Benefits of lavender
Since ancient times, lavender has been known for its medicinal properties, while its essential oil is characterized by beautiful and intoxicating smell. Therefore, it is a very common and respected ingredient of various cosmetic products.
This bushy perennial plant, recognizable by its violet flowers, thrives in the Mediterranean, but can also be found inland. It tolerates frost well and is considered to be one of the ecological species, because it does not require any chemical protection – which is very important for its usage in natural or organic products.
Lavender was used by the Ancient Greeks and the Romans, and the Egyptians before them, for preparation of fragrant baths, seductive perfumes, as wound rinse, mosquito repellent, as well as a food spice. Since then, throughout history, ladies have used dried lavender flowers as freshener in clothes storage, a pillow-fill addition to promote a good night sleep, and always kept handy their gloves soaked in lavender scent as a relief for bouts of dizziness and sudden faints.
The use of lavender has not changed much since. Its benefits have been proven in curing bronchitis and sore throat, indigestion problems, in disinfection and curing of wounds, and problems with insomnia. A bath with the addition of lavender essential oil relaxes and soothes, decreases blood pressure, and helps with nervousness and tension. Massage with lavender essential oil can benefit people suffering from rheumatoid conditions. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties it promotes tissue regeneration. It can be useful in dealing with acne and eczema problems and is one of the rare herbs whose essential oil can be applied directly to skin.
Lavender has always been a respected natural remedy aiding in numerous health problems, a spice and a scent, but with the expansion of chemically treated herbs and various medical products it has become unjustly neglected as obsolete and non-hip. But after all the proofs of harmfulness of many ingredients which were, and still are, used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals industry, there is an increasing number of people who do turn to nature and its sources of help and care, and also the ones who like to make homemade balms, creams, teas and nutritional supplements. This path is also followed by large cosmetics brands, who are including lines of products labelled with “no parabens, paraffin, silicone, artificial colouring and additives” and as “made of 99 % natural ingredients”. In these times of ever faster lifestyles the “slow” way of nature is making its grand comeback and so is the usage of lavender.
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