Melaleuca oil have gained in ground : their popularity never stopped growing if we believe the recent books devoted to them.

USES

Traditional uses 

It is used as an antiseptic by the Kanaks of New Caledonia, to purify water and to relieve everyday aches and pains. It is used in friction on the flu-like aches or to unblock sinus.

Cosmetic uses 

The balms or massage oils containing Niaouli are known for their relaxing and toning virtues.


CAUTION:

Do not use for pregnant women, for breast-feeding women, or for children under 6.
Avoid to use it pure on the skin, it can cause irritations.