Using essential oils, like Lavender, is common for aromatherapy, as well as cosmetics as they have lots of benefits. Lavender essential oil is great for anxiety, stress, sleep as well as certain conditions.
What is lavender essential oil good for?
It’s believed the health benefits of lavender essential oil include fungal infections, insomnia, eczema, nausea, depression, menstrual cramps and to relieve anxiety and stress. It’s also claimed it can help even out the skin tone, reduce wrinkles and reduce the appearance of acne. Some even use lavender essential oil to soothe bug bites and help aggravated skin. It’s packed with lots of antioxidants and is anti-inflammatory, which is why it’s believed to have so many benefits.
However, it’s important to note that there is no strong concrete evidence that lavender essential oil can cure any of these mental or physical ailments. But the oil, derived from the plant, does have benefits and can help with certain conditions, usually, it works best to use it alongside tried and tested methods. If you’re ever in doubt, speak to your doctor about your issues beforehand.
How to make lavender oil?
Unless you have your own lavender growing in your garden, you can only make lavender oil by harvesting the plant. You’ll need a hefty amount of dried lavender to get enough oil to use for various projects. Once you have harvested the plant, pour coconut oil over the lavender in a glass jar until it’s covered and infused in the liquid. Secure the lid of the jar and shake well, and keep it aside for two weeks. Each day, take the jar and shake it, to allow the oil to seep into the liquid into the jar from the flower.
You can choose another carrier oil if you have it lying around, it doesn’t have to be coconut oil to extract the lavender essential oil. Sweet almond oil, olive oil, and castor oil are other types of carrier oils you can use. Coconut and olive oil are some of the cheaper options and are commonly lying around the house.
After a few weeks have passed, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth and remove the flowers. Keep the oil in a cool dry place, and it should keep for a year.
Lavender essential oil you buy from stores may be of a higher concentration than what you make at home.
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How to use lavender oil and where to put it for sleep?
Lavender oil is commonly used to help relax and de-stress the mind and in doing so can help people sleep, and relieve those with insomnia. It does matter where you put lavender oil for better sleep, and it’s best to put a few drops - or spray depending on your product - on the pillow before going to bed. This way, it’s closer to your nose and you can smell it before and during sleep. Others place a few drops of the oil on their temples, or on their wrists.
But be warned, you should never use pure essential oils straight onto the skin as they can irritate and damage the surface. Skin-safe essential oils, which are commonly mixed with other oils, should only be used on the skin.
How to use lavender oil for anxiety
If you need to de-stress and want to feel calmer, you can use lavender oil for anxiety, as the soothing scent can help. You can either try to put a few drops of skin-safe lavender oil on the temples or wrists so that you can smell it when you move around or by smelling your skin when out and about. You will only need a small amount where you can pick up the scent, avoid using too much as it can cause headaches.
Try our vegan soap bar infused with real lavender essential oil for yourself. Each bar is infused with the gorgeous floral scent and shea butter to keep your skin smooth after every wash.
Can you use lavender oil when pregnant?
There are no warnings for using lavender oil when pregnant, but you should always consult your doctor before using any products. Experts have said that essential oils that are typically considered safe later on in the pregnancy include chamomile, Ylang Ylang and lavender.
How to dilute lavender oil for babies
You should dilute essential oils with carrier oils, as they shouldn’t be used on the skin at a high or pure concentration. This means adding one to two drops into two tablespoons of coconut, olive, or sweet almond oil. Diluting essential oils is extremely important for all usage of the skin, and only around 0.5 per cent should be used in the mixture as they’re not meant to go straight to the skin. However, you should also consult with your doctor before using any products with your baby and consider allergies.
How to use lavender oil for skin, acne and the face?
Lavender oil is created for the face and can be diluted in coconut oil to use as a moisturiser after cleansing. Some people choose to use it in a toner, by adding two drops of lavender oil with one tablespoon of witch hazel - another great ingredient. Then you can apply the toner with a cloth or cotton pad/ball.
As some health benefits claim lavender oil helps to kill bacteria, which can lead to acne and blemishes, some use the essential oil to help with issues of spots. Using it as a toner or moisturiser may help acne-prone skin, but listen to your complexion and its needs before applying. If you have oily skin, you may want to instead use it within a toner instead of an oil-rich moisturiser like coconut oil.
How to use lavender oil for hair growth - and what does it do for hair?
Lavender oil can be used similarly to a hair treatment or serum and helps the scalp. It’s common to add it to a hair-benefiting carrier oil, like jojoba or coconut oil, and to massage it into the scalp and ends of the hair after shampooing. Leave it to sit for around 10 minutes and then rinse it out afterwards. You can leave the mixture in your hair after conditioning, as a hair serum or treatment, but this will also depend on how your hair reacts to the carrier oil. Drier hair types benefit from extra moisture, but fine and oily hair may not need the extra nourishment and can lead to greasy-feeling hair. Try a few test runs to see how it works for you.
To help with hair stimulation and growth, massaging the scalp does wonders for pores on the top of the head. So if you want to help with hair growth, you can use the lavender essential oil mixture on the scalp and massage it in before washing it off.
How to use lavender oil for burns and wound healing
As lavender oil is considered to be anti-inflammatory, many use the ingredient for wounds or even burns.
Reminder: Never apply pure, undiluted essential oils directly to the skin.
Doing so can actually cause damage to the skin, wounds and burns, so please dilute 1-5 drops of the lavender oil with 1 cup of warm water, preferably in a jar or bottle with a lid. Shake the mixture so it can be incorporated in the water, and then use a clean cloth to dab the liquid on areas that need attention. If you feel a burning sensation, stinging or irritation, discontinue use.
Other methods include diluting lavender oil to 10% in an aloe vera jelly, which promotes healing, or carrier oil, to add moisture for burns and scalds.
It’s also important to note that you should keep wounds and burns clean and protected at all times.
How to use lavender essential oil for headaches
Moving on, lavender essential oil is also used for headaches and migraines. If you feel discomfort, you can place a few drops into 2 to 3 cups of boiling water and inhale the vapours - do not drink. Or you can dilute the ingredient in a carrier oil, as stated above, and massage a few drops into the temples and wrists so you can smell it.
How to dilute lavender oil
It’s extremely important to dilute essential oils, as they can cause irritation, discomfort and itchiness if you use them pure or at a high concentration. Most products you have on the market, say creams or soaps, dilute the ingredient for you. To dilute it at home, you can add a few drops of lavender essential oil to 1 cup of carrier oil, say coconut, olive or sweet almond oil for home remedies, depending on what they are being used for. Hair remedies can dilute lavender oil into jojoba oil, which is commonly used on the scalp and hair over olive and sweet almond oil, for example.
How many drops of lavender oil should you put in the bath?
You can add up to 5 drops of lavender essential oil to bath tubs. As there is a large amount of water in the tub, it dilutes the essential oil well and avoids the risk of causing irritation on the skin. However, you will find that several drops are enough to smell the strong floral scent and you won’t need an excessive amount in your water. The last thing is to enjoy the experience as you wash away your worries with handmade soap.
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