Why I Always Carry Lavender Essential Oil With Me
If I could take only one essential oil with me when I travel, it would be Lavender. It is one of those essential oils that has so many different therapeutic benefits that it’s a must have in every kit.
We recently came back from vacationing in Croatia. Traveling with kids can be a real challenge so I like to be prepared because no matter how careful we are something is bound to happen, and it did. We rented a house with a pool close to the coast. To be honest, it was the best decision ever! The week we were there, it was so hot that having a pool right when you step outside was a blessing. One day as I was getting drinks from the house, I heard my little guy scream. It was that scream that tells you he’s in a lot of pain. Well, he got stung on his big toe by a wasp. We removed the stinger and I quickly put a drop of Lavender on it. Lavender has mild analgesic as well as anti-inflammatory properties. It can help reduce itching and swelling as well as provide some pain relief. I also find it effective when combined with Roman Chamomile which is another very mild essential oil with analgesic properties and ideal to use with small children.
I was so happy the little guy was ok and we could just continue to enjoy our vacation. But wait…just getting stung by a wasp was not enough. Nope. On a different day, the little guy was playing with some wooden cutting boards. They were not big or heavy but one managed to fall on his big toe. Yes…the same big toe where he was stung by a wasp. It didn’t seem like a big deal at first but then he couldn’t step on his foot without it being painful. We (when I see we I mean mostly my husband) ended up just carrying him around which was just a temporary solution until his toe felt better. Nothing was broken so it should have gotten better soon, except it didn’t. During the evening he was in so much pain that he couldn’t sleep. Essential oils can help, but the amount of pain that he was in he just needed something stronger. I didn’t have children’s ibuprofen and all nearby pharmacies were closed. In Croatia, you can’t get OTC at the grocery store, only in pharmacies. Worst case scenario I probably could have found one that was open, but I just wanted to try one more thing before that.
Due to its chemical composition, Lavender essential oil has amazing calming and soothing properties when inhaled. I decided to put a few drops of Lavender on the palms of my hands and then kept them close to his nose. He slowly stopped crying and drifted off to sleep. I was so relieved and even though I’ve been using aromatherapy and essential oils for several years I was still amazed by the power of Lavender to calm and relax. The next morning, I got a topical cream with ibuprofen to reduce the pain so he could walk (and to give my husband a break).
Lavender Is one of the best essential oils to support sleep because the aroma is calming and soothing to the mind. In addition to that, Lavender is a leading essential oil for skin care due to its anti-inflammatory properties. You can also effectively use it to address a wide range of skin related issues such as sunburns, itching, eczema and insect bites.
Fun Fact: In the little town where we rented the house Lavender is growing everywhere. There is also a Lavender farm nearby that I was able to visit. The locals in the area use Lavender flowers to repel mosquitos. They run them all over exposed skin and the protection supposedly lasts for approx. 3-4 hours.
I recommend to always dilute essential oils for topical application, especially when using them with children. However, Lavender is a mild essential oil and I found that topical undiluted application in similar circumstances is necessary. My little guy is 5 years old which also makes it safe for topical application in this situation. You can find out more about diluted vs. undiluted application of essential oils in this FREE Essential Oils Guide I created for you.
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