Benefits and side effects of lavender oil

Lavender is often associated with the Mediterranean. Those who have visited the Provence region have likely seen vast lavender fields, resembling a violet-blue ocean from afar. Its gentle, delicate aroma has a calming and relaxing effect on the human body. That’s why lavender is widely used in phytotherapy, aromatherapy, cosmetology, soap making, naturopathy, cooking, and even pharmaceuticals.

One of the most popular lavender-based products is lavender essential oil — a thick, light-yellow substance with a distinctive strong fragrance.

Value and benefits of lavender essential oil

Lavender and its oil contain plenty of vitamin A, iron, and highly active volatile compounds that give it its unique scent — pleasant for people, but intolerable for many insects such as gnats, mosquitoes, and blowflies.

Lavender oil is an effective natural insect repellent that can be used to freshen the air or applied to the skin after mixing with any carrier oil.

Using lavender essential oil can help to:

• Relieve nervous tension, reduce stress, improve sleep quality, and decrease the frequency of sudden night awakenings (especially those caused by emotional or psychological factors);
• Reduce skin breakouts, including teen acne, relieve irritation and swelling caused by insect bites or sunburn. Just mix 5 drops of lavender oil with 1 tablespoon of any vegetable oil and apply it to the affected area. Spot treatment with undiluted lavender essential oil on pimples is also possible;
• Ease breathing during bronchitis, pneumonia, pleurisy, or asthma. Inhalations with lavender oil can provide therapeutic benefits;
• Get rid of lice and nits. Like most insects, these parasites cannot tolerate lavender’s aroma. To cleanse the scalp, treat it with a mixture of lavender oil and any vegetable oil (1:1);
• Relieve migraine attacks. To ease vascular spasms causing acute headache, massage the temples with a mix of 6-7 drops of lavender oil and a carrier oil;

The quality of the carrier oil plays a major role in the effectiveness of these natural remedies. The best base for DIY herbal treatments is raw organic oil.

Organic, valuable oils from CraftOil – the key to health and beauty

CraftOil offers a wide range of artisan organic oils that are maximally beneficial — truly «alive» oils. The catalog includes flaxseed oil, pumpkin seed oil, poppy seed oil, camelina oil, as well as chia seed oil, hazelnut oil, sweet almond oil, sesame oil (various types), and more.

All of these are suitable for health improvement and cosmetic purposes, helping to alleviate various ailments. Each CraftOil product is 100% natural and, when combined with lavender essential oil, delivers the desired result.

Moreover, all CraftOil raw oils enrich the body with fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins, support metabolism, and help solve health issues. To learn more about their positive effects or find the product that suits you best, leave a request on our website or contact our managers.

Lavender essential oil side effects

Despite its enormous benefits, lavender essential oil can cause side effects. The most common is intolerance to its scent, which may trigger headaches and mild nausea that worsen if exposure continues.

Those with allergies or particularly sensitive skin may experience hives, redness, or itching when applying lavender oil externally. In that case, wash the oil off with soap and water and take an antihistamine.

Aromatherapy sessions with lavender or lavender-based products can raise blood pressure, so they are not recommended for hypertensive patients or those taking iron or iodine supplements.

There is also no research confirming the safety of lavender oil for pregnant women, so it’s advisable for expectant mothers to limit its use temporarily.

If you are intolerant to lavender oil, you can easily replace it with another essential oil or carrier oil depending on your needs. For example, lemon balm essential oil and poppy seed oil are great for calming, while black cumin oil helps fight acne.

To learn more about the benefits of various oils for your health, feel free to contact CraftOil consultants. They are always ready to guide you in the world of organic plant-based products.