Lavender and Lavandin in Perfumery

Lavender is a very fragrant shrub with mauve or purple flowers, very distinctive with its colour and fragrance. 

The word lavender comes from the Latin Lavandaria which means “Wash Clothes”. This etymology suggests that very early on, lavender was used to perfume freshly washed linen. 

In the past, lavender grew in Provence and North Africa, it tolerates the cold quite well and can be cultivated almost everywhere. 

Due to that characteristic you can find it for example in Eastern Europe and even in Canada! 

There are several types of lavender

– True lavender, growing at high altitude 

– Aspic lavender, growing at low altitude. 

There is also a different type of named “stoechas” which rather grows in the south of Spain and Portugal. 

Let’s find out a bit more… 

What is Lavandin?

Lavandin, a hybrid lavender between true lavender and aspic lavender is the most resistant and the most widespread. 

Remembering a discussion I had with a specialist in Grasse ( the famous world capital of Perfume ), she told me that the use of lavandin in perfumery is very little almost like nothing. Perfumers, the noses behind perfumes, prefer to use the finest which is True Lavender. 

Lavandin is used more plentifully for products like massage oils etc, the essential oil is one of the best and versatile on the market. Vastly use in aromatherapy, the antiseptic and anti inflammatory properties have been used in herbal medicine for centuries. Beneficial for hair, skin and sleep it is a very good all-rounder for your health.  

Let’s get back to perfumery, like previously stated Lavender was probably used for freshly washed textiles.  
It reminds me of what my mother used to do when I was a child, putting sachets of dried flowers in the cupboards. 

This beautiful tradition helps to perfume the wardrobe and keeps moths away, if you want your clothes to smell amazing you know what to do!  

There is so much to say about lavender, it is without a doubt a pleasant scent to use in perfumery and for cosmetics. 

It is a joy to use it when designing perfumes, however there is no middle ground with lavender, you either love it or it can be a bit annoying. The beautiful smell of lavender can be found in one of our perfume inspired by the South of France, which I named Suzanne in honour of my maternal grandmother.