Benefits and creative uses for dried lavender

Exploring the Many Uses and Benefits of Dried Lavender

With its pleasant floral scent and calming purple hues, fragrant lavender has long been used for its beauty, aroma, and therapeutic properties. Dried lavender maintains the uplifting essence of fresh lavender and allows for diverse uses. From creative crafts to natural health remedies, dried lavender offers a versatile plant product to have on hand.

Dried Lavender for Decor and Crafting

A simple way to use dried lavender is to appreciate its appearance and fragrance for decorative purposes. Here are some ideas for using dried lavender in crafts, decorating and more:

• Make fragrant sachets to place in drawers, closets, or garment bags
• Fill glass jars or containers to display around the home
• Incorporate into potpourri blends
• Add to a vase as an elegant dried flower arrangement
• Sprinkle in envelope seals when mailing letters
• Use to make aromatic wreaths, garlands, or floral displays
• Add to homemade candles or use as incense
• Use as a confetti substitute for events like weddings
• Include in homemade soaps, bath salts, or bath tea blends

Using Dried Lavender in Cooking and Baking

The pleasant floral notes of lavender also lend themselves well for culinary use. Dried lavender can enhance both sweet and savory recipes when used judiciously. Here are some tasty ways to use dried lavender in the kitchen:

• Blend into cake, cookie or muffin batter
• Fold into buttercream frosting
• Stir into granola, energy bites or yogurt
• Add to scones, breads or biscuits
• Combine with sugar or honey to make flavored sugars or syrups
• Use to make infused vinegars, spirits, teas or lemonades
• Rub on meats like lamb before roasting
• Season rice pilafs, grains, or stuffings
• Whisk into salad dressing ingredients
• Sprinkle over fruit salads, ice cream or custard

When cooking with dried lavender, use a light hand and add sparingly until you achieve the perfect floral accent to your dish without overpowering it. The dried buds add the most potent lavender punch.

Dried Lavender's Use in Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy uses concentrated extracts of aromatic plants like lavender for therapeutic benefits. Dried lavender can be used in homemade aromatherapy preparations:

• Potpourri bags
• Scented sachets
• Sleep or bath salts
• Simmering stovetop pots
• Aromatherapy candles
• Room diffusers or sprays
• Massage oils or lotions
• Herbal bath teas

Inhaling lavender's scent from such methods may promote relaxation, ease stress, and encourage sleep. Using lavender topically may also impart benefits.

Dried Lavender for DIY Natural Health and Beauty

Beyond just its aroma, the phytochemicals in lavender may support health and natural beauty applications when applied topically or orally. Here are some potential uses:

• Add to baths or self-care products to soothe skin
• Combine with ingredients like witch hazel as a toner for acne-prone skin
• Include in body scrub recipes to exfoliate skin
• Place sachets in stored clothing to repel moths naturally
• Simmer in water and use to rinse hair as an antibacterial rinse
• Steep in apple cider vinegar and use as a floral hair rinse
• Infuse in oil for a few weeks then strain; apply the oil to soothe skin
• Stir in honey or tea to potentially aid respiratory issues

Speak to an integrative medicine professional before ingesting lavender for therapeutic uses, and always dilute essential oils properly before applying to skin.

Benefits and Effects of Lavender

Lavender contains a number of bioactive compounds like linalool, linalyl acetate, and ocimene that are thought to contribute to its calming properties when inhaled as well as its potential therapeutic effects when used orally or topically. Here is an overview of what some of the research says about lavender's possible benefits:

Stress Relief and Improved Mood

Studies suggest lavender's scent may help lower stress, anxiety, and symptoms of depression, while improving mood. Using lavender aromatherapy may also help reduce restlessness and agitation.

Better Sleep

Lavender's relaxing qualities may promote better sleep when used aromatherapy before bed. Some research found lavender improved sleep quality and duration for those with insomnia or on sedative medications.

Pain Relief

Early research indicates lavender essential oil or aromatherapy may help reduce pain from headaches, wounds, and musculoskeletal issues when applied topically or inhaled.

Skin Health

Due to its antimicrobial activity, lavender shows potential for improving skin conditions like acne, eczema, and fungal infections when used topically. It may aid wound healing as well.

Hair Health

Lavender may combat bacteria and fungi that can cause scalp and hair issues. Using it as a rinse or combining with other herbs may improve hair health and appearance.

Respiratory Benefits

Early evidence suggests lavender aromatherapy may help relieve upper respiratory symptoms of asthma, colds, cough, and allergies, potentially due to its anti-inflammatory effects.

However, keep in mind that larger, more robust studies are still needed to confirm many of lavenders purported benefits.

Is Lavender Safe? Possible Side Effects and Considerations

Lavender is generally considered safe when used appropriately. However, some important safety notes include:

• Use essential oils safely and properly diluted
• Discontinue use if skin sensitivity or irritation occurs
• Avoid excessive internal use during pregnancy due to hormonal effects
• Dont combine with sedative medications without medical guidance
• Speak to your doctor about medicinal use if taking other medications or have health issues

Unpleasant side effects are uncommon but may include headache, chills, nausea or skin irritation. Seek medical care if concerning reactions develop.

How to Grow and Dry Lavender

If you want abundant access to fresh lavender for all of its many uses, consider growing some in your own garden. Heres an overview of how to grow and dry lavender yourself:

Growing Lavender

Lavender thrives best in full sun and well-draining soil. Amend soil with compost to encourage drainage. Plant lavender in the Spring after any threat of frost has passed. Space plants 1-3 feet apart depending on variety size. Established lavender is quite drought tolerant and doesnt require frequent watering. Prune plants after the first bloom to encourage bushy growth.

Harvesting Lavender

Timing is important when harvesting lavender for optimal scent and oil concentrations:

• For culinary use, harvest flowers just after they open
• For aromatherapy use, harvest when lower flower buds on secondary stems start to open
• Cut stems 6-8 inches below flower heads early in the morning after dew has evaporated

Drying Lavender

After harvesting fresh lavender stems, there are a couple techniques to dry them:

• Hang bundled stems upside down in a warm, dry, airy area out of sunlight for 1-2 weeks until fully dried.
• Lay flowers flat on a clean mesh screen or paper towel lined baking sheet. Place in a dry, well-ventilated area out of light for up to 2 weeks until dried; flowers should crumble off stem when fully dry.

Store completely dried lavender in sealed glass containers out of sunlight to preserve aroma and properties.

High Quality Dried Lavender Available Online

Looking for high quality dried lavender to enjoy all of its purported benefits and uses? Many excellent options are available through online retailers. When shopping for dried lavender, look for:

• Organically grown lavender
• Harvested at peak bloom for optimal potency
• Grown without the use of chemicals or pesticides
• Processed gently and dried fully before storage
• Sold by reputable companies that specialize in herbs and botanicals

With its incredible aroma and versatility, dried lavender is a fragrant herb well worth keeping stocked for a boost of floral goodness in your home, health, and recipes.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.