Do Not Pay Big Bucks for Lavender Spray! Make Your Own!! And, Happy Birthday to my Big Little Girl!

Okay, I know you're wondering what this little toad has to do with lavender spray, aren't you? Well, it won't turn him into a prince, if that's what you're thinking. He just sort of startled me when he hopped from the ground up onto the tippy top of a bush, just at the exact moment I walked out the front door. And it was just a good picture.

So, first things first. Before we get to the lavender spray, linen spray, aromatherapy spray...whatever you want to call it...Happy Birthday to my grown up little girl, Katie!! 

She lives much, much too far away from Oklahoma in the Pacific Northwest, with her charming and handsome hubby Kyle.

If I get started I'll sound like a Hallmark card, so suffice it to say, have a wonderful day sweetie!

And now to the lavender spray. So easy, so inexpensive. Make it up and keep around all the time. Take it with you when you travel. Share it with everyone you know, far and wide. Seriously...don't be without it. Ever. 

I think we all know I love lavender. What? You didn't know that? Okay, well I do. And I'm hoping, if you're reading this, you are a lavender lover. Instead of spending $8-10 at the local bath and body shop for the sleepytime spray, or whatever it's called, spend that $8-10 on a bottle of lavender essential oil at the local health food store. Doesn't have to be a big bottle. Just make sure it is 100% lavender esssential oil. Not fragrance oil. For this post I am not going to go into depth about how aromatheraphy works on the brain. I'll save that for another day. But what we are wanting here are the benefits of the lavender essential oil.

To make this you will need:

1/2 cup distilled water

1 teaspoon witch hazel (or vodka)

5-6 drops of lavender essential oil

spray bottle (I got mine at Wal-Mart)

First put the witch hazel (or vodka) and the lavender essential oil into a jar or bottle, and shake. This allows it to emulsify before adding the water. Next, add the distilled water. Shake. Pour into the spray bottle and use. You may have to shake it before use to remix the oil. This can be doubled, tripled, whatever, and you can add more or less oil to suit your taste. I have tried the vodka because it helps disperse the spray and aids evaporation, but I much prefer the witch hazel for the versatility. 

At some point I will go into all the wonderful things I do with lavender eo, but for now here's what you can do with the spray made with witch hazel:

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  I use it as a toner after cleansing my face.
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  I chill it and spritz it on as a refresher.
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  I make up a double or triple amount, and dip, and wring, and chill washcloths in it to cool down after weeding in the heat. Feels great on your neck and face! Great if you have a headache, or a face ache.
• 
  
  Spray pillows, sheets and pj's to help you wind down and have a relaxing sleep.
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  Use it as a natural room spray.
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  Take it with you when you travel and spray bedding to repel dust mites and bed bugs.
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  Freshen your linen clost, clothes closet, coat closet, suitcases,  pet beds, carpets, stinky shoes, etc.
• 
  
  Freshen the babies sheets, use it as Monster Spray to repel those under bed monsters.
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  Use it for sunburn, use it as a Boo Boo spray.
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  Use it to freshen your lavender sachets, or drawer liners, your eye pillows, and neck wraps.
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   I even had a friend use it to freshen her hair when the wood smoke made her smell!

I could go on and on about the uses, but you get the idea. The biggest benefit is probably that lavender essential oil is calming, eases anxiety, helps you unwind, calm down, relax, sleep better, and, hopefully, find a little peace in your busy day! And, you can pronounce everything that goes in it. It's natural. I promise in a future post we will discuss the particulars of lavender essential oil and its role in aromatherapy. 

A note on hydrosol: If you're lucky enough to have access to true lavender hydrosol, by all means, use that. Hydrosol is the water solution that is left after the lavender essential oil is seperated. It is wonderful and potent stuff. But making your own spray works when you don't have access to hydrosol.   

And this is my bottle, right next to my bed, waiting for me to spritz the heck out of everything!

Hope you have a wonderful day, and a peaceful evening.

Cathy