Health benefits of lavender oil

Lavender oil is not only a good smelling essential oil, but also a lot of health benefits too. Lavender oil is extracted mostly from the flowers of the lavender plant, primarily through steam distillation. The flowers of lavender are fragrant in nature and have been used for making potpourri for centuries. Traditionally, lavender essential oil has also been used in making perfumes. The oil is very useful in aromatherapy and many aromatic preparations and combinations.

You can also make it at home-

Take fresh lavender

The usable parts of lavender plants are leaves, new stems and flower. The woody, thick stems near the base should be avoided.

Let it dry

If you are using fresh lavender, dry it first in shade or wrapped in a cloth. This will help enhance its aroma.

Add oil

Once it is dried, put it in a small jar and oil to it. Almond oil, olive oil or sunflower oil is commonly used.

Let it soak

Cover the jar tightly, leave the mixture to soak. Strain the oil, repeat the process to make it stronger.

Health benefits

Hair Loss

Losing a lot of hair? Or worse, diagnosed with alopecia (hair loss from the immune system mistakenly attacking hair follicles)? You should definitely invest in a bottle of lavender oil. Animal studies1 have found that lavender oil led to faster hair growth, increased number of hair follicles and deepened hair follicle depth in female mice. However, there are no available human studies to compare this claim with.

Relieve pain

It can help ease sore or tense muscles, joint pain and rheumatism, sprains, backache and lumbago. Simply massage lavender oil onto the affected area. Lavender oil may also help lessen pain following needle insertion.

Treat acne

While you might think that putting oil on your face would worsen acne, plant oils like lavender won’t clog your pores and the natural antibacterial and antiseptic properties can offer an ideal solution. Harsh chemicals and over-the-counter or prescription drugs can lead to further irritation, making the problem worse than it was to begin with, but essential oils like lavender have the power to kill bacteria on the skin naturally, as well as to protect it from irritation and stress. Lavender also helps to balance hormone levels while offering many other benefits that promote better skin health.

To use it on your skin to treat acne, make a facial toner. All you need to do is combine a few drops of lavender oil with a tablespoon of oil, dab a bit onto a cotton ball and apply it to cleansed skin. The lavender helps to heal a breakout while the witch hazel tones the skin.

Aids in the Treatment of Eczema

Eczema can be a very embarrassing skin condition, but only if one doesn’t have lavender oil handy. This is because the oil has the ability to relieve itching and reduce the symptoms of eczema. It also decongests the irritated areas on the skin by adding moisture, thereby accelerating the healing process.

Nausea or motion sickness

To alleviate the symptoms of motion sickness, place a drop of Lavender oil on end of the tongue, behind the ears or around the navel.