A Closer Look at Lavender

Whenever I think of Bulgarian Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia), I think about warm hugs, cozy blankets, peaceful days and blissfully restful nights.

Lavender is probably the most, well known and the best loved of all of the essential oils on the market today.

There is a very good reason why this beautiful oil is people’s go-to for calming babies, sleep-filled nights, stress reduction, mindfulness and anti-anxiety. Lavandula angustifolia is also referred to as “true lavender or English lavender”, which is funny because it’s never grown in England, but rather in high altitude in you guessed it ... Bulgaria.

So let’s dive a little deeper into what makes this beloved elixir a must have for every home.

Each Lavender will have its own aroma depending on where it’s grown, the climate, and the altitude of where is calls home, and each one of these will have its own chemical constituents based on all of these factors!

We have chosen Bulgarian Lavender because of its rich and full bodied scent with no sharpness of camphor to take away from the sweet and gentle aroma. It is steam distilled and has a strong top note in Aromatherapy. More importantly, we have also chosen it because of its chemical constituents that are the true therapy behind the oil. I won’t bore you will all of the constituents but the two main ones that make this essential oil so therapeutic are:

Linalool

• Powerful anti-inflammatory
• Reduces anxiousness and stress
• A mild muscle relaxant and analgesic (pain killer)

Linalyl-Acetate

• Regulates the sympathetic nervous system
• Regulates the neuro-endocrine system
• Has a potent sedative effect and is a mild anti-spasmodic 

These top two constituents pack an enormous punch for deep relaxation, mindfulness practice, self-love, reducing anxiety, insomnia, burn & wound healing and aggressive behaviour & negativity.

A few simple ways to use your new Bulgarian Lavender are:

• Diffuse through the air at bedtime or whenever you are feeling anxious and stressed out.
• One or two drops on your pillow at night for a blissful night’s sleep.
• In a roll on therapy bottle apply to wrists, temples and other pulse points
• Mix one or two drops in bath salts or bath oil and soak for no less than 20 minutes for de-stressing or before bed. You not only benefit from inhalation, but from skin absorption as well! (keep in mind that essential oils are not water soluble so mixing them with a carrier ensures they don’t just lie on top of the bath water)

At Sage and Sweetgrass we have a variety of products that incorporate this therapeutic grade oil for you such as:

Bulgarian Lavender Essential Oil (10ml and 30ml)
Sweet Dreams Synergy Blend with Atlas Cedarwood
Sweet Dreams Therapeutic Bath Salts
Lavender Whipped Body Mousse
Lavender Body Bliss Butter
..... And coming soon Lavender Body Oil

A Simple Word of Caution – Lavender is probably the most adulterated essential oil out there and the constituents can be reproduced synthetically to “smell” like the real thing. Be sure to purchase from a reputable supplier to ensure you are receiving the benefits you need and deserve.