Wondering what to do with lavender at home? You have come to the right place!
Fresh lavender is a delightful and versatile addition to any space, offering numerous beneficial uses. Whether you’re using it in cooking, tea, body products, or aromatherapy, it’s a fantastic choice to grow in your home herb garden.
For those already growing this flower at home, you might wonder what to do with fresh lavender with the abundance of beautiful, fragrant blooms.
In this post, we’ll explore 18 wonderful ways to utilize both fresh and dried lavender at home and discuss the many benefits it brings.
Benefits of Lavender Plant (Dried or Fresh)
First let’s discuss the reasons you want to have Lavender at home in the benefits it provides you:
Healing Properties: Lavender, an ancient herb, is known for its healing qualities. With its antibacterial and antifungal properties, it proves useful in the kitchen, inhibiting the growth of bacteria on foods. Moreover, simply inhaling it can lower blood pressure and heart rate, offering stress relief.
Promotes Sleep and Relaxation: The aroma of the plant stimulates the brain to produce more melatonin, the hormone that regulates the sleeping cycle, making it an excellent aid for better sleep.
Benefits on Skin:
Calming to Skin: Lavender’s anti-inflammatory properties make it a fantastic choice for sensitive skin and promote faster healing. It’s also effective for acne-prone skin, providing acne-busting benefits.
Additionally, its calming properties make it a valuable addition to body products, aiding both adults and children who struggle with sleep.
Anti-Aging Effects: It also possesses anti-aging properties, making it a great wrinkle-reducer for aging skin. You can use it in various topical applications, such as face masks, toners, facial oils, and body oils.
Skin Healing: As a natural antiseptic, it can be used to treat cuts or wounds that haven’t yet healed over. It also works wonders for mild burns due to its healing and soothing properties.
In the Kitchen:
Culinary Uses: It is a versatile herb that complements both sweet and savory dishes. Its addition enhances the flavors of other ingredients without overpowering them, making it a wonderful culinary companion. Consider using it as a finishing touch on your dish for that extra flavor boost.
Mold Control: When cooking with hot oils, it can provide an added layer of protection against certain harmful toxins due to its mild flavor.
How to Use Fresh Lavender Plant at Home:
1. Pillow Herb
Wondering what to do with dried lavender plant?
Enhance your sleep quality by placing it in your pillowcase or keeping a small bowl of the herb by your bed. The relaxing scent of lavender is known to promote better sleep and induce faster sleep onset.
By incorporating this flower into your life, whether through its various uses or merely its presence, you’ll enjoy the many benefits it offers, from healing and relaxation to culinary delights.
Embrace the beauty and utility of this incredible herb in your daily routines.
If you don’t want to DIY you can also buy a beautiful lavender memory foam pillow!
2. Prepare a Simmer Pot
Indulge in the soothing aromas of a lavender simmer pot, a delightful way to infuse your home with fragrance for hours. Traditionally done with herbs like cinnamon and clove during winter, you can easily make it with lavender or any other herb you prefer.
To create the simmer pot, fill a pot with water and place lavender flowers on top. Set the stove to a low simmer, and for an enhanced experience, add other herbs like mint leaves or thyme sprigs.
Allow the mixture to simmer on low heat, enjoying the beautiful scent of lavender as it fills your living space.
Ensure to check the pot periodically to prevent the water from evaporating completely. Add more water as needed and discard the herbs when you are finished enjoying the aromatherapy.
3. Create a Lavender Sachet
Craft your own sachet by filling a cotton bag with dried lavender. Place it in your closet or dresser drawer to infuse your clothes with a delightful fragrance.
Additionally, you can sprinkle dried lavender in linen closets, clothes pockets, bookshelves, suitcases, or any other storage spaces to create a refreshing atmosphere around your belongings.
Consider exploring the beauty of handmade embroidered sachets for an added touch of elegance and charm.
Can’t be bothered to DIY? You can buy stunning sachet’s here.
4. Craft a Linen Spray
Embrace the invigorating blend of lavender and lemon by making a simple linen spray. This versatile spray can be used to refresh linens, furniture, carpets, or even as a pillow mist before bedtime, promoting better sleep and relaxation.
To prepare the spray:
- Brew a strong lavender tea using fresh lavender flowers and about 6 ounces of water.
- Allow the tea to cool and strain out the flowers.
- Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to the tea and mix well.
- Transfer the blend into a spray bottle for convenient use in your linen closet or any desired space, spreading a refreshing aroma.
For extended shelf life, store the lavender + lemon linen spray in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Alternatively, you can also explore the option of using a pre-made lavender linen spray for added convenience. Spraying this delightful scent on your clothes before bedtime will help you enjoy a more restful sleep.
