Welcome to our big lavender oil test 2021. Here we present all the lavender oils we have tested in detail. We have compiled detailed background information and added a summary of customer reviews on the web. We would like to make your purchase decision easier and help you find the best lavender oil for you.
You will also find answers to frequently asked questions in our guide. If available, we also offer interesting test videos. Furthermore, you will also find some important information on this page that you should definitely pay attention to if you want to buy lavender oil.
Contents
- 1 Weekly newsletter with the best personal finance tips
- 2 The most important facts
- 3 The Best Lavender oil: Our Picks
- 4 Guide: Questions you should ask yourself before buying lavender oil
- 5 Decision: What types of lavender oil are there and which is the right one for you?
- 6 Buying criteria: Use these factors to compare and evaluate lavender oils
- 7 Trivia: Interesting facts about lavender oil
The most important facts
- Lavender is characterised by its intense and fragrant smell. The plant has been used as a medicinal plant for many years due to its simultaneously calming and stimulating effect.
- Lavender oil or lavender capsules can have a soothing effect on a variety of physical or mental complaints due to the essential oils they contain.
- Lavender essential oil can be used externally and internally or as a fragrance oil, while lavender oil capsules are particularly suitable for use against inner restlessness.
The Best Lavender oil: Our Picks
Guide: Questions you should ask yourself before buying lavender oil
What is lavender oil?
Lavender oil is extracted from the lavender plant by steam distillation. Due to its high concentration, just a few drops of lavender oil are enough to achieve a great effect. The essential oils in lavender determine its effectiveness. The main components of lavender include linalyl acetate and linalool. Linalyl acetate is the most important component of the plant and provides the characteristic lavender scent. It also provides the calming effect of lavender.
The linalyl acetate concentration in the lavender oil is decisive for the medicinal quality of the product. Linalool is a colourless, flowery-smelling liquid. The linalool provides the anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and antimicrobial effect of lavender. Both components have a high bioavailability, which means that they act particularly quickly in the human body.
What does lavender oil do and how is it applied?
- Nervousness and restlessness
- Sleep disorders
- Common cold
- high blood pressure
- Loss of appetite
- Headaches
- Earache
- Stomach and intestinal complaints
- Skin diseases and minor wounds
- Burns
- Insect bites
- Complaints during pregnancy
- Menstrual cramps
- Tension
- Circulatory problems
If you want to use lavender oil on your skin, you should dilute it with another oil (for example sunflower oil) to avoid redness and skin irritation.
If you are prone to allergies, you should test whether you tolerate the essential oil before applying it to your skin.
To test tolerance, put a drop of the oil on your wrist or forearm and wait 24, preferably 48 hours. If there is no redness and no itching, you can use the essential oil.
How much does lavender oil cost and where can I buy it?
| Type | Price range |
|---|---|
| Lavender essential oil | 2-80€ |
| Lavender oil capsules | 4-90€ |
You can find lavender oil in pharmacies, health food shops or drugstores like Müller, Rossmann or dm. You might also be lucky in well-stocked supermarkets such as Rewe, Edeka, Kaufland or real. The largest selection of lavender products can be found online. There are several online shops that offer essential oils or capsules. Good comparison possibilities and a large number of different manufacturers can be found on Ebay or Amazon.
Decision: What types of lavender oil are there and which is the right one for you?
Basically, we distinguish between these types of lavender oil:
- Lavender essential oil
- Lavender Oil Capsules
In the following, we explain the different types and their respective advantages and disadvantages. In this way, we want to help you find the lavender oil that is best suited for you.
What is lavender essential oil and what are its advantages and disadvantages?
Lavender oil is an essential oil that is produced from lavender plants. Like all essential oils, the highly concentrated oil is obtained through steam distillation. In high-quality products, only the lavender flowers are used for oil extraction, as the stems and leaves contain less essential oils than the flowers. You can use lavender essential oil in many different ways. For physical ailments, you can apply the oil to your skin or ingest it.
When buying lavender oil, make sure that it is suitable for ingestion. Oils that are suitable for ingestion are labelled on the bottles. If you do not find a label, you should not ingest the oil.
If you like natural cosmetics, you have probably tried one or two cosmetic products with lavender. You can mix purchased or homemade cosmetic products such as creams or bath additives with lavender oil in order to benefit from the cosmetic advantages of the plant in addition to the soothing lavender scent. Diluted with distilled water, you can use the lavender oil for your pillow as a sleeping aid or simply as a fragrant room spray. Alternatively, you can use the oil as a fragrance oil in a diffuser or a fragrance lamp.
There are hardly any limits to the use of lavender essential oil. However, always use the oil in a diluted form to prevent irritation. When buying your oil, you should also make sure that the oil has been extracted from true lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia). Other types of lavender do not have the same ingredients and are correspondingly limited in their effect.
