Lavender Hydrosol
Lavender officianalis/Lavandula angustifolia
Lavender Hydrosol is such a beautiful, versatile hydrosol that can be used for skincare and emotional wellness. It makes a beautiful base for facial toners, and I love using it in place of water when I make clay facials for myself.
Look to the citations from hydrosol experts Suzanne Catty, Jeanne Rose and Len and Shirley Price in the Uses and Applications section below for information on the potential benefits of Lavender Hydrosol.
Aromatically, Lavender Hydrosol is fresh, light, slightly floral and sweet. As with most all hydrosols, the best quality and most aromatically beautiful Lavender Hydrosol typically is produced by expert artisan distillers who use copper stills.
Botanical Name
Lavender officianalis/Lavandula angustifolia
Aromatic Strength
Medium
Shelf Life
Up to 2 years if stored properly (refrigeration is recommended).
Reported Properties, Uses and Applications
Suzanne Catty reports that Lavender Hydrosol is suitable for all skin types, that it is helpful for delicate and aging skin, helps prevent ingrown hairs, and that it can help care for cuts, wounds, sunburn, bites, and heat rash. Emotionally, Lavender Hydrosol is soothing and sedating. It is a good choice for use babies and children. [Suzanne Catty, Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy (Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press, 2001), 104-105.]
Len and Shirley Price report that the Lavender Hydrosol that they analyzed consists of 56-69% alcohols and 18-19% ketones (these ranges do not include the water present in the hydrosol) and possesses the following properties: "analgesic, anticoagulant, anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, bactericidal, calming, cicatrizant, decongestant, digestive, expectorant, lipolytic, mucolytic, sedative, stimulant." [Len Price and Shirley Price, Understanding Hydrolats: The Specific Hydrosols for Aromatherapy: A Guide for Health Professionals (London: Churchill Livingstone, 2004), 114.]
Jeanne Rose adds that Lavender Hydrosol is balancing, cooling, toning, hydrating, reduces mental fatigue and is useful for jet lag. [Jeanne Rose, 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols (Berkeley, CA: Frog, Ltd, 1999), 170.]
Safety Information
Read AromaWeb's Hydrosol Safety Guidelines.
The hydrosol information and safety precautions provided within this area are intended for educational purposes only. Neither AromaWeb, LLC nor its founder take responsibility for how you use the information provided.
Helpful Sources of Information About Lavender Hydrosol
Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy
Author: Suzanne Catty
Understanding Hydrolats: The Specific Hydrosols for Aromatherapy
Authors: Len Price and Shirley Price
375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols
Author: Jeanne Rose
Essential Waters: Hydrosols, Hydrolats & Aromatic Waters
Author: Marge Clark
Aromatic Waters: Therapeutic, Cosmetic, and Culinary Hydrosol Applications
Author: Amy Kreydin
