During the month of July in lavender growing regions, you could almost close your eyes and imagine the sky is tinted purple by the drift of aromatic clouds hanging over the harvests.
From Provence to Idaho, July to early August is when the flowering tops are ready for harvesting, processing, preparation and steam distillation to produce the essential oil most aptly nicknamed ‘the universal oil’: lavendula angustifolia.
Lavender has earned this nickname thanks to its remarkable all-rounder capabilities. Without making your eyes go cross-eyed with the science behind the profile of its chemical constituents, we can keep it simple and assure you that if you’re ever in doubt as to which essential oil to reach for: choose lavender.
Authentic ‘true’ lavender — lavendula angustifolia — is very gentle in nature and widely respected for its soothing, revitalising and cleansing properties in skin and beauty, which is why you’ll find it in most natural skincare products with essential oils on their ingredients list.
And its versatility comes in part from its balancing properties — it can soothe and calm you while being just as capable of stimulating and energising you.
But it’s important to distinguish here between ‘true’ lavender and lavandin.
Lavandin first emerged in Provence in the 1930s, primarily to satisfy demand in the burgeoning perfume industry in Grasse. Its yield is five to six times higher than that of lavendula angustifolia and its chemical profile is different.
It’s easy to think lavandin is inferior because it is often falsely sold as lavender and won’t bring the same beneficial effects as lavandula angustifolia — for instance, it’s higher in camphor so would irritate burns rather than being the saviour that true lavender would be.
But lavandin has its own unique set of properties that make it beneficial for other uses altogether, such as soothing and cleansing after an insect bite — one of the reasons it’s included in Young Living Purification™.
Horses for courses —both have a place, it’s just a matter of choosing the right one and checking your source of lavender thoroughly to be sure what’s in the bottle is authentic and genuine lavandula angustifolia. And that’s the only one to reach for if in doubt!
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True French lavender has a long history of uses. Aroma International Magazine for Essential Oils Nr.1/Winter 2000 listed some 18th century recommendations. If you can track it down, it’s well worth a read!
Being so versatile, lavender is a valuable essential oil to keep on hand at all times — but let’s not leave it all to your imagination! Now that we’ve covered the difference between ‘true’ lavender and lavandin, we’ll regroup shortly for Lavender 101 and run the gamut of ways you can use this handy oil in your everyday life. And meanwhile, here’s a quick and simple recipe for turning your bath time into a trip to Provence.
