Lavender Essential Oil - Healing Properties

Lavender Essential Oil: Uses, Benefits & Healing: Aromatherapy

Lavender oil is one of the most popular essential oils because of its variety of uses and healing properties. People have used lavender oil to treat headaches, stress, tension, burns, pain, infections, wounds, and high blood pressure - benefits are many. Mothers have even been known to use lavender scented lotions and soaps on children to help them relax and sleep longer at night. If you're intrigued by all of the things that this wonder oil can do, keep reading to find out more about lavender oil, benefits of using and its healing abilities.

Lavender oil is taken from the flowers of lavender plants through steam distillation. Because lavender flowers are so fragrant, they have been used in potpourri and perfumes for many years. The oil found in lavender flowers is great for aromatherapy, and can be found in aromatherapy lotions, soaps, gels, infusions, and oils.

Lavender oil is mostly known as a middle note (takes a while to establish a scent), but is often used with other essential oils like pine, clary, geranium, nutmeg, cedar wood and sage, which also allows it to be used as a base (very fragrant, long-lasting) or top note (very fragrant, short-lived). The word lavender is taken from the Latin word "lavera", which translates into "to wash". The Romans were known for using lavender oil while bathing, and it has been said that they introduced it to England, where it became very popular.

If you've never seen lavender oil, it's clear in appearance, and feels like water to the touch. As far as the smell goes, there are no worries here because lavender oil has a nice floral smell.

Muscle Pain Reliever
Lavender oil has a lot of pain relieving properties for your muscles. Any pain caused by tense muscles, backaches, sprains, sore muscles, rheumatism, joints, and muscular aches can be remedied by getting regular massages and/or baths with lavender oil.

Relaxation/Headache Remedy
Essential lavender oil has a calming effect on the nervous system, which makes it perfect for soothing the nerves and relaxing the mind. Many people have also found that lavender oil is the best way to ease pain from migraines and headaches without seeing a doctor or ingesting pain relievers.

Depression Treatment
Lavender essential oil can also be used to help treat anxiety and depression. The gentle scent will lower emotional stress, nervous tension, exhaustion, and restlessness, and increase your mind's productivity. You can also use lavender oil to treat discomfort caused by trembling, shock, vertigo, premenstrual syndrome, delusions, panic attacks, and epilepsy.

Digestion Problems
Lavender essential oil can be used to treat minor digestive problems such as colic, gas, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, stomachaches, and it aids the intestines' functions. For small children, rub lavender oil on their tummy and lower back every hour, then wait for the symptoms to fade.

Sleep Aid
If a person is having trouble sleeping or suffers from insomnia, using lavender essential oil before bed is recommended because the aroma will allow the mind to relax, and will help you fall asleep. Experts also say to put lavender into pillows to ensure a restful night, or use a drop of lavender oil on the corner of your pillow to begin relaxing.

Hair Restoration
Lavender essential oil can be massaged into the scalp to take care of dandruff, dry scalp, and hair loss; it can also be used on the hair to treat lice, eggs from lice, and even nits. By using lavender oil daily you can treat alopecia; a disease that causes hair loss, and improve your hair's texture as well.

Cold/Flu Relief
Someone suffering from a respiratory disorder or illness such as asthma, flu, bronchitis, violent cough, cold, laryngitis, tonsillitis, or sinus congestion could benefit from using lavender essential oil in vapor form. Lavender can be put in inhalers and vaporizers to treat colds and coughs, or can be applied directly to the chest, neck, and back.

Healing Skin
Lavender oil is great for skin because of its antifungal and antiseptic properties; it is often used to treat skin problems like wrinkles, cellulite, stretch marks, rashes, inflammations, acne, cold sores, hives, bug bites, stings, ring worm, psoriasis, and when lavender oil is combined with chamomile, it can treat eczema. It is even used to heal cuts, a variety of burns, and other wounds as it helps with the formation of scar tissue. The anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties will lower swelling, itch, and pain, while the healing properties aid in tissue recovery.

Bath/Soaking Feet
To use lavender essential oil in a bath, drop about 10 drops of the oil into a warm bath, then soak for 30 minutes. To take care of athlete's foot, fill a pan full of warm water and drop 6-8 drops of lavender oil in the pan, then soak your feet for 20-30 minutes.

Washcloth/Applying Directly
For bruised or inflamed skin, add a few drops of lavender oil to a small bowl of cold water; next, use a washcloth to apply the mixture to the affected area. The following days will require a drop or two of lavender essential oil directly to the bruised or inflamed skin until it has completely healed.

The uses for lavender oil doesn't stop with the body because it keeps going with household cleaning. With the flawless antiseptic properties, it works great as a disinfectant for toilets, counters, floors, tubs, and sinks. Add a little baking soda to a lavender-soaked sponge, and clean toilets, tubs, and sinks. Rinse the sponge well, and move onto the floors and countertops by filling a bucket full of hot water. Once you’ve done this, add a generous amount of lavender oil to the water, and clean the surfaces like you would with any other cleaning solution.

Before you go out and buy lavender essential oils for household cleaning purposes or its numerous healing properties, make sure not to buy the wrong one. Oftentimes, lavender oil is offered at a bargain price, but the bargain isn't for you; it is for the person selling the product. Make sure you are buying a high-quality lavender essential oil that is meant for home and health use. Enjoy benefits of lavender essential oil and do not try to save money, choose the quality.