My top 5 favorite ways to use lavender essential oil around my home. Including instructions for making a lavender roller.
Lavender Essential Oil
In the past several years there has a been a lot of buzz in the essential oil world. It seems they are just about everywhere now, from health and beauty, wellness groups, household cleaning products…the list goes on. There are endless ways essential oils can be a part of our lives.
When our first daughter was born, she had very sensitive skin. We cloth diapered, (mainly to save money), but as time went on was so glad we made that choice. I believe it was also best for her sensitive skin. As a result, I began making my own homemade baby wipes, and finding alternatives to store bought diaper rash creams, which typically are not safe for use with cloth diapers. It was then that I purchased my first bottle of lavender essential oil.
Why Choose Lavender Essential Oil?
Lavender, in my opinion, is one of the “must have” and “go to” oils. If you start with only one oil, lavender would be an excellent choice. Also, If you are new to oils and still learning, yet don’t know what oil to use in a particular situation, reaching for lavender is usually a good place to begin.
Lavender as a plant has so many wonderful properties…
-relaxation
-skin support
-reducing inflammation
-soothing
-calming
-antiseptic & antibacterial
…to name a few.
Lavender is mild enough for children, and in many cases can be used undiluted or with a small dilution making it relatively safe compared to other oils. Some essential oils and blends absolutely must be diluted before use. I personally and very comfortable with using this oil and have little fear of “messing it up”.
Affordability of Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender essential oil is also very affordable when compared to other oils and blends. I always purchase organic or cleanly sourced lavendula agustfoliana oil. There are multiple species of lavender on the market so check the labels. I absolutely encourage buying oils directly from a good source, not a big box store. Quality does make a difference in the performance of your oils, and you don’t want any yucky additives which usually come with the cheaper price. My preferred oil companies are Mountain Rose Herbs, Far & Wild, Young Living, and Plant Therapy.
Use it!
Once you’ve made the decision to add lavender essential oil to your lifestyle or home medicine cabinet, it’s only useful if you actually use it! Or maybe you already bought a bottle and it’s been sitting around and you don’t know what you should use it for. Never fear, I’m going to share some of my favorite uses for lavender essential oil.
Here we go!.
#1 Bug Bites
Bugs! We all hate it when they bite. It’s even worse when the bites swell or itch. That’s why I ALWAYS keep a diluted roller ball of lavender essential oil on hand.
Last summer, we had chiggers like crazy as we were working to tame our previously abandoned acreage. If you’ve never encountered a chigger, let me just say their bites itch LIKE CRAZY. I could not find relief from the burning itch, (which only gets worse if you scratch), until I reached for my lavender oil. It soothed the itch within minutes and would hold it off for about 4 hours.
The properties in lavender essential oil can help with neutralizing the toxins in any bite or sting, so don’t hesitate to apply it to any insect bump.
Want to try it for yourself? Follow the link to my LAVENDER ROLLER!
#2 Cuts & Burns
Lavender is said to be helpful for pretty much anything related to the skin. I apply it on minor cuts and burns to promote healing and deter infections. Sometimes, I even add a drop on the absorbent pad of a band aid before placing it on a cut.
#3 Ear Aches
Our family very rarely gets ear infections. I think each kid has had one in their lifetime that required actual treatment, but from time to time the kids and I do get ear aches. Maybe it’s from swimming, or allergies, or other random causes. When we do it’s lavender to the rescue.
As with the bug bites, I love when I can actually feel the product working. It’s not a hypothetical “this may help”, but an actual “wow, that helped”. It’s nice to know that real results can be determined within a short period of time.
I grab the roller ball and rub the diluted lavender all around the outer ear. (The part of your ear that sticks out away from your head.)
Using my fingers I rub lavender on both the front and the back of the ear, and around the opening, but you should NEVER put oils directly IN your ear canal.
I also roll lavender behind the ears (that place your momma always told you to wash) and along the back of the jaw bone. Then I massage and rub behind the ear, down along the jaw, and down the neck a few times. This helps encourage drainage of the ear.
Please remember, this is NOT to be used as a treatment for ear infections, but could be used concurrently to appropriate treatment, to help calm the ache associated with an ear infection.
#4 Diffuse
The calming scent of lavender is welcome in my home. I especially try diffusing it in the kids bedrooms at bedtime to encourage restful sleep.
*I am not a doctor. I do not claim to have information to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. I have simply shared my experiences and the ways I have chosen to use lavender oil.
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