Do you ever feel like you need a “time-out?” A special break– away from the moment, not because you ‘got in trouble,’ but, because you’re feeling troubled?
When I feel that way I rely on lavender to soothe and ease my woes. Lavandula angustifolia has been cultivated for centuries for it’s many uses and healing benefits–namely for stress relief, relaxation, and restful sleep.
For me, the sacred scent of lavender is what I need on a tough day, or any day for that matter. The deep, intoxicating, uplifting scent sweetly suggests the mind to relax and be peaceful.
This easy-to-grow herb is a welcome friend in my garden; and the benefits and uses of the lovely flower are bountiful.
Lavender properties:
- Analgesic
- Antibacterial
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antimicrobial
- Antiseptic
- Antispasmodic
- Aromatic
- Carminative
- Cholagogue
- Deodorant
- Diuretic
- Emmenagogue
- Insecticide
- Nervine
- Sedative
- Stimulant
- Stomachic
- Vulnerary
Lavender Benefits:
- Bruises
- Burns
- Dandruff
- Earache
- Flatulence
- Halitosis
- Headache
- Indigestion
- Infection
- Inflammations
- Insect bites and stings
- Insomnia
- Nausea
- Nervous tension
- Rashes
- Scars
- Slow digestion
- Sore muscles
- Sprains
- Stress
- sunburn,
- Toothache
- Ulcers
- Wounds
- Lavender oil is a good addition to most skincare products.
Let’s be honest… Some days the only time I can eek out for myself might be in the shower.
But who am I kidding? As my 10-month-old plays on the bathroom floor, she often whines at me while I wash. She has an uncanny, “Mama’s dripping wet and busy” sort of radar, and likes to exercise all of her sweet baby-isms while I’m busy. Honestly, I could pretend that it doesn’t bother me, but that’d be silly, and every mother in the world would call my bluff. Most often, I wish for a peaceful shower, and if I can’t get that, I can at least draw upon my herbs my when I need extra support.
I use a lavender hair rinse not only for the benefits to my hair, but for the aromatherapy benefits for my mind. Sometimes a girl needs a break– or a “time-out.” 😉
This recipe uses a lavender infusion, lavender hydrosol and lavender essential oil. If you don’t care for the lovely scent of lavender, stop reading now. 🙂
Lavender Bliss
- 3 C boiling water
- 2 T dried lavender
- 1/2 C lavender hydrosol
- 1 C dandelion-infused apple cider vinegar
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
- 5 drops bergamot essential oil
In a lidded jar, pour boiling water over dried lavender. Cover and shake. Let the infusion cool to room temperature for several hours, shaking periodically.
Once cooled, add remaining ingredients. Bottle in a squirt or spray bottle. Use as a conditioning hair rinse after shampooing. It is not necessary to rinse out of your hair. The vinegar smell is faint and dissipates completely.
(I use a homemade marshmallow root shampoo bar and always follow up with some sort of a vinegar rinse).
Notes:
-When applied with a fine-mist spray bottle, this would make an excellent burn spray! Lavender essential oil and apple cider vinegar are supreme in the treatment of burns.
-Hydrosol, or floral water is:
Hydrosols, also known as floral waters, hydroflorates, flower waters or distillates are
produced from steam-distilling plant materials. Hydrosols have similar properties to essential oils but are much less concentrated. Unlike their “essential oil added to water” counterparts, true steam-distilled hydrosols contain all the beneficial components that whole plant materials have to offer.
Hydrosols are usually a by-product of essential oil production, but the highest quality comes from devoted distillers who, with artist-like precision, steam small batches of fresh floral and plant material strictly to produce hydrosol (the hydrosols offered by Mountain Rose Herbs are produced in this fashion). Most of our hydrosols are distilled in copper stills, (a few in stainless steel stills) and processed through certified organic methods in the Pacific Northwest and Europe. Hydrosols contain all of the essence of the plant in every drop, just like essential oils but in a milder form; making them suitable for all manner of applications where essential oils would be too strong. In most hydrosols there is less than 5% actual oil.
Please note that their aromas are mostly mild and subtle, sometimes bright and fragrant, and most hydrosols have an herby or grassy note indicative of their authentic and therapeutic properties.
