Lavender; the aroma that you think of when you hear the word relaxing. It is used in everything to help calm the body and mind. And for good reason; the light scent has been used for centuries in just this manner. But there are so many more wonderful ways to use Lavender!

Obviously this is the first use. This essential oil is fantastic to use when you are trying to sleep, or relax while reading a good book.

And because the scent is not a strong scent, it can be used with a multitude of other oils for whatever emotion you are trying to convey.

Our favorite is Lavender and Orange. Not only this is refreshing, but it also reminds you of your grandmother's house; relaxing and clean.

Didn't expect this use, huh?

Lavender is great for cuts and burns on the skin. In fact, if you are cooking in the kitchen and you get a burn, after rinsing the burn for a minute or two, put a few drops of lavender essential oil directly on the burn. This will keep the burn from blistering, and can help ease the pain.

Because Lavender is antibiotic and anti-microbial, it is also wonderful to put on cuts and bruises. Make sure you use a carrier oil like coconut oil, and rub it on the area. Viola! Clean, healed skin!

When you look at the ingredients of your skin cream or body lotion, it is likely that Lavendula Agustafolia, the Latin name of Lavender is near the top of the list.

Not only does Lavender have the wonderful smell for when you are applying lotion, but it also has the healing qualities that is used in first aid. With this healing property, it can help soothe dry, cracked skin during the winter, without the heavy feeling of some other lotions.

Lavender is also wonderful for under eye puffiness and dark circles! Just combine a few drops of lavender with a carrier oil (we recommend coconut oil for its antibacterial qualities) in a dropper and apply a drop around the eye.

Please note: do not put any essential oil directly in the eye. If this mixture does get in your eye, make sure to rinse it out completely with a carrier oil like coconut oil!

Society is moving towards a more natural (and cheaper!) approach to cleaning the house. While there are places in the house that need a deep clean (Ahem, your toilet), using a simple recipe of vinegar and water, with Lavender and either Tea Tree oil or Lemon oil can clean almost any part of your house!

Personally, I have two cleaners; one is for wood, which includes olive oil to help condition the wood, and my all-purpose cleaner, which I use on all other surfaces. Check out our other blog with the full recipes!

You can also put Lavender or a Lavender blend with Lemon or Orange or Lemongrass on wool dryer balls to make your clothes smell fresh and clean! This saves so much money because the wool balls can be reused over and over again, and all you have to do is add a few drops every few washes! How wonderful is that?

If you have a puppy or a hyper dog, you know how impossible it is to get them to calm down and relax. It is also near impossible to soothe an anxious dog. Who wants to see their dog stressed out?

But Lavender is a great (and healthy) way to do just that! You just need a few drops of Lavender in your diffuser, and you will notice a difference in your dog's demeanor.

You can also put a few drops directly down the spine to help relax the dog. Make sure it is only along the spine so your dog can't lick the lavender off of them!

Please note: there are no specific studies that prove that Lavender is beneficial for your dog. While many vets feel it is okay to use Lavender, make sure to ask your vet before placing directly on your dog. Never, EVER use other essential oils such as Tea Tree oil.

Another note: ZERO essential oils are good for cats. DO NOT use any essential oils, even Lavender on your cat unless given the okay by your vet. Essential oils are extremely toxic to cats, so don't over diffuse anything with cats in the room.

So don't forget, when you are looking for a wonderful oil to calm, soothe, and heal all aspects of your life, Lavender is the way to go!