Lavender Face & Essential Oil

For many people, lavender is part of a calming routine, and a few drops in a diffuser as the evening winds down, a warm bath, or a light mist on the pillow can become a cue that the day is done. The scent itself is a big part of the appeal.

Lavender has also been studied as an ingredient. In trials, people who breathed in lavender scored lower on anxiety questionnaires.^[1] Those studies were of lavender in general, not of the oils in our range, and our oils are sold as essential oils and cosmetics, not as medicines.

Lavender oil may suit you if:

• you want a calming scent as part of your evening routine
• you like the idea of a pillow mist or bath oil you make yourself
• you prefer one pure, single oil with nothing added
• you want the scent in skincare, ready to use with no blending

Our oils are made from Lavandula angustifolia, true lavender, the species used in the research. It smells softer and sweeter than lavandin, a cheaper hybrid with a sharper, more camphor-like note.

Shop by type: Oils for Sleep, Essential Oils, Natural Sleep Sprays and Tea Tree Essential Oils.

Prices change, so check the pack. The pure oils work out between about 38 cents and $2.59 a millilitre, and the larger bottle is always cheaper a millilitre, which is worth knowing if you diffuse most nights.

1. A calming ritual: lavender is one of the most popular scents for an evening wind-down.
2. Versatile: one bottle covers a diffuser, a pillow mist, a bath and a massage blend.
3. Pure: our oils are single-species and steam distilled, with absolutely nothing else added.
4. Organic option: Springfields Lavender Organic is certified organic and grown in Bulgaria.
5. Value: at the larger sizes, lavender is one of the most affordable essential oils you can buy, measured by the millilitre.
6. Ready to use: the toning mist and overnight mask give you the scent with no blending.

These studies looked at lavender as an ingredient. None tested the products in our range.

Stress and anxiety. A review pooling 37 trials found breathing in lavender lowered anxiety questionnaire scores, across 1,682 people in the inhalation trials. It did not lower blood pressure. Most trials carried a high risk of bias, and the review had no funding.^[1]

Sleep. A 2025 review of 10 trials in adults over 60 with sleep problems found better sleep quality scores after breathing in lavender. Results varied widely between trials, and a scent cannot be hidden from the people testing it.^[2] In a sleep lab, 53 people slept longer on a night with a lavender-based aroma than on an unscented night, though there was no placebo scent.^[3]

Capsules are different. Lavender capsules sold in pharmacies hold a specially made 80 mg oral extract. Their maker's own analysis says its results cannot be applied to other lavender oil products.^[4]

• In a diffuser: add 3 to 6 drops to a 100 to 150 mL tank and run it for 30 to 60 minutes before bed in a room you can air out.
• On skin: dilute first. About 1 drop in 5 mL of a carrier oil such as jojoba gives roughly a 1 per cent blend, which suits most adult skin.
• Pillow mist: 4 to 6 drops in 50 mL of water with a teaspoon of witch hazel. Shake well and spray the pillow, not your face.
• In the bath: mix the drops into a tablespoon of carrier oil or full-fat milk first, so the oil does not float undiluted.
• Patch test a new oil on your inner forearm and wait 24 hours.

• Never swallow essential oil. It is highly concentrated and can cause real harm. Lavender capsules are a separate product, which we do not stock, so ask a pharmacist about those.
• Dilute before skin contact, and keep the oil well away from your eyes and from any broken or irritated skin.
• Children. Keep bottles out of reach. Ask your pharmacist or doctor before using any oil around babies and young children, including in a diffuser.
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding. Check with your doctor or midwife first.
• Asthma. A diffuser can trigger symptoms in some people, so use fewer drops and air the room well.
• Pets. Cats and dogs are more sensitive to essential oils than people, so diffuse only where they can leave the room.
• Freshness. Store oil cool, dark and capped. Replace a bottle that smells sharp or thin, because old oil is more likely to irritate skin.
• If symptoms persist, talk to your health professional.

1. Decide how you will use it. Diffuser and baths suit a pure oil. The mist and mask suit skincare.
2. Check the botanical name and look for Lavandula angustifolia on the label.
3. Work out the cost a millilitre, and choose the larger bottle if you use it often.
4. Choose organic if it matters to you, knowing it costs a little more a millilitre.
5. Add a carrier oil if you plan to use it on skin.
6. Ask first. Book a Free 10-minute consultation and we will help you choose.

• Trusted natural health advice since 1992, when the first store opened.
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• More than 800 brands and over 10,000 products, chosen by practitioners.

Explore more: browse Oils for Sleep for more bedtime oils and Essential Oils for the full range. For a supplement to support your stress response, see Rhodiola Supplements or Stress Relief Vitamins, or read our guide to the best supplements for stress and anxiety.

1. Donelli, D., Antonelli, M., Bellinazzi, C., Gensini, G.F. and Firenzuoli, F. (2019) 'Effects of lavender on anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis', Phytomedicine, 65, 153099. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2019.153099. The authors state the review was not funded.
2. Ostovar, M., Khademizadeh, M.H., Namjoyan, F., Kazemi, A., Vakili, S., Mosavat, S.H., Mohit, M. and Hashempur, M.H. (2025) 'A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials on lavender for sleep disorders in older adults', Experimental Gerontology, 211, 112919. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2025.112919. The authors declare no competing financial interests or personal relationships.
3. Yang, C.P., Yang, C.C., Tsai, I.J., Lin, T.H., Chiou, Y.L., Wang, H.F., Chang, C.M. and Yih, K.H. (2023) 'The immediate effects of lavender-based essential oil inhalation on subsequent polysomnography in people with poor sleep quality', Journal of the Chinese Medical Association, 86(7), pp. 665 to 671. doi: 10.1097/JCMA.0000000000000932. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The trial had no unscented placebo arm.
4. Möller, H.J., Volz, H.P., Dienel, A., Schläfke, S. and Kasper, S. (2019) 'Efficacy of Silexan in subthreshold anxiety: meta-analysis of randomised, placebo-controlled trials', European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 269(2), pp. 183 to 193. doi: 10.1007/s00406-017-0852-4. Funded by Dr. Willmar Schwabe GmbH & Co. KG; two authors are employees of that company, the manufacturer of the preparation tested.