What distinguishes lavender oil capsules and what are their advantages and disadvantages?
Lavender capsules also contain lavender oil. The capsules are taken orally and are suitable for the prevention or treatment of mental complaints. Lavender has an anxiety-relieving, calming, anti-depressant and antispasmodic effect, which is developed when taking the lavender oil capsules. The effect is demonstrably confirmed.
As lavender is a natural product, it is generally better tolerated than synthetically produced products with similar effects. Addictions are very rare, but side effects such as skin irritation or gastrointestinal complaints such as belching or nausea can also occur with the capsules. Lavender can provide relief from anxiety or mental restlessness. However, if you experience these symptoms more often or over a longer period of time, you should definitely consult a doctor! In principle, we advise you to consult your doctor before taking this or other preparations. When taking lavender oil capsules, it is recommended to take one capsule per day with a glass of water. The capsule should not be taken lying down.
Be sure to read the package leaflet and consult your doctor if you are unsure.
Buying criteria: Use these factors to compare and evaluate lavender oils
Before you buy the best lavender oil for you as an essential oil or in capsule form, you should consider these factors when making your purchase decision:
- Ingredients
- Quantity
- Quality
- Country of origin
In the following, you can read about the respective criteria and find out why it makes sense for you to buy a product based on the criteria or not.
Ingredients
When looking at the ingredients, you should pay attention to the designation "Lavandula vera", "Lavender extra" or "Lavandula fine". These are medicinal plants from a controlled and tested cultivation.
Especially in the case of scented oils, it can happen that little or no lavender is contained, but that the scent has been synthetically imitated. Such oils are in no way suitable for consumption, but since you ingest the components of a fragrance oil through your respiratory tract, you should always choose a product that is as pure as possible.
Quantity
Lavender essential oil is available in quantities as small as 5ml. Since you only need a few drops of the highly concentrated oil, a small amount should be enough for a longer period of time. If you need quite a lot of lavender oil, for example, because you want to refine your own creams or other cosmetics with it, you can also buy larger quantities of lavender oil.
Bottles with 500-1000 millilitres are quite expensive, but if you calculate the price per millilitre, you will save some money. Lavender oil capsules are available from 14 pieces. If you want to try the capsules for the first time, we recommend that you start with the smallest possible package size. If the results and especially the tolerance are right, you can also go for larger pack sizes of 30 or 60 capsules.
Quality
Lavender plants come in three different varieties. True lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), spikenard lavender (Lavandula latifolia) and lavandin (Lavandula hybrida). Lavender oil is extracted from all three species, although the quality varies greatly. Real lavender is the highest quality plant, as it contains the most essential oils and can therefore be used most effectively against various ailments.
Country of origin
Lavender originally comes from the Mediterranean region, as this is also where the best conditions for the medicinal plant prevail. However, since lavender is a fairly undemanding and hardy plant, it is also found in our latitudes. For a high-quality lavender oil, the quality of the plant is of course decisive. Therefore, it can be worthwhile to take a look at the country of origin and the optimal conditions for the plant.
Trivia: Interesting facts about lavender oil
What is the difference between fragrance oil and essential oil?
Contrary to some assumptions, fragrance oils and essential oils are not the same products at all. Fragrance oils often contain artificial flavours and additives and are in no way suitable for consumption. If you use a fragrance oil in a diffuser or fragrance lamp, you should make sure that the fragrance oil is as natural as possible.
Even if you only inhale the scent of the oil, the synthetic substances can enter your organism through your breathing. For the most varied applications, an essential oil is the better choice. It is also suitable as a fragrance oil, but there are many other possible applications, as we have already described above.
Can I cook with essential oils?
In principle, you can use your essential oils for cooking. However, make sure that your oil is labelled accordingly before consuming it. Scented oils that are not explicitly labelled as suitable for consumption should never be used in your food or drink, nor should they be taken as drops.
Before consuming essential oils, make sure they are labelled "suitable for consumption"!
If your essential oil is edible, just a few drops are enough to give your dish or drink a special note. So be very careful with the dosage. Start with one drop, taste the result and add another drop if the aroma is not intense enough.
Can I also use lavender as a cosmetic?
You can also use lavender oil as a natural cosmetic, as it can offer many positive effects for your body.
| Body part | Effect | Application |
|---|---|---|
| Hair | Lavender oil helps with hair growth. It is antimicrobial and helps against itchy scalp and dandruff. | You can either massage the oil on your scalp or add it to your regular hair products. There is also a lot of hair serum on the market with lavender oil. |
| skin | Lavender oil fights bacteria and is therefore very effective against acne. It can also soothe eczema. Lavender oil can help brighten skin as it reduces inflammation | You can use lavender oil as a toner by combining it with witch hazel and applying it to your face with cotton wools. |
| lips | Helps against dry lips | You can also massage lavender oil on your dried lips. |
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