Let’s have a look at the beautiful benefits of the wonder plant Lavender.

Lavandula (common name lavender) is a genus of 47 known species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It grows well in temperate climates as an ornamental plant, as a culinary herb, and commercially for the extraction of essential oils. 

Lavenders flourish best in dry, well-drained, sandy, or gravelly soils in full sun. In some countries, it’s regarded as a weed because it grows so furiously.  English Lavender has a long germination process (14-28 days) and matures within 100-110 days making it especially potent. Most lavender is hand-harvested, and harvest times vary depending on its intended use.

The word Lavender comes from the Latin word Lavare which means ‘to wash’. The Romans prised Lavender for its antiseptic and deodorising properties, it was an essential part of their kit when travelling. During Roman times they spread the buds of Lavender across the floors of rooms to scent the area, and it may have had the added advantage of keeping down the infection. As they travelled to Britain they brought its healing uses across with them. As it was distilled into an oil, Lavender was commonly used to speed up the healing process of minor wounds, cuts, and burns as it improves the formation of scar tissue. It’s also proven effective against fungi infections of nail and skin conditions, making it a great soothing oil. It has been shown to improve blood circulation, restoring the epidermis leaves the skin feeling youthful and toned. 

Lavender is well known for its pain-relieving properties. Queen Victoria drank Lavender Tea to help her migraines and had all her linens stored with buds to cleanse them. Drinking Lavender in a tea, or using it as a  culinary addition you should always use food-grade Lavender, as florist bought can often be sprayed with preservatives and chemicals.

Added to beauty products Lavender is soothing and healing, with the added bonus of its buds working as a mild exfoliant. When considering the plants to infuse for our Brewed range of herbal infused soaps Lavender was our first choice. Being rich in antioxidants Lavender promotes the skin’s natural barrier and balances the PH of the skin, restoring its luminosity. You can find our Lavender and Marshmallow Root herbal infused soap, along with 3 other wonderful blends on our website.