Lavandula angustifolia/Lavender

pH 5.6–5.9 (high mountain varieties as low as 4.6 pH)

Aroma and Taste A floral, sweet scent; instantly recognizable, although it has an added strong honey overtone and is deeper, more base-note-like, than the oil. If an azure summer sky at four P.M. had a smell, this would be it. The taste is very soapy-sweet, like eating dried lavender, and I find many people do not like the flavor unless it is sweetened or blended.

Stability and Shelf Life Quite stable. Usually lasts at least two years, frequently longer, although this may vary with growing conditions. The odor, if nothing else, may start to degrade after eighteen to twenty months.

Properties and Applications I generally recommend lavender for external application only. It is not harmful if taken internally but does not taste very good. There are many other, better-tasting hydrosols with similar properties that can be used internally. The pH is normally close to that of most “balanced” cosmetic products, making it ideal for every skin type on a regular basis. Added to ready-made skin-care products, it will not alter their intended properties and adds a delightful fragrance and its own beneficial cooling and healing therapeutics. Lavender is rightly famed for its regenerative effects on damaged or fragile skin. Add it to masks with oatmeal for a nondrying deep cleanse; use it daily as a makeup remover and cleanser, applied with a cotton ball. Mist the face and neck throughout the day to combat excessively dry atmospheres.

Spray skin both before and after shaving or hair removal to reduce inflammation, get a closer shave, and prevent ingrown hairs. Indispensable for skin care when traveling. Use it on the plane, all over the body, including feet and legs; carry to warmer climes for calming sunburn, heat rash, sunstroke, rashes, bug bites, and itching. Mist skin with a 60:40 mixture of lavender and witch hazel, before moisturizer or sunscreen applications, when skiing or sailing, to prevent wind and temperature damage.

Its sweet and happy aroma makes lavender a natural for children. Use it to cleanse cuts and scrapes (for adults, too); a lavender kiss really “makes it better.” Use it to calm cranky moods and bring an end to tearful tantrums, and add it to bathwater or spray it directly on the bed for a restful night’s sleep. Little girls love to have their own perfume, and this one won’t cause allergies or skin reactions. Lavender is fabulous for use with babies from birth and can be added to the bath, used to clean the baby’s bottom, or combined with chamomile for diaper rash. A mist in the air in baby’s room or a spritz on parents’ clothing before tucking in will help make naps and bedtime easier to achieve. Combine with Roman chamomile for the ultimate baby blend.

Calming and cooling to body, mind, and spirit, lavender makes a refreshing room spray for home or office or in the car to calm, cleanse, and refresh in traffic: Good-bye, road rage. Combine it with geranium, rose, or clary sage and use it hot or cold on the abdomen and back for cramps and PMS. Combine it with a little peppermint and sage and spray it all over for hot flashes, and try a sip of this combo before your next big meeting to “pull yourself together.” Use it in colonics to soothe irritated bowel. Use it undiluted in a compress on the neck, shoulders, and forehead for headaches, tension, and stress.

Lavender smells better than it tastes, but it is traditional in desserts, cookies, and ices.