- Region
- Europe
- Origin
- Mediterranean region, including France, Spain, and Italy; Lavandula angustifolia
Europe · Herb · № 44
Lavandula angustifolia
Herb · Europe
Lavender
Lavandula angustifolia
A fragrant plant used in bath products, perfume, and aromatherapy. Evidence for medical effects is preliminary.
Safety notes
Likely safe in food amounts. Oral products may cause diarrhea, headache, or nausea; aromatherapy may cause headache or coughing.
Cautions by tradition (2)
- Herbal medicine worldwide: Oil not internally, no high doses in pregnancy.
- Natural skin and hair care: Always dilute essential oil. Keep cleansers with water in the fridge and replace them after a week.
Preparation
Dried flowers for tea, baking, or scent sachets; essential oil for fragrance.
Use in traditions
The name comes from the Latin lavare (to wash): Romans scented their bath water with it. Hildegard of Bingen recommended lavender for a clear mind. In Provence it has been grown on a large scale for perfume since the 19th century. A standardised lavender oil capsule is approved in Germany for anxious restlessness.
Applications
Use by tradition
How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.
Herbal medicine worldwide
Attributed effects
Relaxing, antispasmodic, promotes circulation, nerve tonic, antibacterial, pain-relieving, carminative, promotes bile flow.
Preparation and amount
Tea for nervous exhaustion, tension headache and indigestion; very weak tea for babies with colic; mouthwash for bad breath; tincture up to 5 ml twice a day; 10 drops of oil in 10 ml carrier oil for muscle pain; undiluted oil on temples and neck for tension headache and migraine.
Caution: Oil not internally, no high doses in pregnancy.
Natural skin and hair care
Attributed effects
The scent is relaxing; lavender is used in skin care for sensitive or irritated skin and after sun.
Preparation and amount
External: flowers, powder or essential oil in cleansers, toners, sprays, bath bags, salves and hair products. Internal: a little in herbal tea (see the recipes).
Caution: Always dilute essential oil. Keep cleansers with water in the fridge and replace them after a week.
Folklore and herbal magic
Symbolic meanings from folk use and modern herbal magic. These are handed-down associations, not effects.
Peace, joy and connection, controls anger, deepens spiritual awareness, wards off negativity, harmony, calm, love, purification, healing, luck, heals grief and guilt, sleep, protection, house blessing, wisdom, children, marriage.
Herbal magic and rituals
Attributed effects
In herbal magic associated with peace, love, sleep and purification.
Preparation and amount
The name probably comes from the Latin lavare, 'to wash': the Romans put lavender in their bath water. In Europe sachets of lavender were laid among the linen against moths, and in Provence and England lavender became a major perfume crop.
Home, kitchen and folk use
Attributed effects
Promotes relaxation and sleep; suited to magic for children.
Preparation and amount
In a sleep tea (lavender, catnip, vervain, chamomile: 1 tsp per cup, steep 5–7 min) and love tea; patience and peace oil; milk baths; candied; lavender sugar; flower water (with violet); child's pillow with violet.
- Ways to prepare herbs
- Tea (infusion)TinctureSalve and balmSteam and bathPowder and kitchen
- Recipes
- Mild lavender cleanserRose powder cleanser for mature or dry skinChamomile powder cleanserChamomile exfoliantHealing facial tonerLight moisturizing oil or cleanserLavender aloe spraySoothing after-sun milkHeadache teaNerve tinctureComfrey salve for joints and bruisesBeauty salveRelaxing bath bagRefreshing foot bathWarm massage compressBody powderClarifying shampooLeave-in hair oil against frizzNourishing hair treatment