I used to absolutely loathe the smell of lavender…
I’m ashamed to say that it reminded me of old ladies and I thought it was sickly and cheap.
How wrong was I?
I can’t even remember any of my lady residents in my nursing home using toiletries which smelled of lavender and yet it was there in the back of my mind somewhere.
Imagine how I felt when I was developing my Mellow product range and people were asking me for a lavender range?
I resisted it for a long time…even though I was an aromatherapist and knew the benefits inside out but fortunately I decided to research deeper into the benefits in relation to skin care particularly.
I’m so pleased I did because I discovered there are some wonderful lavender oils available.
Lavender officinalis is said to be the most odorous and grows wild in the Mediterranean. Perched on long stems, the tiny purple-blue flowers are covered with star shaped hairs and the narrow leaves are grey/green. Of course lavender is also extensively cultivated in England and France.
As well as its well-known properties in relaxation and first aid, lavender is also very valuable in skin care. It promotes the growth of new cells and exerts a balancing action on sebum making it very useful in cases of acne, eczema and psoriasis.
My particular favourites are:
Lavandula angustifolia – flowers from France which is harvested at high altitudes
Lavandula hybrid – flowers from Bulgaria which has a similar fragrance to the French variety
I now use lavender happily in my products and use it on its own, in a blend or I combine it with other amazing oils depending on the product.
I can’t believe I detested lavender oil for so many years but thankfully I now love it which can be proved by all the lavender bushes happily growing in my garden!
Do please share your “love it or loathe it” experiences with lavender.
PS. If you would like to know what your skin type is, why not find out? Click here for your free questionnaire.
Carole x