The scent of lavender is unmistakable, and lavender oil captures the essence of this hugely popular plant. Lavender oil, also referred to as "lavender essential oil," has a wide range of uses, from medical to therapeutic, for sleeping and for alertness. This essential oil is highly prized, and lavender's supporters have passionate arguments about where the best lavender oil is produced.
Growing Lavender
Lavender is a favorite plant among gardeners, especially those whose gardens resemble the western Mediterranean, France, Italy and England. Lavender loves sun and thrives in sandy or gravelly soil that has good drainage. The sheer variety of lavenders makes it a versatile and much-loved plant. Classified as an herb, lavender is highly fragrant and has been used for thousands of years, and is referenced in the Bible by its Greek name "spikenard."
Lavender Oil Creation
A distinction between lavender "essential" oil and lavender "water" is necessary before launching into the topic of lavender oil. Lavender water is sometimes mistaken for the oil by those unfamiliar with the different terms. Lavender water is made by distilling the lavender flowers, then diluting the resulting oil in an alcohol and water mixture. Lavender essential oil, however, is not diluted and retains its intense fragrance. This allows it to be used in small quantities either full strength or as an additive to other products.
Medical Lavender Uses
Lavender oil can help relieve the irritation of itchy skin, bug bites, stings and hives due to its analgesic properties. It also has an antiseptic quality that makes it an effective treatment for athlete's foot, scabies and acne. It's also used for respiratory conditions such as bronchitis, congestion from colds and flu and sinus infections by adding drops of the oil to steam humidifiers or a bowl of steamy hot water, then breathing the vapors. For almost immediate relief of sinus headaches, place just a touch of oil above each eyebrow and on each cheek.
Psychological Lavender Uses
The smell of lavender is unmistakable, one of the most recognized scents in the herbal plant world. Aromatherapists have long used lavender oil to treat exhaustion, headaches and anxiety. The smell of lavender is considered an effective treatment for aiding sleep when placed near or in a pillow. Many alternative medicine practitioners combine lavender aromatherapy with massage, chiropractic and acupuncture treatments, feeling it helps patients relax and respond more positively to the therapy.
Cautions
Although it is safe to put undiluted lavender oil on the body, unlike most other herbal oils, cautions are still appropriate and worth knowing. Avoid getting lavender oil in the eyes, nose, lips or other mucous membranes as it will irritate those body parts. Lavender oil should never be used on open wounds. Although lavender teas, which are made from dried lavender flowers, are safe to drink and used to aid digestion, the oil should never be swallowed, as the oil is poisonous when in taken this way.
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