Lavender Essential Oil Skin Care Benefits, Uses, and Recipes

Making and using lavender essential oil skin care products, including body or facial creams and lotions, bath blends, lip balm, body butter, and sunburn relief gel or lotion, is common because this oil balances all skin types.

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The Complete Aromatherapy & Essential Oils Handbook for Everyday Wellness calls lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) one of the most valuable oils for skin care and skin conditions because the oil's benefits include:

• Stimulates growth of new cells (rejuvenates skin)
• Helps get rid of harmful bacteria
• Prevents scarring
• Eases pain of skin conditions

In addition to daily skin care, the book notes you can use the oil to help heal abscesses, acne and pimples, minor burns and sunburn, skin allergies, athlete's foot, boils, bruises, dermatitis, eczema, inflamed skin, insect bites and stings, psoriasis, scabies, sores, and minor cuts and wounds. You can also include the oil in deodorant to reduce body odor or in insect repellents.

Article Contents

• Skin Safety
• Lavender for Face Care
• Lavender for Hair Care
• Lavender for Body Care
• Lavender in the Bath
• Lavender for Skin Conditions
• Lavender Essential Oil Skin Care FAQ

This article offers a few lavender essential oil skin care blends. You can find more in the sources noted.

Lavender Skin Safety

Although lavender is skin safe for most people, the oil (especially an old or poor quality one) may irritate the skin of some. Patch testing recommended.

How to perform a spot test or skin patch test: Dilute 1 or 2 drops lavender in 1/2 teaspoon carrier oil. Apply a small amount of the blend to your inner forearm. If you do not have an adverse reaction within 24 hours (some sources say 48 hours), the oil is probably safe for you to use. Be aware it's possible to become sensitive over time, so always pay attention to your skin reactions.

Dilution guidelines: For skin application, lavender is typically used at a dilution of 1% to 3%, that is 1 to 3 drops in 1 teaspoon carrier oil. Stronger dilutions might be used for specific situations. Essential oil dilution chart. 

Can you use lavender neat? Some sources say it's okay to use one or two drops of lavender essential oil undiluted (neat) on skin, while other sources advise against the practice. Exercise your own good judgement in deciding what's right for you. Undiluted essential oil is more likely to irritate skin or cause sensitization. Personally, I sometimes use undiluted lavender but have also found it's usually not necessary.

Do not use lavender oil on broken or irritated skin, as this can increase the risk of irritation.

Lavender Essential Oil for Face Care

The benefits of lavender essential oil for the face include soothing, balancing, and toning the skin.

Lavender Essential Oil and Acne: Although you can use diluted lavender essential oil for acne and pimples, often with good results, you will probably get better results with an acne blend that also contains tea tree oil.

Lavender Cleansing Balm

Use a small amount of this balm to clean your face.

• 5 grams (0.18 ounce) beeswax
• 4 teaspoons (20 ml) almond oil
• 4 teaspoons (20 ml) apricot kernel oil
• 5 drops lavender essential oil

1. Using a double boiler over low heat, melt the beeswax.
2. Slowly add the carrier oils while stirring.
3. Remove from heat.
4. Add the essential oil and stir well.
5. Pour into a glass jar and let cool.

Adapted from The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy.

Facial Oil

Moisturize and protect your face with a few drops of this face oil.

• 3 teaspoons argan oil
• 1 teaspoon hemp seed oil
• 1 teaspoon grapeseed oil
• 1/4 teaspoon rosehip oil
• 4 drops vitamin E oil
• 10 drops lavender essential oil
• 5 drops carrot seed essential oil
• 2 drops lemon essential oil
• 1-ounce (30 ml) dark-color dropper bottle

Blend all the oils in a small glass bowl. Pour into the dropper bottle (using a small funnel makes pouring easier). Cap bottle and shake gently. Use within six months.

Source: The Lavender Companion

Lip Balm

Makes about 7 ounces lip balm.

• 4 tablespoons jojoba or sweet almond oil
• 1 tablespoon beeswax
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 8 to 9 drops vitamin E oil
• 7 drops lavender essential oil
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• Shadow pan of ice water
• Lip balm containers

1. Over very low heat or using a double boiler, warm the carrier oil, beeswax, and honey in a small, stainless steel pot or bowl. Stir until beeswax is completely melted.
2. Remove from heat and quickly whisk in the vitamin E oil, essential oil, and cocoa powder.
3. Place the bottom of the bowl into a shadow pan of ice water and continue whisking quickly as you add the honey.
4. Quickly transfer the balm into your lip balm containers. Let set for three hours.

Source: Organic Beauty With Essential Oil

Lavender Essential Oil for Hair Care

Lavender oil benefits all types of hair by balancing and strengthening the hair and supporting hair growth. Using lavender essential oil on the scalp helps relieve scalp irritation and itching.

Quick tip: You can add a few drops to a bottle of unscented natural shampoo.

Lavender oil for hair growth: Dilute 1 to 2 drops lavender in a few drops of jojoba oil. Massage into your scalp. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before shampooing. You will probably get better results with a hair growth blend.

