Can Lavender Bags Also Be Handbags?

If you are looking for a new handbag, a new bag to take to yoga class or you need an overnight bag for those three day long business trips, you should consider one of the new lavender bags that have recently hit the shelves. Lavender has long been known as a flower that has soothing properties, and the color invokes those same emotions. With lavender colored clothes hitting store shelves and becoming popular, it only makes sense that lavender bags would follow. The key to adding this type of accessory to your wardrobe, however, is to choose the perfect bag for you.

Any Size

The great thing about bags is that you can get any size you need if you know where to shop. The good news is that most manufacturers of lavender bags make any sized bag you need. If you need a tote bag to take to the grocery store each week, you can find that type of bag. If you need a laundry bag, a bag to take to class or a bag to take across country, you'll be covered. But once you have the size down, you must then choose your color and your style.

Color

You may be thinking, "But these bags are lavender. I already know what color they are." While it is true that these are the color of lavender, there are many shades the bags come in. You can find dark shades and lighter shades and every shade in between. You may find that you look better with dark colors than light, and so your choice would be clear. If you're not sure what color to choose, just go somewhere in the middle so that you get the best of both worlds. A neutral lavender color will have the benefit of setting off both light and dark colors, so bags like that will go with anything.

When you're carrying your books, unloading your groceries or putting on your makeup in the morning, you want to know that you're doing it in style with a new and stylish lavender bag.

Style

You next have to choose what style you want. The style will usually be associated with the fabric the bag is made out of. For instance a straw bag is going to have a style all its own, but the style could also involve the color and shape of the bag. If you aren't exactly sure what you want, just peruse through the various selections you find in the stores near your home and online.

With lavender bags being so hot right now, you will surely find many bags that will help you get the size, color and style you need to match what you're looking for. Whether it's for a night on the town or it's for a five day stay in Paris, your lavender bag will keep you feeling relaxed while it also keeps your belongings safe and secure. So get out there and start shopping.

Lavender, The Swiss Army Knife of Essential Oils

Lavender is one essential oils that should be in every home and first aid kit! Lavender is the most "universal" oil and is the Swiss army knife of essential oils. It is steam distilled from Lavandula angustifolia.

Lavender is one of the few essential oils that is safe to use neat or undiluted, on the skin, if it is therapeutic grade.

When in doubt, use Lavender. Lavender is good for all kinds of problems.

Personally, I have used Lavender for quite a long time to control my blood pressure by inhaling and applying to the heart reflex points and directly over the heart.

Lavender reduces inflammation, relieves burns, headaches, cuts, skin abrasions, analgesic, anti-fungal, calming and relaxing, anti-stress, anti-depression, insomnia (inhale), PMS and more.

Burns and Sunburn - Apply 1-3 drops on burn location to cool tissue and reduce inflammation. Apply 3-6 times daily or as needed.

Use Lavender to cleanse and sooth cuts or scrapes.

Reduce or minimize scar tissue by massaging it on or around affected areas.

Apply 2-3 drops Lavender to relieve itching and soothe skin.

To Calm and Relax- Lavender is well-known for its calming and sedative properties. Massage Lavender into the back of the neck or bottom of feet for relaxation. Add a few drops of Lavender to your bath water for a relaxing soak. Diffuse Lavender before bed to quiet the mind and prepare for sleep. Inhaling also works wonders. Lavender can also be used for insomnia.

For restless leg syndrome, apply to the bottoms of feet. Inhale deeply to get back to sleep if necessary. If you have insomnia, try rubbing some Lavender on your chest and put a couple drops on your tongue.

Headaches- lavender is good for headaches. Put a couple drops in your hand and then inhale. Apply a drop on your temples, the back of the neck across forehead or on location.

Mood Uplifting - Diffuse or put a couple drops in your hand and then inhale. Apply direct application. Lavender also helps PMS symptoms.

Essential Lavender - Always in the Mix

Mom, Tryssie said, sampling essential oils and offering her own unsolicited commentary, I know essential lavender oil is supposed to be calming and soothing and all, but it smells more like comatose. Tryssie's signature fragrance review line: "essential lavender smells like grandma and the bridge club." She does not intend the line as criticism, more like very precise and vivid reporting, and certainly delivered with proper homage to the queens of three-no-trump. For today's post-modern emerging woman, lavender probably does seem sadly twentieth century.

