Gone are the days when lavender was nothing more than Grandma’s secret weapon for freshening up the bathroom. From milk tea to marshmallows, cleansers to masks, it’s safe to say that this singular purple flower is bigger than ever – and has been hailed as a hero in the skincare world.
For those weighing the pros and cons of adding lavender oil to your beauty arsenal, we’re here to make your decision easier. We will explain in detail what makes this flower unique and how to use its benefits for a clear and soothed complexion.
An introduction to the lavender flower
This legendary plant belongs to the mint family, but its taste and aroma are quite unique. The strong and lively scent profile has been described as a blend of mint and rosemary with a sweet floral undertone. It’s a long story because beauty and medical treatment suggests that lavender oil is more than just a pretty plant.
Lavender angustifolia has long been prized in its oil form for its sumptuous fragrance and healing effects. Queen Elizabeth liked to use lavender as a perfume and even added it to her tea. Victorian ladies loved to use lavender oil as a perfume, and it was even used as an antiseptic during World War I.
Today, we’re celebrating lavender oil as a way to fight headaches, reduce stress, and even ward off bugs (goodbye, mothballs)! We love the benefits of lavender oil for the skin and take every chance to incorporate it into our beauty routines.
How is lavender essential oil made?
Needless to say, lavender oil has always been a favorite among essential oil lovers. But how exactly do these flowers turn into their well-used oil form?
Lavender is usually harvested by hand from the fields. The flowers are tied in clusters and left to dry for several weeks. This is to prevent the oil from going rancid, and the buds are more easily removed from the stems when dry.
Once the flowers are dry enough, it’s time to start steam distillation. Steam distillation allows you to get the most out of lavender, without being contaminated by the acetone or hexane used in solvent extraction methods.
During distillation, the lavender buds are placed over boiling water, and as the boiling water gently vaporizes the lavender, the high pressure and heat pushes the oil out of the flowers. The steam carries the mixture of steam and oil to a condenser – this is where it is cooled and becomes liquid again. The vapor becomes a hydrosol, and precious drops of lavender essential oil are naturally separated.
6 Benefits of Lavender Oil for Skin
With skincare entering the realm of self-care, and more of us who value a 10-step Korean skincare routine more as a moment of pampering rather than a chore, lavender oil for the skin is a match made in heaven. Lavender oil not only boosts the powerful anti-inflammatory properties but is also ultra soothing to the skin with a therapeutic scent. Here are all the ways to use lavender oil for skin.
1. Fights Acne
Yes, it makes perfect sense to use an oil to fight acne. Acne often breaks out when your skin does not have enough oil. Dry skin can begin to overproduce sebum (your skin’s natural oil) to compensate, leading to clogged pores and acne formation. Lavender oil gently moisturizes the skin and is non-comedogenic for pores.
Lavender oil is naturally antibacterial, which means it kills acne-causing bacteria that might be creeping into your pores. This makes the violet flower perfect for preventing, calming and healing painful acne breakouts.
Who says full coverage makeup has to clog pores? We’ve included antiseptic lavender oil in our BB cream and long-lasting concealer, for full coverage that leaves skin feeling refreshed and soothed. Combine them with a targeted acne treatment plan infused with tea tree or witch hazel for an acne punch.
2. Soothes eczema and dry skin conditions
If you have itchy patches of dry skin with no hope in sight, turn to lavender oil for some much-needed relief. As we mentioned, lavender oil does a great job of balancing your skin’s moisture barrier, so it doesn’t feel too oily or too dry. Massage French lavender lotion all over or lavender body butter into very dry areas to promote soft, itch-free skin.
For the skin on your face, warm the rich Intensive Nourishing Balm between fingers and dab onto very dry, flaky areas of skin for instant smoothness. For daily defense against dryness, apply Intensive Nourishing Face Oil after your daily moisturizer. Both formulas are infused with lavender oil to calm and balance your skin.
3. Anti-Inflammatory Superstar
The effects of lavender are widely known to manage stress and reduce anxiety. Unsurprisingly, it offers the same soothing benefits for your skin. You can use skin-soothing lavender oil to help reduce redness, blemishes, and acne scars. The anti-inflammatory properties of lavender oil make it ideal for soothing and healing skin that is irritated or reddened by the sun, insect bites or bacteria.
4. Detoxifies the skin
With an eye to lavender’s incredible aromatherapeutic CV, we’ve enlisted this essential oil for the tub as well. The Lavender Therapeutic Bath combines lavender oil with nourishing crystallized sea kelp for a spa-like self-care experience at home. These bath salts deeply detoxify to remove harmful toxins from the skin, while promoting tension release for sore muscles and tired mind.
No time to take a bath? Take our French Lavender Body Wash in the shower for super cleansed and nourished skin, thanks to a concentrated blend of healing herbs, soothing aloe and rose flower water, all complemented by the dreamy scent of lavender oil.
5. Heals injured skin
The ancient Greeks used lavender oil to clean wounds, heal burns, and treat other skin wounds. Its antiseptic properties also help skin heal faster, while fighting and preventing new infections.
Washing laborious hands with lavender-infused soap is a great way to maintain healthy skin without irritating minor cuts and scrapes. Lavender Butter Soap is made with a rich coconut oil base, formulated with lavender and rosehip oil to leave hands super soft.
6. Helps prevent wrinkles
Lavender oil is a potent source of antioxidants and other beneficial phytochemicals, making it useful for fighting the signs of premature aging. Antioxidants fight free radical damage, which is caused by environmental stressors like UV rays and pollution.
Supplementing your skincare regimen with antioxidants is an easy way to protect yourself against wrinkles, fine lines, and dark spots. Give skin a dose of anti-aging botanicals with Lavender Oat Milk Refreshing Powder Cleanser, Lavender Niacinamide Pore Minimizer Purifying Toner, Lavender Moisture-Rich Toner and rejuvenate thirsty skin with Lavender Niacinamide Pore Minimizer Tonic. Hydra Drench cream.
The benefits of lavender oil for the skin are seemingly endless, making it one of the easiest ingredients to add to your routine. For a deeper dive into the magic of this pretty flower, check out our article on the benefits of lavender for mind, body and beauty. This flower isn’t the only heroic plant with some serious beauty benefits – check out our full list of the best essential oils for your skin!
