A few thoughts about why we love lavender, its benefits and uses...
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Before we moved to Prague, I used to grow our own lavender that we would harvest and use in our products. I can still remember the sensation of running my fingers through the fragrant herb.
Now, I buy bunches from the Farmers market that I dry.
Out of season, I also order online from different vendors. I always prefer the organic flowers. If you want to use in food, make sure to get the culinary lavender.
We carry a range of Lavender products, as they're not only ours, but also our customers' favourite: Soothing Lavender soap & massage bar, body oil, lotion bar, bath salt, sugar scrub...
Our top selling lavender products right now are:
A little about the history of Lavender & why we love it so
Lavender is a colourful flowering plant—part of the mint family and its name comes from the Latin word for "to wash", lavare. Its history goes back some 2500 years! The ancient Egyptians used lavender during the mummification procedure and also for its pleasant aroma in the creation of perfumes. Cleopatra might have employed lavender's allure to captivate Mark Antony's heart—an anecdote that, while possibly fictional, certainly adds to the charm of lavender's history. Lavender's soothing scent was harnessed by the ancient Romans for bathing and washing purposes and today, you will find it in a wide array of products within the Bath & Body aisle.
It is one of our very favourite ingredients to use, for many reasons.
The scent is so soothing and calming and is often used to help with insomnia or to calm anxiety. If I have trouble sleeping, I use a few drops on my pillow or a few drops in my essential oil burner and I soon feel more relaxed. Lavender is known for its ability to calm the nervous system & lift the mood.
Lavender oil has been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects, which is why we love to integrate it into so many of our product formulations. Across the years, lavender has been utilised as an insect repellent, for sunburns and as a skin healing aid. When used on the skin, it can help treat acne, soothe conditions like psoriasis and help wounds heal better.
Lavender is one of the safest plants for general use and the essential oil has very low toxicity when used at the correct dose, but even if it may be applied undiluted at a small quantity, we always recommend using any essential oil diluted in a carrier oil.
Link to pure lavender essential oil here.
If you're looking to buy the essential oil, make sure the bottle has the right inci name: Lavandula Angustifolia and is 100% pure. My favourite place of origin is Bulgaria or France, as I find they produce the most fragrant.
It tastes good! My favourite use for edible lavender: In cocktails, as a herb on food (like chicken or lamb), you can make decorative ice cubes, a lavender-lemonade coloured with butterfly pea powder for a beautiful purple colour or a lavender frosting on vanilla cupcakes. Lavender salt and lavender sugar is so easy to make and you can keep it in a jar for whenever you want to elevate a recipe.
Lavender & Lemon salt:
1/4 cup salt (I prefer a mix of Mediterranean & Pink Himalayan, but here it's just Mediterranean)
1 tsp dried edible lavender
1 slice of dried lemon ( or use ready made lemon zest)
Blend everything in a small food processor
Keep in airtight container (remember to label)
For the sugar blend, you substitute the salt with sugar and instead of lemon, add a tiny pinch of butterfly pea powder for a little shade of blue (optional).
Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions regarding lavender or its uses.