I explained, however, one need not make this oil the leading ingredient, but one really ought, always, to include it in the mix. Yes, even if we concede lavender evokes all things Victorian and quite a few things Eisenhower, we must acknowledge that lavender shared Victoria's secret-appear prim and innocent, but pack a potent wallop. Among the essential oils, lavender rivals all the best in medicinal and therapeutic applications and benefits. Even Wendell, our Wonder Dog, has experienced and benefitted from its soothing effects. essential oil beginners must learn that lavender, and its sister chamomile, calm and soothe everything. Experts act on the principle, if it needs calming and soothing, lavender and chamomile are there. In pillow sprays-essential lavender is essential. After-cleanse skincare-must have lavender in the mix. Unruly dry hair-lavender ranks number one as your go-to oil. Of course, lavender dominates the sachets in your drawer full of "intimates"; no one wants anxious and unruly drawers.

Essential lavender in "Complementary Medicine"

Naturopaths rely on essential oil in treatment of neurological disorders. Sounds serious, Tryssie volunteers, and I agree that essential lavender can serve as serious medicine. Relying on essential lavender for inhalation therapy, naturopaths use it to treat severe headaches-including migraines and they have found it works extremely well for treatment of the entire constellation of pre-menstrual symptoms. Aches and cramps abate, exhaustion and fatigue lift, and irritability softens to grudging tolerance. Although massage therapists confess lavender has only limited benefit, strictly speaking, for serious skin disorders, they insist on its value in promoting intimacy and the power of a healing touch. In other words, lavender has little topical-biochemical effect on eczema or acne, but healing massage promotes recovery from the inside out. Mothers, if your child suffers a serious skin disorder or you are battling measles and chicken pox, healing massage promotes rapid recovery by enhancing children's sense of love, affection, and safety.

Rigorous Clinical Studies of Essential lavender

The University of Maryland, the nation's leader in strict clinical research for "complementary medicine," determined essential lavender substantially contributes to control and relief of post-operative o oxygen to one half of the group and oxygen alone to the other half. All twenty-five patients in the experimental lavender group reported considerably higher satisfaction with the facility's pain management regime than patients in the control group. Researchers also reported patients in the experimental group recovered and were ready for discharge sooner than patients in the control group.

Essential Oils and Burns - Why Many People Choose Therapeutic Grade Lavender Essential Oil

The essential oil of lavender is one of many natural and pharmaceutical products available for treating burns. It is my treatment of choice, and has been the treatment of choice for a number of people since the ancient Egyptians, if not before.

An Example

Recently, a friend emailed me to ask what essential oil I might recommend for first and second degree burns on his face. He had been out burning tree branches, when he became careless and got too close.

People who have studied essential oils for any length of time have learned that the highest choice for burns of any kind is a pure, therapeutic grade lavender essential oil.

Why Lavender?

A therapeutic grade of lavender essential oil is made up of over a hundred different compounds that do more than just help with burns.

1. One of these compounds has analgesic (pain relieving) properties.

2. Another compound in lavender gives it antiseptic properties.

3. Some medical doctors - mostly in Europe and Ecuador - also use lavender to prevent scarring.

4. The bottom line is that the constituents in lavender oil have many healing properties.

How to Use It

There are a number of ways to use lavender essential oil on such a burn, and here are three ways that come to mind first.

1. Diluting therapeutic grade lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia) with a high quality, organic vegetable oil 50:50 and applying it on the burn.

2. With therapeutic grade lavender essential oil, some people would not dilute it at all.

3. Putting therapeutic grade lavender essential oil in a spray bottle with purified water and spritz on.

Two Cautions

Before you go out and buy the first bottle of lavender esential oil that you can find, there are two extremely important cautions you should know about, because there are two types of "lavender" oils that can make burns WORSE.

1. Lavender that has been adulterated with synthetic chemicals. This includes the "lavender" that says "pure" on the label, but according to U.S. law, might have as little as 5% lavender and who knows what else as the other 95%.

2. Lavandin that has been labeled as lavender, or even mixed with lavender. Lavandin, because of its camphor content, will make burns worse!

