LAVENDER, the Well-Being, Healing and First-Aid flowering plant.

I've always liked the scent of lavender. As far as I remember, it has always been associated with cleanness. Isn't the word "lavender" derived form the Latin word lavere which means "to wash"? In Ancient Rome, it was frequently used in baths to help purify the body and spirit.

When growing up, My family and I were using that lavender scented bar soap called "Monsavon" which I loved very much. The smell was strong and was leaving my skin deliciously perfumed and clean.
But, well, this soap is not vegetarian and contains synthetic fragrance so I had to find a alternative to it.

I still love using lavender bar soap and found this wonderful Marseille bar soap with local crushed flowers that you can buy here in the US. I preferably like to use it in the evening because of the calming and soothing effects of its scent.

There are 39 different species of Lavender. I only use two of them: Lavandula Latifolia and Lavandula Angustifolia, as floral water and essential oil.

They both have many benefits:

- Regulation of the nervous system
- Calming, sedative, antidepressant
- Antispasmodic, powerful muscle relaxing
- General antiseptic and pulmonary
- Scar healing, regenerates skin when used externally
- Analgesic (relieves pain)
- Anti-toxic
- Antiviral and immune stimulant
- Antibacterial

That said, I use lavender angustifolia in my laundry to perfume it delicately, to refresh the air in my home and Lavandula latifolia to soothe burns and sunburns (mixed with Marigold), to purify my skin in steam bath, and heal scars.

And you, how do you use those precious violet flowers?