Lavender can be used to repel insects and heal bites and stings.
Lavender
Updated Mar. 02nd, 2022
Lavender is a group of plants in the Lavandula family. It is often grown as an ornamental plant in gardens, although it also has culinary, aromatherapeutic and medicinal properties.
Lavender Oil
The essential oil of lavender is extracted from the lavender plant and used for a variety of health benefits. It is antiseptic and anti-inflammatory, making it useful in topical inflammatory conditions like eczema and acne. For more information, please see our Essential Oil article.
Aromatherapy
The scent of lavender can be of great benefit in cases of anxiety and stress by promoting relaxation. For more information, please see our Stress and Anxiety articles. The calming properties of lavender are also beneficial in promoting sleep in cases of insomnia. For more information, please see our Insomnia article. It may help to relieve tension headaches when rubbed on the skin and inhaled as a vapour. When vaporized, lavender oil can help treat respiratory infections and soothe a cough. For more information, please see our Cold and Flu article.
Topical Use
Lavender oil is frequently added to skin products like balms, salves, perfumes, and cosmetics. It can be used as an antiseptic to clean minor injuries and burns. It is also a pain reliever and can be applied topically to treat insect bites and stings. When added to massage oil, lavender can help to relieve joint and muscle pain. It has also been shown to be helpful in healing episiotomy wounds after childbirth. As with most essential oils, lavender oil should be diluted in a carrier oil to reduce the risk of damage to the skin.
Hormonal Effects
Lavender can have a weak estrogenic effect. This effect becomes particularly prevalent in children whose sex hormone levels are still low. Lavender oil in shampoos and lotions has been implicated to have some hormonal effects in children. There have been suggestions that in a few cases lavender caused abnormal breast development in young boys, and early puberty in young girls. Ongoing use of lavender essential oil in young children is not recommended until further research can clarify this effect. It is unlikely that this effect is strong enough to affect adults with far greater hormone production of their own.
Culinary Use
The floral and slightly sweet flavour of lavender is sometimes added to baking, and paired with sheep’s milk and goat’s milk cheeses to compliment their flavours. A spice blend called herbes de Provence also contains lavender leaves combined with savory, fennel, basil and thyme.
Hair Growth
Scientific research has shown that the application of a mixture of essential oils to alopecia areata can actually cause a return of hair growth by up to 44%. The mixture is 3 drops of lavender oil, 3 drops of rosemary oil, 2 drops of thyme oil, and 2 drops of cedarwood, all mixed into jojoba (carrier) oil and 20ml of grapeseed oil. This mixture is applied to any bald spots and massaged in each night. Effects are seen over a period of a few weeks.
Other Uses
Bunches of lavender can actually be used to repel insects, so it is commonly used in natural repellant sprays. Because of its calming scent, lavender is also often found in potpourri. In fact, pouches of lavender can be stored with clean linens and clothing to maintain a fresh scent and to deter moths. Some initial research has been performed on whether lavender can be used internally to help treat gastrointestinal upset, but further research is required to be sure of any effects.
How can I use lavender?
Lavender can be found as an essential oil that can be diluted in a carrier oil (or in a 1:10 dilution in water) and used topically for relaxation and pain relief, or can be vaporized for aromatherapeutic effect. A few drops of this oil can be added to hot water or a bath to promote relaxation. Flowerheads can be added to a cup of boiling water to make a relaxing tea to promote sleep. Commercially made tea bags are also available. Dried bunches of lavender can be stored with clothing or hung to deter insects. Lavender is commonly found in a variety of cosmetic and moisturizing products, deodorants, and bath salts.
The essential oil of lavender has been a welcomed addition to my night-time routine. The essential oil of lavender is very versatile. Several drops of lavender essential oil can be added to a bedtime bath to help relax any muscle tension and even mental fatigue. It can also be added to a carrier oil, such a coconut oil, and rubbed onto the entire body after a soothing bath to help continue the relaxing all evening. The essential oil of lavender on the skin helps to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and to calm any skin eruptions and blemishes.
Hello Kathy,
Lavender is great for aromatherapy practices. It's actually the most popular essential oil with many uses and benefits, sleep support being its most popular. Check out our article on the essential oil of Lavender to learn more about it and to find some DIY's.
https://www.nationalnutrition.ca/articles/essential-oils/lavender-essential-oil/
Stay healthy & well
Lavender is one of my favourite essential oils….it’s a ‘go to’ for so many situations. Mixed with peppermint, I’ve found it works amazingly for headaches. I definitely use it in my diffuser at night; also in a carrier oil topically to help promote sleep. I make my own ‘perfume’ mix with essential oils….and definitely lavender is part of that. I like that it is valuable as a calming agent for children when properly diluted. Thank you for your article. I can’t say enough good about lavender.
Hello Elizabeth,
Indeed, Lavender is the most popular essential oil both for its benefits & lovely scent. We hope you'll enjoy some of the mixtures in this article and we think you'll also enjoy our essential oil series on our youtube channel as well:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EONKjnTkE5k
Have a healthy day!