Tag : lavender,essential oil,lavender essential oil

Cooking With Lavender - Beyond Aromatherapy

Lavender has been a variety popular herb for hundreds of years. Use of this herb has actually been documented back more than 2500 years ago. At one time, it was used for perfume and mummification by the ancient Egyptians. The English Lavender that we know about today was not around until the 1600s and it was not even developed in England either. It was Queen Victoria that would make it so popular in England. It was even used during World War I to help bath the wounds of soldiers. Even today, the French allow their baby lambs to graze in the lavender fields, which are supposed to make their meat fragrant and very tender.

Cooking with Lavender

When it comes to cooking with lavender, you will want to only use about 1/3 of dried lavender as opposed to fresh lavender. Just remember, if you add too much to a recipe, it can make the dish very better. A little can go a long way, since this is a very strong herb.

One of the benefits of cooking with lavender is that it adds great color to many dishes. In bread recipes, you can often substitute it in for rosemary. Another option is to seal sugar in a bag together with some lavender flowers. After a couple weeks, use the sugar in desserts for a special flavor. The lavender flowers make a great garnish that will look lovely on the table.

Harvesting the flowers correctly is important. Go with those that are in full color. If they are wilted, avoid using them. Make sure you rinse the blooms before every using them while you are cooking. If you harvest a lot of lavender at one time, drying it is a great option.

Lavender White Truffle Crostini Recipe

Wondering how to start using lavender in your cooking? Here is an easy and tasty recipe that you can use as a great appetizer. You will be sure to wow guests with the lavender flowers you use in the recipe.

What You'll Need:

• ½ cup of black olive paste (if you cannot find paste, process green and black olives until smooth and use instead of paste)
• 8 slices of Italian style bread, ½ thick
• ½ teaspoon of lavender flowers
• 1 teaspoon of white truffle oil

How to Make:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place the slices of bread on a baking sheet. Bake in oven for 5-6 minutes or until they are lightly toasted. In a mini processor or a bowl, mash your olive paste, lavender flowers, and the truffle oil until combined. Spread this on the bread while it is still warm and serve right away.

Tag : lavender,aromatherapy,cooking

Lavender Oils: Do You Know How to Choose the Best Quality?

Lavender oil is one of the most popular essential oils for aromatherapy. Health benefits of lavender oil have been documented in numerous studies and researches. Some of the well known benefits include its ability to induce sleep, relieve nerve tension, uplift mood, relieve pain, and improve respiratory functions. To experience those benefits, aromatherapy and health related books and articles advise us to use "pure" oil.

However, there is no international guideline that would help us to determine the quality of the oil. Without reliable guideline, how can we buy good quality lavender oil? In this article, first, conditions that will affect the quality of lavender oil will be discussed. Second, important considerations to find good lavender oil will be discussed.

The quality of lavender oil is greatly influenced by several factors. First, it is the quality of lavender itself. It is greatly affected by the soil condition, temperature, and amount of rain fall. Lavender is sensitive to humidity and heat.

Second, it is the timing of processing. To produce good oil and preserve quality, lavender has to be distilled and processed immediately after harvesting.

Lastly, the way the oil is packed, stored, and handled affects the quality. After the oil is produced, it has to be stored in a tightly closed, darkened glass container and placed in a cool and dark place. Chemical degradation can occur when the product is exposed to heat, light, or oxygen.

With these things in mind, what do we need to look for?

• If you are seeking health benefits, do not buy oils that have like "fragrance oil," "scented oil," and "perfume oil" on the labels. Those products are artificial and cannot be used for aromatherapy.
• Is the Latin name of the lavender provided in the label? There are many different kinds of lavender. Looking for the Latin names of lavender is important because they have different aromatic uses. Mainly four kinds of lavender are used as oil. They are True lavender (Lavandula angustifolia or Lavandul officinalis), Spike lavender (Lavandula spica), French lavender (Lavandula stoecas), and Lavandin (Lavandula hybrida).
• Does the label provide the country of origin and/or a lot number? The information of the country of origin is important because the quality of lavender oil can vary by the country. It is more desirable if the label has a lot number because responsible and respectable companies assign the numbers to their products to assure safety and quality. With lot numbers, they can track information about the country of origin and the year that lavender olis was produced as well as the quality of the oil.
• Research the market price. If the price is really law, the oil is probably fake or synthetic.

If you are still in doubt about your judgment, it is always best to ask questions before purchasing your lavender oils, whether from online or in a store.

