Loving Lavender

As I mentioned in my earlier post this week, I'm using lavender essential oil in a new application.  The lavender oil that I use in my soaps (Lavender Lover, Cowpoke, Gardener's Gold, Summer Slacker) is a very high quality, nice smelling oil that I've been happy with over the years.  But on a trip home to Idaho last summer, I attended a family reunion and got to spend some time at the ranch of a cousin (the wife of my Dad's first cousin, actually).  She raises lavender on their place and uses it for a variety of purposes: she sells live plants, dried bundles, and makes wreaths and sachets.  

A couple of years ago she also bought a still and started producing her own lavender essential oil.  When I found out about this, I got very excited.  It's not every day that you find out someone in your own family knows how to operate a still!  I think I might have jumped up and down a little.   

She gave me a small bottle of the oil that day and I carried it around in my purse for months, sniffing it every so often.  It's really extraordinary oil.  I thought I knew what nice lavender oil smelled like, but this is better.  Apparently a large part of the difference comes from the fact that she hand picks all of the blossoms off the stems before distillation, which keeps the oil as pure and sweet smelling as can be...no extra  bitter herb smell to muddle the scent.  THIS is the oil that touches your lips when you use the new Lavender & Lemon Smooch Sticks.  They are divine, I must say.