Lavender Essential Oil

One of the first natural remedies I ever used was lavender essential oil.  Only, I tried a brand that I found in my grocery store and was sorely disappointed in the results.  It was only after using a good quality lavender essential oils that I was able to experience the benefits of this precious oil.

Lavender essential oil has a strong pine-like, yet slightly floral scent.  I also detect a camphor-like smell.  It’s actually not my favorite scent, but I’ve found the benefits of it to be so good that I’ve gotten used to it.

In recent years there has been some fear that lavender might have estrogenic effects on boys and men, but this has turned out not to be true. (source)  As always, you should properly dilute essential oils when using them on children, but you do not have to fear negative, hormone-disrupting effects from using lavender.

The Benefits of Lavender Essential Oils

Lavender oil has many benefits.  According to one study, lavender acts as a bacteriostatic agent, which means that it stops bacteria from reproducing.  (source)  

Another study shows that lavender essential oil has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. (source)

A study on dementia patients found that lavender essential oil helps to calm agitation.  (source)

In a study for the treatment of alopecia, lavender essential oil was found to produce a “significant degree of improvement”. (source)

The benefits of lavender essential oil have been studied and tested.  You can find more about those studies and additional benefits of lavender oil at the Sloan-Kettering website.

10 Uses for Lavender Essential Oil

1.  Calming bath.

For a calming bath after a long day, I like to put a few drops of lavender essential oil in a 1/2 cup of epsom salts and dissolve it into my bath water.  I like to add a few drops of diluted grapefruit essential oil to refresh my mind while the lavender oil calms my body.

2.  Relaxing before bed.

If I’m wound up before bed and don’t have time for a calming lavender bath, I put a drop of lavender on each foot and massage it in. A drop on the tip of my nose helps me to breathe in the scent and the molecules.  In no time I’m winding down and ready to sleep tight. 

3.  Soothing the itch of bug bites.

I use lavender on my sons’ bug bites.  We keep plenty of lavender on hand during the summer months.  I simply swipe my finger across the top of the bottle and rub onto the bite.  It takes less a drop to make the itching stop.

4.  Natural air freshener.

A few drops of lavender mixed with salt and water in a spray bottles makes a great air freshener and fabric refresher.

5.  Diffusing on stressful days.

I love to fill my diffuser with water and a few drops of a both lavender and grapefruit to calm and refresh myself on stressful days.

6.  Natural Cleaner.

The same spray bottle of lavender, salt and water that I use to freshen the air can be used to spot clean while leaving behind a wonderful scent.

7.  On eyelashes and eyebrows.

I added 3 drops of lavender to my mascara tube to promote the growth of thicker, fuller lashes.  In addition, my eyebrows were beginning to thin due to age and a lifetime of tweezing.  I decided to let them grow and begin swiping a drop of diluted lavender over them as part of my facial moisturizing routine.  I have the brows of my 20-year old self again!

8.  In a facial moisturizer.

I combined several drops of lavender, frankincense, and lemon essential oils with an ounce of olive oil in a dropper bottler.  I use this as a facial moisturizer several times per week.

9.  To combat smelly feet.

I wrote a whole post about this one!  A drop of lavender on each foot lets me wear shoes without socks or hosiery while keeping my feet and shoes from smelling. 

10.  To take the pain out of bruises, cuts and burns.

I have used lavender to successfully take the pain out of minor bruises, cuts and burns.  My favorite pain-relieving use of lavender is on hang-nails and torn cuticles.

What are your favorite uses for lavender essential oil?

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