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50 Ways to Use Lavender

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Lavender... a beautiful garden plant & well-rounded, intuitive and resourceful herb.

Lavender… such a beautiful garden plant, as well as a well-rounded, intuitive and resourceful herb.

50 Ways To Use Lavender

  1. Make a calming tea made with dried lavender flower heads, chamomile, oat straw & other calming herbs
  2. Make lavender talc: mix together 8 parts each bentonite clay & arrowroot powder, 1 part each slippery elm & comfrey root powder. Shake well. Add 30-50 drops lavender essential oil, shake again and enjoy.
  3. Make a lavender sachet by adding organic lavender buds to a muslin bag – gift it as a wedding favor
  4. Make homemade lavender scented candles, by adding fresh or dried lavender buds and a few drops of lavender essential oil into the heated wax
  5. Make a room spray with 2 cups water, 2 drops each lavender, tea tree & peppermint essential oils in a spritzer bottle. Use liberally.
  6. Put a few drops of lavender essential oil in a warm foot bath to help ease your child into a peaceful sleep (this also helps them pee before bed so there are no/less wake ups at night)
  7. With the abundance of lavender in your garden, make a beautiful lavender wreath
  8. For a lovely salad dressing, whisk together 6 Tbsp olive oil, 2 Tbsp balsamic or apple cider vinegar, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 crushed garlic clove, 2 Tbsp honey, 1 tsp each mustard powder & organic dried lavender flowers
  9. Crush fresh flowers and spread it on your legs & arms to help repel flies & mosquitoes while sitting outside in the summer
  10. Use pressed lavender blooms to decorate homemade cards & gift wrapping
  11. Massage lavender essential oil into aching joints and muscles for added pain relief
  12. Tie a handful of fresh lavender flowers together with decorative string or ribbon, and hang it on a door for a cozy & fragrant décor
  13. You can bake with organically grown lavender by adding it into scone, cake or cookie recipes – do a search online to find a recipe that appeals to you
  14. Gift lavender seed bombs as wedding favors
  15. Dab lavender infused oil onto itchy & dry skin – is especially good for children (see #42 for Lavender oil recipe)
  16. Use organic lavender blooms as a garnish to add beautiful a purple hue to your cooking
  17. Make lavender scented soap bars and give it for a wonderful homemade Christmas gift
  18. A few drops of lavender essential oil on the skin can help soothe bug bites
  19. For lavender infused vinegar, add a handful of organic lavender buds (dried or fresh) to 2 cups white wine or apple cider vinegar. Let sit for up to 6 weeks, shaking every few days. Strain before use.
  20. Plant lavender in your garden
  21. Place a lavender pillow in your linen closet & dresser drawers, to add a sweet scent to clothes and linens
  22. Tie together a large bunch of dried lavender blooms with a few forget-me-nots, lily of the valley & small daisies for a lovely and elegant lavender bouquet
  23. Rub lavender essential oil on the temples to ease headaches
  24. Have a relaxing bath with your homemade lavender bath salt: Mix together 1 cup Epsom salt, ½ cup sea salt, 1/4 cup baking soda & 10-20 drops lavender essential oil. Mix well & store in a sealed jar. Use 1/3 cup per bath.
  25. Sprinkle lavender essential oil on your pillow at night for a peaceful night’s sleep (this is safe for the whole family, babies & toddlers included)
  26. Add lavender essential oil to your after-sun cream to help soothe sun-burned skin
  27. Enjoy aromatherapy in your home by adding 5-6 drops lavender essential oil to a bit of water in an oil diffuser
  28. Make this luscious Lavender Coconut Sugar Scrub for yourself, as a Christmas or bridesmaid gift: Mix together 1 cup white sugar, ½ cup melted coconut oil, 10-15 drops lavender essential oil, 2 Tbsp organic dried lavender buds. Store in a pretty glass jar.
  29. Add a few drops of food grade lavender oil to your homemade lemonade recipe
  30. Soothe minor burns with a few drops of lavender essential oil diluted with water and rubbed onto the skin
  31. Use organic lavender flower blooms to decorate a cake
  32. Add crushed dried lavender flowers to your homemade liquid soap recipe
  33. Add organic lavender blooms to your homemade blackberry jam for a nice & fragrant variation
  34. Make a Dream Pillow by stuffing dried flower heads into a sachet and place under the pillowcase at bedtime
  35. Add a few drops of lavender essential oil to a carrier oil (light olive, sweet almond, jojoba) and massage over the lower abdomen to help relieve menstrual cramps
  36. Homemade lavender potpourri makes for a great gift for yourself or a loved one
  37. Stir crumbled organic fresh lavender blooms and a pinch of cinnamon into vanilla ice cream for a pleasant treat
  38. Use your scrap sewing material to make a lavender eye pillow
  39. Place fresh flowers in closets and any other storage space to deter moths & silverfish
  40. Take a picture of your lavender bouquet on an old wooden table or other romantic backdrop, print it out, frame it & hang it in your house
  41. Make your own lavender water by adding 5 drops lavender essential oil for every 5oz distilled water. Store in a spritzer bottle and enjoy as a refreshing facial tonic and as a room spray
  42. Lavender oil: With a wooden mallet, bruise freshly cut organic lavender flowers, stems & leaves and stuff them into a 500mL mason jar, cover with oil (light olive, almond or jojoba) & let sit for 48 hours. Strain (repeat the above steps again for a stronger fragrance) & store oil in a dark glass jar.
  43. Prepare a recipe a homemade lavender jelly & give it for a hostess gift
  44. Dab a few drops of diluted lavender essential oil onto acne spots to reduce inflammation and inhibit overgrowth acne-causing bacteria to the skin
  45. Add 2-3 drops of lavender essential oil to your natural deodorant for a natural floral lavender scent
  46. Add 10-15 drops lavender essential oil to 40oz of carrier oil (sweet almond, or jojoba) for your own relaxing & calming massage oil
  47. To ease yourself into a tranquil night’s sleep, add 4-5 drops lavender essential oil to a hot bath at bedtime
  48. Make a Soothing Lavender Salve: slowly heat ½ cup olive oil over low heat. Add ¼ cup organic lavender buds, turn off heat and let cool 20 mins. Strain into a glass measuring cup. Boil an inch of water in a pot, simmer & place cup in water. To the cup, add 2 Tbsp grated beeswax, 10 drops lavender essential oil, contents of 1 pierced vitamin E capsule. Let simmer, stirring until all is melted. Pour into a dark glass jar, cool, seal & store. Lastly…enjoy!
  49. Make your own carpet cleaner by mixing together 5-6 drops of lavender essential oil to 1cup baking soda. Sprinkle this on the carpet an hour before vacuuming. Vacuum as normal and enjoy the fresh scent of lavender that lingers
  50. Add this Lavender Vanilla Syrup to champagne, vanilla ice cream, or over mixed summer berries: Simmer 1 cup water & ½ cup raw sugar over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add 2 tsp pure vanilla extract & 2 Tbsp organic dried lavender blooms, and simmer 20 mins. Remove from heat, let cool, place in fridge overnight. Strain blooms and store syrup in fridge for up to 3 months.

