Among the many different kinds of essential oils, lavender oil is among the most versatile and useful. It smells amazing and has a wonderful calming effect. It is truly a staple oil in any essential oil lover’s collection.
If you are new to essential oils, I highly recommend lavender essential oil as one of your first essential oil purchases. And if you’re REALLY new, I recommend you read: What are essential oils?
Let’s explore why lavender oil is so great…
Lavender Essential Oil Profile
Traditionally known to be healing to the skin, lavender essential oil makes an appearance in many bath and body products. But that is only the beginning of what makes this such a popular choice of essential oil.
Other properties of lavender essential oil:
- A mild antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antiseptic
- Aromatic and deodorizing, it is great for eliminating unwanted odors
- Can be calming to nausea and various stomach upsets
- Can be used to repel insects
- Analgesic and anti-inflammatory
- Can have a sedative or stimulant effect depending on how it is used and the individual
In general, lavender oil is known as a “calming” oil, and can promote an overall feeling of well being.
Tips for Using Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender essential oil is considered “generally safe”, meaning that it’s not a particularly dangerous oil to work with. This makes it a great oil for beginners. Of course, you should always follow safety guidelines when handling and using essential oils.
Read: How to Use Essential Oils Safely
Some general tips for using lavender essential oil:
- Always dilute in a carrier oil when applying to the skin (unless instructed otherwise by a certified aromatherapist). I recommend this resource for learning how to properly dilute oils.
- Use 5 drops of lavender oil in an essential oil diffuser (I own this one) to disinfect the air and promote a feeling of well being.
- Place 4-5 drops on a cotton ball to freshen closets and drawers
- Dilute and carry in roll-on applicator so that you can reap the benefits of aromatherapy when away from home
More ideas below…
Note: There is some debate as to whether lavender oil can safely be applied NEAT (directly on the skin, undiluted). I can not advise for or against this practice, so please contact a qualified professional for further information regarding this.
Top 5 Uses for Lavender Essential Oil
Of course, there are thousands of recipes and specific uses for lavender essential oil. But, this is a general overview of what lavender oil can be used for. Hopefully this will give you a good idea of the full range of possibilities with this wonderful oil!
The top 5 uses for lavender essential oil are:
1. Healing Skin & Beauty Recipes
As discussed, lavender oil has been traditionally used to heal the skin, making it a great addition to skin and beauty products. It is naturally analgesic and anti-inflammatory.
Lavender oil can be used for:
- Treating acne
- Soothing burns
- Healing eczema, psoriasis, and other skin conditions
Skin and beauty recipes that use lavender essential oil:
- Heal your lips with Honey Lavender Lip Balm
- Calming Coconut Oil Lotion
- DIY Acne Fighting Face Serum
- Homemade Burn Cream
- Lavender Rose Body Polish
- Lavender Lotion Bars
- DIY Lavender Mint Bath and Body Set
2. Natural Remedies
Lavender oil has many natural healing properties, therefore it makes a debut in many natural remedies. Here are some of my favorite natural remedies that include lavender essential oil:
- Soothing Cough and Cold Chest Rub
- Headache Remedy
- Relief from Seasonal Allergies
- Natural Teething Remedy
- Homemade Antibacterial Cream
3. Household Cleaning Recipes
Lavender oil disinfects and deodorizes at the same time, leaving behind a nice fresh scent. What’s not to love? It makes an excellent addition to homemade cleaning recipes…
- Multipurpose Cleaner
- DIY Lavender Linen Spray
- Homemade Natural Steam Cleaner Solution
- Or try lavender oil in any one of these 44 natural cleaning recipes
4. Travel and Outdoors
Lavender oil makes a great addition to any nature kit or natural first aid kit, most notably for it’s ability to naturally repel insects. It can also be used to treat minor scrapes and burns (including sunburns). I recommend diluting in a roll-on applicator for this purpose.
It can also be used to make a natural hand sanitizer, great for avoiding germs during trips away from home.
Try also: Homemade Herbal Bug Spray
5. General Wellness
Because of it’s natural ability to induce calm and relaxation, lavender essential oil is a great oil to have on hand for general wellness. It can be used to promote sleep and reduce stress.
Try some of these ideas:
- DIY Sleepy Time Serum
- Calming Bedtime Linen Spray
- Make your own DIY Reed Diffuser or buy a diffuser to distribute the aroma around your home.
~ Where to Buy Essential Oils ~
I currently recommend Mountain Rose Herbs or Plant Therapy.
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Recommended Reading:
50 Uses for Lavender Essential Oil
10 Uses for Lavender Essential Oil
*This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please follow all safety guidelines and if needed, consult a certified aromatherapist.
Vanessa integrates EMDR, sandtray, and attachment-focused approaches in her work and is completing credentials toward Registered Play Therapist and EMDRIA certification. With a background as a certified birth doula and a passion for making healing accessible, she writes and teaches on the intersection of trauma, neurodevelopment, and story-based therapy.
