Lavender Essential Oil | Benefits and Uses

Lavender essential oil doesn’t just smell heavenly; it also has many benefits and uses for a natural, sustainable lifestyle. Learn how to use lavender essential oil and all it has to offer.

Lavender oil is one of the most common essential oils, and it is impressively well-researched. It has loads of potential benefits for the skin, hair, and mind.

It’s no wonder that it makes an appearance in so many of my DIY recipes and essential oil blends!

Best of all, lavender smells simply heavenly. I never get sick of it, and that’s saying something, because I use it a lot!

Lavender essential oil has a calming, soothing, and peaceful aroma that may help promote relaxation and sleep. Let’s dig into its many benefits and uses.

How to Use Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender can be used in 2 different ways: topically and aromatically.

Topical Use

Essential oils can be applied topically to benefit skin health and get targeted aromatherapy benefits. It’s important to note that essential oils should be diluted with a liquid carrier oil or lotion before applying them to the skin.

Some ways to use lavender topically:

1. Make a roller bottle: Combine lavender oil with a carrier oil in a 10mL roller bottle, which allows you to take pre-diluted essential oils on the go, and gives you an easy way to apply them.
2. Stir into lotions: If you already have a lotion you love, or you’re making your own, like DIY pumpable lotion, you can mix lavender essential oil into the lotion. The lotion will smell amazing, and the oil will be perfectly diluted.
3. Add to DIY skincare products: It doesn’t have to be lotion; you can use lavender essential oil in homemade body oil, DIY aftershave, and more.

Aromatic Use

The other way to use lavender essential oil is aromatically. There are a few ways to achieve this:

1. A diffuser: Add lavender oil (by itself or in a blend, such as one of my peaceful diffuser blends) to a diffuser and enjoy the pleasant aroma of lavender throughout the room.
2. Room spray: You can use lavender to make a homemade room spray to mist into the air and onto furniture and linens.
3. Use your hands: If you want something fast and simple, you can just add a drop of lavender oil to the palm of your hand and cup your hands over your nose to inhale the aroma directly. You can similarly take a sniff right out of the bottle.
4. Add to diffuser jewelry: Put a drop on a homemade diffuser necklace or DIY diffuser bracelet.

Lavender Oil for Sleep and Relaxation

Lavender tea, flowers, buds, and oil have been used to promote healthy sleep for centuries. The calming effects of lavender can slow down the heart rate and put you in a relaxed state. 

It has also been shown to improve sleep quality and help you fall asleep more quickly.

Applying lavender to the bottoms of the feet, down the spine, or to the pulse points before bed is a great way to reap the benefits of lavender oil.

Diffusing lavender or making a homemade linen spray is another great way to get the benefits of lavender and help you to drift off to sleep faster. Try adding a few drops of lavender to a linen spray and misting the sheets before bed.

Lavender Oil Benefits for Skin

Lavender essential oil is one of the most soothing essential oils for skin. It has many uses in homemade skincare, especially in products intended for the face.

Because the skin on the face is more delicate than other parts of the body, it’s especially important to dilute essential oils before applying them to the face.

Lavender has several potential benefits for the skin, including anti-aging, moisturizing, soothing, and evening skintone. Some ideas for using lavender on the skin are:

• Simply mix lavender oil with a carrier oil and spread it on the face before bedtime.
• Add lavender oil to DIY anti-aging products, such as an anti-aging roller bottle or anti-aging face mask.
• Put a few drops of lavender oil in facial sprays, such as a homemade facial toner or DIY hydrating face mist.
• Add to homemade lotions, creams, and body butters (I love it in my DIY shea butter lotion).
• Make a roller bottle to apply to pulse points — I have a recipe below!

Lavender Oil Benefits for Hair 

Lavender essential oil can help stimulate hair follicles and promote thick, healthy hair. In addition, with its beautiful scent, lavender can be used in hair products to freshen hair.

Here are a few uses for lavender essential oil for the hair:

• Add to homemade hair growth spray to stimulate hair growth and improve overall hair health.
• Put a few drops in homemade hair oil to improve hair thickness and health.
• Use in DIY dry shampoo or DIY fragrant hair perfume to freshen hair between washes.
• Incorporate it into your homemade shampoo to add a lovely smell to your hair and possibly increase hair growth.

Lavender Oil for Insects

Lavender oil is a summer essential; it’s so helpful when it comes to unwanted insects!

Not only does it help repel insects, but it can also be soothing to itchy or painful bug bites.

If you want to stick with natural ingredients in your insect repellents, lavender oil is a must. Add it to these recipes to keep the bugs away and help with bug bites:

• All-Natural Bug and Tick Repellent
• DIY Bug Repellent Lotion Bars
• Homemade Bug Repellent Bracelet
• Homemade Drawing Salve
• Homemade Anti-Itch Cream

How to Make a Lavender Essential Oil Roller Bottle

How to make a lavender essential oil roller bottle 

1. Add 15-20 drops of lavender essential oil to a 10mL roller bottle.
2. Top the roller bottle off with a carrier oil; my favorite one is fractionated coconut oil.
3. Shake the roller bottle, and it is ready for use.

How to use your lavender roller bottle 

Apply to pulse points, the bottom of feet, the back of the neck, down the spine, or other areas of concern.

Lavender Essential Oil Roller Bottle Recipes

Bright and Clear

• 10 drops frankincense
• 8 drops melaleuca
• 6 drops lavender

Goodnight

• 5 drops lavender 
• 4 drops frankincense 
• 3 drop serenity 
• 3 drop balance
• 2 drops vetiver

Uplifting

• 10 drops lime
• 8 drops bergamot
• 6 drops lavender
• 4 drops lemon

Using Lavender Around Pets 

Lavender essential oil is a very gentle oil and can be safe to use around your pets. However, it is important to keep a few things in mind when using any essential oil around indoor pets.

Your pet’s sense of smell is much stronger than yours, and an aroma you love may not be as pleasant for your animal. Therefore, always give your pets a way to get away from the smell if needed by leaving doors open. 

Likewise, don’t put oil on a collar or on the pet’s fur.

The best way to use essential oils around cats and dogs is to let them be the judge. Start with a small amount, in open areas, and see how they react. 

Frequently Asked Questions

More Lavender Essential Oil Recipes

For the bath

• Ultimate Relaxing Bath Bombs
• Easy Homemade Shower Melts
• Cold Process Lavender Soap Recipe
• Homemade Bubble Bath

For the body

• Whipped Body Butter Recipe
• DIY Deodorant
• DIY Vanilla Lavender Body Spray
• Whipped Lavender Sugar Scrub

For the home

• Foaming Hand Soap Recipe
• Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap
• All Natural Febreze with Essential Oils
• DIY Mason Jar Candles with Dried Flowers

What are your favorite uses for lavender essential oil? Let me know in the comments. Mine is definitely using it topically and aromatically with my children before bed! Mama likes her sleep! 😉