Introduction To Lavender Essential Oil

New Series ~ Introduction To Essential Oils

 

Hey everyone! As I mentioned last week in my post: An Introduction to Essential Oils, I want to dive into my favorite essential oils over the next few months.

So I want to dive into some popular essential oils and how to use them. Each week I will showcase a new oil and throughout the week I will share some of  my favorite ways and recipes that I like to use the featured oil of the week.

Essential Oils Covered In This Series

 

So I felt it very fitting to feature all the oils in this kit.  I really think it will give you a great introduction into the world of essential oils!

Stay tuned for that!

Alright, so there is the lineup! First up… Lavender!

What is Lavender Essential Oil

 

Lavender comes from the botanical family Labiatae or the mint family.  The oil is extracted from the flowering top of the lavender plant.

Lavender oil is the one essential oil that everyone should have in their collection.  When in doubt, grab the lavender oil!

From helping with allergies, to calming nerves, stress and anxiety and even to cleaning your house…lavender oil is easily the most used and loved essential oil out there.

Application Methods For Essential Oils

 

There are 3 ways to apply essential oils:

• Aromatically – Our sense of smell influences many physiological pathways in our body. Breathing in a pure essential oil by way of diffusing, can purify the air, promote emotional benefits to our body, and eliminate odors and airborne pathogens.
• Topically – quality oils have a immediate, localized benefit by restoring or calming our body. The chemical structure of essential oils allows them to be absorbed into the bloodstream via the skin for internal benefit throughout the body.
• Internally – quality oils can be used as dietary supplements supporting a variety of healthy conditions. Some oils have powerful antioxidant properties. Some help support healthy inflammatory response in cells (Do not use an essential oil internally that does NOT have the appropriate dietary supplement facts on its label!)

Each oil has a different requirement on how to apply them.  Here are the recommendations for lavender oil.

Application Methods For Lavender Essential Oils

 

Specific Recommendations for Lavender Essential Oils

• Aromatically – directly infuse the oils and aroma.
• Topically – dilution is not needed in most cases and you can apply lavender oil directly to the skin.  Do note, if you have sensitive skin, you may want to dilute lavender in a carrier oil like coconut oil or olive oil.  Always remember, less is often better than more when it comes to essential oils.  Always start out with one drop and then go from there.
• Internally – most quality essential oils are safe to ingest. Place 1-2 drops under your tongue or take in a capsule. Essential oils can also be used for flavoring water and drinks and to enhance your cooking.

Please Note: not all essential oil brands are safe to ingest.  I am ONLY recommending essential oils that specify they are safe to use internally. 

Common Uses For Lavender

 

There are so many ways to use lavender in your home.  Here is a comprehensive list on the many, and I mean MANY, ways that you can use lavender essential oil in your home!  Also be sure to come back this week…I will be sharing a lot of lavender essential oil recipes!

Home

 

1. Chase Away Stagnant Closet Air. You know that smell. Fabrics of all variety, shoes for every occasion, plus a dirty clothes bin and no fresh air can only equal one thing…you need lavender essential oil. Whether diffused, drizzled on earthen ware, or dripped on cotton balls, chase stagnancy away!
2. Take the Bite Out of It. Insects, creepies and crawlies are not too fond of the smell of lavender. In fact, they hate it. If you forget to go the prevention route, lavender soothes bites, itching and inflammation.
3. A Multi-Purpose Spray. Next time you are sitting in traffic, pull out a spray bottle filled with a lavender and water mixture and freshen your car. Who wouldn’t prefer a car smelling like lavender?
4. Kids Won’t Go Down? Lavender drops on their pillows … it’s like magic. It will help ease their mind, calm them down, make bedtime a bit more rewarding, and best of all … lull them into a restful sleep.
5. Skip the Aerosol Chemical Sprays. Next time you are deodorizing the bathroom, think of lavender and water in a spray bottle. Lavender’s antibacterial, antibiotic, antiviral, antiseptic properties can only help.
6. Take the Acrid Out of Vinegar. If you clean with vinegar, but can barely stay vertical while using it, lavender is the answer. Just add lavender and vinegar together in the spray bottle and you’re set!
7. Therapeutic Dish or Laundry Soap. If your liquid soap smells a bit flat, you can add lavender for additional aromatherapy benefits and antibacterial properties. It transforms your cleaning experience!
8. Lovable Linens. What does your linen closet smell like? Probably cotton. Maybe old cotton. Energize your linens with lovely smelling lavender. It leaves no oil marks and leaves things invigoratingly fresh.
9. Lavender candles. Ahhh the long lost art of candle making. If you’ve ever made candles you know how fun it can be. When you add lavender, the smell that is released is intensely therapeutic!
10. Wood Floors, Like New. A tired wood floor is, well … tired. Commercial floor polishes often contain harsh chemicals. Woods love oil. Just add lavender to your cleaning system and your floor can look like new!
11. Help That Trusty Ball Cap. A well-worn, much loved ball cap can look great, but smell like a wild animal. Add 4-5 drops of lavender to make it bearable. It will be your favorite hat if you have a headache too!
12. Change Your Sheets, Refresh Your Mattress. Unfortunately, your mattress can be neglected, and have that “wires, foam and fabric” smell. Add lavender when you change your sheets and neglect no more!
13. Homemade Room Freshener. Put baking soda and a 5-6 drops of lavender oil in a small Mason jar. Punch holes in the lid. Place in smelly areas (near garbage can, dirty clothes), shake jar often. Smile.
14. Pet Smells No More. Add a skiff or two of your baking soda and lavender mixture to carpets and vacuum up! If you have pets, (especially the un potty trained variety), fight back with lavender!
15. Extra Potpourri Mileage. If you have a pot of potpourri, that has seen its day, try refreshing it with a few drops of lavender essential oil. You’ll love the way lavender can change the feel of your home!
16. Sweet Smelling Vacuum Bags. Your vacuum can be your nemesis when it comes to keeping your home smelling clean. As you well know, it can even blow microfine dirt! Pin some cotton balls (soaked in lemon and lavender oils) on the inside of the bag and let your vacuum blow!

