Lavender is a plant native to the Mediterranean region, where it grows wild and is used as a food and an ingredient in cosmetic products. Lavender oil uses include soap making, food and beverage flavoring, and even a way to improve sleep and calm anxiety.
Lavender essential oil benefits the skin in multiple ways. This wonder oil reduces inflammation and can aid wound healing if you mix it with a carrier oil or apply it directly to the skin.
Let’s find out more about the potent potential of lavender oil.
Lavender Essential Oil Overview
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is a plant native to the Mediterranean whose benefits have been known for over 2,500 years. It has various properties that make it a must-have oil, gentle enough to apply directly to the skin.
Ancient Egyptians used it as a perfume and during their mummification rituals. Romans also used it for cosmetic purposes, including bathing, cooking, and air purifying.
Lavender oil is also mentioned in the Bible as one of the ingredients for anointing and healing.
Lavender Essential Oil Properties
The properties of lavender come from all parts of the plant, including dried flowers and the oil extracted from them. The oil has calming, relaxing, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-depressive, and skin-enhancing properties.
Lavender flowers are rich in antioxidants and have a gentle, soothing fragrance. You can add them to foods, use their delicate fragrance in a potpourri, or steep them in tea.
The essential oil is calming, and you can use it in aromatherapy. Topical lavender oil, which is made by steeping lavender flowers in a carrier oil like coconut or olive oil, can be added to cosmetic products or applied directly to the skin.
Finally, lavender-infused capsules can treat anxiety. However, ingesting lavender oil on its own is not recommended.
Lavender Essential Oil Benefits: Fights Acne
Since it’s an antibacterial, one of the best lavender oil uses is to prevent acne breakouts. This oil unclogs pores and reduces inflammation.
To use it against your acne, dilute it in olive or coconut oil and apply it to the skin after thoroughly washing your face. Additionally, you can use it as a toner. Mix two drops of lavender oil with a teaspoon of witch hazel and gently rub it on your face with a cotton ball.
Lavender Oil Uses: Eczema and Dry Skin Soother
Lavender has antifungal properties, so if a fungus causes your eczema, it can reduce inflammation and prevent flare-ups. Likewise, lavender essential oil benefits include fighting psoriasis, cleansing the skin, and preventing itchiness and irritation.
If you want to add this multi-purpose oil to your eczema-fighting regimen, mix equal amounts (two drops each) of lavender and tea tree oils with two teaspoons of coconut oil and use them whenever your skin feels dry and itchy.
Lavender Essential Oil Benefits for Mature Skin: Fights Wrinkles and Blotchy Skin
Lavender oil is full of antioxidants, which fight the free radicals that can cause wrinkles and blotchiness. It also reduces inflammation, including hyperpigmentation and redness.
To enlist the help of lavender oil for your mature skin needs, mix a few drops with coconut or olive oil and use it as a moisturizer on clean skin. Re-apply as needed and take advantage of this wonder ingredient for smooth, healthy-looking skin.
Anti-Inflammatory
The beta-caryophyllene in lavender oil is a natural anti-inflammatory and can treat painful inflammation, including sunburn and superficial burns. Combine three drops of lavender oil with two teaspoons of moringa oil and apply it three times a day to your burn to soothe it and gently treat it.
If you forgot your sunblock and are suffering from a sunburn, the lavender essential oil’s anti-inflammatory benefits also come in handy.
Mix a quarter cup of aloe vera with two tablespoons of distilled water and twelve drops of lavender and jojoba oils in a spray bottle and apply to the sunburn three times a day until the pain and irritation subsides.
Wound-Healing Properties
Burns are not the only wounds that lavender oil can treat. Since research has found that it promotes skin healing, you can use lavender oil to treat cuts and scrapes.
The best way to treat cuts and abrasions is to mix four drops of lavender oil with tamanu or coconut oil. Apply the mixture to the wound and continue even after the skin has healed to prevent and reduce scarring.
Insect Repellent
Insects hate lavender oil, so it can act as both a repellent and a treatment for bites. For example, using lavender oil in a candle at night will keep mosquitos away. Use seven drops of lavender oil and place the candle where you love to sit for a pleasant evening meal.
If you’ve already been bitten, take advantage of the lavender oil uses to prevent infection, itching, and pain. Mix two drops of lavender oil with peppermint oil and a carrier, like coconut oil, and apply it to the bite.
Lavender oil keeps it clean and prevents inflammation, while peppermint oil will numb the pain and itchiness.
Hair Loss
When mixed with other essential oils, lavender oil may be a solution for people experiencing alopecia aerata, a form of hair loss. A study found that a mix of thyme, lavender, rosemary, and cedarwood essential oils improved hair growth in sufferers.
Although we can’t tell for certain that lavender essential oil benefits include preventing hair loss in all cases, it’s an encouraging sign. Massage your scalp with a blend of essential oils, including lavender oil, to stimulate hair growth.
Lavender Essential Oil Benefits for Mental Health
Besides being a must-have for skincare, lavender oil can also treat and improve mental health conditions. It is useful in anxiety management, can promote sleep if used in aromatherapy before bed, and can relieve headaches and migraines.
Moreover, studies have shown that lavender aromatherapy prevents post-partum anxiety and depression. In contrast, lavender tea can lower depression in older adults who drink it twice a day for two weeks.
Best Cosmetic Uses for Lavender Oil
Lavender oil is versatile, so how you use it depends on your needs. You can make a hydrating lotion by mixing it with a carrier oil. You can use it in a salve to treat superficial wounds and prevent acne.
Moreover, lavender oil uses include skincare, soap and candle making, and hair care. Here’s a great lavender and goat’s milk conditioning bar recipe for smoother, stunning hair you can try. If you want to take advantage of the lavender essential oil benefits for your skin, try this lavender sugar scrub recipe. It’s a delight for your senses!
Best Essential Oil Pairings for Lavender Oil
Learning about the benefits of essential oils can also teach you how to best pair lavender oils with other natural fragrances. Let’s take a look at the best pairings for lavender oil.
| Pairing | Benefits |
| Lavender and peppermint oil | Relieves muscle pain and headaches; great for first aid |
| Lavender and sweet orange oil | Gentle on the skin; fights fine lines and wrinkles; soothing fragrance |
| Lavender and lemongrass oil | Great for scraps and cuts; uplifting, fresh aroma |
| Lavender and bergamot oil | Perfect for relieving anxiety, mood swings, and tension; sweet smell for body lotions and conditioners |
| Lavender and patchouli oil | Pleasant smell for skin formulations and aromatherapy; promotes meditation |
| Lavender and vetiver oil | Perfect for calming the mood and promoting relaxation; works well in cosmetic preparations |
| Lavender and rosemary oil | Great to treat acne; strong antibacterial properties; uplifting fragrance |
Final Thoughts
Lavender essential oil is the world’s favorite aromatic oil, and for good reason. Locked within this beautifully scented ingredient is a whole host of different skin-loving benefits.
Perhaps my favorite thing about lavender essential oil, is how cost effective it is, and how you can pretty much find it everywhere these days. It’s my go to, and you’ll never find my craft pantry without it.
Let me know some of your favorite recipes with this ingredient. I’ve made so many skincare products using lavender essential oil. Or maybe there’s a different EO that you love even more? I always enjoy hearing about your experiences!
Thank you so much for a great and enlightening discussion about Lavender. You get a good understanding of Lavender and its use, it is a very good training that is important for everyone to understand Lavender, its use and its benefits so that you can use it more fluently and confidently. Thank you very much for opening my mind.