Benefits of Using Lavender Oil on Your Skin & Hair

Lavender oil is commonly known for relaxation.  Traditionally it is known to have a variety of therapeutic and curative properties, ranging from relaxation to treating parasitic infections, burns, insect bites, and spasm.  The benefits of this oil from this purple flowering plant is quite immense.  For many centuries, the uses for this oil includes cleansing, perfume for mummification process for Egyptians, purifying for baths, and healing properties.  In present day, lavender oil has become a popular ingredient for skin and body products.  Even used for insomnia, depression, relieve headaches, nausea and more. 

While lavender oil is natural and organic made from plants, please do take precaution for those allergic to flowers or pollen.  There are people who may get an allergic reaction from skin application, and it will usually appear in a form of a rash.  I recommend people try a skin test before using the oil on the skin or mixing it with any other carrier oils (almond, olive, coconut, etc.). 

Now, here are the benefits of applying lavender oil to your skin and hair: 
(1) Immdediate Calming Effect 
Rub it on your palms and inhale it drawing the scent through your nose and up into amygdala gland (emotional warehouse) to calm your mind. Studies have shown that the scent of lavender oil produces an increase alpha waves in the brain for relaxation.  Therefore involving inhalation of the essential oil that has shown it can reduce both stress and anxiety. 
Additionally, rub a couple of drops onto your writs temples or feet to calm your body.  This oil is also great for baths. 

(2) Skin Detox
Pollutions in our environment continues to increase on a daily basis.  Toxins in our environments cause skin to show signs of aging and can cause immediate effects of inflammation and rough appearance.   Lavender oil consists of potent antioxidants to help prevent and counteract the negative effects of pollutants exposure.  Therefore, it can assist to fight these common culprits. 
One thing that is great to do is to draw a bath and put some lavender oil and epsom salt into the water.  This recipe of bath will help draw out toxins while lowering stress-related hormones to balance pH level and soothing your skin. 

Recipe:

Hand full of epsom salt 
12 drops of lavender oil 

Instructions: 
Put under running water as you fill the warm bath.  Soak for 20 minutes ideally once each week. 

(3) Treat Acne 
Many feel that oil is too much to put on the skin, as they feel that it’s heavy or that it would clog the pores.  However, lavender oil, like some other plant oils, won’t clog the pores but instead it has natural antibacterial, antiseptic, also helps to keep hormones balanced.  These properties offers an ideal solution for the skin.  Other products sold at stores may contain chemicals that is harsh to the skin, or prescription drugs can lead to other irritations.  

(4) Relieve Pain 
Another benefactor of this oil is when we get sore muscles, this is great to relieve sore muscles.  Lavender oil contains analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.  It can also assist with relief of joint pain, back aches, and rheumatism.  One study showed that it can reduce a person’t back pain by as much as 39%. 
Simply massage the oil into the affected area.  If you have sensitive skin then add some coconut oil and then rub it in. 

(5) Heal a Burn or a Cut 
Lavender oil hold antimicrobial properties that helps prevent infections and combat bacterial and fungal disorders.  Should one suffer a cut, burn, scrape or other skin wounds, lavender oil would be a solution to put on the wound.  
It is also helpful to combine lavender oil with other oils like tea tree, cinnamon or clove oil.  Discoveries of a 1:1 ratio was the most effective in battling two common causes of bacterial and fungal infections, Staph aureus and Candida albicans; both lead to skin fungus and respiratory pneumonia.  

(6) Improve Blood Circulation 
Blood circulation is essential for our overall health.  Improving blood circulation will benefit the heart, muscles, organs, arteries, and improving oxygen0rich blood to all extremities.   
Apply two drops of lavender oil on the following areas of your body: feet, wrists, temples and wherever else you’d like.  Then proceed to lie down with your legs elevated on a chair or against the wall. This will help circulation and also will relax you.

(7) Alleviating respiratory Disorder Symptoms
Lavender oil has the stimulating properties to loosen up phlegm and relieve congestion associated with those conditions.  Thereby applying oil to your chest, neck or back, will assist in relieving symptoms of respiratory problems, including sinus congestion, bronchitis, a cold, the flu, cough asthma, and allergies.  Breathing in the vapor of the oil also provides antibacterial qualities, that will help battle a respiratory infection which will assist a speedy recovery. 

(8) Repel Insects
Although the scent of lavender is generally enjoyed by many, but the essential oil has been found to offend many types of insects including moths, mosquitoes, and midges.  Thereby making lavender oil a fantastic bug repellent. 
Rub some on you when you go outdoors and it can help you prevent getting bit.  Or if you are bitten as a result of not having put it on, the use of the oil can reduce irritation, pain and swelling.  A result of the anti-inflammatory properties. 

(9) Healthy scalp - relieve dry, itchy scalp and dandruff
Our scalp, the skin for our head (under the hair) is an essential part and often neglected due to the hair.  Climate and products causes our scalp to have dry, itchy and dandruff producing conditions.  
Lavender oil contains strong antiseptic and antimicrobial actions that makes it a excellent for controlling the problem. 

Recipe: 
15 drops of lavender essential oil 
2 tablesppokes of almond/ olive oil 

Instructions: 
Heat in microwave for about 10 seconds 
Massage your scalp with mixture 
Put on a shower cap for an hour  
Shower and wash as normal 


(10)  Treat Hair Loss 
Lavender oil is also proven it’s quite effective for treating hair loss in circumstances from sufferers of alopecia (an autoimmune disease where the body rejects its own hair follicles). Study showed a 40% of patients saw an increase in hair growth when they rub lavender oil into their scalp.





Sources:
https://www.naturallivingideas.com/lavender-oil-for-skin-hair/ 
3.https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2013/681304/ 

4.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15130569 
5.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4880962/

​