Lavender

Figure 1. A vial of Lavender oil.

The Lavender plant or Lavandula angustifolia is the most widely cultivated species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae. Lavender is cultivated as culinary herbs and also commercially for the extraction of essential oils. Lavender is native to countries in the Mediterranean region, including France, Spain, and Italy.

Since ancient times, Lavender has been used to reduce symptoms and provide support for multiple conditions including insomnia, anxiety, hair loss, headaches, acne, burns, eczema and dry skin, wound healing, and mood issues. This is generally attributed to the 100 or so individual phytochemicals that have been identified in lavender oil, including linalyl acetate (30-55%), linalool (20-35%), tannins (5-10%), and caryophyllene (8%), with lesser amounts of sesquiterpenoids, perillyl alcohols, esters, oxides, ketones, cineole, camphor, beta-ocimene, limonene, caproic acid, and caryophyllene oxide.

Lavender oil is an essential oil derived from the lavender plant. It can be taken orally, applied to the skin, and breathed in through aromatherapy. Lavender oil works to kill bacteria, and this can prevent and heal acne breakouts. Lavender oil's antifungal properties reduce inflammation and can be used to help with eczema and psoriasis. In this capacity Lavender oil may also help with wound healing.

In aromatherapy, Lavender may be used to improve sleep quality and help with mild sleep disturbances. The phytochemicals in Lavender seem to have calming effects and may help with conditions such as anxiety, headaches, and migraines.

Lavender is commercially available in the form of dried flowers, essential oil, topical oil, capsules, teas, tisanes, and infusions, creams, lotions, and salves, and in beauty products.