Why is it necessary to have this essential oil in your medicine cabinet or cosmetic bag? Lavender, the properties and application of which will be the topic of our review, is excellent for caring for nails, hair and skin. Recipes with lavender oil and reviews on the effectiveness of their action we will present to you in our article.
Lavender: A Story
Back in the Middle Ages, this mysterious purple flower was credited with magical properties. It was believed that lavender was able to scare away evil spirits. People often carried amulets of these flowers. If the village was covered by any epidemic, then the inhabitants gathered armfuls of lavender and burned them in one big fire. It was believed that smoke would save people who were not yet ill.
The ancient Romans first began to use essential oil for cosmetic purposes. Lavender, the properties of which are studied to this day, is also popular in medicine.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the French chemist Rene-Maurice Gattefosse studied essential oils. He was the first person to introduce the term “aromatherapy”. In 1910, having received severe burns after an explosion in a laboratory, Renee Maurice smeared the skin with a solution of lavender oil. The wounds healed quickly and left a minimal amount of traces after themselves. The scientist once again ascertained the antiseptic and wound healing action that this essential oil has. Lavender, the properties and application of which was studied by a chemist, proved to be an excellent anti-burn agent.
What does blue gold oil look like
“Blue gold” - this is what lavender flowers are called in Provence. French oil is considered the most elite and expensive. Prepare it by steam distillation. In color, phyto-essence does not have a blue tint, as some may think. The liquid is almost clear. The smell cannot be confused with anything. It is fresh, minty and spicy at the same time with woody notes. Oil is produced not only in France, but also in Australia, Crimea, England.
Skin care
Researches of scientists have proved that essential oil (lavender) is excellent as an antibacterial and antifungal substance. Its properties make it possible to use this ingredient as an auxiliary component in creams and masks, where a stronger antibacterial substance is taken as the basis. So, if you mix in the ratio 1: 1 the essential oils of tea and lavender oils, you can get an excellent remedy for acne. When applying it, there will be no acne marks. Apply the composition only on the pimple, without affecting other areas of the skin.
Lavender oil for tired skin
Poor environmental conditions and abuse of bad habits lead to the accumulation of toxins in the body, which affects the skin. It becomes rough and prone to allergic reactions and inflammation. Lavender will help remove all of these symptoms in a short time. Just add a few drops to homemade face and body creams. But it is worth noting that you can not mix store cosmetics and natural lavender oil.
Use for oily skin
This is not all the advantages that a remedy such as lavender essential oil has. For oily skin, it is just perfect and helps to remove shine. With excessive secretion of sebum on the face, it is recommended to use tonics every day. Here is a recipe for a natural remedy with lavender oil.
You need to buy 250 ml of distilled water and essential oils in the pharmacy: lavender, orange, lemon, tea tree, geranium. It is enough to add three drops to the water of each oil. In a bottle, mix everything and let it brew for a day. Wipe your face with a cotton pad after washing. This tonic eliminates oily sheen and kills bacteria.
Eliminate acne and acne scars
A clay clay mask with lavender oil is considered a good remedy for acne. Cooking it is quite simple. You need to take any clay in the amount of 2 tablespoons and add 5-6 drops of lavender phyto-essence, as well as lemon juice - 1 teaspoon. Stir everything in mineral water (70-100 ml). The mask should be kept on your face for 20-30 minutes, then rinse with warm water and wipe with tonic.
Lavender oil, as noted above, accelerates the regeneration of skin cells and has established itself as a good remedy for the effects of acne control. If you mix it with wheat germ oil in a one to one ratio, you can get a very effective remedy. Wipe these scars with the composition 2-3 times a day. Results should appear in a couple of weeks.
We treat the skin
Lavender essential oil has unique skin properties. Here are some recipes for fighting various epidermal diseases.
Abscess recipe
Oils - lavender, thyme, tea tree - take 1 drop and mix. Apply three times a day.
Recipe for soothing itching after insect bites
It is necessary to take in equal proportions three oils: tea tree, lavender, geranium. Treat the affected area regularly until the onset of the first signs of improvement in skin condition.
A bath with the addition of lavender and chamomile oils (3 and 5 drops, respectively) cures urticaria. Take a bath should be no more than fifteen minutes. If we are talking about young children and people with sensitive skin, then in its pure form it is better not to use oils for the procedure. A spoonful of honey, cream or yogurt will serve as an excellent emulsifier, in which phytoessence must be added. Only then the resulting mixture is poured into bathing water.
Sunburn application
For lovers of lying in the sun without a protective cream, the following recipe for burns will be useful. As a basis, you need to take olive oil. Add a little lavender oil in a ratio of 1 to 10. It treats purulent wounds and thermal burns.
Scalp treatment
If we are talking about such unpleasant phenomena as dandruff, itching, irritation of the scalp, then ordinary shampoos can cope with this, in which it is enough to add essential oil. Lavender, the properties and application of which is the topic of our conversation, has established itself as a means against the fungus of the scalp.
