History and Folklore

Some of the earliest recorded uses of lavender are by the Roman soldiers who used the wild-growing plant to perfume their bathwater and wash their clothes. Because of the association with clothes-washing, medieval English washerwomen were referred to as lavenders. The poorest of these women were reputedly also prostitutes, and so the word came to have a double-meaning. One anonymous 16th-century poet wrote:

Thou shalt be my lavender
To wash and clean all my gear
Our two beds shall be set
Without any let

In Spain and Portugal, lavender was traditionally strewn on the floor of churches or thrown into bonfires to avert evil spirits on St. John’s Day. In Tuscany, pinning a sprig of lavender to your shirt is a traditional ward against the evil eye [3].

Magical Attributes

• Lavender is masculine in action and associated with Mercury in Culpeper’s Herbal [2]. It is also associated with the element of air and the astrological sign Virgo.
• It may be used as an asperging herb (to sprinkle water for purification purposes) and dried lavender sticks or wands can be burnt like incense.
• It is also useful in spells to sharpen the mind, to encourage or strengthen pure love and to encourage fertility.

Household Use

• Lavender deters fleas and moths. Place sachets of lavender buds or lavender wands in cupboards and closets or stuff them into pet bedding to help deter pests from these areas.
• Also, put sachets of lavender in your dryer to scent your laundry. These can be reused several times.

Healing Attributes

• The scent of lavender is relaxing and uplifting all at once making it great aromatherapy for stressed out or depressed individuals. Try adding some lavender oil to your bath or add it to a mild oil for a relaxing massage at the end of a hard day.
• Stuffing a pillow with lavender buds may help insomniacs relax and fall asleep and soothes headaches.

Caution: The essential oil of lavender is particularly potent and should be used carefully. Large amounts of lavender should not be consumed internally by pregnant women or nursing mothers.

Culinary Use

Lavender is a good addition to wedding cakes because of its delicate flavor and its association with love and fertility.

To make lavender flavored sugar, layer dried lavender buds and sugar in a jar and let it sit in a dark place for about a month. Sift out the lavender buds and enjoy your sugar in delicately flavored cakes, custards, and tea.

_{Sourced from https://witchipedia.com/book-of-shadows/herblore/lavender/}

Sleep Aid

Lavender oil is comprised mainly of linalyl acetate and linalool – phytochemicals that are absorbed rapidly into the bloodstream. Research shows that these compounds inhibit several neurotransmitters causing a sedative and anxiolytic effect.

If you suffer from restless nights then Lavender has been proven to increase the time to awaken after first falling asleep. One study showed that Lavender increased the percentage of deep or slow-wave sleep in all of the group tested, and all of the individuals reported feeling more refreshed and energetic the next morning.

Anti-Anxiety

Lavender has been used for centuries as a remedy for anxiety and depression. It has a complex mix of active components including “terpenes” – small molecules that are absorbed into the bloodstream via the nose or lungs. They are so small that they easily cross the blood/brain barrier and have an impact on neurological processes.

Lavender has been proven as effective at treating anxiety as its pharmaceutical counterparts. In a study published in the journal “Phytomedicine”, it was shown that lavender helps with restless, nervousness, anxiety and insomnia.

Another study by the “International Journal Psychiatry in Clinical Practice found that supplementing with 80mg capsules of Lavender Oil alleviated anxiety, restless sleep and depression without any unpleasant side effects.

Wound Healing

Lavender Essential Oil has very powerful antiseptic properties. Applying it to wounds can not only increase cell growth causing the wound to heal faster, but it also decreases the appearance of scars. The anti-microbial action of Lavender Oil protects scrapes and wounds from infection, while allowing them heal.

Burns

Lavender Oil has a well documented history of effectively treating burns and scalds as well. Its pain relieving properties, combined with its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiseptic properties make it an effective burn treatment that stimulates the cells to regenerate more quickly, and prevent scarring.

