Lavender Sweet Lavender

Lavender and love is an ancient match! Lavender or Lavandula is a native of dry, sunny, exposed, rocky habitats from the Canary Islands, the Mediterranean and NE Africa to SW Asia and India.  

Lavender is highly valued for its soothing and relaxing qualities. Constituents of the oils found in lavender can treat hyperactivity, insomnia, flatulence, bacteria, fungus, and microbial activity on gums, airborne molds, and (in mixture with pine, thyme, mint, rosemary, clove, and cinnamon oils) Staphylococcus bacteria. 


At AyurSens, we just love the plant varieties, the colors, the intoxicating scents from these extraordinary flowers and the ease with which most varieties grow. I personally love the versatility of seeds, used to produce scented oils, soaps, creams and all manner of other lovely goodies.

A member of the Mint family, wildly popular, this hardy perennial is now grown around the world. I recommend planting some along the house under your windows, so the scent can waft inside in the breeze.  

A great herb for the lazy gardener, Lavender can be easily grown from seeds or cuttings. Sow seeds early in the season and cover lightly with soil. Space seedlings or thin plants about 18" apart. Lavender grows best in full sun. They do well in most soils, but a well-drained soil is a must. Add a general purpose fertilizer once or twice a season.  

Harvesting Lavender is one of the most enjoyable pleasures any gardener can have. Lavender flower heads look gray before the flowers open. They are devoid of most color and it is easy to become impatient waiting for them to burst into bloom. Once the color is bright and vivid, that is the time to start cutting. Cut the stems and spread loosely on a screen to dry.  

Now, let’s make our very own home made Lavender essential oil from dried lavender flowers.  

• For base oil, you can use a refined oil to attract the essential oils of the plant. Choose one that has pale color and mild scent. Olive oil, safflower oil and light sesame oil all work well. Or you can use almond oil for cosmetics, safflower or canola for general purposes, and olive oil for cooking. 
• Pour 300 ml base oil into the jar and stir in the dried lavender flowers (8 table spoons of dried flowers). Cover tightly and leave the mixture to steep for 48 hours in a sunny windowsill, shaking every 12 hours.  
• Lay a piece of muslin over the bowl and strain the oil. Gather up the muslin and squeeze the material to extract as much as you can.  
• Put the oil back into the jar and add fresh flowers. You can mix lavender with other plants such as peppermint or lemon/orange peel. Place on windowsill again. Repeat this process until you get the aroma you want.  
• After final straining, you can pour the oil into a dark glass bottle. The shelf life for your essential oil is 6 - 12 months if kept in a dry, dark, cool place.  

To enjoy your creation, pour the oil into your hands to warm before putting it on your body. Massage into your body using circular motion.  

Ayursens has created its own secret recipe that lives up to our promise of embracing ancient Ayurveda in a sensual avatar. The products highlighted below will delight your senses. 

We use the purest Lavender oil cultivated in the Himalayas for our Lavender Basil http://www.ayursens.com/images/soap/lavender_basil_big.jpg and Rosemary Lavender http://www.ayursens.com/images/soap/rosemary_lavender_big.jpg  bathing bars. 

AyurSens Lavender Basil bathing bar is a cocktail of clean fresh basil and the classic aroma of Lavender. This bathing bar does more than cleanse and moisturize; the sublime aroma of Lavender and Basil oozes from this natural soap to give you a relaxed sense of contentment. Lavender is also effective in relieving skin irritation, acne and is tolerated by even the most sensitive skin. The rich creamy soap is sure to entice all who bathe with it. 

AyurSens Rosemary Lavender is a special formulation enriched with essential oils of Lavender and Rosemary. The sprigs of Rosemary that float in the bathing bar gently exfoliate dead cells for a squeaky clean skin. Lavender has a light, sweet, captivating scent and is known for its calming and relaxing properties, whereas Rosemary has a crisp, fresh, minty aroma that has a stimulating effect on the skin. This soap will entice your senses and leave you feeling fresh and clean! 

I hope you enjoyed this article enough to give this exciting herb a chance to help you lead a happier life. Good luck and be well! :)