If there’s one essential oil most people know by name and scent, it’s lavender (Lavandula angustifolia). With its soft purple blooms and instantly calming fragrance, lavender has been loved for centuries – not just for its scent, but for its powerful effects on skin and wellbeing.
In our natural skincare range at Neve’s Bees, lavender plays a starring role. Gentle, effective and beautifully fragrant, it’s one of nature’s most hard-working multitaskers.
Quick facts
Botanical name: Lavandula angustifolia
Texture: Light, aromatic (essential oil)
Best for: Sensitive, stressed or irritated skin
Key benefits: Calms, soothes irritation, balances skin and supports healing
Used in:
- Bee Sleepy Body Oil – calming bedtime blend with lavender essential oil/li>
- Lavender Lip Balm – deeply nourishing with this soothing oil
- Hand Salves like Lemon & Lavender and Lavender & Petitgrain Hand Salve – soothing and softening touch
Lavender Oil & the bees
Lavender is one of the very best plants for bees, rich in nectar and blooming for long stretches through the summer. Honeybees and bumblebees alike flock to its purple spikes, sipping happily and in turn helping the plant pollinate and thrive.
It’s a perfect partnership: lavender feeds the bees, and the bees ensure lavender’s survival. That mutual relationship is a wonderful reminder of nature’s balance, and it’s why we’re so dedicated to the ingredients that support biodiversity as well as skin health. Every time you breathe in the scent of lavender oil, you get to experience a little of that timeless harmony and reciprocity between flower and pollinator.
Origins
The word “lavender” comes from the Latin lavare, meaning “to wash”, and as such, this humble plant cemented its roots deep in history. The ancient Egyptians used it in perfumes and embalming rituals, while the Romans were known to add lavender to their baths. Throughout the Middle Ages, lavender was scattered across floors to freshen homes and ward off illness, and it has long been used in herbal medicine for sleep, anxiety, and wound healing.
Today, lavender grows across Europe, Australia, and North America, with Provence in France being one of the most iconic regions for its rolling purple fields. Our lavender oil is carefully steam-distilled from the flowers, capturing the purest essence of the plant without losing any of its natural potency.
How it's made
The essential oil comes from steam distillation of fresh lavender blossoms. This process involves passing steam through the flowers, which gently releases their aromatic compounds. The steam is then condensed, and the oil separated, resulting in a golden liquid with that unmistakable floral-herbaceous scent. The method preserves the plant’s therapeutic properties, ensuring it’s both safe and effective for skincare.
Skin benefits of Lavender Oil
Lavender oil is one of those rare ingredients that can benefit almost every skin type. Here are some of its most powerful effects:
- Calms irritation and redness: Its natural anti-inflammatory properties make it ideal for soothing sensitive skin, mild sunburn, or occasional breakouts
- Supports healing: Lavender oil has been shown to promote tissue repair, making it helpful in products designed to nurture the skin’s natural barrier
- Balances oil production: Surprisingly, lavender works for both dry and oily skin. It helps regulate sebum, making it useful for combination or acne-prone complexions
- Gentle antioxidant protection: Lavender oil also contains compounds that help protect against free radical damage, a factor in premature ageing
Well-being benefits
Of course, lavender isn’t only about the surface. Its scent is widely celebrated for its ability to calm the nervous system. Gently inhaling lavender has been linked to reduced anxiety, improved sleep, and even lowered blood pressure in some studies. It’s often used in aromatherapy to create a sense of calm and relaxation, making it a perfect addition to evening skincare rituals.
The experience
What does lavender oil smell like? Fresh, floral, and slightly herbaceous: a fragrance that’s both grounding and uplifting. It has the power to make you feel as if you’ve stepped into a summer garden in Provence, even if you’re just standing in your bathroom in the middle of winter!
Why we use Lavender Oil in our skincare
At Neve’s Bees, we love lavender oil because it bridges the gap between skincare and self-care. It soothes the skin while also nurturing the senses, turning an everyday routine into a calming ritual. For us, lavender isn’t just an ingredient; it’s part of the holistic philosophy that beauty and wellbeing should always go hand in hand. And of course, it’s a friend to the bees, which makes it a natural fit for us.
Sustainability and sourcing
Our lavender oil is responsibly sourced from trusted growers who use sustainable farming practices. This ensures not only the purity of the oil but also the long-term health of the soil and environment where it grows. Many lavender fields also support local communities, preserving traditional harvesting methods that have been passed down for generations.
Fun fact
Queen Victoria was a great fan of lavender, using it to freshen the air in her palace. And during World War I, lavender oil was used in hospitals to help disinfect wounds. This little flower has quite the résumé!
Used in
- Face the Day Moisturising Balm
- Bee Sleepy Body Oil
- Rose Geranium and Lavender Natural Deodorant
- Foot Balm
- Cuticle Butter
- Lavender Lip Balm
- Lavender and Petitgrain Hand Salve
- Lavender and Lemon Hand Salve
Final thoughts
Whether you’re looking to soothe sensitive skin, add balance to your complexion, or simply enjoy a calming moment at the end of the day, lavender brings a touch of nature’s wisdom into your routine.
Julie Macken
After graduating with a Chemistry Degree and subsequent MBA, Julie spent 25 years 'in corporate life' working in Sales and Marketing for companies including Unilever and GSK. Her 'aha moment' came whilst running a marketing workshop in Brazil persuading South Americans to eat plastic-packed frozen chips instead of fresh potato.
Realising there were more fulfilling ways to utilise her skills, Julie founded Neve's Bees a family skincare business – creating a unique range of waterless skincare, using only natural and sustainable ingredients blended with Oxfordshire beeswax, promoting healthy skin and a healthy eco-system. Following a lifelong passion, Julie is also studying part time for a degree in Traditional Herbal Medicine.
Julie lives in Rural Oxfordshire with her husband, 2 children, 3 cats, 4 hens, 5 beehives, 6-acre wildflower meadow…and Bella the Dog.
