Lavendar Lotion or Bath Salt

The Benefits of Lavender

Just a shot of lavender added to your day can fill you with a sense of overall wellbeing. It's an aromatherapeutic herb recognized primarily for its abilities to soothe, calm and relax the mind. In addition, though, it offers a host of health benefits that make it a practical choice in any beauty regimen:

• Ease your nerves: Lavender's calming scent instantly settles nerves and eases tension with its green, outdoorsy, fresh sweetness.
• Catch some ZZZs: When falling asleep is a struggle, many turn to lavender for its ability to lull them to dreamland. No other herb encourages sleep more.
• Relieve an ache: Sore, tense or tired muscles receive instant relief when treated to a lavender oil massage.
• Heal a wound: Famous for its antifungal and antiseptic qualities, lavender can help heal wounds, burns, cuts and sunburns.
• Attack a cold: A nasty cold can set you back, but lavender oil applied to the neck, back or chest can ease respiratory symptoms.
• Kill off lice: Unexpected but true – lice eggs, lice and nits stand no chance when up against a healthy application of lavender essential oil.

These are just some of the benefits that lavender is known for. Despite seeming a bit like folklore, there's nothing fabricated about these healthful traits. Lavender's benefits are actually steeped in history. Consider the many individuals over the centuries who have relied on it in some way or another:

• Washing women in medieval and renaissance Europe were actually known as "lavenders" because they would dry laundry on lavender bushes and scent drawers with the fragrant herb.
• Hildegard of Bingen, a German nun born in 1098, declared that lavender water (vodka, gin or brandy mixed with lavender) was the perfect remedy for migraines.
• Grave robbers (yes, grave robbers) relied on lavender to protect them from contracting the Great Plague that afflicted London in the 17th century. They would wash their hands with lavender-rich Four Thieves Vinegar to stave off the disease.

Clearly, lavender is an herb that can have a positive impact on anyone's life! That's precisely what makes it such a great gift to yourself or a loved one.

Choose a Lavender Lotion or Bath Salt…or Both

There's no dearth of lavender-based products in the skin care world. In fact, it's probably one of the most popular scents out there. Not only is it soothing to the mind, body and soul, it's also considered an aphrodisiac! In fact, studies have suggested that men find the scent of lavender as arousing as that of pumpkin, which is considered the greatest aphrodisiac of all.

If you're curious and want to test the waters, a lavender lotion or bath salt is a great starting point. These products provide great scent payoff, keep your skin smooth and enhance your bath with this tantalizing, fresh aroma.

• L'Occitane is revered for its lavender line, which includes everything from pillow mists and hair conditioners to mosquito-repelling towelettes and shower gels. Try the company's classic Organic Lavender Body Lotion for a generous dose of lavender scent and plenty of hydration. The lingering scent is sure to please aficionados.

• If your skin is on the dry side, try EO French Lavender Body Lotion for a more moisturizing experience. Rich in nourishing mango seed butter and antioxidant vitamins A and E, this luxurious lotion results in silky smooth skin that's protected from external elements.

• Immerse yourself in an intoxicating blend of lavender, peppermint and tea tree essential oils when you feel exhausted, run down or achy. Try Carol's Daughter Body Aches Bath Salts, which contains sea salts, mineral salts and baking soda. If you don't have a tub to soak in, sprinkle some salt over your shower's floor – the aroma will waft up and create an instant aromatherapeutic environment.

• The gentle scent of lavender is the star of the show, but the luxurious packaging of this Mistral Soaps Lavender Bath Salt Tin is destined to be a minor celebrity in its own right. Display it on a vanity or at the edge of the tub to show it off, and pour some into your water to reap lavender's pampering rewards.