How to Use Lavender Oil for Your Home
Lavender is a most useful and versatile essential oils. It’s known for its calming properties and is gentle enough to use for children and babies. Learning more about lavender essential oils can help you get the most from this soothing and beneficial substance. Extracted from lavender plant flowers via distillation, lavender EO is used for aromatherapy, soap and beauty products, healthcare recipes, and in home care products. The oil retains the plant’s delightful scent and relaxing-restorative properties. As with all essential oils, you’ll get the best results using high-quality lavender essential oil—one more potent with maximum concentration. A fragrance oil or perfume that contains a small amount of lavender essential oil or is purely synthetic won’t provide the desired results. Lavender can be used alone or with other essential oils. Clary sage, frankincense and pine work particularly well with this versatile product.
How to Use Lavender Oil
Lavender oil can be used in a diffuser or atomizer, as an addition to a home care or beauty recipe, or blended with a carrier oil. The form used depends on your desired result. Some typical (and not so typical) uses for lavender are outlined below:
Promote Healthy Sleep
A top benefits of lavender is its soothing effect and its ability to promote relaxation and a healthy sleep cycle. Lavender is safe enough to use for babies or elderly family members, and a small amount of essential oil sprinkled on your pillow each night can help you fall asleep and stay asleep.
Repel Pests
Whether you want to keep your wool sweaters safe from moths, are tired of getting bitten by mosquitoes, or spotted a bug inside your home, lavender can help. A cotton ball with a few drops of lavender repels moths (and protects your wool goods) without making your home smell like mothballs. Tired of buzzing mosquitoes? Dab some lavender oil on your skin or disperse in a carrier oil for a fast and effective bug repellent.
Soothe Anxiety
Lavender has a calming scent even when you’re not trying to fall asleep. People suffering from anxiety often benefit from Lavender aromatherapy. During times of stress or busy seasons at work, the refreshing and relaxing Lavender scent can help you wind down after a long day.
Relieve Pain
A massage with lavender (suspended in a natural carrier oil) relieves aches and pains associated with overworking, intense workouts or injuries. Migraines and other headaches also respond to lavender oil via massage or aromatherapy.
Banish Blemishes
Acne and other blemishes can be soothed by lavender essential oils. Applied topically, the oil eliminates bacteria that causes acne. Used alone or with tea tree oil, lavender is a potent natural remedy that doesn’t involve chemicals or synthetic products. Lavender’s soothing properties help relieve itching and pain associated with common skin conditions.
Combat the Cold and Flu
The sore throat, coughs and congestion caused by respiratory infections or the common cold, can be relieved by lavender essential oil. Using the oil in a vaporizer or directly on the skin stimulates your immune system and allows you to breathe easier as you recover. Lavender is a good choice for those who find eucalyptus or rosemary too strong for use in a vaporizer or on the body.
Repel Lice
The same properties that make lavender essential oils useful as an insect repellent for the home, make it an ideal lice treatment as well. Used to eliminate lice, nits and lice eggs, it has the added benefit of promoting healthy hair and hair growth. A few drops in your shampoo or conditioner reduce your risk of contracting lice. Ideal if you’re a teacher, have kids, or spend time in environments with many children.
Blood Pressure Benefits
Regular lavender use via aromatherapy lowers blood pressure, making the oil an ideal choice for those with hypertension or at risk of developing high blood pressure.
Digestive Aid
Stimulating the digestive system and aiding in digestion, lavender essential oil treats and prevents stomach upset. It’s a common ingredient in products designed to ease nausea during pregnancy or after medical treatments. While you can buy a prepared product, a personal atomizer or your own recipe allows you to reduce nausea safely and naturally with lavender oil.
Skin Care
While lavender is noted for its usefulness for acne and blemishes, it also promotes recovery from minor burns, abrasions and bug bites.
Home Care
Add a few drops of lavender essential oil to a cup of baking soda to create a fast-acting odor neutralizer for your carpet. You’ll eliminate odors and get the added benefit of a stress busting fragrance wafting gently through your home. Lavender is also an ideal addition to home cleaning recipes. Use with sweet orange or rosemary for a delightfully clean finish and fresh scent.
Whether you’re looking for natural stress relief, a soothing way to get to sleep, or a powerful pain reliever, lavender essential oil can help. This versatile essential oil is an excellent addition to any home, and offers many benefits for the whole family.