What is the most relaxing scent to you? For me it is without a doubt lavender. As I child I have fond memories of lavender bouquets in summer and as an herbalist I have used lavender many times to combat headaches and stress in teas and tinctures. But more than that, lavender has a personal story associated with it, of finding home after years of travel.

Back in 2019 when my partner and I were traveling with all our possessions strapped to our bikes and our backs we headed up mountain to a place we had heard was on the look out for caretakers. As we approached the gate I got the feeling I had been there before. The pine trees at the front reminded me of Oregon and the pepper tree of countless other places along our journeys. I peered past the gate and saw a long line of lavender plants and felt sure that it was meant to be.

Long story short we moved in a couple of months later with a work-trade agreement with the land owner. By summer I had become acquainted with the many herbs of the land - though this is a continued learning process. Now, four years on, I have just completed another round of lavender harvests. Over the years I have made lavender tinctures, cold teas, oils, and herbal sachets. This year I wanted to try something different and tried my hand at making herbal lotion and wanted to share the process with you here.

Harvesting Lavender ~

Like with any herb I recommend harvesting mid-morning on a dry day when possible. And if it in the days before or on a full moon, when it is said that the power of the plant is in the areal parts, even better. Depending on the quantity of herb I may make little bouquets to hang upside down, or simply lay out the flowers with stems on a flat basket.

Many folks only harvest the flowers but I personally save bundles of stems and leaves for lighting very fragrant fires when fall & winter roll around.

Once the lavender has dried for several days, or even a week or more if it has been raining, I begin pondering my options for preparation. In the past I have bagged up lavender to sell at a local shop where I once worked. But now I have been feeling that my efforts as an herbalist are best suited towards elaborating more luxurious products. So, I cracked open my recipe book and decided to make lavender lotion with a friend.

Step One ~ making infused oil

But first I had to make an infused oil with lavender. I hope to write a whole post about this soon but, to be brief, infused oil is an oil that has been soaked with the properties of a plant - much like a tincture. Essential oils are very fashionable these days, and very useful when aroma is concerned. But, when we are trying to capture the whole spectrum of medicine, a more holistic type of infusion is the way to go.

Using a base oil of sweet almond, I filled a jar which I had sterilized by boiling it for 10 minutes along with the lid, 1/4 of the way with dried lavender flowers (leaves could also be included, in my opinion). Then I poured over the almond oil until nearly full leaving about an inch of space in case the lavender soaks up the oil and rises. Then I add a layer of wax paper to the lid and screwed it on tight. During the course of a month the medicine and aroma of the lavender flowers will flow into the oil. Shaking the jar once a day, or at least a couple times a week, will help the process. I prefer to keep my oils in a dark cupboard but, the herbalist world is divided on this point and other say a sunny window is the best spot for infused oil. So, you decide what feels right.

Either way, it is important to mention again that infused oils must be made with dry plant material, be they lavender flowers or some other herb. Mixing oil with humidity of any kind, including fresh herbs, is a recipe for mold.

Lavender Lotion Recipe ~

After a month has passed it is time to separate the lavender from the oil with a strainer of a cloth bag. I happened to have lavender oil already on hand so I went straight to this recipe which yields one jar and can be double, tripled, or multiplied as needed:

• I slowly melted 15 grams of beeswax in a bowl which was heated using a double boiler method.
• Then I added 30 grams of distilled water and 10 grams of the lavender infused oil.
• I turned off the flame so that that whole preparation stayed warm but wasn't getting any hotter and took out hand mixer. Only the lowest setting is slowly dipped the mixer into the bowl and was amazed at how the previously separate wax, oil, and water started to form a cream within seconds!
• While the lotion was still slightly warm I scooped it out and filled my sterilized jar.

Because there are no preservatives and the lotion is mostly water, this should last 6 months in a cool, dark cupboard.

So far I have been using this cream every night. It is only slightly oily and compensates for dryness after a warm shower or washing my face with soap. As someone who takes her skin care treatment very seriously I find this to be the perfect companion to my nighttime facial massage routine to help keep my skin in good condition and bring on a restful night of sleep which is always does.

And when I feel stressed or anxious my go to remedy is a applying this lotion to my face, neck, hands and shoulders. This moment of self care and the medicine of lavender combine and a weight is lifted, I can go on with my day feeling light, calm, and contented.