Many of Lily Organics products contain essential oil of lavender.

The lavender plant is a small, low-growing evergreen that belongs to the mint family.  It originally grew in the high altitudes of Spain and North Africa, but it now grows in England, Norway, France, and even the United States.  Most lavender for commercial purposes is grown in southern France, but some claim that the lavender grown in England has a finer fragrance because of the moist climate there.  It didn’t grow very well on my farm in central Colorado.  The climate was too arid and the flowers looked dried out and scanty, hardly imparting a scent.  However, I have seen them proliferate under controlled conditions such as at the Denver Botanical Gardens.

It is said that lavender oil was first originated by Hildegard of Bingen, a German Benedictine nun and mystic who lived from 1098 to 1179 in the Rhine Valley.  While she was making her herbal remedies, she discovered that then lavender flowers could be distilled and employed for additional healing powers.  I always thought a nice and appropriate name for a product would be “Hildegard’s Water” or “Hildegard’s Cream.”

Not just for the ladies, lavender was among the roses, lilies, violets, and sage in kings’ gardens, and it is said they scented their linens with lavender and rose essential oils.

Essential oil of lavender is distilled.  Lavender water was often prepared by crushing the fresh flowers in alcohol and then distilling the mixture.

 

Lavender’s great versatility

            To me, lavender means balancing, neutralizing, and normalizing.  Historically, many people used lavender to fight fatigue.  Contrariwise, others prescribe it in a pillow to induce sleep.  Lavender in a bath can be stimulating in the morning but relaxing at night.  It balances the skin, recommended for both dry and oily skin.  Lavender essential oil is widely used as an anti-depressant, antiseptic, anti-spasmodic, anti-toxin, deodorant, diuretic, and sedative for acne, depression, eczema, and to relieve headaches.

It has the ability to aid in nervous tension and irritability.  After spending so many days in a row visiting my mother in the hospital following her car accident, I always thought it should be used extensively in hospitals, in the heating and air-conditioning ducts so it permeates everywhere to disinfect as well as uplift not only the spirits of the patients, but the staff and visitors.

I use my mist with ylang ylang and lavender essential oils while in traffic, the office, or whatever I feel moodiness or anger arise in myself.  I find the combination of the two essential oils very calming.

All essential oils are antiseptic.  This is very valuable in nay skin care ingredient because we always want to be fighting unwanted bacteria, keeping our products and bodies clean and free from parasites.  Anti-spasmodic and anti-inflammatory, lavender is wonderful for skin care ingredients because it is calming and relaxing to the skin, especially skin that has been damaged, stressed, and irritated.

Lavender is anti-toxic and is used as a deodorant; the very derivative of the words means “to wash.”  It is one of the least toxic of all essential oils, so it is excellent in any cleansing product.  Its anti-bacterial action makes it effective for acne and acne products.  Lavender is cytophylactic, or skin regenerative.  It helps the body produce new skin cells.  This is probably why it is known to be so effective on burns.

I think lavender is the most versatile essential oil, naturally providing you with what you need in essential oils.  If you want to get started with essential oils by starting with just one, I would say use lavender.  You can use it for so many therapies.  Use in your bath, as a perfume, as an insect repellent, or put a few drops on your pillow.  I use lavender oil extensively in my product line because it is full of properties that make it one of the most desirable skin care ingredients on earth.  See also Lavender under Herbs.)

 

Lavandin, a hybrid

            Lavandin is a hybrid of lavender.  I tried it once by mistake when an essential oil company sent me samples of about twenty essential oils.  I thought it was lavender at  a glance, until I poured it in my hot bath and swished around the water to smell the scent.  Personally, I thought it was awful.  It seemed artificial to me, but other may like it.