The Essense of Lavender
by Ivy Ling Massage TherapistImagine a flower being
able to calm your nerves, reduce inflammation and swelling, promote faster
healing for minor burns, decrease muscle pain, alleviate insomnia, and work as
a natural bug repellant? That purple colored flower named lavender, which is derived
from the Latin word lavera meaning “to wash”, is one of the most versatile
essential oils the plant kingdom has to offer. Additionally, it’s obtained
without a prescription and the price is considered quite inexpensive.
Types of
Lavender:
Lavandula angustifolia is the most common type of lavender and it hails from
Lavandin (lavandula x intermedia) ~ According to ‘The Illustrated
Encyclopedia of Essential Oils’ by Julia Lawless, lavandin is: “A hybrid plant
developed by crossing true lavender (lavender angustifolia) with spike lavender
or aspic (lavender latifolia). Due to its hybrid nature, lavandin has a variety
of forms: in general it is a larger plant than true lavender, with woody stems.
Its flowers may be blue like true lavender, or grayish like aspic.” The scent
of lavandin is also sharper and more penetrating. While the plant grows in
parts of
Spike Lavender (lavandula latifolia) ~ Spike, sometimes referred to as
Spanish lavender, is native to
Lavender 40/42 ~ The lavender is blended with
other lavenders to bring the percentage of linalol to between 40% and 42%.
Linalol is an active component of Lavender that contains therapeutic benefits.
Some Lavender essential oils can contain 40% and 45%.
Historical Uses
for Lavender:
“Lavender was cultivated by the ancient Egyptians in the sacred walled garden
at
Surprisingly, lavender is
found more frequently in commercial fragrances for men rather than women. “This
is one of the oldest scents in the fragrance world, made from oils extracted
from the lavender and lavandin plants grown in
This versatile essential
oil is familiar to many of us. You should have a small bottle of it for your
First Aid kit and/or to keep in your kitchen. Lavender is one of the best
natural ingredients to help stop the pain from minor kitchen accidents such as
burns from the oven/stove or knife cuts. A drop of lavender can ease the pain,
and only the addition of the gel-like innards of a freshly sliced open aloe
vera leaf is as good a remedy for instant relief. Combining the two is
recommended, as aloe vera instantly cools a hot burn.
For sunburn pain,
lavender is also recommended. Pesky mosquito or other insect bites bothering
you? Try adding lavender essential oil to the problem area(s) and your skin
will thank you.
Headaches may disappear
when you massage a tiny amount of lavender on your temples or the nape of your
neck.
Lavender and relaxation
are two words that are virtually synonymous with each other. However, according
to author Erich Keller in his book ‘Aromatherapy Handbook for Beauty, Hair and
Skin Care’ he writes: “Lavender is an all-purpose oil for skin care. Its effect
is antibacterial, pain-relieving, healing for wounds, soothing for skin
diseases, deodorizing, antiseptic, fungicidal, insect-repelling, rejuvenating,
and anti-inflammatory. It may be used to treat all types of skin and is
effective for acne and oily hair (as it regulates sebum production), itchy
skin, hand care, cracked skin, bruises, shock injuries (in ice-cold
compresses), acne scars, blisters, abscesses, furuncles, warts, boils, eczema,
athlete’s foot (tea tree is more effective here, however), wounds, and burns. A
bath with lavender soothes and heals the skin after sunburn.”
Safety/Precautions:
Unlike many other essential oils, there are few safety notes to share with you.
Lavender essential oil can be used neat, meaning without diluting it in a plant
based carrier oil, but it must be done in small amounts and only for minor skin
problems. However, it is advised to dilute lavender with a vegetable carrier
oil such as olive oil, jojoba, sweet almond oil, etc., just to make certain
that your skin doesn’t have an allergic reaction. Please be very careful when
purchasing pure lavender essential oil to be used for minor medical burn
treatment emergencies as you will need true lavender, the type containing the
lowest amount of camphor, and NOT lavandin, the genus which has up to 8%
camphor – a burn causing ingredient!
Please do not take
lavender essential oil internally!
Uses for
Lavender:
Candle ~ Add a few drops to a candle, next to the wick, not on it as essential
oils are flammable. Lavender will fill the room with its soothing floral aroma
and relaxation should follow.
Sachet ~ Add dried lavender buds to a small muslin bag and store in your
drawers/cupboards, and especially where linen is stored. This method also works
well as a natural bug repellent if you hang a scented lavender sachet in your
closet(s) on a hanger.
Hair ~ Add two to four drops to your hairbrush and brush your hair. Not only
will it smell great, doing this helps to condition it naturally. Also, lavender
is believed to stimulate hair growth and its antibacterial properties can help
eliminate scalp conditions.
For more information on massage shanghai and aromatherapy, visit http://www.ivycares.net
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Created on Dec 31st 1969 18:00. Viewed 0 times.
I do love lavender in any form, body wash, hair, cologne, candles, etc. It leaves such a great scent and contributes to the ambiance in your home.
Aug 16th 2012 19:20