The resilient and modest lavender bush is extraordinarily beneficial for the body, mind, and spirit. Here are 10 ways to use lavender that not everyone knows about. Lavender is more than just a moth repellent. Its properties are useful for stress, depression, insomnia, and even desserts.
Uses of Lavender
1. Lavender Aroma Relieves Stress
The active aroma of fresh or dried lavender flowers becomes even stronger when you rub them between your fingers. To boost your mood and relieve stress in a matter of minutes, rub a few buds between your fingers and slowly, deeply inhale the rising essential oils. The aroma of lavender, along with its essential oil , can calm nervous tension, reduce anxiety, and alleviate panic attacks in just a couple of minutes.
2. Lavender Tea
Made from dried flowers, lavender tea has a relaxing and soothing effect. Add a teaspoon of dried or fresh lavender flowers to a large cup of boiling water and let it steep for 10 minutes. Lavender pairs well with jasmine, mint, and other herbal flavors with a “calm” profile. Lavender tea soothes, relieves bloating, and promotes restful sleep with pleasant dreams.
Lavender and chamomile tea
3. Lavender Perfume
Lavender essential oil can be used as perfume by rubbing a small drop into your hair or applying it to your wrists. Lavender blends well with patchouli, ylang-ylang, cinnamon, rose, jasmine, lemon, bergamot, and mandarin—any combination can become your customized fragrance.
Lavender perfume
4. Lavender Bath
A lavender bath helps you relax—boil a small pot of water, add a handful of lavender flowers, and let them steep for 10 minutes. Strain the flowers into the pot, then pour the infusion into a hot bath. A few drops of essential oil wouldn’t hurt either. Lavender in cosmetics works wonders, even treating stretch marks.
5. Lavender Oil for Burns
Lavender oil works well for sunburns. Add a few drops of lavender oil to a spray bottle with water for easy application.
6. Lavender Sachet
Sew a lavender sachet using cotton or linen, fill it with lavender flowers, and toss it into the laundry dryer with your clothes. One sachet can be used 20-25 times!
Lavender sachet
7. Lavender for Peaceful Sleep
For peaceful dreams and restful sleep, add a couple of drops of lavender oil to your pillow.
8. Lavender as an Antimicrobial Agent
Lavender oil’s antiseptic and wound-healing properties can be applied to insect bites to reduce swelling and itching while cleansing the wound of microbes. There are countless ways to use lavender in medicine .
9. Lavender in Cooking
Crushed lavender flowers, when used in small amounts, can add a unique flavor to your custards, jellies, or cookies. Experiment with lavender in cooking .
Lavender cookies
Lavender cookies
10. Lavender for Hair
Leftover lavender tea can be reused for the prevention and treatment of dandruff by brewing it again with hot water.
Lavender grows well on a windowsill in a pot. A detailed guide with photos on how to grow lavender at home from seeds can be found here .
