Widely used in perfumery and aromatherapy, lavender is famous for its calming effect. Its name derives from the Latin “lavare”, which means “to wash”. It comes from the ancient Roman tradition of using lavender oil when bathing. Today lavender oil is a preferred constituent of many perfumes for its fresh, sweet and sharp floral aroma. It is extracted from the flowering tops of lavender through steam distillation and the biggest producers of lavender oil are Bulgaria, France, and Ukraine.

Apart from the perfume industry, lavender has a whole range of other uses. People still put lavender in their pillows for a good night’s sleep (they say it chases away nightmares as well). During WWI lavender was used to disinfect the surfaces in hospitals and according to many folk recipes, it is great against insect bites as well. Another use of lavender is helping with eliminating dandruff.

Lavender blends very well with bergamot, cedarwood, grapefruit, lemon, mandarin, patchouli, rose, and vetiver. Here’s a list of our favourite lavender perfumes:

• Carolina Herrera 212 EDT for men – launched in 1999, this warm and sexy perfume is created by Alberto Morillas, Rosendo Mateu, and Ann Gottlieb. The inspiration behind this alluring and long-lasting fragrance in the city of New York. Floral notes, wood notes, musk – Carolina Herrera 212 EDT for men has it all to conquer the heart of the contemporary, sexy, and spontaneous man. It opens with spices, lavender, grapefruit, and bergamot. The fragrance flowers with ginger and pepper give way to its warm heart of labdanum, sandalwood, musk, vetiver, and incense.
• YSL La Nuit De L’Homme EDT for men – intense, bold, and complex, this perfume is full of contrasts. Launched in 2009, it shortly imposes its mysterious presence on the perfume market. Its masculine freshness and deep sophistication are based on cardamom, bergamot, lavender, vetiver, and cumin.
• Chanel Allure Homme for men – fresh and sensual, this perfume was launched in 1999. It suits perfectly the generous and free-spirited brave man. The perfume is designed by Jacques Polge and the secret behind its uniqueness lies in the combination of the freshness of ginger and lavender, the spicy pepper, the warm wooden notes, and the sensuality of labdanum and tonka beans.
• Burberry Brit Rhythm EDT for women – sensuous and feminine, this perfume is the “mate” of Brit Rhythm for men. Launched in 2014, it is designed by Nathalie Cetto and Antoine Maisondieu (Givaudan). The perfume can be best described as free-spirited, youthful, and sensual. It is the first Burberry woman perfume that is designed around lavender (English lavender, of course!).
• John Galliano EDP for women – designed by Christine Nagel and Aurelien Guichard, this perfume is launched in 2008. Its top notes of bergamot open the composition that reveals a flowery heart of rose, violets, and lavender. Its base notes include amber, musk, patchouli, incense, and cedar wood.

Do you have a favorite lavender perfume? Share it with us in the comments below!