Perhaps the most recognized use of Lavender is in help to pleasantly lull people to sleep. It has been used for this (as well as to aid relaxation and calmness) in hospitals in Britain for many years. In the Victorian era, it was not unusual to find those with the means to do so to have pillows stuffed with lavender flowers. Just a drop or two of Lavender essential oil on a pillow, or a few in a bath just before bed, can prove very helpful for those with issues calming enough to sleep. Its gentle calming properties also make it ideal for treating anxiety, panic attacks, and similar issues.
It is also highly effective for various kinds of pain, most notably almost any kind of headache. Lavender is one of the few essential oils that can be used ‘neat’ - applied directly to the skin without dilution. You can apply a drop to each temple to vastly improve a headache, or mix it in a 2 to 1 ratio with peppermint (peppermint being the lesser end of the ratio) and dilute it a bit in a carrier oil for a similar effect, applied again to the temples. This mixture is most effective for migraines. Lavender can also be diluted in a carrier oil, lotion, or balm, and rubbed on most sore areas, including strains, sprains, bruises, and various skin irritations. It can also be used neat on burns to reduce pain and help prevent blistering (from my personal experience, it will sting slightly when first applied to a fresh burn, but it won’t last long, and the burn will stop hurting much faster than any other method I have found.) It can also be effective for treating minor wounds, as it has antiseptic qualities and helps to speed healing.
Lavender essential oil is one of the few that is safe for (very limited) internal use; the herb, both fresh and dried, is as well. 1-4 drops on a sugar cube or a tablespoon of milk can be helpful for a number of things, including faintness, anxiety (particularly palpitations and the like), low appetite, dreary spirits, and flatulence. It is also helpful for a sore throat.
Because of Lavender’s antiviral and antiseptic qualities, in addition to its lovely fresh scent, one of my own favorite uses for it is as a room spray. You can either add a few drops to a spray bottle of water (which must be shaken well before each use) or simply get Lavender water. It makes your rooms smell better, and also helps in preventing the spread of illnesses, like colds and flu.
It can be used as an Analgesic, Anti-inflammatory, Antiseptic, Diuretic, Insecticide, and Sedative. It can also be used for acne, allergies, anxiety, asthma, athlete's foot, bronchitis, bruises, burns, chicken pox, circulatory issues, colds, colic, cuts, dandruff, depression, dermatitis, earache, eczema, headache, hypertension, insect bites, insect repellent, insomnia, irritability, itching, labor pains, mental fatigue, migraine, muscular aches, oily skin, panic attacks, PMS symptoms, psoriasis, rheumatism, scars, sinusitis, sores, sprains, strains, stress, stretch marks, sunburn, tension, vertigo, whooping cough, and many more.
In perfumery, it can be used as either a Top or Middle note.
In all, if one were to have only one herb or essential oil at their disposal, Lavender would be my recommendation.
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