Tag : lavender,lavender oils,oils

Aromatherapy Essential Oils and Lavender Blends - Lavender Oil

Lavender Oil is one of the most utilized oils in Aromatherapy. Its calming effect is well documented and it is used in a wide variety of products, from perfumes and deodorants to mosquito repellents and aftersun lotions. Its uses as an essential oil vary from treatments for restlessness and anxiety through to treatment for burns and insect stings. Whatever use you put lavender oil to, the scent of Lavender Oil is unmistakable. And here at Lavender Oil & Co you can find several different types of Lavender Essential Oil, as well as many other complimentary products that are good for the body, soul and mind.

As well as having many uses, Lavender Oil also comes in many different varieties. These varieties have different scents and properties. English grown lavender tends to be "woodier" in scent than its French counterpart whilst Bulgarian lavender has a sweeter aroma. Bulgaria is the biggest exporter of lavender in Europe, possibly in the world. It is often mis-sold as French Lavender. English organically grown and distilled Lavender is widely regarded as the best in the world and is commonly used in cooking and for culinary purposes.

Lavender has been appreciated for centuries. It is documented in works over 2500 years old and even mentioned in the Bible. There are many myths associated with Lavender. Placing a sprig of lavender in a lovers shoe would stop them from straying for example. During the plague Lavender was used to anoint ones clothing to repel the sickness. This could be in part true as Lavender Oil is a natural insect repellent and could have kept away the fleas that spread the illness. In modern times it is often use

As you can probably tell, we love lavender. In fact we love all of our products and we are sure that you will too. None of our products have been tested on animals, and they all utilize the many and varied wonderful plants that our planet has given us. We pride ourselves on using products that are as close as possible to their rawest form. Just as nature intended. Lavender oil, has long been used in the production of perfume, can also be used in Aromatherapy Oils. The scent has a calming effect which may aid in relaxation and the reduction of anxieties. Kashmir Lavender oil is also very famous as it is produced from the foothills of Himalayas.

It may also help to relieve pain from tension headache when breathed in as vapor or diluted and rubbed on the skin. When added to a vaporizer, lavender oil may aid in the treatment of cough and respiratory infection.

Lavender oil & co manufactures these herbal oils that may also be used as a mosquito repellent when worn as perfume or when added to lotions or hair products.

Tag : lavender,lavender blends,lavender oil,aromatherapy,essential oils

Use Lavender in Cooking As It's Really Good For You

Remember grandma always smelling like a flower? Well that was lavender, used by ladies through the centuries. Other than being extremely beneficial lavender smells delicious. The flower when crushed gives off the most aromatic fragrance there is. When it is dried, it still holds its lovely color and scent. Many will plant lavender around their gardens because of the beauty and the scent. Lavender will attract butterflies to any garden, and what is prettier than a few butterflies in the garden?

Lavender has been around over 2500 years, and was known to be used to mummify and perfume the Egyptian dead. Romans used it for cooking, bathing and scenting the air. So stated in the Bible, Mary took spikenard, or lavender to anoint the feet of Jesus. Lavender, some say was found in the Garden of Eden, but the scent was not there yet. It is stated that the scent came from when the clothing of baby Jesus was laid on bushes to dry, these bushes were lavender. It is touted as a safeguard against evil.

Using lavender oil is wonderful for the skin, taken orally will help the digestion of foods; it is also used to cure headaches and those sleepless nights. Some will use the oil added to water and spray where they spend the most time, energy practitioners such as healers will use it to clear the negative energy and clean the auras. You can use it to spray your skin and hair on a hot summer day. During the Great Plague of London in the 17th century it was used to ward off the deadly disease if worn on the wrist. In the 16th century in France, glove makers would put lavender into the glove to resist infection.

Love and lavender seem to go hand in hand. Listen up ladies; many use this wonderful plant to lure the one they want to entice. Cleopatra used lavender to seduce Julius Cesar and Mark Anthony. The Queen of Sheba offered it to King Solomon along with frankincense and myrrh. Lavender has such a relaxing quality, not many other herbs can hold that title. Some say that men like the smell of lavender and pumpkin, and lavender was found out to be the most arousing. Today lavender is used as scenting the dresser draws and hope chests. You can also sip a cup of tea with lavender and feel your body slow down about twenty paces.

Tag : lavender,lavender cooking,cooking