The botanical name for pure lavender oil is Lavandula angustifolia and you may be a little surprised when you learn about all the lavender oil uses there are. It truly is one of the most important and popular oils available today.
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This shrubby plant has a lot of branches, leafy green colored shoots and it grows about two feet tall. It has a yellowish, grey colored bark and blue violet flowers that smell wonderfully. It also has many therapeutic benefits that can help improve your quality of life.
Lavender is gentle but powerful at the same time. It has an amazing floral aroma that reminds you of a warm spring day. These amazing plants are native to the mountain regions that border the western parts of the Mediterranean. However, today they’re cultivated in several different countries including France, England, Italy and Australia.
Lavender oil has many uses and benefits that can help improve your health and well-being on a daily basis. This is why it’s such a popular essential oil and why it’s always a good idea to have some on hand.
Lavender Essential Oil Benefits
The benefits of lavender essential oil are many. For starters, lavender smells wonderful. The aroma has a calming effect on the mind and body that helps you relax and feel at peace. It invokes a sense of security, which helps to relieve stress, tension and anxiety. Lavender essential oil also has stimulating properties that increases mental activity, improves your mood and enhances your emotional state.
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In addition to its fresh and uplifting aroma, lavender contains antifungal, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, antibacterial, antiseptic and antimicrobial properties. It also has analgesic and detoxifying properties. All of these benefits make lavender a great choice for treating a wide number of medical problems.
You can use lavender essential oil to help with the following medical conditions:
- Migraines
- Allergies
- Depression
- Respiratory conditions
- Headaches
- Anxiety and panic attacks
- Insomnia
- Neurological problems
- Diabetes
- Sinusitis
- Earaches
- Scabies
- High blood pressure
- Singles
- Hair loss including alopecia areata
Another thing that makes lavender so popular is that it blends well with many other essential oils, especially the ones listed here:
- Frankincense Oil
- Cedarwood Oil
- Pine Oil
- Clary Sage Oil
- Geranium Oil
- Nutmeg Oil
- Cardamom Oil
- Roman Chamomile Oil
With all these benefits, it’s easy to see why lavender essential oil has so many different uses. If you have to choose and only purchase a few oils, this one should be at the top of your list.
Lavender Oil Uses
One of the first things that you’ll notice when you begin making your own recipes with essential oils is that lavender comes up a lot. You can use it for so many different things that it’s one of the most important essential oils to have around. No inventory is complete without it. Here are some of the most common ways to use this essential oil.
To Calm Your Nerves and Help You Relax
The calming effects of lavender are amazing. Just breathing in the aroma will help you relax and it calms your nerves. This makes it an excellent choice for relieving stress, tension and feelings of anxiety or fear. Using a diffuser is a great way to use lavender to calm your nerves and help you relax.
As a Sleep Aid
The relaxing properties in lavender oil helps you rest more peacefully and fall asleep faster. Use it in a diffuser or place a couple of drops on your pillow to help you sleep all night long. Whether you have a problem falling asleep occasionally or if you suffer from insomnia, lavender oil can help. Since it helps you rest better, this oil can also help reduce both mental and physical fatigue.
To Aid the Digestive System
Lavender oil aids the digestive system by lining the digestive tract and stimulating the production of gastric and bile juices. This helps reduce stomach pain and treat conditions like nausea, indigestion, diarrhea, constipation and gas. It can even reduce nausea caused by motion sickness so you can feel better, fast. Drinking lavender tea is a great way to treat indigestion and nervous intestinal disorders.
For Pain Relief
Use lavender as a massage oil to reduce or relieve the pain caused by sore, overworked muscles, sprains and arthritis. Add it to your bath water to ease back pain and to help relax your mind and body. It also helps to relieve headaches and lessen the symptoms caused by migraines.
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For Respiratory Infections
Lavender is good for breaking up congestion and relieving headache pain associated with the cold, flu, sinusitis and other respiratory infections. It’s excellent for anyone suffering from asthma or bronchitis because it helps to clear the air passages so you can breathe easier. One very effective way to use lavender for respiratory disorders is through inhalation.
