Lavender – More than just a pretty purple flower
When you mention the word Lavender immediately a color and a scent trace to memory. There is a sweet beauty of a field of lavender wafting that soft clean scent throughout the air. So how did lavender come to be associated with clean and especially bath products? And what makes lavender so attractive to so many?
Wikipedia helps us understand the origins of the word, and the basic description of the botanical:
“The English word lavender is generally thought to be derived from Old French lavandre, ultimately from the Latin lavare (to wash), referring to the use of infusions of the plants. The botanic name Lavandula as used by Linnaeus is considered to be derived from this and other European vernacular names for the plants. However it is suggested that this explanation may be apocryphal, and that the name may actually be derived from Latin livere, “blueish”.
The names widely used for some of the species, “English lavender”, “French lavender” and “Spanish lavender” are all imprecisely applied. “English lavender” is commonly used for L. angustifolia, though some references say the proper term is “Old English Lavender”.The name “French lavender” may be used to refer to either L. stoechas or to L. dentata. “Spanish lavender” may be used to refer to L. stoechas, L. lanata or L. dentata.” ( wikipedia)”
Commercially, the plant is grown mainly for the production of essential oil of lavender. This has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, and can be used as a natural mosquito repellent. These extracts are also used as fragrances for bath products.
English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) yields an essential oil with sweet overtones, and can be used in balms, salves, perfumes, cosmetics, and topical applications. Lavandin, Lavandula × intermedia (also known as Dutch lavender), yields a similar essential oil, but with higher levels of terpenes including camphor, which add a sharper overtone to the fragrance.
The lavandins Lavandula × intermedia are a class of hybrids of L. angustifolia and L. latifolia. The lavandins are widely cultivated for commercial use, since their flowers tend to be bigger than those of English lavender and the plants tend to be easier to harvest, but lavandin oil is regarded by some to be of a lower quality than that of English lavender, with a perfume less sweet.
Lavender is also used in cooking and baking, popular flavoring in some cheeses and baked goods. And the honey gathered from hives where bees are exclusively working lavender fields has that distinctive lavender note to the sweet nectar.
Since Roman times lavender has been associated with soap, and bathing. Nothing can evoke clean like the clear sweet tones of lavender.
Once of the first soaps we began producing is Lavender with ample lavender essential oil added to the formula, and ground lavender buds for an extra zip of fragrance. Its funny, long before we made soap i remember buying bars of handcrafted cold processed lavender soap – loving the soap, but frustrated at the topping of lavender buds whole… it made quite a mess in my sink. When we began making the soap this thought carried over to our products… and the one test we did with lavender buds on top was an epic fail – customers told us they did not like that.
Our soap is super-fatted. This is a process of adding 5-10% addition oils beyond what the lye will neutralize. The soap will leave your skin moisturized and a small amount of oil left behind when you have washed. You wont feel the oil, but your skin will know and love you for replenishing those needed oils normally lost when you wash with normal soap.
We offer an ample size bar, wrapped in a light wax paper, and banded with our full ingredient list as required by law. Lavender is one of our best sellers. Our soap utilizes plant based oils and lye, and essential oil to create a soft and gentle soap for your skin. Lathers well, individually packaged bars assure freshness to you. The soap is moisturizing because we super-fat every recipe… that means when you wash with our soap a small amount of oil is replenishing your skin’s moisture. If you would like to try a bar click on the picture below to be directed to our shop:
We love lavender, and here are a few other products we add lavender to:
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