Lavandula, commonly known as lavender, is having a moment. Lavender lattes are showing up on the hippest coffee shop menus all over the world, and with reason. The plant renowned for perfuming the southern French countryside and relaxing millions of people worldwide is easy to find and easy to grow, provided you have the right soil. Lavender can thrive in zones 5 through 8, with bright purple, pink, or blue blooms showing up some time between June and August.
When you ask an essential oil evangelist which single oil they would recommend, the answer is almost always lavender oil. It seems that this pleasantly fragrant oil does it all: it relaxes the mind and calms the nerves, it is anti-bacterial and can be put to work in the kitchen in both sweet and savory concoctions.
Here are just ten of our favorite ways to use lavender:
- Mix a few drops of lavender oil in with your body lotion to take advantage of the dermatological benefits of the plant. Lavender is great for a whole host of skin problems including acne, eczema, razor burn, and dandruff.
- Toss some lavender blooms into a salad or the dough of whatever you’re baking. Lavender flowers can be eaten. They add a floral, herbal, purple burst of flavor to any dish.
- Mix lavender essential oil with Epsom salts, a little bit of baking soda, and a carrier oil such as almond oil to create a bath salt that will help tired muscles relax after a long day.
- If the idea of a hot bath sounds excruciating to you because of sunburn, try gently rubbing some lavender oil into the affected skin. Lavender’s skin- and mind-soothing properties can help relieve the pain resulting from too much fun in the sun.
- Create a lavender syrup to put in your coffee. Just prepare a simple syrup with dried lavender flowers thrown into the mix. Keep it cold and use it to your heart’s content!
- Use lavender to keep pests away. Used on the skin, lavender oil can be effective as an insect repellent. Planted in the garden or with some strategically-placed pots, lavender plants can deter hungry pests of all sizes away from the things you are trying to grow.
- The next time you’re making soap, add some chopped lavender flowers and/or leaves to the mixture before it cools. Not only will the scent infuse your soap with lavender loveliness, but the solid plant pieces also serve as an effective exfoliator.
- When the bugs do bite, a couple of drops of lavender oil can be used to soothe the bites and lessen their resulting skin irritation.
- Take advantage of the scent of lavender as well as its anti-bacterial properties by mixing it with baking soda and using as an underarm deodorant. Wet your palms with water and rub a few drops of lavender oil between your hands with about a half teaspoon of baking soda until it forms a paste. Pat to apply and you’re good to go. Don’t be surprised if someone comments on how good you smell.
- Then, there’s the classic: just get a whiff of fresh lavender or lavender essential oil to calm your nerves, help you sleep, and provide general relaxation when you’re feeling frazzled.
Keep your lavender plants healthy with yearly pruning to keep them low and to allow the sunlight to reach the lowest leaves. They love hot, dry weather, so give them lots of sun and be careful not to overwater. If you have soil that drains well, then your lavender should do okay in the ground. If not, consider growing it in containers.
