What to Look for When Buying Lavender Oil

When you are looking to buy Lavender oil, there are a few things you need to know to make an informed decision. In this guide I will teach you:

• what the different species of Lavender are and which one is the best
• the benefits of Lavender essential oil
• how to shop for Lavender essential oil
• what brands of essential oils I recommend

Different Species of Lavender

There are about 39 different species of Lavender! All of these different species belong to the genus “Lavandula”, and can be used to make distilled Lavender essential oil.

Lavandula Angustifolia, (sometimes referred to as Lavandula Officialis or English Lavender) is the best variety for making essential oils. It has the sweetest scent.

A hybrid known as Lavandin (Lavandula Hybrida) is also used to produce essential oil. The yield of oil is higher from these plants, but it is of inferior quality to Lavandula Angustifolia. Lavandin plants produce a more camphorous odor and their oil is often used to scent cleaning products.

Benefits of Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender is one of the safest essential oils in use and has been used since ancient times. The health benefits of Lavender essential oil are:

• antiviral
• anti-fungal
• antiseptic
• anti-inflammatory
• antidepressant
• helps relieve muscle tension
• speeds healing
• soothing and calming
• mild sedative
• prevents/reduces scarring
• stimulates and supports the immune system
• reduces stress
• stimulates circulation

Lavender oil is one of the few essential oils that can be used directly on the skin without having to be diluted. Lavender benefits the skin by helping to speed healing, reducing scars and disinfecting wounds. It can help with acne, by killing bacteria and reducing inflammation.

Lavender oil has a calming effect on the mind, reducing stress. Using lavender in an aromatherapy diffuser is a great way to enjoy this soothing scent.

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How To Shop For Lavender Essential Oil

• Find an essential oil that is made from Lavandula Angustifolia (avoid Spike Lavender and Lavandin – they are cheaper, but do not offer the same skin benefits.) Only purchase essential oils from companies that label the botanical (Latin) name.
• Steam distilled will be the method of extraction you want to look for. This is going to be the best oil for use in skin care.
• When solvents are used to extract the oil, the resulting oil is called Lavender Absolute. Lavender Absolute will have a stronger aroma and will last longer than other methods of extraction. This is best suited for use in perfumery.
• Look for organically grown Lavender. This is better for you and for the planet. Organic Lavender has been grown without pesticides.
• Avoid the words: “fragrance oil”, “perfume oil”, and “nature-identical oil”. These words indicate that this is not an essential oil.
• Therapeutic grade is a catch term that has no defined meaning. Not all companies who use these terms are being misleading, but some are.
• Look for essential oils packaged in dark glass. Avoid clear glass or plastic bottles.
• Avoid cheap oils. Cheap often means lower quality.

Buying Locally

Your local health food store will more than likely carry Lavender essential oil. The problem with buying oils in a store is, chances are they have been sitting on the shelf for a long time – unless the store sells their essential oils very quickly (most do not).

Essential oils degrade quickly, so sitting on a shelf for 6 months is not going to result in a high-quality oil.

Buying Online

Buying online can be a daunting task, there are literally hundreds of different companies and price points to choose from.

The huge selection is a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing because you can find a higher-quality oil than is available at your local health food store (if you know what to look for). It can be a curse if you have no idea where to start.

Recommended Brands

Look for companies that:

• extract their oils properly (low temperature and low pressure)
• produce oils from plants grown in their indigenous location
• use wild-crafted and organic plants
• have 100% pure essential oils, nothing added
• get their oils tested by third-parties to ensure quality

My favorite brand that meets these requirements is Rocky Mountain Oils. They offer high-quality oils that are rigorously tested and meet the highest standards possible. No synthetic chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, GMOs, or natural fertilizers are ever used during any stage of the growing or distillation process.

Rocky Mountain Oils does Third-Party Testing of their oils to ensure quality and potency. They perform GC (gas chromatography) tests on each of their essential oils. Their oils are extracted from plants grown in their indigenous locations (where they grow naturally).

They never test on animals and they do not source their ingredients from companies who test on animals.

Conclusion

Now you no longer need to wonder where to buy lavender oil. Hopefully, this article has helped you in your search 🙂

Click Here if you are interested in learning more about Rocky Mountain Oil’s Lavender Oil.

Do you have any questions? What is your favorite way to use Lavender oil?

Yours In Beauty,
Andrea