Not sleeping well? Lavender
Skin’s feeling totally irritated? Lavender
Breakouts happening? Lavender
Bug bites. Sunburn. Weird rash? Lavender
Feeling stressed out (probably from any of the above) Lavender

Lavender is your first aid treatment: the go-to for almost any skincare concern. If you could only bring one ingredient to a desert island – it would have to be lavender.

Lavender is part of the mint family – take notice and you’ll feel its cooling effect. It’s like the fan blowing against your skin. And that’s what helps to alleviate any red, painful irritations and relieve itching. Lavender is a nervine – which soothes and calms our entire system. The moment you inhale its fragrance, you just want to lean your head back and breathe out a big  “ahhhhhhh….””

That same ahhhhh feeling applies to our skin as well.

Lavender alleviates stress, eczema and psoriasis and even soothes pain. Soaking tired, aching feet in lavender will bring a lot of relief.

And it’s incredibly cleansing. Lavender comes from the Latin word “lavare” which means to wash. Its antibacterial and antiseptic properties helps with cuts and sores – and keeps your skin clean and clear of breakouts.

That’s why I use lavender in my Necessary Balm – it so good for so much! 

Studies in hospitals have shown that lavender helps with skin healing, from ulcers to wounds. Bathing in lavender was found to help women post-labour to heal and reduce inflammation. Pretty neat!

How to use lavender at home (because we’re probably not actually going to a desert-island!)

Soak. Heal your skin, alleviate painful bites and sunburn, calm inflammation and irritations.
Add 1/4 cup of dried lavender into a hot bath. Avoid the clean-up by either packing it into a muslin cloth bag, or steeping it first in a tea kettle, then pouring the lavender infusion into the bath water.

Mask. Soothe and cleanse your skin with a lavender face mask. If you’re skin is feeling irritated and reactive, if you see breakouts coming up, here’s the remedy: grind 1/4  cup dried lavender until powder fine. As fine as you can get it. Then mix it with either clay, for deep cleansing. Ground oat flour for deep healing. Coconut milk powder for deep moisture.

Aromatherapy. Trouble sleeping? Pack dried lavender in a little cloth bag and keep it by your pillow. Breathe in the scent, to help yourself relax. You might want to drink lavender herbal teas at night, to boost this benefit.

Infuse. Lavender infuses so beautifully in oil, the scent really shines through. And all those healing benefits transfer into the oil. Once you have infused the oil – you can use this daily to cleanse/nourish your skin, to pour into a bath or to use in making a scrub recipe.

learn how to perfectly infuse oils in The Spring Guide. 

building your apothecary

I buy lavender in a one-pound bag from Starwest Botanicals. It costs around $25 – but you’ll have enough lavender to soak, mask, infuse and give away all year long! But, if you don’t want a giant bag, they also sell smaller 4oz sizes for around $10.

You can order online, but what’s really fun is visiting herbal supply shops. Search “herbs” in your area and see what comes up!

Once you have your lavender, store it in a tight-sealed mason jar. Label it, date it. And then keep it on a shelf for going to again and again – a sprinkle here, a sprinkle there. Any time you feel like you need soothing relief.

PS: Ready to take care of your skin more beautifully? Whole food ingredients, like lavender, are the key to healing, restoring glowing skin. Check out the Spring guide, it has a shopping list, guidebook and recipes that will make your skin so healthy and happy!

Here’s the link: Spring