Lavender is not only one of the most popular essential oils, but it is an easy oil for beginners to aromatherapy to work with. However, there are various species of lavender and you need to study essential oils in detail to understand the subtle differences between both fragrance and therapeutic properties. Here are three simple aromatherapy recipes using lavender essential oil as the core ingredient.
All recipes within this post are for home use only and you should take further study on calculating amounts to use if you intend to experiment further. In addition, please consult the disclaimer on this blog for cautions for use, in addition to those stated in this post.
Lavender as an Essential Oil
The most popular species of lavender to use as an essential oil include true lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), spike lavender (Lavandula latifolia) and lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia). True lavender is probably the most well known of the essential oils, although spike lavender is very similar in aromatherapy use. However, the chemical make-up of each oil is different. Botanically speaking, there are subtle differences between the plants too. Lavandin is actually a hybrid of true lavender and spike lavender.
Cautions for Using Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender essential oil is popular because of its gentle nature. However, there might be some contra-indications for use in specific groups of people and, if you are unfamiliar with the use of lavender oil, you should consult a certified aromatherapist for further advice before use.
Lavender Massage Oil Recipe
Massage is probably one of the easiest ways to use lavender oil. Simply combine the essential oil with a carrier oil base and apply to the skin:
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2 oz jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) oil
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18 drops of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) essential oil.
Lavender Spritzer Recipe
Prefer water over oil? Spritzers are a great way to freshen yourself up – or a room! Simply combine the essential oil with water and spritz! You can add in a solubol or perfumer’s alcohol too – but for immediate personal use, the water combination works just as well:
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2 oz distilled water
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25 drops of lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia) essential oil.
Lavender Body Lotion Recipe
Lavender is also great to use as a body lotion. You can either make your own lotion or combine with an unscented white lotion base:
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4 oz unscented white lotion base
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36 drops of spike lavender (Lavandula latifolia) essential oil.
Learn to Make Your Own Lavender Aromatherapy Products for Bath and Body
Lavender essential oil can be combined with other bath and body products such as bath salts, scrubs, melts, bath bombs and more. If you want to learn more about lavender, or how to make your own lavender aromatherapy products, consider one of the following home study courses at Sedona Aromatherapie:
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Lavender Aromatherapy Course
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Basic Butters. Balms, Creams and Lotions Course.
Enjoy!
References
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Author is a UK certified aromatherapist with her own aromatherapy business
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Caddy, Rosemary, 1997, Aromatherapy: Essential Oils in Colour, UK: Amberwood Publishing Ltd
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Lawless, Julia, 1995, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils, UK: Thorsons