5. Craft a Fresh Lavender Bouquet
Create a charming and fragrant tabletop centerpiece by cutting lavender sprigs and placing them in a vase with fresh water. Enjoy the beauty and delightful aroma they bring to your living space.
How to Use Lavender at Home in Cooking:
6. Prepare a Relaxing Tea
Lavender is a wonderful addition to tea blends and tisanes, as it offers calming properties that promote relaxation without inducing drowsiness. For a soothing bedtime tea for both kids and adults, combine lavender with mint.
To make Lavender Mint Tea:
- Place a few lavender sprigs (about two tablespoons) and a small handful of fresh mint leaves (about 1 tablespoon) into a tea infuser.
- Add water, cover with a lid, and let it steep for five minutes. Then, remove the leaves.
- Sweeten with honey or your preferred sweetener if desired.
You can also try Relaxing Lavender and Chamomile tea for another delightful option.
Don’t have time to make it yourself? Here is a really yummy lavender tea you can buy.
7. Or a delicious Homemade Lavender lemonade
If you would like to make a delicious lavender lemonade at home, here’s one of our favorite Lavender Lemonade Recipes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup fresh lavender flowers (or 1/3 cup dried lavender buds)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 5-6 lemons)
- 4 cups cold water
- Lemon slices and fresh lavender sprigs for garnish
- Ice cubes
Instructions:
1. Lavender Infused Simple Syrup:
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and 1 cup of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar completely dissolves.
2. Infusion:
Reduce the heat to low and add the fresh lavender flowers or dried lavender buds to the simple syrup. Cover the saucepan and let it steep for about 15 minutes. This will infuse the syrup with the lovely lavender flavor.
3. Straining
After 15 minutes, strain the infused simple syrup into a pitcher or a large jar, discarding the lavender flowers.
4. Making the Lemonade:
Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice to the pitcher with the lavender-infused syrup. Stir well to combine.
5. Diluting the Lemonade:
Pour in the remaining 3 cups of cold water and mix thoroughly. You can adjust the water quantity based on your preferred sweetness and tartness level.
6. Chilling and Serving:
Refrigerate the lavender lemonade for at least an hour to chill it thoroughly. Before serving, add ice cubes to individual glasses, and pour the lavender lemonade over the ice.
7. Garnish and Enjoy:
Garnish each glass with a lemon slice and a fresh lavender sprig for a beautiful presentation and added aroma. Sip and enjoy the refreshing, floral taste of lavender-infused lemonade on a warm day!
Note: If you prefer a sweeter lemonade, you can adjust the sugar amount in the lavender-infused simple syrup. You can also add more water if you like a milder flavor. Feel free to experiment and make the lavender lemonade tailored to your taste preferences.
You can alternatively buy some pre-done here.
8. Enhance Your Favorite Savory Dishes with Lavender
Add a touch of taste and aroma to your seafood dishes by incorporating lavender. It pairs beautifully with fish, shellfish, mussels, clams, and crustaceans.
Sprinkle lavender on food just before serving for an extra flavor kick.
9. Utilize Infused Oil for Cooking
Enhance the flavor of your favorite dishes by using a couple of tablespoons of lavender-infused oil. This works especially well when cooking something that requires long, slow simmering, as the heat and time will intensify the lavender’s essence.
To make your own lavender-infused oil, consider using a kitchen herb infuser for ease and convenience.
10. Experiment with Dessert
Indulge in the lovely and flavorful world of lavender-spiked desserts. Lavender pairs excellently with citrus flavors like lemon and orange, creating delicious treats.
You can also add dried lavender to your favorite sugar cookie dough for a unique twist.
Here is one of our favorite – Lavender Honey Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting
Ingredients:
For the Cupcakes:
- – 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- – 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- – ¼ teaspoon salt
- – ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- – ¾ cup granulated sugar
- – 2 large eggs
- – 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- – ½ cup milk
- – 1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender, finely ground
- – 2 tablespoons honey
For the Lemon Frosting:
- – 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- – 3 cups powdered sugar
- – 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- – 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- – 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- – Fresh lavender sprigs for garnish
Instructions: For the Cupcakes:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a cupcake tin with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy using an electric mixer.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
- In a small saucepan, warm the milk over low heat until it’s just about to simmer. Remove from heat, add the finely ground lavender, and let it steep for 5 minutes.
- Strain the lavender-infused milk to remove the buds and stir in the honey.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture, alternating with the lavender-honey milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined after each addition.
- Scoop the cupcake batter into the prepared cupcake tin, filling each liner about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
For the Lemon Frosting:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until fully incorporated.
- Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and pure vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Beat on medium-high speed until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
Assembling the Cupcakes:
- Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, frost them generously with the lemon frosting using a piping bag or a spatula.
- For an extra touch of elegance, garnish each cupcake with a fresh lavender sprig.
