Lavender the most versatile oil in the world!

Blog #2

Lavender is one of the most popular oils worldwide and has a stable of virtues to go along with that claim. There are several types of Lavender my personal favorite is the angustifolia, however there are several other types like officinales, population, spike, maritime, list is extensive. All are rather good for wound care, reducing sleep issues. Then it comes down to the gas chromatography to depict what the particular Lavender is more well known for.

The one I carry is angustifolia from Bulgaria grown Organically by one of the last family run farms (non-corporate). The two main constituents that show up on the GC reports for lavender are linalool and linalyl acetate. They are the main constituents that give lavender its wound care ability and assisting the CNS to relax especially before bed. I found this farms GC reports came in at 37.187% for the linalool and 32.214% on the linalyl acetate. When comparing these with the GC reports of other lavenders they were slightly higher in both counts.

For most oils it all comes down to what you smell does it appeal to you? This one does it for me and I could buy directly from the grower meaning I can get a better product for less. Which gets passed onto the customer. At times when the lavender is sold off depending on the company it goes to, they can elongate the volume by adding in Lavandin. A hybrid of Lavender that yields 2 x the volume but does not have the chemical makeup of a “true lavender”. The Lavandin is a much larger plant and tougher than the true lavender yielding more per bushel and is sought after by the cosmetic, soap and detergent industries. However, I would not apply this oil neet to an open wound. I guess I am just a Lavender snob. This is the bonus of being able to purchase directly from the grower. No interference happens and the GC report will be accurate. When purchasing from the grower you usually have to order 5 KG as a minimum so you have to have a business that will allow you to sell that volume in a timely manner.

Common Uses: Lavender is credited with being an analgesic, anti-convulsive, antidepressant, anti-phlogistic, anti-rheumatic, anti-septic, antispasmodic, antiviral, bactericide, carminative, cholagogue, cicatrisant, cordial, cytophylactic, decongestant, deodorant, and as a diuretic. Herbalist regards Lavender as the most useful and versatile essential oil for therapeutic purposes. Lavender is the essential oil most associated with burns and healing of the skin. It also has antiseptic and analgesic properties which will ease the pain of a burn and prevent infection. It also has Cytophylactic properties that promote rapid healing and help reduce scarring. Lavender Bulgarian is a very therapeutic in nature comparable in status to the better-known Lavender Population. The different soil, temperature, precipitation, etc. contributes to some subtle changes in scent, the greatest advantage being for more sophisticated label claims.

History: Lavender is adapted to living in a dry climate and is native to the western half of the Mediterranean, reaching altitudes of up to 1800 meters. It is believed that the Romans and the Benedictine monks subsequently introduced it to rest of Europe. Rene-Maurice Gattefosse is renowned for the famous lavender oil story where he worked in a lab and had severe burn and emersed his hand into a vial of lavender and noted his wound healed in a short period.

Applications: Inhalation, diffuser, steam inhalation, massage, compresses, bath, and skin care.

Note: Now if some of the above terms of uses are not familiar to you then look them up on my Glossary of Terms page.