National Lavender Week is the 3rd - 9th May 2011. One of the most widely used, versatile herbs known today, there are about 25-30 different species of lavender that have long been used to treat an array of health issues such as digestive problems, insomnia, anxiety and restlessness.
There are many advantages to using lavender in skincare also. It is very gentle and recognised for its ability to calm skin as well as the mind. Lavender flowers can act as a gentle natural exfoliant, while lavender infusion, the water content of the product, has a soothing action on the skin.
Creators of fresh handmade cosmetics, here at Lush we work with only the very best natural ingredients and use lavender extensively throughout all of our ranges for its relaxing, antiseptic and healing qualities. We buy our lavender from the South of France and last year used 280kg of dried lavender and 2000kg of lavender oil in our products.
Lush Co-founder and Product Creator, Helen Ambrosen, says, “You can never go wrong with lavender or choose a more beautiful oil or herb. Every aspect of it is lovely … visually from the colour and beautiful flower, to the scent of the ingredient itself and its properties on the skin. It also benefits everyone and can calm any type of skin.”
Soothing
Lush embraces this most versatile of essential oils
and uses it in many of its body products. Dream
Cream (£10.25 for 240g) is Lush’s best selling
body moisturiser, favoured by A-list stars such as
Halle Berry. It contains a mixture of soothing
lavender, rose and camomile … and is excellent for
sensitive skins. Many Lush fans comment of Dream Cream’s ability to soothe eczema and other
skinMany Lush fans comment of Dream Cream’s ability to soothe eczema and other
skin complaints, especially when used with Dreamwash shower soap (£8.95 for 250g).
Lavender is also used in our Angel's on Bare Skin (£5.80 for 100g) and Fresh Farmacy
(£4.35 for 100g) cleansers, and in Love Lettuce 
and The Sacred Truth
fresh facemasks
(£5.25 for 75g) for its antiseptic, antibacterial and soothing qualities.
Relaxing
A French Kiss
bubble bar (£3.95) contains lavender oil, lavender absolute and even has a
sprig of lavender on top. There’s also a hint of rosemary and thyme – both of which are widely
used Mediterranean herbs and stimulants and antidepressants. The Twilight
bath ballistic
(£2.99) harnesses lavender’s sedating properties for the ultimate in relaxation. 
Dreamtime (£2.95 for 100g) and Ceridwen's Cauldron (£3.99 for 80g) luxury bath melts
also both contain lavender oil, used here for its relaxing and deodorising effects, plus its beautiful
aroma.
Healing
Antiseptic, antiviral and decongestant, lavender oil is valuable for most skin conditions - promoting
cell regeneration and restoring the mind and body to a state of balance where healing can occur. It
is for this reason lavender is widely used to help acne, eczema and psoriasis and also to treat
burns and all kinds of injuries, promoting rapid healing and scar prevention.
We use lavender oil in our Vanishing Cream facial moisturiser (£15.95 for 45g) and our 
Lemony Flutter cuticle butter (£5.80 for 50g) for its antiseptic and soothing properties. 
the recently launched range by the Gorilla Perfumers at
Lush also contains lavender, along with ultra-softening oats
and moisturising shea butter, to soothe any irritations or
redness and calm sore skin.
