If there is one essential oil that you must start using as soon as possible its lavandula angustifoli. Are you scratching your head wondering what on earth this oil could be? Well, let me clear that up, for it’s nothing but good old lavender oil!
Extracted mostly from flowers of the lavender plant through steam distillation, this oil is the most versatile of all essential oils as it provides a variety of benefits which are good for our skin, hair, and health.
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Lavender comes in many forms:
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1. True lavender
The plant features narrow leaves, short crooked stems and barrel-shaped flowers. It is also known as the English Lavender, and the sweet floral smell of this plant is used to make the essential oils which provide a variety of aromatherapy properties.
2. Spike lavender
This is a coarser plant with wider leaves; this plant yields up to three times the amount of essential oil as true lavender and its scent is highly priced. The aroma from this plant is a unique mix of eucalyptus mixed with lavender smell.
3. Lavandin
This is also known as Dutch Lavender and is a hybrid plant—the result of cross-pollination between true and spike lavender. These plants have larger leaves, stems, and flowers. This also yields more oil and, though is useful in its own right, it is not a legitimate substitute for true lavender or its aromatherapy properties.
4. French lavender
This plant has narrower leaves with small dark flowers; they are highly aromatic and have a beautiful fragrance. They are used in making air fresheners and many often use this form of lavender to cook as well.
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Now, on a more commercial platform, the following showcase the various forms of lavender found in the market that you can buy and use:
- Bath gels
- Aromatherapy oils
- Extracts
- Soaps
- Teas
- Infusions
- Lotions
- Whole, dried flowers
- Tinctures
Let us now explore all the skin benefits of lavender and lavender oil.
1. No more acne
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This oil is one of those few natural ingredients you can use to get rid of that unwanted acne which does nothing but destroy the beauty of your face. Its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties fight the bacteria that cause pimples. All you have to do is dab lavender oil on your pimples using a cotton swab, and watch them disappear!
2. Detox 101
Our skin in constantly exposed to dust and pollution, which causes our skin’s health to deteriorate to great heights, leaving it dry and dull. But lavender oil’s powerful antioxidants can fight this problem and leave your skin feeling healthy, glowing, and soft!
3. Treats eczema
This is one embarrassing skin problem, but never fear because lavender oil has the power to relieve the itching and reduce the symptoms of this skin condition. It also accelerates the healing process by adding moisture to irritated areas on the skin.
4. Bye bye burns
Because of its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, it serves as a great remedy for burns and also helps in treating scars. Just add a few drops of this oil on the affected area, after you’ve kept it under running water for about 10 minutes.
5. Healing insect bites
Insect bites always cause a nuisance as they leave your skin filled with rashes, redness, and itching. This is where lavender oil comes in handy. Simply add a few drops of lavender oil on the insect bite. This oil can also be a good insect repellent.
6. Cures sunburns
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A little too much time in the sun can leave nasty burns on your skin which are very painful. Lavender oil to the rescue! This essential oil is very good for treating sunburns. Application of this oil on the affected areas can help soothe the burn and make it heal faster.
7. Age old problem
We are definitely not getting any younger! And as the years go by, our faces sooner or later do start to get wrinkles! This is where lavender oil can be a blessing as it helps to get rid of wrinkles as well. Leave all the chemical-based anti-wrinkle creams behind and switch to a natural way to fight those wrinkles!
8. Good for wounds
Lavender oil does wonders for treating wounds as it possesses antiseptic properties which help any kind of wounds to heal faster. Just apply lavender oil to the infected area and see it work its magic on your skin.
9. Psoriasis problem
This is a major problem which leaves the skin in patches all reddened and scaly. Lavender oil can help relieve the pain and itching this skin condition causes. Application of lavender oil helps in boosting the immunity, that in turn helps heal the lesions.
10. Gets rid of dry skin
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Lavender oil works wonders for dry or chapped skin as it restores moisture to the skin, leaving it supple and healthy-looking by getting rid of the dryness. Just rub lavender oil on dry and chapped skin and see the positive results.
Let us now move on to the hair benefits of lavender oil.
