Genuine Lavender Oil - The Real Benefits

100% Pure French Lavender Oil | 15ml

What Is Lavender Oil?

Lavender oil is an essential oil obtained by distillation from the flower spikes of certain species of lavender. Like all essential oils, it is not a pure compound. It is a complex mixture of naturally occurring phytochemicals, including linalool and linalyl acetate.

Lavender oil has long been used in the production of perfume and in aromatherapy. The scent has a calming effect which may aid in relaxation and the reduction of anxiety. According to Wikipedia, Lasea capsules containing lavender oil with a high amount of linalool and linalyl acetate, is  approved as an anxiolytic in Germany. The approval is based on a finding that the capsules are comparable in effect to low-dose lorazepam, a type of bezodiazepine

How To Use Lavender Oil

May be applied directly onto skin and nails. Use sparingly.

Use in a diffuser.

Mix into shampoo, conditioner or a carrier oil.

May be used as a dietary supplement.

Click here to find out how to use lavender oil in different modalities.

Beauty Benefits

Insomnia, hair loss, burns, nervous tension, respiratory infections, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, menstrual problems/PMS, skin conditions, blood fat/cholesterol reduction, reducing excess sebum on skin

Science Behind Lavender Oil

According to a study published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology (Feb. 16, 2011), Lavender oil could be used to combat infectons resistant to anti-fungal medication. The essential oil shows a potent antifungal effect against strains of fungi responsible for common skin and nail infections.

Scientists from the University of Coimbra in Portugal distilled lavender oil from the Lavandula viridis L'Hér shrub that grows in southern Portugal. The oil was tested against a range of pathogenic fungi and was found to be lethal to a range of skin-pathogenic strains namely, dermatophytes and various species of Candida.

Dermatophytes cause infections of the skin, hair and nails. They use the keratin within these tissues to obtain nutrients. Dermatophytes are responsible for conditions such as Athletes' foot, ringworm and can also lead to scalp and nail infections. Candida species coexist within most healthy individuals without causing problems but may cause mucocutaneous candidosis (thrush) in some people. In immunocompromised patients, Candida may cause serious infection if the fungal cells penetrate into the blood stream.

Currently, there are relatively few types of antifungal drugs to treat infections. Those that are available often have side effects. Professor Lígia Salgueiro and Professor Eugénia Pinto who led this study explained that alternative fungicides are urgently needed beacuse in the last few years there has been an increase in the incidence of fungal diseases, particularly among immunocompromised patients. They said, there is also increasing resistance to anti-fungal drugs. Research by their group and others have shown that essential oils may be a cheap, efficient alternative that have minimal side effects.

Essential oils distilled from the Lavandula genus of lavender plants are already used widely, in the food, perfume and cosmetic industries. Studies of the biological activities of these oils suggest Lavandula oils have sedative and antispasmodic properties as well as being potent antimicrobials and antioxidants.

This group has demonstrated that lavender oil works by destroying the cell membranes of fungal cells. They believe that further research into the mechanisms by which this essential oil works could have significant clinical benefits. "Lavandula oil shows wide-spectrum antifungal activity and is highly potent. This is a good starting point for developing this oil for clinical use to manage fungal infections. What is now required is clinical trials to evaluate how our in vitro work translates in vivo," said Professor Salgueiro

Candle Diffusers vs Scenting Clay

How about this for an idea? This is a thick-based candle holder,
but its made entirely from scenting porcelain.
Place, your candle in the middle and scent the
flowers with your favourite essential oils. 

CANDLE DIFFUSERS

Pros

• Diffuses oil farther from point of origin. 
• Diffuses the oil more quickly and strongly; if that's what you want. 

Cons

• It's a fire-hazard and therefore must be constantly attended.
• It cannot be used in a car or windy area.

VS

CLAY/PORCELAIN DIFFUSERS

Pros

• They diffuser slower but longer.
• It maintains the integrity of the oil; if the clay/porcelain is high quality

Cons

• The aroma will not permeate a farther distance from origin.
• The scent propagates slowly. It may take an hour for you to smell it in the room.  

Want to find out about our extensive range of essential oils and handmade porcelain diffusers? Send your enquires to dianne@the littleessentials.com. We will be happy to email you our catalogue.

Why Scenting Porcelain & Not Scenting Clay Is The Way To Go - Part 2

PART 2 - SCENTING PORCELAIN IS BETTER THAN SCENTING CLAY

This is a true-to-life porcelain leaf that
serves as a diffuser on its own,
or you can place a candle on it and
use it as a candle holder/essential oil diffuser.
Click on the picture to send
me an enquiry on how I can
make one for you.

Part 1 (View Part One Here) deals with all the practical reasons of why porcelain is better than clay when it comes to diffusing essential oil aroma molecules into the air. Part 2 deals with art and aesthetics.

1. Porcelain is a stickier kind of clay. As a result, it can hand-moulded into more intricate shapes. Designs may contain thinner and more accurate true-to-life details which may otherwise be lost when utilising common clay. As a result, scenting porcelain pieces can often be mistaken as decoration pieces (which they are as well). We call this functional art.

2. Furthermore, porcelain is a tougher material than clay. This is because the molecules of the material sit closer together, making them a harder material and also the air pockets within the porcelain are smaller making less susceptible to breakage.

(Ever noticed when a clay piece breaks, it breaks completely, while porcelain tends to chip instead of break when it encounters a knock?)

3. Good quality porcelain is bright white. It's not bleached. It is dug up from the earth exactly the colour you see it. It's a brilliant colour! Working with a raw material which has a fantastic natural colour is vital when making diffusers. This is because diffusers are not glazed. They cannot be glazed because they need to be porous enough to absorb and diffuse the essential oils.

Furthermore, to maintain the integrity of the essential oils, the scenting clay or porcelain should not have any chemical additives or dyes. This means that with a good quality diffuser, the raw material is all you see - and porcelain has a much more luxurious finishing than clay.

4. Clay diffusers will also dysfunctionally stain after constant use; even if you use high quality essential oils. This is because clay is too porous. Some essential oils will be trapped deep within the clay and will never be released. This means that :

• Your diffusers will lose its fine aesthetic look after some time.
• Once you pick a scent, you must continue using the same scent on the clay as the retained essential oils will distort the scent and efficacy of any new essential oil you add to it.

Scenting porcelain will never stain if you use genuine essential oils (not fragrance oils). It will throughly release any aroma molecules added to it after 3 - 7 days (depending of aeration on where it is placed). This means that you can use multiple scents on it as the years go by.

5. Finally - it's exclusive. Let's face it, clay has a cheap more rustic finishing. It's not really meant to last and neither can it be considered a family heirloom. Porcelain diffusers are functionally and aesthetically a display art piece which can last a life time. They can be elaborate pieces which will serve to stimulate your visual as well as olfactory systems. 

Please send email enquiries to dianne@thelittleessentials.com

The orchid (large) design is one of our best-sellers. If you are
sending it as a gift, we can accompany it with essential oils with
customised message labels.