Digestive Aid

Lavender has long been used as a digestive aid. It improves the motility of intestinal tract, allowing food to pass through more readily. Gastric juice production, including bile, is increased which improves digestion and nutrient absorption. Colic, vomiting, and flatulence can all be helped through the use of this herb. An interesting benefit is that Lavender gently inhibits the growth of pathogens, but according to one study, it doesn’t harm beneficial bacteria. How it distinguishes between harmful and beneficial bacteria is a still a mystery.

As a digestive aid, lavender oil can be taken as a tea.

Lavender Hydrolat

Lavender Hydrolat has naturally soothing and calming properties. For the skin it can help to calm down irritation and itching, inflammation and redness. It makes an excellent facial cleanser and toner that is especially suited to sensitive skin. With natural sedative qualities, Lavender Hydrolat can be spritzed onto bed linen and used as a bedroom air freshener to create the perfect environment for a sound night’s sleep.Typical Use

Lavender Tea:
Use 1 heaped tsp of dried Lavender flowers to 1 cup of boiling water. Steep for 10 – 15 minutes.

Lavender Essential Oil:

Use 10 – 18 drops per 30ml of carrier oil. Use up to 10 drops per bath.

Can also be added to massage oils, creams and used in an oil diffuser to create an atmosphere of calm.

Burns/Cuts:

For burn relief and to heal cuts, scrapes or wounds, mix 3–5 drops of lavender oil with ½ teaspoon of coconut oil and apply the mixture to the area of concern.

Lavender Hydrolat

Lavender Hydrolat can be used as a facial spritzer, cleanser and toner. With naturally soothing properties it is ideal for use on irritated skin, insect bites, sunburn and allergic reactions. 

Lavender Tincture

Can be added to water or fruit juice.

Traditionally Taken: 2 – 3ml up to 3 times per day, or as directed by a Herbal Practitioner.

_{Sourced from https://www.indigo-herbs.co.uk/natural-health-guide/benefits/lavender}

Romance Charms

Lavender has long been considered an herb of love, and Cleopatra supposedly used it to seduce Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. In Tudor times, a lavender brew was taken by maidens on St. Luke’s Day to discover the identity of their true loves. Lavender under the beds of newlyweds ensured passion and put in the pillows of Alpine maidens it brought hopes of romance. For centuries it’s long been thought to be an aphrodisiac.

Cleansings

Early household use started with lavender strewn on the floors of castles and sick rooms as a disinfectant and deodorant. It was sold in bunches by street vendors and placed in linen closets as an insecticide to protect linens from moths. Lavender was burned in sickrooms to clean the air. Many Christian homes featured lavender formed into the shape of a cross, which was then hung over the door as a safeguard against evil. In Ireland, brides wore lavender garters to protect them from witchcraft.

_{Sourced from https://www.highcountrygardens.com/gardening/lavender-history}

The French scientist Rene Gattefosse was the first to discover lavender’s ability to promote tissue regeneration and speed wound healing when he severely burned his arm in a laboratory explosion. Today, lavender is one of the few essential oils to still be listed in the British Pharmacopoeia.

Medical Properties: Antiseptic, antifungal, analgesic, antitumoral, anticonvulsant, vasodilating, relaxant, anti-inflammatory, reduces blood fat/cholesterol, combats excess sebum on skin

Uses: Respiratory infections, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, mentstrual problems/PMS, skin conditions (perineal repair, acne, eczema, psoriasis, scarring, stretch marks), burns, hair loss, insomnia, nervous tension

Fragrant Influence: Calming, relaxing, and balancing, both physically and emotionally. Lavender has been documented to improve concentration and mental acuity.
University of Miami researchers found that inhalation of lavender oil increased beta waves in the brain suggesting heightened relaxation. It also reduced depression and improved cognitive performance. A 2001 Osaka Kyoiku University study found that lavender reduced metal stress and increased alertness.

Caution: True lavender is often adulterated with hybrid lavender (lavandin), synthetic linalol and linalyl acetate, or synthetic fragrance chemicals like ethyl vanillin.

_{Excerpted from The Essential Oils Desk Reference, 7th Edition, page 104-105}