Even though lavandin oil comes second only to its parent plant lavender, you can certainly place it as one of the top oils in your medicine cabinet because it offers truly exceptional benefits to your health. Read on to learn more about this essential oil.
What is lavandin oil?
Lavandin (Lavandin intermedia or Lavandin hybrida)1 is a hybrid plant of true lavender and spike lavender.2 It was first cultivated during the late 1920s, and is now grown in many parts of Europe.3 In South France, lavandin is known as "lavande gross," and every year thousands of tons are produced in this country.
The plant is easier to cultivate and produces a higher yield than lavender, making lavandin oil a frequent substitute for lavender oil.4,5 Lavandin oil is widely used in perfumery and the cosmetic industry due to its availability. Lavandin oil inhibits a lavender-like but more camphoraceous odor,6 and exhibits a pale yellow color to an almost neutral hue. It relaxes your overall well-being and also sharpens your mind.7
Uses of lavandin oil
Lavandin oil is commonly used for additional fragrance in soap, body lotions, massage oils and candles.8 It's often used in baths and works great as a fragrant pouch for linen closets.9 The essential oil may assist in removing scars and stretch marks. It may also enhance blood circulation and promote cell regeneration.
Due to its high camphor properties, lavandin oil is used in cleaning agents.10 Meanwhile, lavandin flowers are used to make tea that may help remove mucus deposits in your lungs and may relieve breathing problems.
Composition of lavandin oil
Lavandin oil is composed of alcohols like n-Hexanol, d-n-Octanol, geraniol, borneol, and sesquiterpene alcohols, as well as ester variants like hexyl acetate, d-n-Octyl acetate, and butyric esters.
Linalool makes up about 43 to 44 percent of the oil, while linalyl acetate composes 20 percent of it. Lavandin oil is made up various kinds of aldehydes and ketones like amyl ethyl ketone, d-camphor, diacetyl, n-hexanal, n-octanal, cuminaldehyde and furfural. The essential oil also has cineole, d-pinene and traces of sesquiterpenes such as bisabolene, phenols, eugenol, lactones and coumarin. Drops of free acids are also found, such as acetic, butyric, caproic and unsaturated acids.11
Benefits of lavandin oil
Lavandin oil helps lift up your spirit by boosting your self-confidence and mental strength. It is beneficial for those who are going through depression or suffering from any failures in life. The essential oil also serves as a tonic for your nervous system and may help in the treatment of various neurological disorders like vertigo and Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Here are some of lavandin oil's health benefits:
• Heals wounds or cuts — Lavandin oil has antiseptic properties that may help prevent infections from lacerations. It may also speed up the healing of your cuts. However, you should not use it to treat burns.
• Relieves pain and inflammation — The essential oil may alleviate pain in the muscles and joints that may result from influenza, fever, or pox.
• Boosts your respiratory system — It helps relieve lung ailments such as bronchitis and nasal congestion, as it aids in eliminating phlegm from your lungs.12
How to make lavandin oil
Lavandin oil is extracted by steam distilling the plant stalks and flowers. About 1 to 1.8 kilograms of essential oil is produced from 100 kilograms of lavandin plant. The oil extracted from lavandin has lower ester content than lavender.
Lavandin may also be steam distilled with the help of a volatile solvent like benzene. The concrete lavandin oil produced from this process is composed of volatile oil, odoriferous and non-odoriferous compounds, which are not distilled with steam. This version of lavandin oil exhibits a more authentic odor of lavender, and lasts longer when added to soaps.
How does lavandin oil work?
Lavandin oil is used in vapor therapies for treating colds and coughs. The essential oil may also be mixed in baths or blended with other oils for relieving muscle pain and clearing the lungs. Adding two to three drops of lavandin oil to your burner, diffuser, or bath may help relieve depression or sadness.
Lavandin oil works as a great insect repellent — just apply it at the edge of your window to keep flies at bay. You can also ward off mosquitoes by rubbing it on your wrists. Mix two drops of lavandin oil and about 20 drops of coconut oil for fast healing of wounds. This essential oil is also beneficial for skin rejuvenation. Just mix three to four drops with 2 ml of olive oil (about 40 drops) to clear away skin problems like blemishes and dryness.
Is lavandin oil safe?
Lavandin oil is considered to be generally safe since it is non-toxic, non-irritant and non-sensitizing. However, you should still dilute this with a carrier oil to avoid any adverse reaction on your skin. I also recommend doing a skin patch test to ensure that you do not have any allergies to this essential oil. Oral ingestion of lavandin oil is not advisable.
Side effects of lavandin oil
Lavandin oil is not recommended for use in burns.13,14 Although lavandin oil is safe for topical use (only when diluted) I suggest consulting a health professional before using this oil, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or have a chronic disease.