Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is a plant that requires no introduction. It is a commonly grown plant for soothing fragrance. It is an easy-care plant, which can grow in hot and dry conditions. This makes it easy to grow in various areas. Even in areas that are prone to drought.
This herb is by far the most popular herb plant for various reasons. It can be included in cooking for flavoring and can help soothe your mind and spirit. Then, many of us don’t know what wonders can this little purple flower do.
So, you have come to the right place. We are going to share with you the skin and health benefits that you can have from the lavender flower. We will also give you some tips to grow this little miraculous flower in your own garden.
You can find many products of lavender in the market easily. Those prepared from dried flowers or the essential oil are from the plant. Following are the various types of lavender products.
- Bathing gels
- Soaps
- Lotions
- Teas
- Infusions
- Extracts
- Aromatherapy oil
- Whole, dried flowers
- Tinctures
Benefits of Lavender Oil:
Lavender oil has a variety of benefits to offers you. We can group these benefits into the followings:
- For skin
- For hair
- For health
Lavender Oil for Skin:
1. Treats Acne:
The oil is one the most effective natural way to get rid of your acne. Its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties help fight the bacteria that cause acne.
2. Helps to Treat Eczema:
Eczema is a skin condition marked by the rough skin and inflammable patches. It also causes itching and bleeding. It makes your skin condition worse only if you do not know about the lavender oil’s effectiveness. The oil has the properties to relieve the itchiness by adding moisture to the affected areas. This results in healing the blister patches caused by eczema.
3. Detoxify The Skin:
The oil’s antioxidant properties fight against environmental toxins and pollutants that deteriorate your skin health and inhibit the growth of bacteria.
4. Heals Burns and Scars:
Lavender oil’s antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties help heal burns and, scars caused by burns and injuries.
5. Heals Insect Bites:
The itchiness and swelling caused by an insect bite can also heal by the use of the oil. Moreover, it can work as an insect repellant.
6. Relaxing and Soothing:
Lavender oil has been effective in relaxing tired muscles. Its soothing properties can help you feel refreshed.
7. Tones your Skin:
Lavender oil can also serve as a toner as it helps boosts circulation and rejuvenates your skins.
Lavender Oil for Hair:
The oil is one of the commonly used essential oil for hair growth and different hair problems. Following are the benefits you can have by using the oil
1. Hair Loss Solution:
Lavender oil is the solution to your hair loss problem. Regular massage not only helps in growing hairs but also cures the weak roots causing hair fall, insomnia, depression, stress, and anxiety.
2. Treats Alopecia:
Alopecia is a hair disease marked by hair loss patches. When you massage the oil in the affected areas, it increases the blood circulation, resulting in a noticeable hair growth with few months.
3. Treats Dandruff:
Lavender essential oil helps you treat dandruff and itchy scalp by adding needed moisture to your skin.
4. Get Rid Of Head Lice:
The oil’s antiseptic properties help to eradicate lice and lice eggs from your scalp.
5. Conditioner:
This herb can also work as a conditioner. By simply boiling the dried herb and by adding few drops of the oil it the end and then rinsing your hair with it after shampoo.
Lavender Oil for Health:
As mentioned earlier, the oil has various health benefits to offer, which includes:
1. Treats Insomnia:
The oil has the properties to soothe and relax mind that results in sound sleep. People put the dried flowers into pillows. The scent of these dried flowers induces sleep and relaxes your mind.
2. Cures Anxiety and Depression:
As stated earlier, the oil soothes your mind because of its calming and anti-convulsive properties, which also helps in treating anxiety and depression.
3. Cures Headaches:
Massaging your head with this oil is effective in curing headaches and migraines. You just need to massage your temples, neck, and forehead that will help reduce the pain. This oil cures various types of headaches, which include:
- General headaches
- Gastric headaches
- Nervous headaches
- Sinus headaches and
- Tension headaches
4. Proper Digestion:
Lavender helps you in proper digestion of food by soothing the digestive tract and helping the secretion of bile. It also helps with indigestion problems, gas problem, and constipation.
5. Heals Wounds:
The oil has effective antiseptic properties that help you to heal wounds and scars caused by them. This antiseptic property increases the cell growth that results in fast healing of wounds.
6. Relieves Nausea and Motion Sickness:
This oil is also effective in reducing nausea or motion sickness. The aroma soothes your mind and keeps you fresh.
7. Reduces Bloating:
Bloating is due to the overgrowth of bad bacteria, which can reduce by using this oil. It consists of polyphenols that reduce the bad bacteria in your blood that results in getting rid of bloating.
8. Perfume:
Lavender oil is also used as a natural perfume. Its natural fragrance is health and alcohol-free, as compared to other perfumes and colognes. You can wear this in a perfume by simply dabbing a bit on your wrist and neck and feel good.
As mentioned above, the oil and dried flower offer you enormous benefits. So why not grow this miraculous flower in your own garden.
Tips To Grow Lavender:
Growing this herb in your garden is not a difficult job. All you need to do is follow some guidelines. Here are few tips that will help you grow this herb in your own garden:
- Keep your lavender for almost 6 hours or more in the sunlight
- It can grow in little water. So, don’t over water them less is more
- Grow you it in well-drained areas where water doesn’t stand. Otherwise, you can also plant them into pots
- Mix gravel into the soil to improve drainage
- Grow/place you lavender in an area with good airflow if there is high humidity
- Use small pea gravel on the top of the soil
- Avoid using sprinkler system
- Pot it with plants that need less water
- You don’t need to fertilize
- Cut them in the late fall
Besides that just find a little about the type of lavender you should be planting, which type will grow best according to the climate you are living in. You can find all that details here.