Lavender is one of my favourite plants, and I use it almost every day in different ways. It is very versatile, with a calming scent that promotes relaxation and a night of restful sleep.
Lavender is an evergreen shrub plant. Native to the Mediterranean region, lavender now also grows throughout the world.
There are many varieties of lavender. One that is common and used for medicinal purposes is Lavendula angustifolia. This one is recommended as an essential oil as well, also known as True Lavender.
The Romans used Lavender for its scent and for its antiseptic properties. The name “lavender” dates back to ancient times, derives from the Latin word lavare, which means washing and bathing.
Lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia) is one of the most popular essential oils, mainly because of its calming effects.
In other words, Lavender is often used when someone suffers from stress, anxiety, and sleep-related issues.
When we smell lavender oil, the aroma interacts with the neurotransmitter GABA and helps to quiet the brain and nervous system activity.
Lavender is well known in traditional medicine for its calming effects, it helps to reduce stress levels and anxiety and to promote restful sleep.
Lavender also functions as a pain reliever. Reduces menstrual cramps and even other PMS symptoms (irritability, anxiety and fluid retention).
Lavender is an anti-bacterial oil that works great to disinfect the air and surfaces. It also presents anti-fungal properties that are due to active components such as linalool, linalyl acetate, lavandulol, geraniol, or eucalyptol.
Used in an oil burner in the room, it balances, purifies, and acts as a natural insect repellent.
Lavender has pain-relieving properties and the ability to reduce inflammation. When lavender essential oil applied topically, it can help to speed wound recovery.
In skincare, helps to lessen redness and irritation of the skin, and many use it also for shiner hair. If you use it topically, it is effective to rejuvenating and soothing the skin.
Add 8 drops of lavender to a base oil for example- almond/grapeseed/coconut oil, mix well and then add to your bath.
Add some Epsom salts or magnesium flakes for an extra calming bath.
Add 10 drops of essential oil to 2 tablespoons of warm base oil.
Lavender hydrosol is resulting from the steam distillation of lavender essential oil.
Make sure you are buying pure distillation water and not essential oil mixed in water and emulsifiers.
So what is floral water? It is the condensate water that remains after the extraction of essential oil by distillation.
It is important to mention that floral water can mean many things. For the full therapeutical properties of a product, check well the ingredients list before buying and make sure it is a pure hydrosol.
The hydrosol contains a small percentage of essential oil, as well as water-soluble components of the plant material.
You can use it as a face toner, air freshener and even as a pillow mist. After purchasing the hydrosol transfer it into a spray bottle for an easier application.
Extra relaxing tea combination- mix lavender, chamomile and calendula flowers.
Baking soda is effective as an odour absorber
Considered to be Non-toxic and non-irritant oil and it can be used neat on small areas, the essential oil is colourless or pale yellow.
To sum up, lavender can be used for many reasons. Among them stress reduction, antiseptic properties and even shinier hair. Therefore I highly recommend to keep it in your own natural medicine kit, it will be always useful.