Lavender Essential Oil from Natural Health Crafters

Lavender - the must have oil for all general purposes.

Lavender can take most of the credit for the revival and interest in aromatherapy today. At different stages in history Lavender has been valued for its impressive healing powers and it is these healing properties that make it one of our most important essential oils. Not only is it a natural antibiotic, antiseptic, anti-depressant, sedative and de-toxifier, it is also able to promote healing and prevent scarring.

Aromatherapists usually prefers common lavender (known as Lavendula angustifolia, Lavendula officinallis or Lavandula vera). Common lavender shouldn’t be confused with lavandin or spike lavender, both or which have different effects on the body and mind. Although rarely available, avoid essential oil made from Lavendula stoechas, as this doesn’t have the same properties as common lavender and is not suitable for home use.

The lavenders Lavandula are a genus of about 25-30 species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae, native from the Mediterranean region south to tropical Africa and east to India. The genus includes annuals, herbaceous plants, subshrubs, and small shrubs. The native range extends across the Canary Islands, North and East Africa, south Europe and the Mediterranean, Arabia, and India. The south of France is still the main producer of lavender. For many years lavender was gathered from the hillsides by shepherds and local people who sold it to the perfumers in Grasse. In the 1950s, however, with demand for the oil increasing, cultivation was stepped up and lavender fields containing neat rows of bushes were introduced. So great is the call for lavender in recent years that it is now grown in places such as China and Tasmania. England also has a history of lavender growing. This aromatic herb was known by the ancient Greeks as Nardus, taken from Naarda a city of Syria; it was also commonly called Nard.

Through the ages lavender has been recommend for just about every complain known to mankind! It was even used by the ancient Greeks, for throat infections, constipation and chest complaints. A favorite for health and beauty for over 2,500 years! Not only is this wonderful plant with the tiny blue flowers, and the fresh, clean scent, it is believed to have been taken from the Garden of Eden by Adam and Eve, the Romans were big lavender lovers and used lavender oils for bathing, cooking, and scenting the air. This seductive scent was said to be used by Cleopatra to seduce Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. Widely used in perfumes and other scented products for centuries, royal history also is filled with stories of lavender use. Charles VI of France demanded lavender filled pillows wherever he went. Queen Elizabeth I of England required lavender conserve at the royal table. She also wanted fresh lavender flowers available every day of the year, a daunting task for a gardener if you consider the climate of England. Louis XIV also loved lavender and bathed in water scented with it. Queen Victoria used a lavender deodorant and, Elizabeth I and II both used products from the famous lavender company Yardley and Co. of London.

The Romans put lavender flower heads in their communal baths, probably as much as an antiseptic as for their fragrance! Many medieval European herbalists advised the use of lavender water to prevent head lice, and for centuries lavender flowers have been tied into small bundles and placed in laundry to make it smell fresh and keep moths away. Bundles of lavender was also placed on pillows to make them smell sweet and to deter bed bugs!

At the beginning of this century, the significance of lavender’s natural healing properties moved aromatherapy into a new era. Chemist Rene Maurice Gattefosse was working in his father’s perfume and cosmetic factory when there was a small explosion and Gattefosse’s hand was burnt. He immersed it in neat lavender oil and to his astonishment, his hand quickly healed and showed no sign of infection or scarring.

Intrigued by his own experience, Gattefosse decided to collate all the available research on the medicinal qualities of different essential oils and carrier oils and carried out further research himself. Eventually in 1937 he published his book Aromatherapie, so giving us the word ‘aromatherapy’.

Essential Oil To turn the bright purple flowers into essential oil, the stems are laid on a grid and steam is a passed through them. The plant essence from the flowers is release in the form of vapour, which is cooled in tanks to make the essential oil, it requires metric ton of flowers to produce 18 - 20 pounds. Most essential oils need diluting in carried oil (e.g. grapeseed or sweet almond oil, etc.) before use, but lavender is exceptional because it’s so gentle you can use it neat in many instances. A drop on the cushion pad of a plaster, for example, can speed up the healing process and can protect the skin from infection. A drop on your pillow, or a few drops in a bath, at night-time can aid sleep and, if you get nervous or anxious, you can put a drop on a cotton wool pad and sniff it throughout the day to calm frazzled nerves.

By itself lavender’s distinctive but light, floral aroma has a calming effect on the mind and the oil is helpful for its ability to bring both mind and body back into a state of balance, so that healing can take place.

Use in a massage blend or in the bath, lavender is also good for muscular pain, whether causeed by tension, exercise or rheumatism. Massaged gently into the lower abdomen, lavender will also help relieve menstrual pain. Lavender’s gentle nature makes it ideal for children and babies too. Lavender is useful for soothing temper tantrums and upsets.

Adulteration

The ISO stipulates that lavender oil should contain a minimum of 25% and a maximum of 45% Linalyl acetate and 25% and 38% Linalool respectively. This encourages adulteration of lavender oils by cutting with acetylated lavandin oils, synthetic linalool and linalyl acetate, fractions of ho leaf oil and rosewood oil, the last two consist largely of linalool and its acetate but are much cheaper. Lavandin, which is a much cheaper oil is often substituted for lavender.

ISO Standard 3515

Lavender essential oil Lavandula angustifolia.

	Camphor	0 - 0.5%
	1,8-Cineol	0 - 15%
	Trans-Β-Ocimene	2 - 6%
	Cis-Β-Ocimene	4 - 10%
	Linalool	25 - 38%
	Linalyl acetate	25 - 45%
	Terpineol-4-ol	2 - 6%

	Appearance
	Colour
	Odour	Characteristic
	Relative density (20%deg;C)	0.877 - 0.890
	Refractive index (20%deg;C)
	Optical rotation (20%deg;C)
	Miscibility in 85% (v/v) ethanol (20%deg;C)

GRAS

Lavender oil has GRAS status

Uses

Lavender is reportedly a healing oil and can be applied to the skin on an open wound undiluted (Gattefosse): the use of the deterpinated oil was advised for maxinum benifit. Lavender oil has carminative properties and has been used to treat flatulence and colic, given on a sugar lump (dose 0.3 - 1.2ml) or as a compound tincture. Lavender oil is also applied externally as an insect repellant. (37)

The maximum accepted daily intake of the componants linalool and linalyl acetate were established at 500µg per kg body weight per day. (37)