Latin name: Lavandula angustifolia.

Family: Lamiaceae (Labiatae).

Plant part used: The fresh flowering tops are used for the oil.

Extraction: By steam distillation of the flowering tops.

Aroma: A sweet, floral and herbaceous fragrance and a balsamic woody undertone.

Lavender essential oil is good for its many healing benefits, good for skin care and its relaxing aroma. Lavender has a perfumery top/middle note and has a fresh, floral, sweet scent with herbaceous undertones. There are several varieties of the well-known lavender plant that are grown worlwide, lavendula angustifolia oil is the mostly used lavender oil, used in aromatherapy today. With beautiful lavender-coloured flowers the plant grows well at altitudes of about 3,000 feet. It is from these flowering tops that the oil is obtained from steam distillation. Lavender has amazing versatillity. The Egyptians grew lavender in there gardens, using the dried flowers to make body oils and to perfume there clothes. The Romans used lavender for bathing. The lavender oil is one of the most therapeutic essential oils used in aromatherapy and one of the most popular of the oils we have. Lavender essential oil is good for helping to clear negativity, a regular favourite - very effective for clearing the atmosphere after shock or trauma. Also helps to clear old patterns, so would be good to use to clean up the atmosphere when moving into a new home.

How to use lavender for beauty cures and body care: For massage, add 3-4 drops pure essential oil to 1/2 tbsp of carrier oil. For a facial oil, add 1-2 drops to 1 tsp sweet almond oil. As a cleanser add 1 drop to 1 tsp sweet almond oil. Smooth the oil into your skin, then remove with damp cotton wool pads. Finish with a splash of cool water. For individual spots, apply neat using a damp cotton bud. For a deep cleansing facial sauna, put 600ml of near boiling water in a heatproof bowl and add 3 drops oil. Cover your head with a towel for 5 minutes, then splash with cool water. Avoid facial saunas if you have thread veins or asthma, as steam can worsen these conditions. This is a must have for the family first aid kit and can be used for everthing from sleeping problems, minor cuts and burns, insect stings, earache, chesty coughs and sunburn, to hives, chickenpox, measles, athlete's foot and viral infections. Apply lavender to spots, cuts, bites and minor burns. Soak a flannel in water containing 4 drops of lavender oil and apply to bruises and minor skin irritations. Sprinkle 3 drops on a tissue and inhale to relieve hayfever, headaches or travel sickness.

Put 1 drop (2 drops for children over 3) pure essential oil on the sheet to aid restful sleep. Add 1 drop to 30ml grapeseed oil or sweet almond oil and use to massage an overactive child an hour before bedtme. Add 1-2 drops to cold water for bathing minor burns, cuts and wounds. Or make a cold compress by soaking a flannel in the water and apply to sunburn, hives, chickenpox spots, measles or other rashes. Dab neat oil onto insect bites and stings, spots and athlete's foot. For earacheadd 1 drop lavender to 5ml lukewarm olive oil. Put a couple of drops into the child's ear before bedtme, plug with a little cotton wool and leave overnight. Add 1-2 drops to an electric vaporizer to use for babies whe are restless, snuffy, or have chestly coughs or viral infections. With its refreshing, relaxing qualitys, lavender essential oil is a great ingredient for stress-relieving face masks and baths. An excellent antidote to fatigue.

For a reviving soak, add 6 drops of pure essential oil and a handful of Epsom salts to a bath. For a face mask, mix 1 tbsp fine oatmeal with 1 tsp clear honey and 1 tsp hot water to make a smooth paste, then stir in 4 drops pure essential oil. Smooth onto the skin, leave for 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

How to use lavender oil with pets: Lavender is one of the most gentle essential oils and your pet may be able to tolerate it neat on its skin. If you have any worries about skin sensitivity, dilute with grapeseed oil. Lavender is particularly useful because it both soothes the nerves and repels insects, such as fleas. If your pet is distressed, rub a little pure lavender essential oil on a cotton pad in their bed or sleeping area. Wash your pet's bedding with warm water and 4 drops of pure lavender essential oil to displace fleas. Alternatively, before grooming, dip your pet's comb or brush into some water mixed with a few drops of lavender oil.

Lavender oil combinations: Marjoram oil will enhance lavender's sedative effect, citrus oils increase its floral quality, and frankincense oil heightens its soothing and expectorant properties. In the bath: In a cool bath add about 4 drops of lavender mixed with 4 drops of thyme and 2 drops of peppermint to help refresh and energise. Add 6-8 drops of lavender to your bath to relieve and make you feel pleasantly drowsy and relaxed.

Lavender essential oil blends well with most oils: Bergamot, chamomile, citronella, lemon, cedarwood, clary sage, eucalyptus, cypress, frankincense, geranium, juniper, fennel, camomile, black pepper, tea tree, myrtle, patchouli, neroli, orange, mandarin, peppermint, rose and Pine.

Using Lavender Essential Oil

Please remember that essential oils are for aromatherapy use only and are not for ingesting!

Refreshing Burner Blend
Enjoying lavender essential oil in your home is best done with a burner. This recipe should help to wake your senses. To help energize a tired body and mind, fill the bowl with a small amount of water, light a night light candle under your bowl to heat up the oils, then add:

5 drops pure lavender Essential Oil
2 drops pure lemon Essential Oil
1 drop pure grapefruit Essential Oil

For a massage oil lavender works especially well with other herbaceous and citrus oils.

Revitalizing Massage Blend
10ml diluted lavender oil
2 drops pure grapefruit essential oil
1 drop pure rosemary essential oil

Relaxing Massage Blend
10ml diluted lavender oil
3 drops pure marjoram essential oil

Aromatherapy Uses

Soothing bath blends - fill the bath, then add the oils.

Lavender, mandarin and geranium
2.5ml diluted lavender oil
1 drop pure mandarin essential oil
1 drop pure geranium essential oil

Lavender and vetivert
2.5ml diluted lavender oil
4 drops pure vetivert essential oil
1 drop pure lavender oil

Lavender, geranium and petitgrain
2.5ml diluted lavender oil
2 drops pure geranium essential oil
1 drop pure petitgrain essential oil

Massage
Having a massage is one of the quickest ways of increasing your sense of wellbeing. A great way to relax, massage helps sooth anxiety, unknots tense and aching muscles and will encourage the mind to switch off. Even a simple massage can have a lovely comforting effect. Start of wth a back massage you will master the first set of basic techniques and see how massage will be valuable to yourself and others. You can use just a simple carrier oil, but essential oils will increase its potential rewards. Lavender has always been an excellent essential oil to use in massage. With its relaxing, calming and balancing properties, it is one of the most used essential oils. Always keep some lavender oil handy for when you need to de-stress.

Inhalation - Facial Sauna
2 drops pure lavender oil
1 drop pure lemon essential oil

Cleanse the face thoroughly, then put your face over a bowl of steaming hot water containing your oils above. Cover over your head with a towel, keep your eyes closed, and come up for air when needed. You can use it once a week and cleanse the face after use, with lavender water as a toner.

DIY Projects
Lavender essential oil can be used for all your diy projects, make soothing bath blends, burner blends, body washes, hand lotions, make your own lavender water the uses for lavender oil are endless.

Please allow an extra 2/3 days delivery for 500ml and 1 litre size essential oils.