Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) Essential Oil from dōTERRA®

About lavender oil:

Lavender oil is steam distilled from the flowers of the Lavandula angustifolia plant, yielding an oil with a distinctive powdery, floral, light aroma, and high in the chemical constituents of linalool and linalyl acetate.

Lavender has been used and cherished for centuries, for its unmistakable aroma and the myriad of ways it supports overall health and wellness.  In antiquity, the Egyptians and Romans used lavender for mummification, bathing, relaxation, cooking and as a perfume.

Its ability to calm and relax, both the mind and body, continue to be lavender‘s most notable qualities.  Lavender is frequently used to soothe occasional skin irritations and help skin recover quickly.  Applying lavender to the back of the neck and temples helps ease muscle tension.  Inhaling lavender promotes relaxation and a restful night’s sleep, making it an ideal oil to diffuse at bedtime, or any time that tension levels are high.

Primary benefits of lavender oil

• Widely used for its calming and relaxing qualities
• Soothes occasional skin irritations
• Helps skin recover quickly
• Eases muscle tension

Uses for lavender oil

• Add a few drops of lavender to pillows, bedding, or the bottoms of your feet, for a restful night’s sleep.
• Keep a bottle of lavender on hand for those occasional times you need to soothe skin irritations, and help the skin to recovery quickly.
• Freshen your linen closet, mattress, car or the air, by combining lavender with water, in a spray bottle.
• Add to bath water, to soak away stress, or apply to the temples and the back of the neck, to ease muscle tension.
• Use in cooking, to soften citrus flavors, and add a flavorful twist to marinades, baked goods and desserts.

How to use:

Lavender oil is intended for topical, aromatic or dietary use.  It is gentle enough to be used neat.

• Diffusion: Use three to four drops in the diffuser of your choice.
• Internal use: Dilute one drop in 4fl oz of liquid.
• Topical use: Apply one to two drops to desired area.  While gentle enough to be used neat, dilution with dōTERRA‘s fractionated coconut oil will help to minimize any possible skin sensitivity.  See additional precautions below.

Cautions: Possible skin sensitivity.  Keep out of reach of children.  If you are pregnant, nursing, or under a doctor’s care, consult your physician.  Avoid contact with eyes, inner ears and sensitive areas.

Lavender in the News

A article at Star-Telegram.com reported that, in a study at the Harris Methodist Fort Worth Hospital, 14 intensive care nurses, working 12-hour shifts, rubbed essential oils on their forearms.  They were then asked to rate their stress levels.  Half were given a true lavender and clary sage essential oil, while the other half were given a placebo oil, made from almond oil.  More than half of the nurses using the lavender essential oil reported a decrease in perceived stress.  The article emphasizes the importance of using a pure, therapeutic-grade essential oil, that has not been diluted or spiked with chemical fillers.

Lavender was also mentioned at Chron.com, in a reference to a study reporting that just five minutes of exposure to a mild lavender scent helps curb the release of cortisol, a stress hormone.  Other studies are reported to demonstrate lavender‘s support in relieving occasional sleeplessness and working as a calming agent.

(But you already knew that, didn’t you?)

Chemical Profile