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 can benefit the skin in numerous ways. It has the ability to lessen acne, help even skin tone, and reduce wrinkles. It can even be used to treat other things, such as improving hair health and digestion.
Lavender oil for acne
Lavender oil works to kill bacteria, and this can prevent and heal acne breakouts. It unclogs pores and reduces inflammation when you put it on your skin.
To use lavender oil for acne, dilute it in coconut oil or another carrier oil and apply it to your skin after washing your face.
You can also use lavender oil as a facial toner by mixing 2 drops of lavender oil with 1 teaspoon of witch hazel. Soak a cotton ball in the blend and then gently rub it over your face.
For a particularly stubborn pimple, argan oil can help reduce inflammation. Mix 1 drop of lavender oil with 1 drop of argan oil and put it directly onto a pimple twice a day.
Soothes eczema and dry skin
Eczema can show up anywhere on your body. With eczema, your skin gets dry, itchy, and scaly. It can appear mild or chronic and in multiple locations. Since lavender has antifungal properties and reduces inflammation, it can help keep eczema at bay.
Lavender oil can also be used to treat psoriasis. The lavender oil helps cleanse your skin and lessen redness and irritation.
To use this essential oil for eczema, mix 2 drops with an equal amount of tea tree oil, along with 2 teaspoons of coconut oil. You can use it daily.
Lavender oil for blotchy skin
Lavender oil can aid in evening skin tone since it reduces inflammation. It can reduce discoloration, including dark spots. Lavender oil helps lessen blotchiness and redness. If you have hyperpigmentation on your skin, lavender oil may be able to help with that as well.
Lavender oil for face wrinkles
Free radicals are partly responsible for fine lines and wrinkles on the face. Lavender oil is full of antioxidants, which help protect you from the free radicals. To use lavender oil for wrinkles, use a few drops of the essential oil along with coconut oil. The mixture can be used as a moisturizer once or twice a day.
Painful inflammation can be treated with lavender oil. The oil’s pain-relieving and numbing effects help soothe the inflammation, while the beta-caryophyllene in the oil also acts as a natural anti-inflammatory.
To treat the inflammation on a burn, combine 1 to 3 drops of lavender oil and 1 to 2 teaspoons of moringa or coconut oil. You can apply the mixture three times a day.
If you have a sunburn, a lavender oil spray can help. In a spray bottle, combine a quarter cup of aloe vera juice, 2 tablespoons of distilled water, 10 to 12 drops of lavender oil and jojoba oil. Shake the bottle and spray onto your sunburn. Use the spray two or three times a day until the sunburn heals.
If you have a burn, cut, scrape, or another wound, lavender oil may help speed up the wound-healing process. In a 2016 studyTrusted Source, researchers found that lavender oil promotes the healing of skin tissue.
To use lavender oil on small wounds, mix 3 or 4 drops of lavender oil together with a few drops of coconut or tamanu oil. Apply the mixture on your wound with a cotton ball. If your wound has already healed, lavender oil can reduce remaining scars as well.
Lavender oil does double duty for insect bites. It acts as an insect repellent, and it can relieve itching after a bite occurs. Many commercial mosquito repellents contain lavender oil.
Both candles and sprays can be used to repel mosquitos and other bugs. You can add 7 drops to the candle and put it outdoors.
For a spray, mix 8 ounces of water and 4 drops of lavender oil in a spray bottle and shake it. Because it’s a natural remedy, you can spray it on your body and your clothes before you go outside.
Insect bites cause redness, itching, and pain. They can sometimes become infected. Lavender oil helps relieve insect bites by warding off bacteria and reducing inflammation. It also naturally helps relieve pain.
To treat an insect bite with lavender oil, mix 1 or 2 drops with a carrier oil, like coconut. Put the mixture on the bite twice a day or more. If your pain stings, a drop of peppermint oil mixed in can help numb it.
Lavender oil also works well for treating poison ivy.
How you use lavender oil depends on what you’re treating. You can put it on your skin with a carrier oil to form a lotion. If you’re putting it on a damaged part of your skin, it’s often best to use a cotton ball, which is cleaner than your fingers. For wrinkles and dry skin, you can apply the oil directly with your hands.
Lavender oil can also be ingested in pill form, or used as steam for aromatherapy. While lavender oil is relatively safe, it can cause discomfort for some. Stop using the oil if you experience any negative side effects.
If you’re pregnant, avoid any use of essential oils during the first trimester, as they may expose the fetus to toxic substances. After that, use lavender oil only as aromatherapy, and don’t ingest any essential oil or use it topically during your pregnancy.
Lavender oil has many uses for treating the skin. It naturally reduces inflammation, lessens pain, and cleans the surface of the skin. You can use lavender oil on your face, legs, and hands.
If you experience any side effects from using the oil, such as a skin rash, stop use and talk with a doctor.