Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender essential oil is likely to be considered THE most universally calming and soothing of all essential oils.  It takes approximately  160 pounds of lavender flowers to extract 1 pound of essential oil.  Lavender is often used to help relieve stress, insomnia and fear.

Most essential oils require being diluted in another base oil, or alcohol, prior to being applied to the skin.  But lavender essential oil (EO) is one of the few EO’s that can be applied to the skin ”neat”, meaning it is safe to use full strength for skin irritations like insect bites, boils, non-serious burns, athletes foot, rashes, etc.

Considered an effective remedy to help purify and clean stale air, it has been used to disinfect hospitals and sick rooms in Greece, Rome and Persia.   Since I make my own home cleaning products, such as scrubs and sprays for the kitchen and bathroom, I often include a few drops of lavender EO to add an herbaceous, woody smell to offset the more medicinal-smelling EO’s with anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties (e.g., eucalyptus and tea tree).

Because of its relaxing nature, lavender EO can help heart arrhythmias, lower blood pressure and ease PMS symptoms.  As most essential oils do not stain, I often drizzle a few drops directly onto my pillowcases before bed.  Check out my online store for laundry & personal fragrance products made with pure lavender essential oil , including laundry soap, linen water, cream perfume and body powder.

The recipe below combines lavender, ylang ylang and bergamot EO’s to provide the ultimate “restful sleep”.  Considered to be the number one essential oil to help “ease anger, ylang ylang essential oil has a “heady” floral scent with aphrodesiac and calmative properties.  Bergamot essnetial oil, which is used to flavor Earl Grey tea, is considered a classic anti-depressant that helps balance emotions and ease agitation. 

Restful Sleep Recipe:

Combine the following EO’s together and then sprinkle over bed linens before bedtime:

3 drops of lavender,
2 drops of ylang ylang,
2 drops of bergamot

Enjoy in health,
barbara-ann