Soapmaking Business

The Benefits of Lavender

Lavender is an ingredient that I consider indispensable to the home cosmetics/perfume crafter. Its essential oil has a fresh, clean scent which can be used alone as a fragrance, or can be successfully blended with other oils to create fragrances for both men and women. Lavender essential oil is naturally antibacterial and gentle to the skin making it an excellent additive to cosmetics for children and adults. Lavender essential oil is one of the few natural essential oils that is affordable and pleasant smelling. And it's fragrance is one that insects despise.

Types of Lavender

If you like lavender, you can purchase it in three basic types. French lavender (lavandula angustifolia) has the characteristic fresh, floral fragrance of lavender. Spike lavender (lavandula latifolia) has an odor similar to that of camphor. Lavandin (lavandua angustifolia x lavandula latifolia) is a hybrid between French and Spike lavender and has a fragrance somewhere in between the two. In addition to lavender essential oil, some manufacturers also produce lavender absolute. Lavender essential oil is produced by steam distillation, whereas lavender absolute is produced by extracting the essential oil with a solvent. Lavender absolute is more concentrated than lavender essential oil, and more expensive.

Using Lavender In Home Perfumery:

Here are several ideas for incorporating lavender into your perfume formulas.

• Add several drops to your favorite floral oil to make a light, feminine perfume.
• Blend it with woody scents to make fragrances for men.
• Combine it with citrus scents for zesty, herbal aromas.
• Add it to light musk fragrance oil to create "rain" type fragrances.

Using Lavender In Your Cosmetics

Here are several ideas for using lavender in home cosmetics:

• Insect Repellents: Blend lavender with citronella essential oil for an effective insect repellent. To help take the sting out of insect bites, put a drop on the bite and rub in.
• Face Care Products: Add lavender essential oil to toners, creams and lotions for gentle and natural acne fighting effects.
• Deodorants: Because lavender is naturally antibacterial, it is an excellent natural odor fighter. Add several drops of lavender essential oil to cornstarch to make a natural deodorant powder. Dissolve several drops in alcohol and then add to water to make a spray on deodorant.
• Soaps: Add powdered lavender or lavender essential oil to your favorite soap recipe to make lavender soaps.

Interesting fact:

Lavender is an ingredient in several women's famous fragrances including: You're The Fire (Yardley) and Eau de Lavande (Goutal), as well as several famous men's fragrances including: Moustache (Rochas), Halston 101 (Halston).

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