Lavender

Native to the low mountains of the Mediterranean, Lavender is an evergreen shrub that has been cultivated for use in medicinal and cosmetic remedies since antiquity. Highly esteemed for its cleansing and relaxing effects, lavender was often used by the ancients as a remedy to purify the body and mind. The Romans were well known for bathing in lavender-scented baths, hence the name lavender comes from the Latin lavare meaning to wash.

Used in beauty preparations for thousands of years, lavender was used by the ancient Egyptians in perfumed ointments, skin revitalizing preparations and as incense in sacred ceremonies. Lavender was found with rosemary at one of the earliest known cosmetic production houses (2000 BCE) on the island of Cyprus, known as the birthplace of Aphrodite and for their beauty preparations that traded throughout the ancient world. During the Middle Ages, Lavender was highly esteemed for its therapeutic benefits and was often blended with Rosemary in Queen of Hungary Water, the renowned elixir of youth and beauty.

Lavender’s long tradition of use in beauty preparations can be attributed to its high antioxidant activity and its sweet, herbaceous scent. With its skin rejuvenating benefits and calming aromatic effects, lavender is an active botanical ingredient with powerful regenerative and relaxing properties.