Imagine a flower being able to calm your nerves, reduce inflammation and swelling, promote faster healing for minor burns, decrease muscle pain, alleviate insomnia, and work as a natural bug repellant' That purple colored flower named lavender, which is derived from the Latin word lavera meaning 'to wash', is one of the most versatile essential oils the plant kingdom has to offer. Additionally, it's obtained without a prescription and the price is considered quite inexpensive.
Types of Lavender:
Lavandula angustifolia is the most common type of lavender and it hails from England It is oftentimes referred to as true lavender. Any true lavender will have the botanical name of 'lavandula' as the prefix. (There are up to 50 different species, including lavandula officinalis and lavandula vera, yet they will all be simply lavender). Lavender grows all over the world, including many parts of the United States and Canada, France, Italy, Bulgaria, Russia, Croatia, China, and Australia. The reason the 'true' lavandula angustifolia genus is so popular is due to the low rate of camphor, less than one percent, it retains after distillation. This lends the essential oil a strong floral aroma, but it also makes it quite effective in aromatherapy usage, especially in accelerating the healing of minor burns. Camphor is a chemical constituent that you don't want near a burn, and other versions of lavender, such as lavandin, lavender's cousin, which can contain up to 8% camphor'are not effective for soothing delicate skin tissue.
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Having a well-filled breast is almost every woman's dream. In a society like ours where having big breasts is adored and given such .....Lavandin (lavandula x intermedia) ~ According to 'The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils' by Julia Lawless, lavandin is: 'A hybrid plant developed by crossing true lavender (lavender angustifolia) with spike lavender or aspic (lavender latifolia). Due to its hybrid nature, lavandin has a variety of forms: in general it is a larger plant than true lavender, with woody stems. Its flowers may be blue like true lavender, or grayish like aspic.' The scent of lavandin is also sharper and more penetrating. While the plant grows in parts of Eastern Europe, Hungary, and Spain, cultivation is mainly in France.
Spike Lavender (lavandula latifolia) ~ Spike, sometimes referred to as Spanish lavender, is native to Spain, France, Italy, the Mediterranean region, and Northern Africa. The bright purple-blue flowers commonly found in true lavender are often a grayer hue in the spike variety. The essential oil is very penetrating, more herbal than floral, and retains a higher concentration of camphor than true lavender.
Lavender 40/42 ~ The lavender is blended with other lavenders to bring the percentage of linalol to between 40% and 42%. Linalol is an active component of Lavender that contains therapeutic benefits. Some Lavender essential oils can contain 40% and 45%.
Historical Uses for Lavender:
'Lavender was cultivated by the ancient Egyptians in the sacred walled garden at Thebes. They prized the herb greatly, using it to make a soothing and healing balm that was part of the ritual of mummification. It was turned into an expensive perfume to adorn both the living and the dead. Perfume urns were sealed into tombs to provide fragrance, and when Tutankhamen's tomb was excavated, the scent of lavender was still strong even after 3000 years.' From 'The Book of Magical Herbs' by Margaret Picton.
Surprisingly, lavender is found more frequently in commercial fragrances for men rather than women. 'This is one of the oldest scents in the fragrance world, made from oils extracted from the lavender and lavandin plants grown in France as well as spike lavender grown in Spain.' From the book 'Perfumes, Splashes & Colognes' by Nancy M. Booth. Examples of men's fragrances are: Aqua Lavanda, Cool Water, Drakkar Noir, Hai Karate, Lavanda, Le Male by Gaultier, Old English Lavender, Old Spice Fresh Scent, Pino Silvestre (conifer), Pour un Homme and Ungara Pour Homme all contain lavender and/or lavandin essential oils.
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