Uses for Lavender Oil – HHMmmmmmmm, lavendar! Lavender, of all the essential oils, is queen. I enjoy using it my the homemade bath salts and sugar scrubs. Civilizations have exploited the essential oil of Lavandula agustifolia for thousands of years to due to the wide range of uses for lavender oil. Praised in modern times for its delightful aroma, lavender oil also has antifungal, analgesic and antiseptic properties making it an effective therapeutic oil with both external and internal healing abilities. As a base note and often stand-alone fragrance for perfumes, soaps and linen sprays, lavender is well-known. More recently, ancient applications of the oil in cooking and healing have resurfaced as more and more of us are turning to nature for aromatherapy and alternative healing modalities.
Steam distilled, the essential oil is derived from the delicate hairs of the lavender plant’s foliage. It can be purchased in various grades depending upon its intended use. Therapeutic grades are suitable for direct or indirect application to the skin; lavender oil has a strong camphor-like odor which can be overwhelming for some folks. Luckily, it pairs nicely with other essential oils and is easily diluted in water or carrier oils. It happens to be one of my favorites just the way it is!
Stay tuned as I just finished a class in old time soap making and I’ll be writing some articles on using Lavender and other essential oils in the healing soap bars.
Modern uses of lavender oil:
1. As an aromatic fragrance in the home. Lavender oil can be placed in an oil diffuser designed to slowly permeate the room with the oil’s sweet smell. Diffusers range in cost from under five dollars to hundreds and often dispense the aroma with the help of mist or heat.
2. Potpourri. This craft dating from the 17th century can serve as another decorative and fragrant way to enjoy lavender oil. Place dried flowers, buds, citrus rinds, leaves, spices, and pine cones in a ceramic or glass dish, add a few drops of lavender oil periodically and allow the scent to lift your spirits.
3. Perfume. Therapeutic grades of lavender oil can be applied directly to pulse points as a subtle perfume alone or in combination with other oils such as peppermint or chamomile.
4. Bath bombs and bath oils. Lavender, like many essential oils, makes a relaxing and practical addition to home-made bath bombs. A few drops simply added to a warm bath are both relaxing and invigorating. See my bath scrub video here (you can use Lavendar or any of your favorite oils)
5. Aromatherapy. Inhaling lavender oil, once again by means of a diffuser, or added to a steam mask reduces stress and anxiety, aiding in pain reduction and insomnia relief. High grades of lavender oil can be applied directly to the skin, or diffused at bedtime.
6. Facial treatments. Lavender oil has been shown to treat acne, baldness, and age spots and to confer other benefits to the skin and face. When trying it on your own, use of a carrier oil such as almond or jojoba oil may be desired to create a serum or to apply before or after your normal evening skin routine.
7. Lice, mosquitos, and bed bugs. They all hate lavender oil – in part, due to its terpene compounds and camphor-like properties. Their loss is your gain.
8. Antiseptic and anti-inflammatory remedy. Toothaches, joint pain, migraines, and effective treatment of cuts and burns are all holistic, at-home uses for lavender oil from bygone days.
9. Taken internally. Several anti-anxiety remedies feature lavender oil as a main ingredient. Taken internally, the essential oil in these formulations can reduce stress and produce a calming, sedative effect. (consult your natropathic practitioner or herbalist 1st)
10. Household cleaning. It smells great and has antiseptic and reduces the proliferation of bacteria and fungi, to boot. Try adding it sparingly at first to surface and floor cleaners.
11. Cooking. Lavender is best known for the floral notes it adds to baked goods but several cookbooks feature herbs (and lavender oil in particular) for more in-depth culinary exploration.
BONUS: Lavender is also really great for calming babies! When you place blankets and such in the dryer add a few drops of lavender essential oil and you’ll note that when you wrap baby in the blanket the lavender subtle scent will act as a calming agent and a mild aromatherapy! Enjoy!
As with any good thing, there can be too much of it if you’re not careful. Pregnant women, for example, should consult their physician or herbalist before beginning the use of lavender or any essential oil topically or internally. Pets, in general, should not be exposed to essential oils without the supervision of a veterinarian; in some cases, the outcome can be serious.
Enjoy the queen of essential oils, lavender, and discover what the ancients knew long ago.
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