The Benefits of Lavender

How we love lavender. It attracts bees and other pollinators, it smells amazing – and its essential oil is loaded with benefits to body and mind. 

What is Lavender Good For?

For thousands of years, human beings have made use of lavender essential oil. Ancient Egyptians are thought to have used it in perfume, whilst Ancient Romans are thought to have used it for first aid. It was the Romans who were believed to have introduced the plant, which originated in the Mediterranean and Middle East, to the UK.

Today, there are myriad reported uses for lavender oil, whether inhaled in aromatherapy or used as a skin or haircare ingredient (more on that below).

How to Use Lavender for Sleep

Look, no one’s guaranteeing that lavender oil will send you to sleep – but because its aroma is known to be calming, people often use it to help them relax at bedtime.

This 2021 study found that ‘lavender aroma could improve subjective sleep quality’ and this one in 2015 found that ‘lavender and sleep hygiene together… improved sleep quality for college students with self-reported sleep issues.’

If you’d like to try lavender essential oil to help you feel more tranquil at bedtime, begin in the bathroom. Use our Lavender & Geranium Body Wash in the shower, or pour a few drops under running water to make a bubble bath. If you’re washing your hair, lather up with our Lavender & Geranium Shampoo and follow up with the Lavender & Geranium Conditioner, leaving it on for a few minutes so you can enjoy the aroma as it soaks into your strands. Afterwards, massage our Lavender & Geranium Hand & Body Lotion into your skin.

When it’s time for bed, use an oil diffuser with lavender essential oil or spritz your bedding with a lavender pillow spray to fill your space with the aroma before you drift off to sleep.

What Does Lavender Oil do for Hair?

So, washing your hair with lavender shampoo and conditioner will give you a moment with that calming aroma – and leave your tresses feeling fresh. But aside from smelling wonderful, what does lavender essential oil do for your hair?

It all starts with the scalp, the foundation for healthy hair. Lavender oil is known to have antifungal and antibacterial properties. These can help balance the scalp and hair follicles, which may help keep common scalp issues such as itching and flaking at bay. Lavender oil is also renowned for having moisturising and anti-inflammatory properties, which can help soothe the scalp. It is also known to help increase blood flow to the scalp, helping to encourage healthier, stronger hair.

What Does Lavender Oil do for Skin?

All the properties of lavender oil that are good for the scalp make it an excellent ingredient for skincare, too. Its antibacterial and antifungal properties can help cleanse the skin, and its moisturising and anti-inflammatory qualities can help soothe it. And the high levels of antioxidants in the oil may help protect skin from free radicals.

You should never apply lavender oil directly to skin, but look for products that include it on their list of ingredients. In our Lavender & Geranium range, we use lavender essential oil that’s grown and distilled on a family farm in Kent (pictured above). For washing skin, our relaxing Lavender & Geranium Hand Wash and Lavender & Geranium Body Wash both harness the benefits (including that calming aroma!) of this beautiful essential oil. And for moisturising, our soothing Lavender & Geranium Hand & Body Lotion combines lavender oil with the hydrating power of ethically-traded shea butter.