With the increased focus on wellness the past couple of years, who hasn’t heard of aromatherapy and essential oils? One of the most popular and versatile oils is Lavender, which is known as the Mother or Empress of essential oils. Nowadays you can find a number of commercial products on the retail market that contain Lavender like cleaning products, eye masks, deodorant, and more. That being said, Lavender is one of those aromas that people either love it or hate it.
While I think Lavender can sometimes be overused, I do believe it is the go-to essential oil for various occasions. After reading about how some of its therapeutic properties were discovered, I started to use it in my everyday life. If I burned my finger, applying a few drops of Lavender oil would take away the sting and calm down the blister. When my kids had a fever, I would soak a washcloth in cool water and a few drops of Lavender to lay on their forehead, wrists or inside of their elbows. Adding a few drops to Aloe Vera would help soothe a sunburn and a couple of drops on a pillow at night could provide relaxing benefits to my nighttime routine as well.
I also discovered that the power of Lavender goes beyond bath and body. Wanting a more natural way to repel insects and bugs indoors, I will add drops of Lavender and Peppermint to a spray bottle with water because they don’t like the scent. That way, I don’t have to inhale synthetic ingredients or worry about my dog accidentally licking it up or inhaling the synthetic fumes while keeping the house bug-free.
The actual Lavender flower comes in a variety of types which can be used for culinary purposes, holistic healing (i.e., teas) and décor. The flower meaning of Lavender is happiness, healing, honesty, peace, and purification. Planting the flowers could bring the same energy into your garden and home.
After recently doing so myself, I highly recommend visiting Lavender fields or farms for a fun, aromatic adventure where you can learn about the different types of Lavender, their varying aromas and therapeutic properties, and pick a bushel of your own. Just watch out for the bees!
A Lavender cooling spray can also be refreshing after an outside adventure on a warm day and making your own is simple:
A small spray bottle (I use a 4 oz bottle personally)
Distilled or Purified water
3-4 drops of Lavender oil
Add water and Lavender oil to your spray bottle and once you put the top back on, shake gently to combine the water and oil. Then mist around your body or room, being careful to avoid spraying directly on your face, eyes, nose, or mouth.
Lavender can be overstimulating if used in higher quantities so use caution when incorporating this essential oil into your day. A few drops can go a long way!
I could go on and on about Lavender and all the amazing uses of it for your mind, body, and spirit, but there isn’t enough time. There is plenty of information and articles, books, recipes for you to dive down the rabbit hole. If you’d like to see more detailed information and exploration of oils/herbs/flowers, let me know in the comments below for future blog posts!
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