 

Cooking & Food

 

1.  Lavender is one of the most versatile and soothing of all essential oils. Make sure you use a Therapeutic Grade oil that is safe to ingest, you can be assured that they make a delightful companion to many types of food! Think of the possibilities …
2. Soften Citrus Flavors. Use in delicate lemon sauces for chicken or fish or in powerful orange marmalades, citrus salads, real lemonade and more!
3. Amazing Marinades and BBQ. Baste chicken or fish on the grill with honey or a garlic and rosemary blend, spread over roasted vegetables, marinade chicken pieces in honey and lavender, yum!
4. Bake Like the Best. Lavender is a nice addition to lavender blueberry banana bread, lemon lavender cookies, baked salmon, lavender sugar cookies, lavender muffins, lavender cakes, oh yeah!
5. Give Your Sugars a Delightful Twist. Use as a substitute for vanilla extract (in creams, custards and sugars), use it in lavender icing, add to honey for extra flavor in tea or toast, and even maple syrup!

 

Mind & Body

 

1. The Oatmeal Secret. Fill a baby food jar with oatmeal, and add 5-8 drops of lavender oil. When it’s time to wash your face, add water and it becomes an excellent natural scrub! A little goes a long way.
2. Rub a Dub Dub. Rather than using regular soap and warm water at baby’s bath time, add about five drops of lavender oil to the warm water. Your tot’s skin will be pampered and smell great!
3. Soak Away Stress. Your muscles are tight. Anxiety and deadlines are eating at you. Your heart is racing. Where’s the pressure release valve? Right here, with lavender. Add to a warm bath, soak it in, soothe.
4. Let Vapor Talk. Wet your hair in the shower. Add 4 drops of lavender to a handful of water and work it into your hands and hair. Tilt your head down, under the water and capture the aroma instilled vapor as it melts off your hands and hair. You’ll love how it smells, and how your hair feels!
5. Target Acne, at the Source. Bacteria thrive in sebaceous glands that over produce sebum…that waxy stuff that can be associated with acne. Lavender helps balance sebum and control break outs.
6. Minor Burns, Major Relief. When you’ve slightly overdone it in the sun, a little lavender oil is helpful in preventing peeling skin. It aids in your skin’s healing without scarring as well!
7. Boo Boo Relief. Lavender has disinfecting properties. It’s great for the skin, and wonderful for relief from cuts and scrapes, especially if the cut or scrape is located wherever it’s difficult to keep covered.
8. Alleviate Feelings of Earaches. You can warm lavender (don’t scald it), mix with olive oil and gently massage around the ears (not in the ears) and near glands in the throat.
9. A Dry Climate Answer. If you suffer from dry, itchy skin, and don’t want to mess around with chemical smelling lotions, add lavender to fractionated coconut oil and comfort will be yours!
10. Horrific Heels & Foot Fatigue. If you’ve been wearing sandals all summer, and your heels look like the Atacama
11. Desert, 6 drops of lavender in a hot foot bath is the answer. Your porous feet will thank you.
12. Neck & Wing Relief. When you have neck and scapula tension, apply lavender with fractionated coconut oil, breath it in and massage those knots out! Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
13. A Hood of Wonder. Next time you have a cold or the flu, remember the lavender steam hood. Add 4-6 drops to a bowl of hot water. Place a towel over your head, and inhale the vapor slowly and deeply.
14.  A Woodworker’s Friend. Do you work with wood or handle wood? Rather than dig a hole in your finger trying to catch that splinter, add a few drops of lavender, let the splinter swell and slip out.
15. Allergies, Sinuses & Congestion Oh My! Lavender can calm down unruly sinus issues, defiant allergies and other respiratory issues. Just apply on the back of your neck, chest, and between your eyes.

Fortify Your First Aid Kit. There are many products that would be tres glam additions to your First-Aid kit, but if you could only pick one, Lavender should be it.

Why? Basic First-Aid kits are often geared toward minor skin irritation, scrapes, rashes, and so forth. Lavender is great for all those, not to mention its calming properties!

How To Purchase Essential Oils

 

Hey guys, so kind of cool right?…look at everything you can do with lavender! I can’t tell you how much I use lavender oil in my home!  I’m not sure what I ever did without it!  If you are interested in purchasing essential oils, you can purchase them here.

 

How To Order Essential Oils

Also at the top of my website your will see a tab that says “essential oils”.  You can also purchase them from that tab as well.  As always, if you should have any questions, I am here for you…just leave a comment in the comments section below.

 

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