4 min read
Lowdown on Lavender – Which One Should I Buy?
Written By: Robin Lander
June means Lavender season is in full swing! The sun sits high in the sky, bees drift lazily between blossoms, endless rows of violet stretch across gently sloping hills, and the air is saturated with the unmistakable scent of sweet floral herbaceousness. There’s nothing quite like standing in a Lavender field at the height of bloom. But we’ve got the next best thing – eight lovely Lavender offerings to take you there!
As a formulator with so many options, how do you choose the right Lavender for your needs? When comparing Lavenders, it can be helpful to start with country of origin. Climate, altitude, soil type, and other environmental factors collectively known as ‘terroir’ play a huge role in shaping each oil’s unique chemistry and aroma. Some Lavenders lean sweeter and more floral while others are robust, green, and herbaceous. Let’s dive into our Lavender offerings and discover the features you want for your next creation.
Lavender from France
If you’re looking for a particularly calming Lavender for skincare, aromatherapy, and nighttime blends, then a French-grown Lavender may be your best bet. Lavender is native to high altitude France and other mountainous areas in the western Mediterranean. Grown here, especially at a high elevation, it’s naturally rich in esters such a linalyl acetate that create an aroma with a sweet, calming softness.
Lavender, France - Organic
Botanical name: Lavandula angustifoliaAroma: intense sweet-herbaceous/floral aroma; greener, less sweet, and with a deeper aroma than our other Lavenders.Characteristics: grown at an elevation of approximately 2,600 feet, this pedigreed oil offers a classic Lavender aroma with distinct nuances of sweet herbal and rich green notes that hail from the ideal soils and southern climates of the famous French Lavender fields. Our most popular Lavender!Suggested use: skincare preparations of all types, diffusers, aromatherapy inhalers and roll-ons, massage blends, cooling body mists, and relaxing baths.Lavender - High Elevation
Botanical name: Lavandula angustifoliaAroma: very refined, herbaceous, green-floral aroma, with a subtle sweet coumarinic or ‘freshly mown-hay’ undertone.Characteristics: cultivated at high altitudes where upper elevations appear to increase the development of the light, powdery ester, linalyl acetate.Suggested use: skin serums, cold compresses, diffusers, joint and muscle rubs, and body creams and lotions.Lavender - Wild
Botanical name: Lavandula angustifoliaAroma: very fresh, floral, soft green, herbaceous aroma with smooth diffusive notes.Characteristics: from an uncultivated harvest in the south of France, an area well known for producing some of the planet’s most remarkable Lavender, this vigorous variety brings forth a natural vitality and sweetness only found in wild plants. Suggested use: aromatherapy, perfumery, skincare, linen and room sprays, nighttime blends, and anointing oils.Lavender, Maillette
Botanical name: Lavandula angustifoliaAroma: fresh sweet-herbaceous floral with clear, crystalline top notes and soft green/woody undertones.Characteristics: the distinct aroma of this clonal variety that does not reproduce by seed can be attributed to its dominant ester, linalyl acetate and a very low camphor content. Sweeter than most Lavenders, Maillettes are more aromatically consistent from year to year than other Lavenders.Suggested use: aromatherapy, children’s blends, muscle massage and bath oils, scalp lotions and hair oils, perfumery, and cosmetics.Lavender from Bulgaria
If you prefer a slightly more herbaceous and pungent Lavender, then Bulgarian Lavender may be the one for you. Typically grown near the Black Sea at 500-700 feet in elevation, this lovely and economical Lavender is a top choice for soaps, shampoos, and skin preparations where you may want a more robust aroma combined with skin-cleansing action.
Lavender, Bulgaria - Organic
Botanical name: Lavandula angustifoliaAroma: Floral, sweet-herbaceous, and rich; full-bodied, smooth and complex.Characteristics: Eastern European Lavenders can develop very distinct characteristics from Mediterranean grown plants and show a unique depth of character. This exceptional Bulgarian Lavender oil has a low camphor content.Suggested use: aromatherapy, cosmetics, serums for overactive skin, body care, colognes, soaps and cleansers, outdoor sprays, and foot care.Lavender from Spain
The warm, rugged terrain of Spain is the home to the latifolia species with its high percentage of 1,8-cineole, the same constituent found in Eucalyptus and Ravintsara, as well as camphor. Potent in chest or muscle rubs and targeted skin preparations, make no mistake, this is a highly energetic variety of Lavender.
Lavender, Spike – Organic
Botanical name: Lavandula latifoliaAroma: fresh, sharp, lavender-like, camphoraceous aroma with a dry herbal/woody undertone.Characteristics: distinctly cineolic and camphoraceous aroma that should be used with care.Suggested use: an excellent choice for soapmaking due to its fresh, powerful scent and good stability. Also popular for use in the sauna, muscle massage, steams, diffusers, and aromatherapy inhalers. Use caution or avoid use with children and sensitive individuals.A Special Lavender Hybrid
Originally created to improve the Lavender plant’s resistance and yield, hybrids are favored for their economical price, highly aromatic aroma, and versatility in cosmetics and perfumery where they shine in masculine, fougère, and woody accords.
Lavandin, Grosso - Organic
Botanical name: Lavandula x intermediaAroma: fresh, camphoraceous, herbal/floral, clear, green – a wonderful aromatic balance between herbal, floral, and camphoraceous notes.Characteristics: High altitude, true L. angustifolia and lower altitude Spike Lavender cross pollinate in France to create this popular, easy growing, and economical hybrid species.Suggested use: a cost-effective substitute for Lavender in candles, soaps, aromatherapy, personal care, outdoor sprays, and cleaning products. We also recommend blending Lavandin with different types of Lavender oils to create a unique, complex Lavender accord.Solvent Extracted Lavender
For fine perfumery, solvent extraction provides a powerful, sweet, intense Lavender with an aroma most true to the fresh botanical material along with a coumarin-like and powdery freshness.
Lavender Absolute
Botanical name: Lavandula angustifoliaAroma: smooth, suave, coumarin-rich, intense, sweet herbal-lavender aroma.Characteristics: produced at our extraction facility in France, it has beautifully unique facets of honey, anise, and freshly mown hay.Suggested use: the ultimate Lavender as a middle note in perfumery, popular in fresh colognes with citrus notes, chypres, fougères, forest blends, and new-mown hay bases. It’s also a potent option for soaps, candles, and body lotions.Formulating with Lavender
It’s easy to see why Lavender is one of the most versatile and widely loved ingredients in a formulator’s palette. By understanding the nuances of origin, species, and extraction method, you can fine-tune your formulation’s aromatic identity and function. We encourage you to experiment with combining different Lavenders to help balance cost and aroma while creating your own complex and lovely Lavender note!