Hair application
Where else can lavender essential oil be used? Application for hair! Read reviews and recipes for masks later in this article.
The procedure of combing hair with lavender oil at night will not only bring a healthy shine to curls, but also give you a good sleep, and this is a necessary condition for growth and preservation of hair. For the procedure, a wooden comb is suitable , on which you need to apply essential oil. Lavender, whose properties (it is very useful for hair!) Which is unique, after only fourteen days of use will make your curls obedient and shiny.
Massage for fast hair growth
For massage, in addition to lavender essential oil in the amount of ten drops, you need to take the following ingredients:
- jojoba oil - 100-110 grams;
- rosemary oil - 8-9 drops;
- basil essential oil - 4-6 drops.
All this must be placed in a dark glass bottle for storage. Massage the scalp with your fingertips two or three times a week. But before each procedure, you need to shake the mixture so that the action does not produce one essential oil. Lavender, the properties and application for the hair of which we are considering, judging by many reviews, has proved to be an excellent remedy for baldness.
Recipe for a massage against hair loss
Burdock oil (two tablespoons) is perfect as a base ingredient. Add five drops of lavender oil and mix everything. Rub in massage movements for 7-10 minutes. You can distribute the mixture over the entire length of the hair and leave it as a mask for 30-40 minutes. After rinse with warm water and a suitable shampoo.
How else can you use essential oil? Lavender: application for hair during the wrapping procedure
To prepare the mixture, you need to mix the egg yolk with burdock and olive oils (take one tablespoon each). Add five drops of lavender phyto essences. In a water bath, heat the mixture to a temperature of 36.6 degrees. If the hair is oily type, then apply the mixture only at the ends. For all other cases - on the entire surface of the curls and roots. An important point after application is wrapping the head with polyethylene. From above you need to wear a warming cap or towel. The procedure lasts from 30 to 45 minutes. After you need to rinse the composition with shampoo. This wrap can be done every week.
Lavender Essential Oil: Nail Application
You can dress with style and watch your face and hair, but everything spoils the groomed and unhealthy look of your hands.
Lavender essential oil (properties and applications in the cosmetology of which we are considering) is also useful for nails. In particular, it promotes growth and strengthens the nail plates.
If you mix lavender oil (one drop) and one tablespoon of olive oil, you can get an excellent tool for nail growth. It is enough to rub the mixture every day, one or two times, not forgetting the cuticle.
Use against stretch marks and old scars on the body
Stretch marks - a nuisance that haunts almost all women who have ever given birth or abruptly lost extra pounds. Eliminate them completely will not work, but you can make them less noticeable.
The most effective remedy for scars and stretch marks is a mixture of watermelon and lavender oils in equal proportions. Mix right before use. You can take olive oil as a basis. In its pure form, essential oils can harm the skin.
It is always easier to prevent a disease than to treat it, and with stretch marks. If you have a diet, then you need to take care of the skin. Stria can be prevented by mixing almond and lavender oil (take 5 drops of lavender oil per 1 teaspoon of almond oil). This composition should be rubbed into problem areas two or three times a week.
Do not wait for a quick get rid of skin imperfections, especially if stretch marks are already old. It’s easy to find out the age of striae. If they are dark in color, then these are young stretch marks. Over time, such sites themselves fade. You need to be patient, because treatment can take even a year.
Baths with lavender oil will provide additional help in removing stretch marks, especially when it comes to large areas of damage. It must be remembered that any emulsifier (salt, yogurt, milk) is necessary, otherwise the oil will not dissolve in water and will float to the surface. Take a bath no more than 20 minutes. For 10 liters of water, one drop of ether is enough.
Lavender Oil Wraps Against Stretch Marks
Lavender oil can be added to clay or honey. There is a wrap only with oils. For example, you need to take one drop of the following phyto essences: lavender, lemon, neroli. Mix them in 40 ml of wheat germ oil. Such wraps are traditionally carried out according to all the rules of this procedure.
Before applying, it is good to massage or scrub the skin. Do not do hair removal. An hour before wrapping is not recommended to eat and drink. Apply the mixture to the body and wrap it with a film, but not too tight. You need to put on warm pants or wrap yourself with a blanket. After 30 minutes, take a shower. Some advise taking a salt bath for 10 minutes. Wraps are contraindicated for people with vascular diseases, varicose veins and other skin problems.
Contraindications and storage rules
A very valuable product is essential oil. Lavender, the properties and application of which we are considering, has its own contraindications. Although phytoessence is not an allergen, a sensitivity test should still be performed. To do this, apply a drop to the wrist or bend the elbow.
Do not use lavender for pregnant and lactating because of the ability of this plant to change the hormonal background. People undergoing therapy with iodine and iron preparations should also refrain from using the described oil.
Also, do not forget that the aroma of lavender lowers blood pressure, which means that the remedy is contraindicated for people with hypotension.
Store a bottle of oil in a dark place with moderate humidity, for example, in the bedroom, but not in the bathroom. Shelf life is of great importance. Expired essential oil can be harmful. Buying essential oils is best in a pharmacy.