Looking for a does-it-all natural remedy to help boost your health? Lavender oil might do the trick.
Whether you’re an essential oil junkie or a complete novice, there’s one essential oil you should always keep on hand. Lavender oil is truly the queen of natural remedies. Use it around the home, as a stress-buster, or even in your beauty routine. Here are the top 9 lavender oil uses to help you fight through your everyday woes.
9 Everyday Lavender Oil Uses
Relieve stress
Lavender oil is probably most famous for its relaxing scent. It’s often used in an essential oil diffuser to create a relaxing environment to promote meditation or better sleep. But studies suggest that we should be using lavender oil beyond that too! Lavender aromatherapy has been found to decrease stress levels. Simply inhaling it has been found to decrease blood pressure and heart rate, promoting a more relaxed mood.
Unwind after a long day at work by diffusing a few drops of lavender oil in a diffuser. If you need some serious downtime, treat yourself to an at-home spa session with lavender bath salts or a lavender bubble bath. For a simple way to de-stress while on-the-go (and even use as a natural deodorant!), apply lavender oil with a pre-diluted roll-on applicator to your temples and wrists. We recommend keeping one with you at your work desk or while traveling!
Fight acne
Hormones and greasy skin aren’t the only things that cause pimples. For acne, the bacteria Propionibacterium acnes is often the culprit for infecting your pores. Lavender’s antibacterial properties make it ideal for treating acne. As an anti-inflammatory, lavender oil is also suitable for soothing itchy skin and reducing redness in acne or inflamed skin. What’s more, bringing down those stress levels with some lavender aromatherapy will help prevent breakouts in the first place!
To help keep acne at bay, apply a lavender-based toner to balance skin and purify pores. Already fighting a serious breakout? You’ll need the aid of a deeply detoxing lavender mask. You can also use a diluted mixture of lavender oil for spot treatment. Add 2-3 drops of lavender to a carrier oil and rub on affected areas.
For insect bites
Given its ability to relieve an itch and fight bacteria, lavender oil makes a soothing treatment for insect bites. Insects can carry a range of unwanted pathogens, so applying lavender oil to your bug bites can save you from an infection. Lavender oil’s anti-inflammatory properties help to lessen redness and swelling from bites. Another bonus is that lavender oil can repel ticks and mosquitos.
Use a diluted mixture of lavender oil for spot treating insect bites. Applying some to your skin with a roll-on applicator or organic insect repellent will also help keep those little buggers away. Did you know that keeping dried lavender sachets in your closet can help repel clothing moths too?
Antiseptic
Here’s a fun fact: lavender oil was actually used as a popular antibacterial in World War I. Lavender oil’s antiseptic properties aren’t just useful for battling acne. They’re potent enough for disinfecting cuts and wounds, promoting faster healing.
If you find yourself with a cut but with no first aid kit in sight, simply add a few drops of lavender oil to the cut to clean it and prevent infection. Lavender oil is also a powerful natural alternative to synthetic antiseptics like triclosan that can kill off beneficial bacteria on your skin. That’s why it’s become a popular ingredient to use in organic hand sanitizers.
Anti-aging
Lavender has one of the highest levels of antioxidant activity in essential oils. A study found that lavender oil was the most effective for preventing against damage to linoleic acid. Linoleic acid is an essential fatty acid that protects your acid mantle, keeping your complexion plump and youthful. Applying lavender oil to skin, then, may have moisturizing and anti-aging effects.
An easy way to reap the protective benefits of lavender is to find skin care products that contain them! Applying a lavender toner can help to balance skin and fight against signs of aging. For a potent dose of lavender, apply a lavender-based serum to balance skin and keep wrinkles at bay.
Moisturize dry skin
We mentioned how beneficial lavender is for acne-prone skin. Turns out it’s nourishing for dry skin too! Linoleic acid keeps your skin barrier functioning healthily to keep moisture and nutrients inside skin cells. Lavender oil protects linoleic acid against damage, so using it daily in a moisturizer can help keep skin moisturized and radiant for the long run.
Add 3 drops of lavender oil to a quarter sized amount of a carrier oil. We recommend jojoba oil and argan oil for being fast absorbing. Apply the mixture to your face, neck, hands, and other rough patches of skin. Or if you prefer the whole body experience, massage yourself with a French lavender body cream and enjoy the luxurious scent of this luxe essential oil.
Migraine relief
If you’ve ever suffered from migraines, you’ll know how stubborn they are. Inhaling lavender oil has been shown to relieve migraine headaches. Rub a few drops of a diluted lavender oil mixture into your temples for migraine relief.
Treat dandruff
Lavender oil uses go as far as haircare too. Dandruff has many causes, such as oily skin, dry skin, fungus, or irritation. Usually it isn’t too much of a health concern, but it’s easy to notice on your scalp and clothes, and they can make you terribly self-conscious. And choosing the right shampoo for dandruff can be a pain, since most conventional treatments contain harsh chemical detergents that you want to keep out of your skin.
Luckily, lavender oil has been shown to be promising in treating dandruff and even hair loss. Its an anti-inflammatory that can also help to reduce the itch in various scalp conditions. Many natural and organic shampoos now make use of lavender for this exact reason!
Fight hair loss
Patients with alopecia who massaged a mixture of lavender oil into their scalp showed improvement in recovery, as opposed to patients who only used carrier oils such as jojoba oil. Lavender oil is a safe and effective treatment for this form of hair loss.
Apply a leave-in conditioner with lavender oil for a concentrated treatment. Or create your own hair mask by adding a few drops of lavender oil to coconut oil, and massage the mixture into your scalp. Be sure to check with your doctor first to see if lavender oil is safe for your condition!
Free Bunni’s verdict
Lavender oil: 5/5 stars
With so many practical and beauty benefits, lavender oil is definitely a must-have for every bathroom cabinet. It can be easily diluted in a carrier oil, or found in natural and organic personal care products for convenient daily use. It’s ideal to use for a variety of skin types and concerns, making lavender oil an all-around superstar beauty ingredient. What makes you fall in love with lavender?
Obsessed with essential oils? We’ve got plenty of guides to meet your desires:
Best Essential Oils for Skin: How to use essential oils to easily target acne, dry skin, and aging skin.
Tea Tree Oil for Skin: Here’s how tea tree oil will help you battle your skin care woes.
6 Essential Oils for Hair Growth Backed by Research: Essential oils are gentle enough to use for daily treatment and for boosting long term hair growth.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.