My first real experience with a lavender fragrance was when I received a gift of lavender linen spray. It was a small bottle of fresh lavender fragrance that I fell in love with at first spray. I coveted that tiny bottle of lavender goodness. Its amazing aroma inspired me to create my own version of the ideal lavender blend.
Lavender isn’t your typical sweet floral, and may take some getting used to. It’s a very green (herbaceous), organic-type scent with a touch of old-world mixed in! Today, I use it in many of my essential oil blends, as much for its aromatherapeutic properties as for its fragrance.
Lavender essential oil is revered for its ability to calm and soothe. It is said to be effective in the treatment of headaches and migraines. It eases the nerves, calms anxiousness, combats depression, and relieves stress and nervous exhaustion. And while it is claimed to increase mental activity, I must say that I use lavender blends on my linens (and even on my person!) immediately prior to going to bed, and I strongly believe that it helps me to fall asleep and achieve a restful slumber.
Lavender is also known to have antiseptic and anti-bacterial properties! I have applied lavender “neat” (undiluted)
directly to blemishes, and I strongly believe that it helps them to heal faster! I’ve also used lip-safe lavender in lip balms and lotion bars designed to soothe dry, chapped lips and hands!
Favorite Lavender Essential Oils Blends:
Lavender, Chamomile, Orange is my all-time favorite lavender blend. It’s the exact recipe that I spray onto my pillow each night just prior to bedtime. It envelops me and seems to wash away the stresses of the day so that I can get a good night’s sleep. Lavender calms, chamomile relaxes, and orange brightens my spirit (and adds the perfect sweetness to this blend). Tangerine and lemon also work well in this combination.
Lavender, Vanilla Oleoresin is a popular blend. Vanilla oleoresin is a rich, deep fragrance that softens the sharper edges of true lavender.
Lavender, Rose Absolute, and Geranium Bourbon is a heady blend guaranteed to relax you at the end of the day. I daresay, this blend could stir up a little romance too! This is a rich floral aroma that is awesome when added to the bath, lotion, personal fragrance, and even massage oil!!!
Lavender, Tea Tree, and Lemon is a blend I use in lotion bars and in cuticle oils. Since this is such a strongly herbaceous combination, I add a drop or two of lemon to brighten and sweeten the blend. Tangerine or Orange would also work well.
My favorite resources for information about lavender essential oil (and other aromatherapy goodies!):
The Essential Oils Book by Colleen K. Dodt. This is a fascinating and practical handbook with many awesome recipes for natural bath and beauty products, as well as ideas for using essential oils in many home applications. Numerous ways to use lavender essential oils in blends. I absolutely love this book. It's only one in the author's series of natural care books.
AromaWeb has a nice detailed description of the therapeutic uses for lavender essential oil at this link: http://www.aromaweb.com/essentialoilsgo/lavender.asp.
The Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham takes a look at the countless uses of hundreds of common and not-so-common plants. He also gives insight into folklore and ritual uses. Don’t let the word “magick” dissuade you. This is a valuable and interesting book for anyone interested in the uses of essential oils, plants, and herbs.
Clairmont Farms in Los Olivos, California describes many and various uses of lavender essential oil on its website at: http://www.clairmontfarms.com/usesofla.php. They offer up a variety of recipes on this site, and give you a video of the distillation process. This is a beautiful, interesting, and informative site! Makes me wish I was there! Roadtrip anyone?
