Welcome to the letter L post in my #AtoZChallenge series on aromatherapy. Today, I’ll share about one of my favorite and most commonly used essential oils: lavender. I will also discuss its cousin, lavandin.
True lavender essential oil is distilled from the flower spikes of the plant Lavandula angustifolia. It has a sweet, floral yet slightly herbal scent. Lavandin comes from a hybrid between true lavender and Lavandula latifolia. Lavandin’s scent is more herbaceous and camphoraceous than lavender, but it still retains some of lavender’s floral scent. I like to describe it as “lavender light”. Lavandin was originally introduced to the cosmetic industry in the 1970s because of it being more affordable than lavender. For this reason, some essential oil profiteers adulterate true lavender essential oil with the less expensive lavandin.
Lavender essential oil is very well-known for promoting relaxation and sleep. There are no controlled clinical trials of lavender essential oil in people with anxiety, but some less well-designed studies show that lavender may definitely help lessen anxiety as well as improving one’s mood. A study I found reported that internal use of lavender might work as well as lorazepam in treating anxiety. However, please note that I do not recommend using essential oils internally. Besides, this study was done over a time of six weeks, which is enough time for people taking lorazepam to have developed tolerance.
Lavender, when consumed as a tea (not the essential oil, but the herb itself!), is reported to help with digestive issues such as nausea, intestinal gas, an upset stomach and abdominal swelling.
Lavender and lavandin essential oils blend well with many other oils, including clary sage, citrus oils such as bergamot and orange, ylang ylang and patchouli. I like a blend of eight drops of lavender oil and two drops of geranium essential oil to promote sleep.
Do you like the scent of lavender?
A Multitude of Musings 
Happy to know. Have not used them before. 😀
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Oh I get that. I have used lavender for years, but wasn’t really knowledgeable about it until recently.
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I see. 😀
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I love the smell of lavender, also as herbs in the “cushions” you can put with f ex your bedlinen. Every time that I read your posts I realise how complex aromatherapy is. I think you explain very well (like with “lavender light”).
I have seen cookie recipes where you add some lavender, but I guess the amounts are too low to have any effect and that it’s more to get a touch of the flavour (?).
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Thank you for commenting. I agree, aromatherapy is very complicated. As for those cookies, I do indeed think the amount of lavender in them is too small to have any medicinal benefit. Besides, I assume (or hope) they added actual lavender and not the distilled essential oil.
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We do like lavender, it really is relaxing!
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It definitely is! 🙂 I love the smell too, but usually more so when combined with other essential oils.
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I love the smell of lavender! I like some in a warm bath before bed.
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That’s awesome! I have a bath salt with lavender essential oil in it among others.
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I like lavender. I have a wax warmer with a lavender wax bar and I enjoy it a lot.
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That’s so nice. I don’t really like lavender in wax melts myself, as the scent is too strong, but I’m glad you like it.
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I do love lavender, and use it in my bathing products, I have nice lavender and rose body wash.
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Oh, that sounds like it’d smell delicious! 💜
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