Lavender Oil

What is lavender oil?

Lavender is the common name for plants in the genus Lavandula, especially Lavandula angustifolia, the most widely cultivated species. The essential oil of lavender, produced by steam distillation from the flower heads and foliage, is traditionally believed to possess antibacterial, antifungal, relaxant, sedative and anti-depressive properties (R).

The main constituents of lavender oil are linalool, linalyl acetate, 1,8-cineole, b-ocimene, terpinen-4-ol and camphor. However, the oil composition can vary significantly by cultivar. For instance, oils derived from L. angustifolia, L. dentata and L. pinnata have low levels of camphor and higher levels of terpenes and sesquiterpenes. L. angustifolia is therefore used in the perfumery and cosmetic industries, whereas the high camphor plants such as L. stoechas and L. lanata are used as insect repellents (R).

Is lavender oil stable?

The linalool and linalyl acetate in lavendar oil oxidise spontaneously when exposed to air, forming contact allergens that can cause allergic contact dermatitis (R, R).

Does lavender oil get absorbed?

Lavender oil was rapidly absorbed into the skin when gently massaged onto the stomach of a male subject for 10 minutes. Its 2 main components -- linalool and linalyl acetate -- were detected in the blood a mere 5 minutes after the completion of the massage. The peak plasma concentrations (121 ng/ml for linalool and 100 ng/ml for linalyl acetate) occurred at 19 minutes after the massage, then slowly decreased thereafter to reach a minimum after 90 minutes (R).

In an experiment on rats, linalool, linalyl acetate, carvacrol, camphor and 1,8-cineole from lavender oil penetrated easily into the stratum corneum and the epidermal-dermal layer, with linalool penetrating the quickest due to its moderate lipophilicity and amphiphilic structure. 1,8-cineole, camphor, linalyl acetate and carvacrol were more weakly absorbed (R).