There is probably nothing more familiar – in the world of aromatherapy – than the scent of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia). It is one of the first aromas that people associate with between plant and bottle. A gentle, floral, herbal aroma, lavender is a plant (and/or scent) that many have grown up with.
However, lavender is not simply just lavender. There are various nuances and differences in lavender essential oil, depending on where it is harvested from, and how it is grown. In addition, what you might think of as “lavender,” is in fact something a little different. Let’s clear up that confusion and also take a look at three different lavender essential oils offered by Your Body Needs and talk about how you can use them!
A Profile of Lavender
First, let’s look at the general profile of lavender. It is an average-sized woody shrub with violet-blue flowers growing on spikes. Bees love it! You’ll often see them busily buzzing around it in the summer months. That might be to do with its gentle, floral-herbaceous aroma!
Lavender essential oil carries that same aroma when it is extracted from the plant. But let’s be clear. We are talking about Lavandula angustifolia. You might also run across lavandin (Lavandula × intermedia), spike lavender (Lavandula latifolia), or Lavandula stoechas in your search for lavender essential oil. These last three oils are not “true” lavender and, although they may look and smell very similar to lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), they are used in slightly different ways.
For the purpose of this blog, we are focusing on true lavender (Lavandula angustifolia).
We carry three different lavender essential oils at Your Body Needs from Kashmir (India), France, and Spain.
The Scent of Lavender
True lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) essential oil should not be overpowering in aroma. It should have a light, floral, herbaceous aroma, with a hint of sweetness, freshness, and some slightly woody undertones. If it’s heavy in scent it might be a synthetic oil or if it varies from this scent profile, it could be one of the “other lavenders” that we mentioned in the previous section.
Benefits of Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender essential oil has many benefits that can help the symptoms of numerous problems. These include:
- Relief from muscle and joint pain.
- Easing symptoms of colds, coughs, flu, and respiratory complaints such as bronchitis and asthma.
- Uplifting mood and calming emotions in cases of depression, stress, anxiety
- Provide relief from symptoms of insomnia, headaches, and PMS.
- Soothe bruises, burns, sunburn, wounds, insect bites and also act as a repellent.
- Soothe skin in cases of dermatitis, acne, eczema, and it also can be used in general skincare.
How We Use Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender essential oil is a much-loved ingredient at Your Body Needs. We have used it for over a decade in our studio for massage blends, in a combination with Roman chamomile essential oil (Chamaemelum nobile), or on its own.
Now, for the breakdown on which lavender essential oil we prefer using for different products and purposes:
- Kashmir (India) lavender essential oil: Used in our holistic facials and in our Peace Stick Our Peace Stick is perfect for those times that you need to stop and breathe for a moment.
- French lavender essential oil: We love to use French lavender essential oil also in our holistic facials, as it’s suitable for all skin types. It is also featured in our Hydrating Hand and Foot Cream. This product is suitable for those with sensitive skin, rough skin patches, or dry skin, commonly found on the hands and feet.
- Spanish lavender essential oil: We switch out Spanish lavender essential oil with our other two types of lavender essential oil in our holistic facials, too. But you’ll also find it in our Gel Facial Cleanser, combined with the powerhouse tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) essential oil.
How to Use Lavender Essential Oil
There are so many different ways that you can use lavender essential oil! You can:
- Add it to an aromatherapy diffuser.
- Use in skincare products.
- Calm and soothe the mind and soul.
- Use for restful sleep.
- Soothe cuts and burns.
Dilution Rate: Add 12 drops of essential oil (total) to 1-oz. of base blend for a 2% dilution rate. For children, half this amount.
Cautions for Use: Generally non-sensitizing, non-irritating and safe for general use. Check contra-indications for other essential oils mentioned in this article before use.
Experience Lavender with Your Body Needs
Whether you are stopping by for an in-house service, picking up one of our products, or wanting to combine one of our top-shelf lavender essential oils to make your own blends, we have everything that you need. If you need any help in using this beautiful aroma, just give us a call!
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