Enhance Blood Circulation
Lavender essential oil can enhance blood circulation by dilating the blood vessels so the blood can flow more freely. For this reason, it’s often used to treat high blood pressure, hypertension and similar medical conditions associated with poor circulation. Therefore, using lavender can greatly improve your overall health.
Heal Cuts, Scrapes and Other Minor Abrasions
Since lavender has antiseptic properties, it’s great for healing cuts, scrapes and other minor abrasions. It can help increase cell growth so the wounds heal faster. This oil even soothes minor burns and provides relief for sunburns. Try using it in your bathwater to relieve the burn or mix the lavender with carrier oil and spray on the affected area.
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Menstrual Cramps
Lavender has properties that can help restore hormonal balance and prevent inflammation of the bladder. As a result, it can help reduce the pain and discomfort brought on by your monthly cycle. It can also relieve cramps and pain caused by urinary problems.
To Treat Fungal Infections
You can treat fungal infections that cause ringworm, athlete’s foot, toenail fungus and similar condition with lavender oil. Its antifungal properties help to eliminate the infection and heal the skin naturally. It’s safe to use and really works.
Bug Repellent
You can use lavender oil to make your own bug repellent. It’s great for keeping the mosquitoes away and there are several recipes available so you have options. Once you make your repellent, all you have to do is spray the mixture on your skin before going outside. If you do get bitten by a bug or mosquito, the anti-inflammatory properties found in lavender also help to stop the itching and it will relieve the pain and irritation they cause.
Air Freshener
You can make your own air freshener using lavender essential oil that is non-toxic, easy to make and inexpensive. You can mix your recipe right in the spray bottle and all you need to do is give it a little shake before using. It’s so easy and the lavender smells great.
Freshen Laundry
Instead of using dryer sheets, put a few drops of lavender oil on a cloth and place it in the dryer near the end of the cycle when it’s cooling down. It will act like a dryer sheet and freshen the load of clothes with its clean, floral scent. You can also mix lavender with castile soap, soda ash, baking soda, lemon and grapefruit essential oils to make your own laundry detergent.
This is a short list of some of the main uses for this essential oil just to give you an idea of how beneficial it really is. It’s one of the most important oils available, so don’t pass up the many benefits it has to offer. In addition to all the uses mentioned above, you can also use lavender oil for hair and skin care.
Lavender Oil Uses for Hair and Skin Care
Many skin and hair recipes use pure lavender oil because it mixes well with a wide variety of oils and its aroma is so soothing. It’s also gentle on the skin, which make it an excellent choice when looking for an oil to use on your body and hair. You can find many recipes for soaps, facial oils, creams and even deodorants that use lavender as part of the ingredients due to all the benefits it offers.
When combined with carrier oils like Aloe Vera and coconut or when used with other essential oils, it increases the benefits it has on your skin. For example, mixing lavender with frankincense can help reduce age spots and it can help fade scars. Below are a few more ways to use lavender oil for your hair and skin care.
To Clear Up Acne
The antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties in lavender help to fight the bacteria that cause inflammation and acne. It helps to regulate sebum excretion so your skin can clear up naturally without irritation. You can use a cotton ball to dab lavender on your blemishes or make a facial cream to help clear up acne and prevent future outbreaks.
As a Perfume
There are several recipes available that uses lavender to make perfume. You can use it alone or mix it with other oils to create a unique scent that will last for hours. In addition to smelling great, you don’t have to worry about spraying chemicals and other harmful ingredients on your body because pure essential oils are all natural.
Make Lip Balms
Mixing Shea butter, lavender and jojoba oil or any carrier oil together makes a wonderful lip balm that will help heal dry, chapped lips. It’s all natural and chemical free so it’s actually good for your lips and it can provide protection from the sun.
