My Love Affair with… Lavender
My love of candles, scents and exquisite fragrances is not new. A man who doesn’t indulge in a layered grooming ritual will not win my heart.
Having just returned from a few days in France my passion has been reignited.
Grasse, a hop, skip and a jump from where I was staying is the centre of the French Perfume industry and is known as the world’s perfume capital. Twenty-seven tonnes of Jasmine are now harvested in Grasse annually.
I love the sweet and sensual Jasmine but right now my heart belongs to clean, fresh and fabulous Lavender from Provence.
Fourteen years ago I was lucky enough to cross paths with not one, but two amazing (male) aromatherapists, who became my tutors in Brisbane and taught me the “Doctrine of Signature”.
Dating back to ancient Greece from the time of Dioscorides and Galen, the Doctrine states that herbs, plants and flowers resemble various parts of the body to be used to treat ailments of that part of the body. A kind of nudge from God to show us the true insight of Mother Nature.
Some Scientists see the Doctrine as superstition. I disagree.
Some think of Lavender as the “old maid” of aromatherapy against the sexier cousins of Jasmine, Rose and Ylang Ylang. It’s true their blooms are heady and sophisticated, perfect for “heightening” the hormones and bringing on baby (making and birth) but on a hot summer evening as the night sky takes on its own lavender hue and the new moon is rising, the soft flicker and soothing aroma of a pure Lavender candle (Diptyque’s Feuille de Lavande still my classic favourite) alongside a cooling bath of Lavender salts, is just sublime.
Add in cool, high quality silken soft sheets and it’s heaven on earth.
At a recent outdoor barbecue, pots of lavender were my sister’s table decoration of choice. Fresh, clean and a deterrent to wasps, it was a smart and sophisticated choice.
Lavender is often described as the “mother of all oils”, having the ability to soothe, calm and cool even the most frazzled of little ones. It’s the perfect oil to take you through pregnancy and new motherhood and I know my instinctive craving is reminding me of my own inner commitment to become a mother.
Aside from the obvious, Lavendar is now found in salads and teas. The lilac hue of macaroons and cupcakes hardly have to say “eat me”, I feel better just looking at them!
As with all things I am sure my mood will change but my love for Lavender is unlikely to fade.
Please note: As with all things natural, caution should still be taken. I advise you to seek aromatherapy advice from a trained professional and always choose quality over quantity.