It is with good reason why lavender oil is one of the most favorite essential oils, as it has wonderful qualities and also smells great. It is a calming, relaxing oil, which combats stress and crisis, while the antiseptic properties helps with cold, flu and other ailments. It is excellent for asthma and migraines. Apart from that it supports female health and on the skin it has a healing effect, while preventing scarring and balancing the skin.

Oil Properties

Lavender oil has a light fresh aroma, is clear in color and watery in viscosity.

Origin of Lavender Oil

It is an evergreen woody shrub about 1 meter high (3 feet), with gray-green narrow linear leaves and the most beautiful purple-blue flowers, perched on a long stem and a few varieties of it grow wild in the Mediterranean region, but the main producer is France.

The name is derived from the Latin word 'lavera' which means 'to wash' and the Romans used it frequently in their bath routine, and it is said to have been introduced by them into England, where it soon was a firm favorite.

It was a favorite for strewing on the floor, since it released an aroma when walked upon and it is often used these days in toilet water, as an insecticide or in sachets to be placed between linen. It is also used to clean wounds and to treat burns.

Extraction

Lavender oil is extracted from the flowering tops by steam distillation and yields 1.4 % - 1.6 %.

Chemical Composition

The main chemical components of lavender oil are a-pinene, limonene, 1,8-cineole, cis-ocimene, trans-ocimene, 3-octanone, camphor, linalool, linalyl acetate, caryophyllene, terpinen-4-ol and lavendulyl acetate.

Precautions

Although lavender oil is considered one of the safest essential oils, you should discontinue use is you have any allergic reactions.

Therapeutic Properties

The therapeutic properties of lavender oil are antiseptic, analgesic, anti-convulsant, anti-depressant, anti-rheumatic, anti-spasmodic, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, bactericide, carminative, cholagogue, cicatrisant, cordial, cytophylactic, decongestant, deodorant, diuretic, emmenagogue, hypotensive, nervine, rubefacient, sedative, sudorific and vulnerary.