Safety/Precautions: Unlike many other essential oils, there are few safety notes to share with you. Lavender essential oil can be used neat, meaning without diluting it in a plant based carrier oil, but it must be done in small amounts and only for minor skin problems. However, it is advised to dilute lavender with a vegetable carrier oil such as olive oil, jojoba, sweet almond oil, etc., just to make certain that your skin doesn’t have an allergic reaction. Please be very careful when purchasing pure lavender essential oil to be used for minor medical burn treatment emergencies as you will need true lavender, type containing lowest amount of camphor, and NOT lavandin, genus which has up to 8% camphor – a burn causing ingredient!

Please do not take lavender essential oil internally!

Uses for Lavender: Bath soak ~ All you need is approximately 15 drops in your bathtub of warm to hot water and you should find yourself relaxing. Candle ~ Add a few drops to a candle, next to wick, not on it as essential oils are flammable. Lavender will fill room with its soothing floral aroma and relaxation should follow. Sachet ~ Add dried lavender buds to a small muslin bag and store in your drawers/cupboards, and especially where linen is stored. This method also works well as a natural bug repellent if you hang a scented lavender sachet in your closet(s) on a hanger. Hair ~ Add two to four drops to your hairbrush and brush your hair. Not only will it smell great, doing this helps to condition it naturally. Also, lavender is believed to stimulate hair growth and its antibacterial properties can help eliminate scalp conditions.

Blending With Lavender: The happy combination of two florals is pronounced with intermingling of rose, jasmine or geranium (Bourbon or Rose). For more dramatic combinations, consider mixing lavender with following essential oils: bergamot or any citrus essential oil, clove, rosemary, eucalyptus, patchouli, clary sage, cedarwood, tea tree, oakmoss, vetiver, or pine.

Finding High Quality Lavender: The most important things to look for on any glass bottle of lavender essential oil will be four categories. Naturally, you would expect to see “Lavender” on label. However, here are four facts that you will find on any bottle of essential oil from a reputable supplier/company:

1.Botanical/Latin name. If in search of true lavender it would be Lavandula angustifolia. 2.Part. What part of plant has essential oil been extracted from? For lavender, that is flowering tops. 3.Method of extraction. Is it an absolute, enfleurage, carbon dioxide (CO2), or has it been steam distilled? In this case it has been steam distilled. While lavender can be found in CO2 form as it’s most expensive, or as an absolute, most common type is steam distilled. 4.Country of Origin. As noted, lavender comes from many different countries, and my personal preference is for type from Bulgaria. Location can make a sizeable difference for many reasons such as climate, type of soil, high/low altitude, etc.

Other factors to look for are price, as too low of an amount means it has been adulterated in some way or is possibly synthetic. Essential oils should be stored in a glass bottle to protect contents. Then you must continue to keep your lavender in best environment and that would be in a cool, dark place.

For practical reasons, it’s better to buy a small amount. Not only is this more economical, but this way you can determine what lavender oil you like best. You can consult with a certified aromatherapist for advice on obtaining best quality lavender. Another way is to locate a reputable farm where lavender is grown, as this would be best place in which to purchase your lavender essential oil. Lavender farmers will be able to answer your questions and advise you on what type of lavender is best suited for your needs. You will be advised that lavender is harvested in summertime and that immediately after it has been distilled is not best time to buy it—usually one to two years after distillation is when it matures. For example, I purchased a bottle of lavender in April, and following spring I started to notice a less herbal, and more rounded floral aroma. Another benefit to lavender is that it has a fairly long shelf life (approximately five years) and, like fine wine, can improve during its bottled lifespan.

Another benefit associated with using mineral cosmetics is that you actually help your skin to remain healthy. The natural ingredients in mineral cosmetics have a healing effect that can help to improve skin conditions such as skin damage and acne. Dermatologists generally forbid an individual suffering from these skin conditions to wear traditional cosmetics because they can make conditions worse. Mineral cosmetics also provide skin with natural moisture. If you have very dry skin you still may want to use a moisturizer. The two downsides of mineral cosmetics are cost and availability. The process to obtain and add necessary ingredients to mineral cosmetics is costly. The Internet does provide some release in sense that companies that advertise there don’t have to worry about overhead so that they can charge better prices. Your best bet of locating these products is to find a health food store. These stores generally carry a variety of mineral cosmetics and have knowledgeable staff available to assist you if you should have any questions. If you don’t live near a health food store, you can perform a search online for companies that sell mineral cosmetics and request a catalog.