Balancing Lavender Essential Oil Shampoo

• 1/2 cup castile soap
• 8 drops lavender
• 8 drops rosemary essential oil
• 1/2 cup distilled water

Place the castile soap in a bottle. Add the essential oils. Add the water. Cap bottle and shake well. Use like any other shampoo.

Source: 100 Amazing Blends and Uses of Essential Oils

Lavender Essential Oil for Body Care

You can use lavender in many body care products, including body oils and butters, lotions, scrubs, and baths.

Lavender Shea Butter Oil Recipe

Shea butter oil deeply moisturizes and hydrates skin and is especially beneficial for dry or sensitive skin.

• 1 tablespoon shea butter
• 9 tablespoons carrier oil (jojoba, almond, or fractionated coconut oil)
• 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
• 10 to 12 drops lavender essential oil

1. Place shea butter in a double boiler over medium heat and stir until melted. Remove from heat.
2. Stir in carrier oil and vitamin E oil.
3. Stir in essential oil.
4. Mix with a whisk or electric mixer to fully blend the ingredients.
5. Let the mixture cool. It should start to solidify slightly but remain mostly liquid.
6. Transfer mixture to a clean glass container. Store in a cool, dark place. Best used within 6 to 12 months.

Adapted from Oh Mighty Health

Body Scrub

• 1-1/4 cups sugar of choice
• 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
• 1 tablespoon almond oil
• 1 tablespoon vegetable glycerin
• 1/2 teaspoon vitamin E oil
• 20 drops lavender essential oil
• 2 drops tea tree essential oil (optional)

Add all ingredients to a medium bowl and stir until combined. Transfer to a dark glass container. Store the scrub in in a cool, dry place and use within six months.

To use: Massage a handful of the scrub onto wet skin using circular motions. Rinse off with warm water and pat skin dry.

Source: The Lavender Companion

More body scrub recipes.

Lavender Hand Scrub

• 1/4 coarse salt
• 1/4 cup sugar (brown or white)
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/2 teaspoon lavender essential oil

1. Combine the salt and sugar in a bowl.
2. If necessary, melt the coconut oil. Then combine it with the essential oil.
3. Stir the oil mixture into the dry ingredients. Store the scrub in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Source: Llewellyn's Complete Book of Essential Oils

More hand scrub recipes.

Lavender Essential Oil in a Bath

Making a bath with lavender essential oil can be as simple as adding a few drops of essential oil to a little carrier oil or castile soap and stirring the mixture into the water. However, you might prefer a bath blend to enhance the effects of lavender essential oil skin care.

Soothing Bath

• 10 drops lavender
• 5 drops marjoram essential oil
• 5 drops frankincense essential oil
• 1 drop cedarwood essential oil
• 4 ounces (1/2 cup) carrier oil

Combine all ingredients in a dark-color 4-ounce glass bottle. Cap. Shake gently to blend. Store in a cool, dark place.

To use: Stir 1 tablespoon into a warm bath. Soak for 20 to 30 minutes.

Source: The Big Book of Essential Oil Recipes for Beauty

Relaxing Bath

• 1 teaspoon liquid castile soap
• 5 drops lavender
• 3 drops mandarin essential oil
• 2 drops neroli essential oil

Blend essential oils and soap. Stir into bath.

Source: Nature's Essential Oils: Aromatic Alchemy for Well-Being

Lavender Essential Oil for Skin Conditions

Using lavender essential oil on skin conditions such as inflamed skin, dermatitis, eczema, scabies, sunburn, minor burns, sores, and minor cuts and wounds can be effective but does require some caution. Spot testing any blend strongly recommended.

Eczema Cream

Before using this cream with lavender essential oil for eczema, spot test to make sure it doesn't irritate your condition.

• 1.5 ounces distilled water
• 1 tablespoon lavender flowers
• 2 drams (0.125 ounce or 3.54 grams) beeswax
• 1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) lanolin
• 1.5 ounces (3 tablespoons) olive oil
• 20 drops lavender essential oil

1. Boil the distilled water. Pour it over the lavender flowers. Let steep until cool. Strain.
2. Melt the beeswax, lanolin, and olive oil in a double boiler over low heat.
3. Add to the oil mixture to the stained water while stirring continuously with a whisk or electric mixer.
4. As soon as the cream starts to solidify, add the lavender oil. Continue to stir until the mixture hardens to his final consistency.

Source: The Magic and Power of Lavender

Bug Bite and Sting Relief

You can apply diluted lavender essential oil to mosquito and other bug bites. The following blend (for adults) might offer even better results.

• 1 ounce aloe vera gel
• 8 drops lavender
• 5 drops helichrysum essential oil
• 3 drops german chamomile essential oil
• 2 drops peppermint essential oil

Pour the aloe vera into to a 1-ounce (30 ml) PET plastic flip-top bottle. Add the essential oils. Close the bottle shake gently before you use. Shelf life is a few weeks.

To make a blend for kids, change the essential oils to 1 drop german chamomile, 2 drops helichrysum, and 3 drops lavender.

Source: Heart of Aromatherapy

Lavender Essential Oil Skin Care FAQ

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