Facts and research on lavender essential oil

What is the difference between all the lavender essential oils?

Lavender essential oil is shown to have properties that benefit health. Here's a look at some of the research:

Anxiety
Although there’s currently a lack of large-scale clinical research to verify lavender’s effects on people with anxiety, some studies show that the essential oil may have an anti-anxiety effect.

A study published in Physiology & Behavior in 2005 tested lavender’s anxiety-reducing effect on 200 people waiting for dental treatment. They found that breathing in the scent of lavender boh reduced feelings of anxiety and improved mood.

In another study, there’s some evidence that ingesting lavender oil may help to alleviate anxiety. A report published in Phytomedicine in 2012 analyzed 15 previously published clinical trials. They concluded that dietary supplements containing lavender oil may have some therapeutic properties which can help patients struggling with anxiety and/or stress.

Depression & Insomnia
The effect of lavender on mood is thought to be due to its influence on the body’s limbic system. In some cases, scientists have reported that lavender can reduce depression and improve the quality of sleep and pain.

In 2013, scientists published a study in Journal Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine on lavender’s therapeutic and curative properties. After reviewing a combination of animal and human studies, they state that lavender oil may be an effective medicament in the treatment of several neurological disorders. One study they reviewed involved forty-eight adult outpatients suffering from mild-to-moderate depression who had a better and earlier improvement due to the antidepressive effect of lavender.

Does lavender essential oil have any side effects?

While lavender essential oil is thought to be likely safe for most people, some side effects may include:

• Constipation when consumed orally;
• headache;
• increased appetite; or
• skin irritation when used topically.

Lavender oil can also be ingested in pill form, or used as steam for aromatherapy. Even though lavender oil is relatively safe, it can cause discomfort for some. Stop using the oil if you experience any negative side effects.

It is important to consult with a medical doctor to see whether aromatherapy may be helpful and safe if you have a specific health condition.

Can lavender essential oil cure baldness?

Lavender essential oil gained attention in haircare communities for stimulating hair growth. A 2016 study used lavender essential oil on mice which made them grow more hair. They tested the application of oil in different concentrations which resulted in mice growing thicker hair faster than normal.

While this has yet to be shown to work on humans, some people believe adding lavender oil to mascara can make lashes grow thicker and faster. The belief here is that the tiny mites that live on and feast on eyelashes will be inhibited and that using lavender will kill the mites ⎯ allowing lashes to grow faster. However, this is no scientific evidence to support this claim.

What is steam distillation?

Hardcore science explanation
Steam distillation is the common method used for essential oil extraction. This process takes advantage of the volatility of a compound to evaporate when heated with steam and the hydrophobicity (“water-fearing”) properties of a compound into an oil phase during condensation.

Easy-to-understand explanation
Steam distillation uses dry steam to pass through lavender’s flowering tips to convert the beneficial properties of lavender into an essential oil. After the steam passes through the flower, it is then cooled so that it can turn back into liquid oil and bottled for you to enjoy.

To learn more about our high-quality essential oils, read this.