1. No more dandruff
Another very embarrassing problem faced by many is the recurring problem of dandruff! To get rid of this annoying occurrence, all you have to do is rub lavender oil onto the scalp to help eliminate the dandruff problem once and for all!
2. Helps hair growth
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That long lustrous hair we all dream of can now become a reality as lavender oil is very beneficial for hair growth. It stimulates the growth of hair by improving blood circulation to the scalp to make hair longer and stronger.
3. Prevents hair fall
Every time we brush our hair, we are stricken with fear when we look back at our brush and see the numerous strands of hair on it! Lavender oil can help fix this problem as it controls hair fall and stops the shedding of hair strands.
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4. Moisturizes hair
It is known for its moisturizing qualities and does a great job in moisturizing the scalp and the hair strands which further nourishes the hair, making it look and feel healthy. This leaves the hair silky, shiny, and smooth! Who wouldn’t want hair like that?!
5. Goodbye damaged hair
Our hair gets damaged badly due to the use of strong shampoos and various kinds of styling that we indulge in. But this damaged hair can be treated with lavender oil which acts as a great conditioner for the hair and keeps it from harm’s way.
6. Promotes thick hair
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For all those worried about their hair thinning, lavender oil is here to rescue you as it not only helps to grow your hair longer and stop hair fall, it also helps prevent balding and hair thinning, and adds volume to the hair shaft!
7. Keeps away infections
Lavender oil’s anti-bacterial properties help heal various scalp infections such as itchy scalps and various other infections which are picked up from all the dust and pollution that surrounds us nowadays.
8. Repels head lice
Oh, the horror of head lice! Ugh! These are disgusting creatures that feed off our scalp and make our head so itchy and dirty! A good solution for head lice is lavender oil, which repel and even treat problems of head lice.
9. It gets rid of frizz
Frizzy hair always ensures we end up having a bad hair day! But because of its moisture properties, lavender oil helps reduce frizz in our hair, leaving it looking frizz-free and beautiful!
10. This is for all you curlies out there
Lavender oil works wonders to manage curly hair. Not only does it make the hair smell good, but it also helps condition it. It controls the frizz and helps to refresh the curls. It is the perfect potion for managing those curly locks!
Let us now make our way through the health benefits of lavender oil.
1. Treats insomnia
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For all those poor souls who can’t sleep at night, you would like to know that lavender oil can help you go to sleep! Just drop a few drops of lavender on to your pillow to sleep better; sweet dreams ya’ll!
2. Cures respiratory disorders
Get relief from throat infections, colds, coughs, flu, sinus, asthma, bronchitis, tonsillitis, laryngitis, and whooping cough, with the power of lavender oil, which helps cure all these problems.
3. Good for blood circulation
Lavender oil is good for improving blood circulation in the body. It lowers blood pressure and helps organs increase their levels of oxygenation, promoting muscle strength and health. It also boosts brain activity, brightens skin, and protects the body from risks of heart attacks.
4. Gets the digestive system going
Lavender oil is good for digestion as it increases the mobility of food within the intestines and promotes the production of gastric juices and bile. It also aids in the treatment of indigestion, stomach ache, colic, vomiting, and diarrhea.
5. Boosts immunity
The regular use of lavender oil helps build immunity and provides resistance to a variety of diseases. Its antibacterial and antiviral properties make it perfect for protecting the body against diseases like TB, typhoid and the like.
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6. Reduces stress
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Lavender oil which has aromatherapy properties is very good for reducing stress and anxiety, which is something we all face living in the fast-paced hectic lifestyle of the 21st century. By adding just 2-3 drops of this oil in your cupped palms and inhaling it can help calm your mind. Also rubbing it on your feet, temples, and wrists can have a calming effect on your body.
7. Stops nose bleeds and headaches
By massaging this oil on your forehead and temples it can help relieve you of your headache, and by putting a drop of the oil on a tissue and wrapping it around a small piece of ice and inserting it into the nose can help stop nose bleeds.
So there you have it – all the various benefits of lavender oil for your skin, hair, and health. So go out there and buy yourselves some of this fantastic oil.
Featued image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License
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