The scent of lavender is everywhere – its wonderful aroma is found in perfumes, scented candles, sachets, eye pillows, massage oil, bath salts, soap, and countless other products. You might think lavender is popular because of its famous scent – and sure, who can resist the light, sweet fragrance of lavender? But lavender isn’t just a pretty scent. It seems to have a wide range of effects on the mind, body, and spirit, and is used in both aromatherapy and alternative medicine.
Ever since the 1920’s, when French chemist Rene Maurice Gattefosse drenched his badly burned arm in a vat of this wonderfully aromatic liquid, lavender oil has gained quite a bit of notoriety in the aromatherapy world. Nobody knew about the healing properties of lavender essential oil until Rene set his arm on fire and, desperate to douse in the flames, dipped his arm in a large tub filled with it. He was awed by how quickly his burn healed, and by the noticeable lack of scarring thereafter. He went on to dedicate his life to studying the benefits of essential oils.
In terms of medicinal uses, lavender essential oil is used as first aid to treat many common ailments. Lavender is a powerful anti-inflammatory and antiseptic and is commonly used to soothe painful cuts, burns, bites, and stings. Lavender is also a popular treatment for sunburns and sunstroke, and can be combined with chamomile to treat eczema. It is also used to relieve toothaches and heart palpitations. When used in a foot bath, lavender essential oil curtails fatigue – and makes your feet smell like flowers, which is always a good thing.
Lavender oil is also known to repel insects such as lice, fleas, and mosquitos. If any of these annoying pests are stubborn enough to bite you anyway, you can use lavender oil to treat the bite.
Lavender doesn’t just soothe painful cuts and bruises – it is also known to soothe and calm the mind. Lavender essential oil is often added to candles, pillows, and a variety of bath products. The sweet scent of lavender is incredibly relaxing, and it is said to help people rid themselves of stress and anxiety. Lavender is often present in massage oils and lotions.
With so many lavender products out there, it’s easy to enjoy the benefits of lavender essential oil in your own home. Perhaps one of the nicest ways to take advantage of lavender’s wonderful scent and soothing nature is to take a nice, hot bath with some bath salts infused with lavender essential oil. As you fill the tub with warm water, take a handful of lavender scented bath salts and pour them into the stream of water to agitate the salts and release the aroma. Turn off the lights and light a few candles, and draw the bath curtain closed around the tub to keep the powerful, sweet vapors from escaping. Close your eyes and breathe in the gorgeous scent of fresh lavender, and stay in the tub for a while. After all, what’s the rush?
