10 Uses for Lavender

Lavender isn’t just a pretty fragrance. It’s also very healing and can be used to relieve stress and relieve skin issues among other things.

A few weeks ago I did something stupid. It was very hot outside, and rather than let the humidity curl my hair, I decided to curl it myself. I didn’t have my glasses on and I grabbed the wrong end of the curling iron. While it was on. And hot.  It hurt. A lot. I immediately put my hand under cold water, and then I reached for the bottle of lavender oil that I keep in the medicine cabinet. I poured the oil over the burn and reapplied it several times throughout the evening. Not only did it help ease the pain, the burn pretty much disappeared. In fact, the next day I had to examine my hand pretty closely to see where exactly the burn had been, because the lavender oil even took away the redness.

I really love essential oils, and lavender is my go-to oil. I carry a bottle with me in my purse wherever I go, and I use it for all sorts of things. I even give it to my health coaching clients!

Here are my 10 of my favorite uses for lavender:

1. Burn relief. As I mentioned above, lavender oil helps tremendously with minor burns. Rub a few drops of oil on the burn as soon as it happens and a several times during the hours after.
2. Sunburn relief. Just as lavender helps with burns, it also helps with sunburn. Add a few drops to lotion and rub it onto sunburned skin.
3. Relaxation. Add a few drops of oil to a bubble bath, or place in a diffuser to help calm you after a stressful day. It also eases anxiety. I placed a few drops of oil onto my temples and my wrists during a very bumpy flight once to help calm my nerves.
4. Sleep aid. Just has lavender helps with relaxation, it can also help you fall asleep. I like to diffuse it in the bedroom to help me sleep. You can also rub a few drops of lavender oil onto your palms and smooth on your pillow to help you ride off to Sleepytown.
5. Headache relief. When I have a headache, I mix lavender and peppermint oils together in a little bit of lotion and rub it on my temples and on the back of my neck. It helps my headache and it feels quite refreshing.
6. Bug bites. Place a drop of oil onto bug bites or bee stings to help reduce itching and swelling.
7. Skin. Lavender is an overall great skin tonic. It can help reduce scars, moisturize chapped lips and skin, and reduce the effects of eczema, acne, and dermatitis. I mix lavender with my eye cream to help reduce under-eye puffiness too.
8. Deodorant. Lavender can be used as a deodorant by itself, or you can use it when making your own with baking soda and coconut oil.
9. Eat it. While I wouldn’t just chow down on a spoonful of dried lavender flowers, I do love the taste. I use it with dried chamomile flowers to make tea, with lemons to make lavender lemonade, and when baking to make things like lavender lemon cupcakes.
10. Just smell it. In addition to all of its uses, this pretty purple flower smells heavenly! Just defuse it to make a room smell great or wear it as a perfume to make yourself smell wonderful!