Lavender is one of the most popular herbs for use as an essential oil.
It’s fresh, clean scent is extracted from the flowers of the lavender plant through steam distillation.
It is also popular because it has so many uses from perfume to hair care, relaxation, insomnia, anxiety, nervous tension, sore muscles, insect bites, burns and skin care.
Lavender is one of the few essential oils that can be used ‘neat’ or directly on the skin. Tea tree is another essential oil that can be used neat. All other therapeutic essential oils should be diluted in a base of sweet almond oil or other similar oils such as jojoba.
These oils are fats and should not be confused with essential oils, which are the volatile oils derived from herbs.
Lavender essential oil has many benefits and is safe to use for children and adults.
Lavender is an effective insect repellent and can be used to soothe the irritation from bites.
It is useful for soothing skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, eczema, wounds, cuts and sunburns. It helps improve the formation of scar tissue.
Lavender essential oil relieves pain caused by sore and tense muscles, rheumatism, sprains, backache and lumbago.
The oil’s calming scent is an especially beneficial tonic for relieving stress and anxiety, nervous tension, emotional stress, migraines, headache and depression. Lavender oil is a calming sedative that helps with sleep.
When using essential oils, one should be aware of how to choose a quality oil for therapeutic use and also how much of the oil to use.
Essential oils should always be treated with respect.
Less is better, particularly with the high quality therapeutic essential oils.
Choose quality first and you won’t be disappointed.
Lavender essential oil blends well with other essential oils such as clary sage, geranium and bergamot.
But choose well, as it’s important to blend with another essential oil that has similar properties. This way you can create a blend that will have maximum effect for your purpose.
Essential oil blends can be used on the skin for massage, in steam inhalation and in baths, a popular yet simple use.
To learn more about lavender, other herbs and essential oils join the Herbal Club.
