When we hear the word ‘Lavender’ we might instantly think of a lighter shade of purple. But there is more to know about this herb than its color. Lavender is an aromatic garden plant that has a wide range of traditional uses. The lavender plant is named after the beautiful color of its leaves.
Origin and History
It is believed that the origin of Lavender is to be from the Mediterranean, Middle East, and India. Its history goes back about 2500 years. The ancient Egyptians used lavender for making perfumes and mummification. The Romans used lavender oil for bathing and scenting the air. The name lavender is derived from the Latin word Lavare—which means ‘to wash.’
The Lavender plant belongs to a family called Lamiaceae (previously Labiatae): basically the mint family. In this family of plants, they usually have five united petals with two lobes on the top and three on the bottom.
Health Benefits of Lavender
Lavender is traditionally used for a variety of medicinal and healing properties, like treating parasitic infections, burns, and insect bites. It is also an effective medicament in the treatment of several neurological disorders such as anxiety management. The essential oil can help in reducing the symptoms of anxiety. Numerous medical studies have demonstrated that ingesting lavender oil for 6 to 10 weeks or diffusing the fragrance into the air can help lower anxiety. A few drops of essential lavender oil may also be added to a bath, where you can soak and benefit from it.
Skin Benefits of Lavender
The scent and flavor of lavender are magnificent, but the bonus comes from its broad range of skin benefits, which we will explore in detail.
- Heals Injured Skin
The ancient Greek people used lavender oil to clean wounds, heal burns, and treat other skin injuries. Lavender has antiseptic properties which help the skin to heal faster while fighting and preventing further fungal infection.
Washing hands with a lavender-infused soap can also be a great way to maintain healthy skin without irritating minor injuries and abrasions.
- Fights Acne
Lavender Oil is commonly used to fight acne. It is seen that acne often flares up when our skin does not have enough amount of oil. Dry skin can start to overproduce sebum (our skin’s natural oil), leading to choking the pores which then leads to acne formations. Lavender oil gently moisturizes the skin and is non-comedogenic for pores.
The natural antibacterial properties of the oil kill acne-causing bacteria. This makes it a perfect alternative for preventing and healing painful acne breakouts.
- Anti-aging properties
The essential oil contains bioactive compounds, these bioactive compounds are antioxidants in nature. These compounds protect your skin from environmental stressors like UV rays and pollution that accelerate the skin’s aging process.
- Helps Prevent Wrinkles
The benefits of lavender oil for our skin are seemingly endless. Nourishing your skin with antioxidants is a great way to protect your skin against wrinkles. Lavender oil is a great source of antioxidants and other beneficial phytochemicals, making it useful to protect your skin from aging. Antioxidants present in it fight free radical damage, which is caused by environmental stressors such as pollution and UV rays.
- Prevents Infection
Research has shown that lavender oil contains antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties, this oil has been used to deal with several infections and combat bacterial and fungal disorders. Lavender oil also contains antiseptic properties which can help you to deal with minor cuts, insect bites, and scrapes.