Comments

  2. awesome ideas for lavender…I made the lavender vinegar..can’t wait to see how it turns out 4 weeks and counting.

    Reply

      • I made lavender oil according to #42 on your list.. I used grape seed oil … The oil became cloudy almost immediately .. I used fresh leaves .. What went wrong??

        Reply

        • Hi Carol, it’s likely the moisture from the fresh leaves causing cloudiness. Try heating the oil to evaporate off some of the water and see if that helps. Otherwise, check the expiry date to ensure it hasn’t expired. Do you store the oil close to a heat source (ie. beside the stove)? If so, that could cause it to go rancid which could lead to cloudiness too.

          Reply

  4. I just bought some lavender, and I was wondering if I could put some of the fresh leaves in my toddlers’ warm bath. They have trouble winding down at night, and I thought maybe it would help.

    Reply

    • Hello Elsabe, Do you happen to live in a rural setting? Many people who live outside of the city have a persistent house fly and/or lady bug ‘homesteaders’ that are active mostly during the spring and fall. And I’m not sure how to cure that issue completely, but you can try soaking a cloth in lavender essential oil, and placing the cloth (in a small bowl) in the room or area where the house flies tend to occupy.

      Good luck!

      Reply

    • Hi Glynis,

      I imagine that one can make all sorts of health-promoting claims about lavender, because it is such an all-around great herb for all ages. However, I would say that keeping your body and skin hydrated by drinking lots of fresh water, eating lots of leafy greens and fresh vegetables (which provide antioxidants and vitamins that are important for skin health), and avoiding smoking and excessive UV exposure would be most important.

      Reply

  11. I made a must of 1/2 pint of dried lavander flower and the juice of a lemon. I brought filtered water to a boil, then turned it off. As it cooled I added the lavander and lemon juice to the water. I then mixed the must with honey for the wine. I had 2 pint of the lavander water/must left over. ANY idea how to use the left over water/must.

    Reply

    • We actually don’t have any experience ordering herbs from an online retailer, but one company that we do trust is Gaia Garden Herbal Dispensary (http://www.gaiagarden.com) in Vancouver. Depending on where you live, you may be able to find some really good organic herbalists who source locally, and offer a variety of herbs – you may find a great source for lavender and meet some great people at the same time!

      Reply

    • Can’t wait to try lemon lavender cookies, lavender wreath, and lavender wand! Picking large variety at nearby gardens tomorrow. Thanks for the ideas.

      Reply

  13. Hi! Thank you for this post! I am new to gardening and using lavender.
    Is it safe to use any lavender in food? I have some in my garden and wanted to use it as a tea and such, how do you recommend to do that? I also have lavender that I dried awile back, could I still take off the buds and use them?
    Joyce

    Reply

    • Hi Joyce,
      Thank you for your question!

      Yes, lavender is safe to use in food and teas. Ideally you would be using organic lavender if you are ingesting it, which is easy to attain when you are growing and harvesting your own lavender. And either fresh or dried works just fine.
      Dried lavender, which seems to be the most preferred way to use lavender in various recipes and projects, can be added to a ‘sleepy time’ combination with chamomile, oat straw & other calming herbs (such as #1 ‘ways to use lavender’). There is also a recipe for a salad dressing (#8), infused vinegar (#19), and syrup (#50).
      If you try a recipe, let us know how it turns out!

      Reply

    • Hi Joyce,
      Thank you for your question!

      Yes, lavender is safe to use in food and teas. Ideally you would be using organic lavender if you are ingesting it, which is easy to attain when you are growing and harvesting your own lavender. And either fresh or dried works just fine.
      Dried lavender, which seems to be the most preferred way to use lavender in various recipes and projects, can be added to a ‘sleepy time’ combination with chamomile, oat straw & other calming herbs (such as #1 ‘ways to use lavender’). There is also a recipe for a salad dressing (#8), infused vinegar (#19), and syrup (#50).
      If you try a recipe, let us know how it turned out!

      Reply

  15. Please be aware it is known to be an endocrine disruptor if lavender oil/tea tree oil is used often. It causes young males to grow breasts, so use in moderation.

    Reply

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