- Serve and enjoy these delightful Lavender Honey Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting! The floral lavender, sweet honey, and zesty lemon flavors create a delightful and refreshing dessert that is perfect for any occasion.
Note: Store any leftover cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days.
Invite your friends over for a yummy treat and serve it up on these fun lavender plates.
11. Savor Lavender + Honey Ice Cream
Experience the heavenly combination of lavender and honey in a yummy ice cream recipe. It’s a delightful way to utilize your lavender harvest and satisfy your sweet cravings.
For a divine treat, explore recipes that combine lavender and honey to create a memorable ice cream experience.
12. Prepare a Simple Syrup
Elevate your simple syrup with the delightful essence of fresh herbs, and lavender is an excellent choice! Follow these steps to make lavender-infused simple syrup:
- In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water to a boil.
- Stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Reduce the heat to low and add ¼ cup of dried lavender or 1/3 cup of fresh lavender buds.
- Cover and let it steep for 15 minutes.
- Once cooled, strain the syrup into a glass jar, discarding the lavender buds.
- Store the lavender simple syrup in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
13. Try a Lavender-Infused Cocktail
Fresh lavender adds a delightful twist to various cocktail creations. Experiment with a boozy lavender lemonade or explore other mixology options that feature this aromatic herb.
If you don’t want to make this yourself try this infusion with your friends.
How to Use Lavender for Your Body:
13. Indulge in a Lavender Bath
Enjoy the calming and luxurious experience of a soothing lavender bath:
- Add about one cup of dried or fresh lavender flowers to hot water in your tub before getting in.
- Allow the lavender to steep while the tub fills.
- Benefit from its muscle-calming, pain-relieving, stress-reducing, and mood-improving properties.
- For added detoxification effects, incorporate 1 cup of Epsom salts into the hot bath water and soak for at least 20 minutes.
We also have created a really fun lavender bath bomb that you might like to try.
14. Rejuvenate with a Facial Steam
Treat your skin and sinuses simultaneously with a lavender facial steam. This steam opens up pores, detoxifies skin, and promotes healthy lung function.
Steps:
- Fill a medium-sized bowl with boiling water and add fresh lavender.
- Cover your head with a towel and lean over the bowl, holding it tightly around you for up to five minutes, breathing deeply through your nose.
- After steaming, remove from heat, and wipe your face with a cool cloth.
If you want a more professional effect, try a facial steamer.
15. Soak Your Hands and Nails with it
Indulge in an herbal hand and nail soak featuring fresh lavender buds for exceptionally soft hands. This step serves as a perfect start to a natural manicure or a rejuvenating act of self-care.
16. Create a Lavender + Oatmeal Face Scrub
Harness the calming properties of lavender with a gentle face scrub:
- Blend 2 tablespoons of old-fashioned oats and 2 tablespoons of fresh or dried lavender flowers until a rough powder forms.
- Store the scrub in an airtight jar for future use.
To use the lavender oatmeal scrub:
- Pour about 1 teaspoon of the powdered oats and lavender into your hand.
- Add enough water to create a paste with a desirable consistency.
- Apply the scrub on your face with gentle circular motions for one minute before rinsing off with lukewarm water.
Consider pairing this scrub with a lavender oatmeal and honey handmade soap for an enhanced experience.
Here’a a really nice lavender scrub if you don’t want to DIY.
17. Make Lavender Infused Oil for Your Body
Enjoy the luxurious benefits of lavender-infused oil in your skincare recipes or as a standalone product. Follow these steps to create your own infusion:
- Place your flowers in a jar and cover them with your preferred carrier oil (e.g., almond, avocado, grapeseed, or coconut oil).
- Ensure the flowers are entirely covered by the oil, then cover the jar tightly and store it in a dark spot for 4-6 weeks.
- Utilize this lavender-infused oil as a relaxing massage oil, a base carrier oil for a sugar scrub, or in homemade cuticle oil.
Remember to dry the lavender before infusing it into oil to prevent any potential mold growth.
Here’s a lavender essential oil if you don’t want to DIY.
18. Make some bath melts
Here is our steps on how to make great and simple DIY lavender bath melts.
I have added magnesium to these bath melts as I’ve discovered that an increased intake of magnesium is beneficial for me. So in addition to eating healthy and taking magnesium supplements, I also use products that help me absorb magnesium topically. I use a natural magnesium based deodorant daily.
Ode To Lavender:
Lavender, a versatile herb cherished for its various uses in home, cooking, body products, and aromatherapy, holds a special place in my heart.
Its incredible scent and adaptability make it a favored addition to any home garden, especially when creating my own skincare products.
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I’m curious to know—what is your favorite way to use lavender plant? Share your thoughts below!
Bett is living her best Nourished Life which is chemical free and non toxic! I will help you find the best alternatives to help your family be the healthiest versions of themselves!
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