Not only is lavender the most popular essential oil, but it’s also one of the safest. People love its beautiful aroma and versatility. Known for its calming, sedative, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties, lavender has many uses from sunburns and insect bites to headaches, insomnia, and feelings of anxiousness or congestion. As mentioned, lavender is one of the safest oils; however, there are some precautions to take. Read on as we dive into some of the most common safety questions about lavender.
Is Lavender Essential Oil Safe for Dogs?
When it comes to Fido, lavender oil is generally safe as long as proper care is taken. When diluted, lavender oil can help your pooch by repelling bugs, soothing itchy skin, supporting joint pain, calming anxiety and reducing stress, conditioning their fur, deodorizing and refreshing their space, and helping them sleep. However, since dogs have a much better sense of smell than humans and are more sensitive in general, it is important to dilute the oil at a 1% dilution, meaning, use 1 drop of essential oil to every 5ml of base oil. Safe carrier oils for your dog include almond oil, sesame oil, jojoba oil, avocado oil, or apricot kernel oil. You can also diffuse lavender into a room or combine it with water in a spray bottle to spray topically or in your environment to refresh your space.
Is Lavender Essential Oil Safe for Cats?
Lavender oil is generally safe for cats, but it’s important to take precautions when using it around felines. Since they lack a liver enzyme, cats are unable to metabolize essential oils if ingested—this could cause toxic buildup in their little bodies. Diffusing lavender oil is one of the safest ways you can use this essential oil around your cat. Since the oil is diluted in water and dispersed through the air, it should not cause a problem for your cat as long as they can leave the room if needed and your room is well-ventilated.
Is Lavender Essential Oil Edible?
Lavender essential oil, and all essential oils for that matter, are not suitable to ingest. Our bodies do not contain the enzymes needed to break down the active ingredients in essential oils and because they’re so potent and strong, they can eat away at the stomach and intestinal lining. For this reason, we recommend using organic lavender flowers in tea, smoothies, baking, and recipes instead of ingesting lavender essential oil.
Can Lavender Essential Oil Be Applied to Skin?
Lavender oil is one of the safest oils to use on the skin. A good rule of thumb is to dilute it with a carrier oil such as coconut, argan, tamanu, or olive oil before applying it topically. The mixture can be used just as you would a lotion or moisturizer, once or twice daily to help nourish the skin, soothe bug bites, for headaches, and unwind after a long day. If you’re not sure of a proper ratio for mixing, you can mix 2-4 drops of lavender oil (depending on your skin sensitivity) to every 10ml of base oil. It’s worth pointing out that people with sensitive skin may experience some irritation from using lavender essential oil.
Is Lavender Essential Oil Safe for Pregnancy?
The lavender essential oil may be safe to use when pregnant. However, experts recommend only using lavender essential oil after the first trimester. Additionally, aromatherapy approaches (for example, diffusing the oil or using a spray bottle) are recommended over topical applications. A recent review of studies on lavender oil concluded that lavender oil could be used to help reduce labour pain.
Is Lavender Essential Oil Safe for Babies?
Lavender essential oil is generally safe to use on small children. Many parents give their babies a lavender oil massage before bed to encourage sleep or use lavender on insect bites to reduce itchiness and speed healing. However, it is important to follow the recommended dilution ratios for children. For newborns and infants, dilute 1 drop of lavender oil into 5 ml of carrier oil, and for older children dilute 2-3 drops of lavender oil into 5ml of carrier oil.
Lavender essential oil is extremely gentle and can be used to support many conditions and ailments. When properly diluted, it is one of the safest essential oils you can use. That said, if you are epileptic, have liver damage, cancer, or have any other medical problem, it is important to use oils only under the proper guidance of a qualified aromatherapy practitioner.
Which Lavender Oil Is The Most Safe?
Purchasing a lavender oil that’s safe comes down to its extraction method, where it’s sourced, and its purity and potency. Look for reputable brands such as Naka and Now when shopping for essential oils. Now Lavender Oil is expeller pressed to keep the integrity of the oil and is undiluted, potent, and pure. It’s available in a certified organic version as well makes for great massage oil when mixed with coconut oil. Naka 100% Pure Lavender Oil is just as the name suggests, pure, potent, and steam distilled. Sourced from France, Naka lavender is available in both organic and non-organic varieties.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered as a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your practitioner prior to taking herbs or nutritional supplements.
