Whenever anyone new to essential oils asks where to start, lavender is my go-to recommendation. Not only does Hoffman's Natural lavender oil smell wonderful, it is incredibly versatile and easy to use, and ends up in almost everything we make. Check out the top seven uses for lavender below:
1.Mood Booster
Traditionally, lavender has been used for centuries to treat issues like anxiety, and depression. To relieve stress, diffuse lavender oil in the evening while you’re reading or settling down.
2. First Aid for Skin
Widely known for its antimicrobial properties, lavender has a rich history of being used to prevent infections and fight bacteria and fungi. Lavender oil also speeds the healing of burns, cuts, scrapes, eczema and wounds.
Try blending a 1:1 ratio of lavender, clove and tea tree oils to fight against Candida albicans and Staph aureus, common causes for many fungal and bacterial infections. Mix the lavender/clove/tea tree oil blend with pure coconut oil in 1:5 ratio and apply it topically for rapid healing.
3. Beauty Benefits (Skin)
To reduce age spots, mixing lavender oil with frankincense essential oil 1:1 and apply to skin first thing in the morning, right after you shower and right before bed.
4. Headache Remedy
Everyone has a system that goes down when stress hits. For me, I get an immediate headache, sometimes so severe it causes nausea and vision issues. I've found the most effective natural treatment is combing lavender oil with peppermint oil, 1:1, in a 1:3 carrier blend, and and rubbing these oils on the back of the neck, across the forehead to the temples on the lateral side of the forehead along with inhaling it. I am usually feeling back to normal in less than thirty minutes.
5. Lavender for Sleep
As a professor and parent of a teenager, I was interested to read a study on college students that used lavender oil to improve the overall quality of sleep by 60%. This included length of sleep, time it took to fall asleep, restfulness and reduced symptoms of insomnia.
In our house, we mix lavender oil with sweet orange and spritz the sheets and pillowcases. I also encourage students to try unwinding by adding 15 drops of lavender oil and 1 cup of epsom salts to the bathtub. Alternately, misting it in the shower before bed is another effective way to induce sleep.
Parents of little ones might put lavender in their home diffuser during the witching hour of bath, homework, stories and bedtime to help everyone drift off more easily.
