Lavender Essential Oil
Botanical name: Lavandula angustifolia
Where do we start with lavender? I know lavender essential oil is used in so many things, and you might groan and think that it's not very exciting, but to be quite honest, lavender is chosen so much because it has such beautiful properties, and can help in a great variety of ways. I think it’s safe to say that it would feature on my desert island list of essential oils!
It has a beautiful floral fragrance and often evokes in people vivid memories of loved ones they knew, or places they have been. Probably best known for its relaxing properties, lavender also has pain relieving properties which make it great at easing everyday aches and pains, like muscular discomfort, period pain, or stress induced tension.
Calming and soothing, lavender is soporific in that it can induce sleepiness, but it is also known as an adaptogen and therefore, if you use too much lavender it can have the opposite effect to the desired one e.g. if you are using lavender essential oil to help you sleep, only a small amount is needed, however, if you use too much, then it can keep you awake.
Another example would be if you were using lavender to help lift a headache, but if you use too much, it can actually make your headache worse. Hence, the importance of proper usage and dilution when using essential oils.
I know that I always mention that it’s best not to apply essential oils directly to the skin, however lavandula angustifolia is one of the exceptions to the rule.
Lavender can be applied directly to insect bites and stings and to minor burns, however one drop on a cotton bud will be enough.
Suggested vaporizer/diffuser blends for setting a relaxing evening ambience:
2 drops lavender, 1 drop frankincense
Or
2 drops lavender, 1 drop geranium
Or
2 drops lavender, 2 drops mandarin
Suggested blend for adding to a relaxing bath:
Use 15mls of a carrier oil (sweet almond, grapeseed or peach kernel work beautifully)
You can use a glass or a little jug to make your blend. You can also make it in a glass bottle with a lid if you'd like to keep some for next time.
Add 2 drops of lavender, 1 drop of frankincense, 1 drop of geranium
Or
Add 2 drops of lavender, 1 drop of sweet orange, 1 drop of ylang ylang
Run a warm bath, and then add the oil blend to the water. Relax and enjoy for about 20 mins. Be careful getting in and out of your bath as the oil will make the surface slippery.
Summary:
Properties of Lavender
Analgesic, Antispasmodic, Antimicrobial, Calming, Comforting, Cytophylactic, Floral, Healing, Hypotensive, Sedative
Blends well with most essential oils, but especially:
Geranium, Frankincense, Roman Chamomile, Sweet Orange, Mandarin, Cedarwood, Rose, Neroli
You can shop for our beautiful AromaBuff organic lavender essential oil here