Why Is Lavender Oil The Most Popular Essential Oil?

Lavender oil, also known by its scientific name Lavandula angustifolia, is an essential oil derived from the lavender flower. Lavender is a flowering plant from the mint family. Fun fact: plants from the mint family all share stems that are slightly square in shape.

Lavender is known for its scent and its beautiful blue-ish purple flowers. Although it's now grown globally, lavender was first cultivated from wildflowers in the Mediterranean 2,500 years ago.

Lavender Essential Oil Has a Beautiful Scent

Many people love the aroma lavender gives off. People describe lavender’s aroma as floral, fresh, sweet, herbaceous, and sometimes slightly fruity. Inhaling lavender elicits feelings of calmness and is both physically and emotionally soothing.

Lavender Essential Oil is Versatile

Lavender is often called a full medicine chest unto itself. It has many (many) different uses and can also be combined with other essential oils depending on the desired effect.

•     Topical Application: When diluted with a carrier oil, lavender oil has a calming effect on the skin, is helpful with bug bites, helps balance skin tone, and can be used to heal light wounds. The mixture can be used just as you would a lotion or moisturizer, once or twice daily. For hair health, you can mix a couple of drops of lavender and castor oil and massage them into your scalp as a calming end to the day and/or add two or three drops to each dollop of shampoo or conditioner.

•     Diffused Into The Air: If you are looking to ease symptoms of anxiety, support congestion, and help yourself relax or sleep, you may want to diffuse your lavender oil. To do this, you'll need a small device called a diffuser that will disperse small particles into the air for inhalation. Add water and a few drops of lavender essential oil and diffuse into a room.

•     Added To A Bath: A few drops of lavender oil can be added to a bath (Epsom salts are also wonderful to add) when you want a relaxing soak.

•     Sprinkled Onto Your Pillow: Add a few drops when you want to relax into a deep sleep.

•     Used In The Household: A few drops of lavender oil can be applied to a rag to dust surfaces in your house. You can also add a few drops to a reusable dryer ball to refresh your laundry or combine lavender oil and water into a spray bottle for a refreshing room spray (just be sure to shake before using).

Lavender Essential Oil Has Many Uses

The lavender essential oil has been studied for its extensive use benefits. Here are some ways you can use it:

• Sleep Support: In an amber aromatherapy spritz bottle, add a few drops of lavender oil and a 50/50 grapeseed and water mixture. Shake before each use and spray on your pillowcase or apply as a massage oil on your neck for a great sleep.
• Relaxation Support: Add a few drops of lavender to your bath, or mix it with avocado oil and apply it as you would a massage oil when you need to calm your mind.
• Headache Support: Massage some diluted lavender oil onto the back of your neck and/or temples, above your upper lip, or diffuse in a room to reduce headache pain.
• Wound Healing Support: Dilute a couple of drops of lavender oil with carrier oil and apply directly to minor wounds to speed healing.
• Bug Repellent: Apply diluted lavender oil topically as a bug repellent. (Candles scented with lavender oil can also help to repel mosquitos.)
•  Insect Bites: Blend a couple of drops of lavender and tea tree oil with a teaspoon each of baking soda and water to lessen the irritation of bug bites. Apply the paste onto the affected area.
• Hair Support: Make a topical mixture by combining a few drops of lavender oil, 3 drops of rosemary oil, a couple of drops of thyme oil, and a couple of drops of cedarwood mixed into a blend of casotr and grapeseed oil.
• Respiratory Health: Diffusing lavender oil when you feel congested or stuffed up or applying a mixture of lavender, eucalyptus and grapeseed oil to your chest can help you breathe easier when congested.
• Beauty: Add a couple of drops of lavender to a moisturizer or carrier oil such as tamanu or coconut oil and apply it to your skin.
• Dermatitis: Apply a lavender oil and grapeseed oil blend to soothe flare-ups.

Lavender Essential Oil is Easy to Use

Many aromatherapists will tell you that if you can only afford one essential oil, make it lavender because it can be used in a variety of ways.  You can use lavender to support almost every condition, physical and emotional. Lavender oil is extremely gentle and when properly diluted, it is one of the safest essential oils you can use.

What Is A Good Lavender Oil?

The most popular brands of lavender oil include Naka and Now, both Canadian brands that put quality at the forefront of all their formulations. Naka 100% Pure Lavender Essential Oil is potent, pure, and steam distilled to create a clean oil. Naka’s lavender is available in both a non-organic and organic formulation, both sourced from France. However, if you’re looking for a larger sized oil, Now Lavender Oil comes in a value size and is undiluted and hexane pressed, offering a sweet and aromatic scent and is also available as a certified organic lavender oil.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your practitioner prior to taking herbs or nutritional supplements.