Hardly an essential oil that needs an introduction, Lavender essential oil has been used throughout history for dozens of different applications. If you’ve gotten yourself a bottle of this goodness but aren’t quite sure what to do with it or what it is used for – sit tight!
Lavender is incredibly versatile and useful for everyday occurrences and we’re going to let you in on our top ten favorite ways to use it!
1. Lavender supports mental well being
Troubling thoughts and feelings can plague us all one time or another, and Lavender is a wonderful choice when we need to calm our mind down. It is known to have an immediate calming effect when inhaled or applied topically ; dilute to 2-5% with your favorite carrier oil and massage onto your feet, temples, wrists, or hands to help settle a nervous or overactive mind that is causing you distress.
Negative feelings that stem from anxiety or depression can take a serious toll on your day to day well being, so let Lavender help support your mental health.
2. Lavender can also help improve sleep quality
In need of some quality sleep? Lavender has a well-known reputation to promote a good night of sleep. Its relaxing properties are perfect for helping to reduce feelings of stress after a long day and help you drift into dreamland .
Diffusing Lavender in your bedroom for about 30 minutes is a great way to incorporate Lavender into your nighttime routine. Or, simply add a few drops to a cotton ball and place near your pillow. Either way, arming your bedside table with Lavender is a great idea for a good night’s sleep!
3. It is a natural air freshener
Is your house not smelling as fresh as you want it to be? Lavender is a fantastic way to freshen up even the stinkiest of places. Diffuse to help obliterate the stink of a stale room, or add a few drops to a cotton ball and place where stinky smells may linger.
Think – a musty closet, under the kitchen sink, a gym bag – you name it! Lavender’s air purifying properties also make this a great choice if you have a case of the “ickies” going around the house and want to freshen up the air.
4. It can even help alleviate pain
Close your eyes, take a breath, and think: is something causing you pain right now? If you have a human body, then your answer is likely a resounding “yes!” Whether it’s a scrape that stings, sore muscles or joints that have been overworked, a fresh bruise, or an unsightly zit trying to make its home on your sensitive skin, chances are there is something causing you discomfort.
While we can’t all live pain-free all the time, we can use Lavender to help lessen our perception of the pain and, as a result, feel more comfortable. Lavender’s pain-relieving properties have been widely studied , and results from these studies tell us that topically applying Lavender is an amazing way to soothe the pain – just don’t forget to dilute to 2-5%!
5. It’s great for headache relief
Headaches are a great way to ruin, well, everything. No matter what you’re up to, a throbbing head makes every task a little more unpleasant. Thankfully, with its calming and sedative effects, Lavender can provide wonderful relief if you are experiencing head and neck tension.
It is also known to reduce stress and helps relieve feelings of restlessness, which are often contributors to a headache. One placebo-controlled clinical trial found that a majority of participants responded positively to inhaling Lavender when in the midst of a headache, and it was also found to help soothe and lessen the more severe migraine headache symptoms .
6. Lavender can help soothe minor burns
Burns are a bummer; whether you accidently touched that hot pan on the stove, stayed out in the sun a little too long, or got a little overzealous with your crafting and didn’t handle that hot glue gun carefully enough, burns happen.
To decrease the pain, swelling, redness, and other minor burn symptoms, Lavender is the perfect oil to reach for. Its cooling relief will be immediate and will help support the healing process. Dilute it, or reach for your Lavender Organic Hydrosol, and apply topically to the burn for relief.
7. It helps stop the itch
Got a bug bite driving you nuts? Calm your itchy skin! Lavender’s many healing properties make it perfect to help reduce the pain, swelling, and redness associated with bug bites and other itchy skin issues.
With poison ivy season either right around the corner or in full swing (depending where you live), it’s never too early to prepare for the worst! Keep this oil in your home first aid kit so it’s always ready to use when that irritating itch comes up.
8. Lavender can help give you some allergy relief
Don’t let allergies get you down – Lavender is known to reduce inflammation, strengthen your body against allergens, and reduce painful symptoms from allergies, like swelling or pressure. Lavender contains linalool, which can have anti-inflammatory actions that may help relieve tissue congestion .
Unpleasant season allergy symptoms can attack your immune system at any time. Thankfully, using Lavender alone or in a blend is a great way to support your body’s immune system.
9. It’s even great for hair health
Healthy hair isn’t easy for a lot of us to maintain. Using Lavender Essential Oil may not be the miracle hair growth serum you’re dreaming about, but it sure does have properties that promote healthy hair – plus it smells fantastic! For healthy hair, a healthy scalp is necessary; diluting this oil to 1% in your favorite carrier oil and massaging it onto your scalp can increase circulation, allowing your body to deliver more of all those wonderful vitamins and nutrients that fuel healthy hair growth .
If your scalp is itchy or irritated from minor scratches or acne, use Lavender to help support your scalp’s healing process. A healthy scalp helps grow and support strong hair follicles, helping you achieve that luscious, healthy hair you’ve been craving!
10. Last but not least…Lavender helps promote healthy skin
Lavender is such a soothing and gentle essential oil, it’s no wonder that it’s a skincare favorite. It is an especially good option for skin allergies as it can calm irritation, with research indicating that it can speed up the healing process. Additionally, a study conducted by the Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC, found that this oil was one of the few potent essential oils that can inhibit the growth of skin bacteria .
Basically, keep Lavender in your arsenal of skin care products. For an amazing Lavender Body Scrub, simply add 1 cup of white sugar, 1/2 cup of Fractionated Coconut Oil, 4 tbsp of Grapeseed Oil, and 10 drops of Lavender Essential Oil. Stir it up and apply to damp skin using circular motions, then wash off with warm water and follow with a moisturizer.
Sources
Koulivand, P. H., Khaleghi Ghadiri, M., & Gorji, A. (2013). Lavender and the Nervous System. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : eCAM, 2013, 681304. http://doi.org/10.1155/2013/681304
Silva, GL., Luft, C., Lunardelli, A., Amaral, RH., Melo, DA., Donadio, MV., Nunes FB., De Azambuja, MS., Santana, JC., Moraes, CM., Mello, RO., Cassel, E., Pereira, MA., De Oliveira, JR. (2015). Antioxidant, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of lavender essential oil. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, 87(2, Suppl. ), 1397-1408. Epub August 04, 2015.https://dx.doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765201520150056
Sasannejad, P., Saeedi, M., Shoeibi, A., Gorji, A., Abbasi, M., Foroughipour, M., Lavender Essential Oil in the Treatment of Migraine Headache: A Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Eur Neurol 2012;67:288-291
Emnett, A. (2017). Aromatherapy for Seasonal Allergies in Children. Retrieved from https://naha.org/naha-blog/aromatherapy-for-seasonal-allergies-in-children
Lee, B. H., Lee, J. S., & Kim, Y. C. (2016). Hair Growth-Promoting Effects of Lavender Oil in C57BL/6 Mice. Toxicological Research, 32(2), 103–108. http://doi.org/10.5487/TR.2016.32.2.103
Hajhashemi V., Ghannadi A., Sharif B. (2003). Anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of the leaf extracts and essential oil of Lavandula angustifolia Mill. J. Ethnopharmacol. 89, 67–71. 10.1016/S0378-8741(03)00234-4 PubMed>
