Angustifolia, Dentata and Intermedia: The Many Buds of Lavender

Lavender's History

Lavender was first documented around 2500 years ago, and is said to hail from the Mediterranean, India, and Middle East, where its benefits were first discovered. It is part of the mint family, though its scent is vastly different, even if their tiny flowers might bare some slight resemblance.

Though people had enjoyed the scent of lavender for some time, it was the Romans who really were experimental: steeping it in their baths, perfuming their clothes, and even making oils from the flowers and moisturising their hair with it. In doing this, the medicinal properties of the plant came to light, and since then there has been a wealth of information gathered to show that we can all really benefit from it.

Unlike the Romans, we do not have the laborious task of ‘juicing’ our lavender as a distilled version is readily available, both neat and blended, and it is extremely accessible. So, whether we want it for its culinary, therapeutic, or practical uses it is reasonably priced and easy for anyone to buy. But once we have bought it, what should we do with it?

What are the uses of Lavender?

Lavender oil can be used as a disinfectant in both cleansing our homes and our skin, an antiseptic on cuts and scrapes, an anti-inflammatory for things like sunburn and bruises and for aromatherapy in products such as wax melts. Lavender is also said to soothe and calm insect bites and even acne and other skin conditions.

Lavender blends such as Relaxation, Stress Relief and Anxiety Relief are used to soothe pressure headaches and as an aid to sleep and relaxation, offering a drug-free remedy to the stresses that many of us face. Inhaling blends with lavender will calm the body and mind by reducing anxious thoughts and balancing the mood.

Lavender can even be used for internal medical conditions such as indigestion and heartburn when taken in herbal teas and tinctures. With over 40 types of lavender in the mint family, there is no shortage of teas available.

Lastly, let’s not forget the pretty little bags of buds that can be hung in wardrobes and dotted in drawers to keep our laundry fresh and floral; these are not reserved only for our grandmas, there will always be a place for those!

If you have any quirky ways to use lavender, we would love to hear them, we are all lavender lovers at Wisteria Wax; it is probably the most used plant in any of our essential oil blends.