For years I hated lavender, and resisted putting it in the garden. I have no idea why - perhaps it reminded me of mothballs and old woman's warddrobes, and old fashioned gardens that didn't really interest my aesthetic. But I've fallen in love with this common plant all over again. There's a reason why herbalists love lavender.

Lavender makes it's way into many of my herbal concoctions, from salves to natural deodorants. I like to infuse it in oil ready to be used in various first aid creams - it has an analgesic effect, and it's commonly used for bites, headaches, muscle pain, and stings, as well as burns. Whilst the more concentrated oil is arguably more effective in many cases, I still like to use the flower as it's readily available to me. It's also wonderful for stress and anxiety, and aids sleep, so I'm a fan of taking deep inhales of the stuff. When my son was little, we used to play a game where I'd wave lavender under his nose and he'd pretend to fall asleep.

I also like to drink a herbal tea I make with lavender - lavender, hops, tulsi and lemon balm calm me and help me sleep. Whilst the hops is bitter, the other herbs balance it out with floral and citrussy goodness.

Whilst it might seem wierd to put vinegar on your skin, it's actually an excellent toner and it doesn't really smell after you spritz and put moisturiser on. It's an astringent, which has a good cleansing effect on the skin, especially oily skin (careful if you have dry skin as it might dry it out further - however, the use of a good facial oil could counter this). It also has good antimicrobial action, helping reduce bacteria - so if you have breakouts or acne, this could be worth looking at for you.

Even better is to infuse the ACV with lavender, making a kind of tincture. The vinegar helps extract the good stuff from lavender, and gives it a lovely scent. It's super easy to do - simply stuff about a third of a jar with fresh lavender and cover with apple cider vinegar. Leave for about a month, and then it's ready to use - as a fabric softener for clothes, a hair rinse, a flea spray, a window cleaner, a refreshing drink (add some honey and add a splash to soda water!) or a salad dressing!

To make your toner, you want to dilute it in water - about 1:4 suits me, but try less first as you don't want it to sting. You can also add a tbsp or two of witchhazel. Add a splash of lavender essential oil if you like, or perhaps another essential oil that suits your skin. Lavender itself helps balance out moisture levels in the skin and it's a natural hydrator as well as antiinflammatory. Other essential oils that might suit are chamomile, sandalwood, rosemary, neroli and many others.¹. See what you have to hand and what suits your skin type.

A Haiku

sunlit garden
lavender and bees
dance with wind

Do you use lavender for skin care?

How do you use this beautiful plant?

If you'd like to join in the discussion this week about lavender, as well as kava kava and valerian, pop over to The Herbal Hive community. You can win HIVE for commenting or writing a post about one of these beautiful medicinal plants.

With Love,

^{The Herbal Hive Community}

Are you on HIVE yet? Earn for writing! Referral link for FREE account here