Lavender (also known as lavandula angustifolia), has one of the most recognisable and timeless scents, making the essential oil extremely popular!
But what effect does its popularity have on the production of the pure essential oil?
In this blog, we’re going to talk you through what we found when testing the purity of lavender essential oil from popular suppliers.
But first, let’s dive into how pure lavender essential oil is produced, where it's grown and its sustainability!
Contents
- Where is Lavender Grown?
- How is it Produced?
- Lavender vs Lavandin
- What is Lavender Essential Oil Used For?
- Lavender Oil Safety
- How Sustainable is Our Lavender Essential Oil?
- Is Lavender Essential Oil Pure?
Where is Lavender Grown?
Lavender is grown in many different countries including England, France, Bulgaria, Moldova, Ukraine and Australia.
Many producers (especially England and France) have increased their price of lavandula angustifolia over the years and it has become very expensive.
We source our pure lavender essential oil and organic lavender essential oil from Bulgaria. It has become the largest producer of lavandula angustifolia over the last decade and they now cultivate over 100 square kilometers of lavender.
The two main growing regions in Bulgaria are The Rose Valley and in the Northeastern Dobrich region.
The lavender flowers and stems only contain around 1% - 2.5% oil. To produce 60 to 70kg of lavender essential oil, it takes 10,000 square metres of lavender. That’s just under 1 and a half football pitches of lavender!
How is it Produced?
The lavender plants are harvested in June and can only be used for their oil when the plant is between 3 and 8 years old. After this, the plants become too woody and they are replaced with younger stock.
Harvesting the plant involves mechanically cutting the flowers and stems from the plant. Even though the stems of the plant don’t contain much oil, they are harvested with the flowers to protect and prune the plant.
The harvested lavender is then quickly transferred to the distillation unit for processing. The plant is then steam distilled for around 45 minutes.
After distillation, the essential oil is collected and the water is removed. The oil is then left to age for 6 to 8 weeks and any remaining water is removed.
Lavender vs Lavandin
Lavender and lavandin are often confused for each other due to their almost identical look and aroma. While they are very similar, there are a few differences.
We all know what lavender is, but what is lavandin?
Lavandin essential oil is a hybrid species obtained by crossing spike lavender (lavandula latifolia) and the true lavender plant (lavendula augustifolia).
Both plants look very similar, but they do have very subtle differences. The lavender plant will only have one flowerhead per stem, whereas lavandin normally has three per stem.
Lavandin essential oil does have a stronger aroma compared to lavender oil. However, lavender offers a much more rounded and fuller aroma.
Lavandin essential oil also contains camphor which is not naturally found in true lavender essential oil.
In cosmetic products, lavandin is often used instead of lavender. This is because it is cheaper and because lavandin smells like what people think lavender smells like. But when you smell true lavender, you will notice the difference!
What is Lavender Essential Oil Used For?
Lavender essential oil is most popular in aromatherapy due to its calming aroma. It is very popular for sleep and is often used in pillow sprays, diffusers and bath salts. It can also be used in skincare, candles, haircare, perfumes, soaps and more.
Lavender is known for its relaxation effects, but there are also claims that it can do much more. However, not every claim is true. Find out about the most common lavender claims, whether it can really be used for burns and if it can promote hair growth.
Lavender is often added to essential oil blends, as it pairs well with most essential oils. It's a middle note and it helps create a well rounded aroma when mixed with other scents.
Here is one of our favourite blends with lavender:
Lavender Oil Safety
Lavender essential oil is a highly concentrated oil and must not be used directly on the skin as it could cause irritation. The essential oil should be diluted in a carrier oil before being applied to the skin.
We recommend doing a patch test with the diluted oil before applying. This is to check for any sensitivity to the oil.
Lavender essential oil is not suitable for consumption. Keep the essential oil out of reach of children and please consult a doctor before use if pregnant.
How Sustainable is Our Lavender Essential Oil?
Our suppliers make a conscious effort to reduce waste, improve sustainability and protect the natural environment.
The lavender fields promote a sustainable ecosystem with rich biodiversity as it is home to a wide range of species including bees, butterflies, snakes and birds! To reduce water usage, our suppliers grow lavender without irrigation.
During the distillation process, the steam from the distillation unit condenses back into water. The suppliers then recycle this for the next distillation, so the leftover water is not wasted. Alternatively, this can also be sold as lavender water, as it does contain a very small amount of the oil which adds the lavender aroma to the water.
After distillation, the remaining residue is spread back onto the fields. As it breaks down it adds nutrients back into the soil and it works as a weed suppressant.
Is Lavender Essential Oil Pure?
We gathered 5 samples of lavender essential oil from a range of popular online retailers.
Only 1 of them was 100% pure lavender essential oil.
The rest of the 4 ‘lavender oils’ all included lavandin essential oil. Which we know is an oil that smells very similar, but it is not what you are paying for!
We also found that 3 of the samples were synthetic mixtures!
How is Lavender Adulterated?
Producers will often dilute the pure lavender oil with cheaper oils or synthetic ingredients to bulk out their stock and sell it for cheaper in this competitive market.
Some producers will use lavandin oil to dilute their lavender as its scent is almost identical to true lavender.
Another way they adulterate lavender essential oil is by diluting it with synthetic ingredients like synthetic linalool. We have also found some of the samples we tested contained synthetic borneol and linalyl acetate.
How to Prevent Buying Adulterated Lavender Oil?
There are a few things we recommend looking out for before purchasing lavender oil.
The first thing is the price! Pure lavender essential oil costs a certain amount to produce, so if it is priced too cheaply, it has definitely been diluted. If 1 litre of lavender oil is priced in the mid 40s or below, it is unlikely to be pure lavender oil.
The next thing you can check is the colour of the oil. Pure lavender oil should be yellow and not clear. It’s not a definite tell that the oil is fake, but it is a good indicator.
Another way you can identify the real lavender from the fake lavender, is by simply comparing the smells. If you compare a lavender essential oil and a lavandin essential oil, they should smell slightly different. But if they smell the same, then the ‘lavender essential oil’ has probably been adulterated.
When the majority of retailers are selling adulterated lavender oil, it can be hard to find trustworthy suppliers that truly know what they are selling.
At The Soapery, we independently test our lavender essential oil to ensure it is 100% pure. So you can be confident you are getting exactly what you have paid for!
Continue Reading
Now you know more about lavender essential oil, why not learn more?
- Want to learn more about our other essential oils? Read our what is ylang ylang blog.
- Interested in the purity of other oils? Discover what we found about the purity of argan oil here!
- Learn how to use our pure lavender oil to make a simple melt and pour soap with this recipe!
Do you love lavender essential oil? Let us know in the comments!