Treat Eczema or Dermatitis
Lavender helps to ease the pain and inflammation of eczema, also known as dermatitis. The antibacterial, anti-fungal and antiseptic properties help to soothe the itch. It boosts the immune system and increases circulation to help the skin heal naturally. Since lavender reduces stress and helps you relax, it can also help reduce the number of flare-ups you have.
Psoriasis
The antibacterial, anti-fungal and antiseptic properties in lavender are excellent for treating psoriasis. It slows down inflammation and soothes the burning and itching. It helps to heal the dry, scaly patches of skin and eases the pain, stiffness in the joints and the swelling associated with this skin condition. The relaxing properties in this oil can also relieve the stress and anxiety that can cause a flare-up.
Improve Your Complexion
Lavender is great for your complexion and you can use it no matter what type of skin you have. Its rejuvenating properties help to slows down the signs of aging by lightening sunspots and making fine lines less visible. It also helps to fade scarring. Mixing lavender with frankincense offers even more benefits for your complexion.
Eliminate Dandruff
Mix a few drops of lavender with almond oil or another type of carrier oil and heat it for about ten minutes. Massage the warm oil mixture into the scalp and wear a shower cap for about an hour to help the oil disinfect the scalp. Next, wash your hair as normal with a mild shampoo. It will soothe the itch and eliminate the dandruff. It will also leave your hair more shiny and manageable and it’ll smell nice, too.
Kill Head Lice
Since lavender is a powerful antiseptic, it can also help eliminate head lice. Add a few drops of lavender to your carrier oil and shake it up. Simply massage the mixture into your scalp, wait about twenty minutes and then shampoo as normal. The lavender mix will kill the lice, eggs and nits without all the chemicals found in over-the-counter medicines. It will also help to prevent future infestations.
Lavender essential oil has so many uses that it would be difficult to try to list them all but this is a good example of all the ways you can use this oil to enhance your quality of life. The therapeutic benefits are many, which is why so many essential oil recipes include lavender in the ingredients. You’ll definitely want to add it to your supply list when shopping for oils.
Lavender Side Effects and Interactions
Lavender essential oil is considered one of the safest oils around. In most cases, it is safe for both adults and older children to use. However, there is always the possibility of side effects and drug interactions. For this reason, it’s best to take precautions to ensure it is safe for you to use.
Below are some of the side effects and interactions you should be aware of when using lavender essential oil according to WebMD:
- Lavender can increase the effectiveness of certain medications such as chloral hydrate barbiturates, sedatives and anti-depressants.
- Avoid using this oil at least two weeks before having surgery because it can increase the effectiveness of the anesthesia and other medications used during the procedure.
- Avoid using lavender during pregnancy and when breast-feeding because the effects are unknown.
- Lavender may not be safe for boys that have not gone through puberty because it could interfere with the normal hormones in their body.
- Ingesting lavender may not be safe for some people, so it’s best to talk with a professional aromatherapist before consuming.
Essential oils are growing in popularity as more people are searching for natural ways to treat their medical problems. Prescription and over-the-counter medications often come with bad side effects that in some cases may seem as bad as the actual disease.
Sometimes using these medicines are necessary for your health and well being so you should never stop taking medication without discussing it with your doctor first. However, in many instances, essential oils make an excellent alternative that can help improve various mental, emotional and medical problems.
Pure lavender essential oil is very potent so you must use it responsibly but when used correctly, it has many benefits. You can reduce stress and eliminate mental and physical fatigue simply by using lavender in a diffuser because the aroma will help you relax and sleep better. It’s that simple and easy to use.
However, you’ll also find many recipes for gels, lotions, soaps, infusions, shampoos and so much more to help you enjoy all of the benefits that lavender oil has to offer. It truly is one of the most popular and beneficial essential oil around.
I really enjoyed this article on the benefits ofLavender. I had no idea there were so many benefits to this one product. I will stack up on a few bottles I want to try several of your suggestions. Thank you for sharing so much to benefit others.
I absolutely love lavender oil, it has so many uses. I usually put it in my bath in the evening and it just relaxes me so much.