Wonderful as a facial splash, body perfume, deodorant or air freshener. Cool a hot flash, change your mood, or add them to lotions and creams. Hydrosols should be kept in a cool, dark place, and refrigeration is recommended unless you will use them within a short time. Each of our 3 oz and 8 oz hydrosols are packaged in an amber bottle with a black mister. The bulk 16 oz and 1 gallon sizes are packaged in HDPE plastic bottles.
–To further add to the healing benefits of this herbal rinse, I use dandelion-infused ACV. For tips on how-to infuse vinegar, follow the directions here. If you don’t have any infused vinegars ready to go, of course plain ACV will work just fine 🙂
How do you make your hair rinses? Do you love lavender as much as I do?
Let us know in the comments below, or join the community on my facebook page.
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Shared with: From the Farm, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways
Absolutely love lavender. I use it for many of our family every day uses.
I think I just found you thru the Farm Hop but…you know how the layers and layers of websites/blogs go when you’re surfing! Just wanted to say that I am eons older than you are but only JUST getting to a point where “frugal” is smart and sustainability is something necessary for us. I wish I’d had your intelligence and healthy view of how you want life to be “when I was your age.” Anyway, better late than never! Bravo…don’t waver; keep on your good course. I was your age in the true “hippy” era and some of us thought the hippies were pretty weird (earth people) and possibly too immersed in recreational drug use. I’ve learned we were somewhat uninformed in those years. They were just seeking peace, freedom, independence and a healthier lifestyle in many ways. I’ve learned with age/wisdom to not accept everything and that it’s okay to question…things I’d never thought about, like plastics, or what was being done to my grocery store food before it ever came into my home. I wish my grandmothers were still alive so that they could tell me how they tended their gardens and made their soaps on the farm. I wish I’d listened more to my Depression-era mother, who re-purposed everything because she’d grown up with nothing. When she’d wrap my lunch sandwich for school in an empty bread wrapper, I was mortified and didn’t anybody to see that I didn’t have the nice Tupperware containers like “everybody else.” I resisted all the frugality and went hog-wild with consuming and spending money after I left my parents’ home; that’s why I don’t have a dime to my name as I head into the retirement years. We can be frank and honest on blogs, and I say this as a warning for readers to follow your lead, never mine. I’m a baby boomer and I intend to get it, finally, right! I can do that by listening to you young’uns! “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” Courtesy of Mom
Vicki, you are the reason why I blog. I truly appreciate your honest and heartfelt comment. (It made me cry!) 😉 I feel confident that you will find your way, and find it well at that! I shared your comment with my Mom and my Husband at dinner last night and they were equally inspired. Vicki, you’re awesome. Keep up the good work! Many blessings, Jer
Very nicely said miss Vicki and very true….I also am a way back when hippie and now a very frugal person but I wasn’t always….good luck to you on your road to the rest of your life….make it yours !! Lisa
I I totally Love Lavender.
I plan to make this – but do I have to have the lavender hydrosol? Is there any substitute or can i leave it out?
Plain water or any other herbal infusion is fine 😉
I don’t mind vinegar in my homemade hair care but I’m looking to make this as a gift (as well as myself, great post). Not sure how much others would mind the vinegar. Question, any substitutions for the vinegar or how much would it effect the final product to omit. It’s also a bit hard to come by dandilions now!
Hi Sami,
I am not sure about omitting the vinegar. It wouldn’t have the detangling, clarifying effect as a rinse without it. Maybe make it for yourself and see if the vinegar is too overpowering for your friend. I think it blends really well with the vinegar and masks it too. Don’t worry about getting dandelions. That was just for fun cuz I had some ready to go. If you really want the added benefit of them, you can find them dried at Mountain Rose Herbs. Cheers, and happy lavender-ing 🙂 Jerica
Ty Ma’am, I was thinking the same as you on all points. I’m think I will mix it up & try a bit w/ the vinegar for some time then w/out.
Does lavender change your hair colour? I’ve been washing my hair with lavender water (I bassically make tea with just lavender and water, let it get room temperature and wash). I have virgin hair and I feel like it is turning my gingerish-blonde hair to just blonde.