Lavender-Scented Skin Care

The smell of lavender has long been thought to have a calming effect, and some studies show that it can offer some relief for mild anxiety or sleep disruptions.  I decided to try three relatively inexpensive lavender-scented skin care items, to see if they are more calming than their non-lavender counterparts.  The first one I tried is the lavender version of the Aveeno skin lotion; it claims to be calming because of its lavender and chamomile scent.

I used the lavender Aveeno in place of the regular over the course of two weeks.  During those two weeks, I had a midterm in my summer Calculus 3 class, so the lotion was put to the test during both normal school days (less stressful) as well as immediately before and after a big exam (more stressful).  I usually applied it twice per day.  Unfortunately, there was no difference in my sleep or emotional state.  Aveeno never claimed that the lavender would have a dramatic effect, but I really didn’t notice anything different about my mood in either stress condition.   

That being said, it smells very good, and while the scent is mild, it stays for a while.  If you find that a good smell lifts your mood, but you don’t like strong scents, this may be a good lotion for you.  As a side note, it’s as good of a moisturizer as the original.  

I am no stranger to sheet masks due to my troubled skin, and generally find that, in addition to helping my skin, they smell nice and are soothing.  So, the test was whether the lavender version of the sheet mask is more calming than the non-lavender version.  I often use the Creme Shop’s French Bulldog face mask.  For consistency’s sake, the two lavender masks I used were from the same company.  

When I compared the scents of the two lavender masks, I found them to be identical.  After using both of them, my final verdict was that while both were calming, they were not very different from their non-lavender version.  Though, the masks did help with my dry patches, so I still think they’re worth the money.  

Overall, the lavender versions of my normal skincare products are a bit like the jar of dirt in Pirates of the Caribbean.  If you think it helps, then it helps.  If you don’t want it, give it back.  Or use them to taunt Davy Jones.