Spirits may rise as the holidays approach but so does stress. Clients may be clamoring for treatments that help them regain a feeling of calm. That is why you will want to have lavender handy. Lavender is tried and true when it comes to lowering stress levels. Just check your history books. When the ancient Romans needed to relax, they added lavender to their bath water to induce a calming and relaxing effect. The floral scented herb, which comes from the Latin word lavare and means to wash, has continued to be used in a range of massage and body treatment products over the years for its fragrant scent and calming effect.
But the Romans were not the only ancients enjoying the benefits of lavender. Word has it when the tomb of the Egyptian King Tutankhamen was opened in 1922, the faint smell of lavender – some 3,000 years old – still lingered. Even the Greeks used it to treat backaches and fight insomnia.[1]
Over the years, the floral-scented herb continued to gain popularity for treating a whole range of ailments, from muscle pain and headaches to depression and irritability, not to mention general sleep disorders. Lavender was so popular in the Victorian age; people often carried handkerchiefs perfumed with the scent to calm anxiety.
Modern day researchers have continued to explore the benefits of lavender. In a study conducted at the University of Miami’s Touch Research Institute, adults exposed to lavender showed increased beta power, suggesting increased relaxation. They performed math computations not only faster but also with fewer errors and had less depressed mood.[2]
More than a soothing scent
Besides promoting calm and relaxation, lavender essential oil can improve skin health. Lavender essential oil is anti-bacterial and antifungal so reduces skin inflammation to heal acne and keep eczema at bay. Also, lavender essential oil is full of antioxidants to help protect the skin from free radicals, which are partly responsible for fine lines and wrinkles. [3]
Lavender oil is also used for healing wounds. A study conducted in 2013 in animal subjects found that wounds healed more quickly in the group that received a lavender oil treatment than those in the control group. Other research points to the use of lavender oil to help reduce scarring by promoting tissue growth. [4]
Soothing Tension Treatment
Relieve tension in the mind and body with a tranquil aromatherapy experience – Soothing Tension Treatment. All the products used in the treatment contain lavender. This full body aromatherapy treatment will help to relieve muscle tension and melt away body stress, leaving clients feeling calm and relaxed from head to toe.
Ingredients
- Relaxing Therapeutic Massage Crème (lavender botanicals and lavender essential oil) ....2 oz
- Muscle Comfort Essential Oil Blend (lavender essential oil) ...................................3 drops
- Marine Therapy Pedi Scrub (lavender essential oil) ...............¼ oz
- Marine Therapy Pedi Balm (lavender essential oil) ................. .¼ oz
Supplies
- 2 Rubber Spa Bowls
- 3 Warm Moist Towels
Instructions
- Take 1 warm moist towel and wring out all excess water.
- Add 3 drops of Muscle Comfort EO Blend to the damp towel.
- Place towel with EO underneath the bottom of the head cradle (inside of the cradle cover).
- Place ¼ oz of Marine Therapy Pedi Scrub in a rubber bowl.
- Place ¼ oz of Marine Therapy Pedi Balm in a rubber bowl.
- Apply Marine Therapy Pedi Scrub on to client’s feet and perform an exfoliation.
- Remove with warm, moist towels.
- Apply Relaxing Therapeutic Massage Creme to body and perform a massage.
- Apply Marine Therapy Pedi Balm for a finishing foot treatment
[1] “The Benefits of Lavender When Diffused as Ambient Scent,” Air-Scent, April 4, 2019. https://www.airscent.com/the-benefits-of-lavender-as-ambient-scent/
[2] Diego MA, Jones NA, Field T, Hernandez-Reif M, Schanberg S, Kuhn C, McAdam V, Galamaga R, Galamaga M. Aromatherapy positively affects mood, EEG patterns of alertness and math computations. Int J Neurosci. 1998 Dec;96(3-4):217-24. doi: 10.3109/00207459808986469. PMID: 10069621. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10069621/
[3] Gotter, Ana, “How to Improve the Health of Your skin with Lavender Oil,” Healthline, S
September 20, 2023. https://www.healthline.com/health/lavender-oil-for-skin
[4] Ames, Hana, “How to use lavender oil for the skin,” Medical News Today, September 25, 2020. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/lavender-oil-for-skin#_noHeaderPrefixedContent