I wanted to do something different this week and one of my passions is creating products at home from essential oils and common products I have around the home. So today I’m going to tell you how I make a lavender linen spray that will help your bedding smell great and you to relax and fall asleep.

• Now, because someone is going to ask, yes, this is safe to spray on your face as a facial spray. And by safe I mean it’s no more harmful than using witch hazel as a toner (which a lot of people do). That said, I wouldn’t use it as a facial spray because the basic witch hazel does contain alcohol, which can be drying to your skin. I am working on a nourishing facial spray recipe and hopefully that will be another DIY later this month. Hopefully it goes without say, do not ingest this mixture.
• Also as a note, I have sprayed this onto cotton and flannel sheets with no ill effects. I have not sprayed this onto silk or any other material so do so at your own risk.
• What you need:
  • (1) Distilled water (tap water can allow yuckies to grow)
  • (2) Witch Hazel or Vodka – your basic witch hazel (found near the band-aids in drugstores) will have alcohol in it (as does vodka, obviously). You can find Thayer’s that is alcohol free (if you are wanting to spray this on your face) – usually at Target. Witch Hazel or Vodka are needed to thin down the oils so they don’t clog up the sprayer. If you don’t like the scent of Witch Hazel, I recommend using Vodka instead.
  • (3) Essential oils of your choice – I highly recommend lavender as most people find it calming and relaxing. I also added one or two drops of peppermint and chamomile based on my personal preference. This spray smells great if you only use lavender so if you’re just starting your oils collection you only need to buy one. Brand-wise, I personally use Plant Therapy (my lavender bottle is unlabeled because I pour off into the smaller bottle from a large bulky bottle). You can choose what works for you but I do not recommend cheap oils you find at Wal-Mart or other large discount stores as the quality can be questionable. Aura-Cacia is another brand that is usually easy to find and relatively inexpensive. Luckily, lavender is one of the less expensive oils.
  • (4) An amber or blue (or other dark color) glass jar with sprayer. Anytime you’re using oils, especially if they will be stored for a while, you want to use a dark glass container to preserve the oils. I use a two ounce bottle (you can buy a 12 pack on Amazon for $10) and that will last me about two months.
  • (5) A funnel if you’re messy like me
  • (6) A measuring spoon (one tablespoon)

Steps:

• Steps (for a 2 ounce bottle)
  • (1) Pour no more than one tablespoon of witch hazel (or vodka) into the bottle (doesn’t have to be exact – that’s why you see me using a 2 tablespoon measuring spoon – it was clean and I could guestimate half).
  • (2) Add 25 drops of lavender essential oil (or 25 drops in total if including other oils).
  • (3) Put the lid on (tightly) and roll and shake the bottle to mix the oils and witch hazel (or vodka).
  • (4) Either take a sniff or spray some product onto a paper towel to see if you like the scent. *THIS* is the point in time at which you will want to add more lavender or other oils. I recommend spraying onto a paper towel as this most closely mimics spraying onto bedding. Trust me, adding the water in the next step will not change the smell so now is the time to tweak it.
  • (5) Top off the bottle with the distilled water, leaving about 1/4 to 1/2 an inch from the top of the bottle. You need this airspace to mix the product before each use.
  • (6) Screw the lid back on and you’re done! Each time you go to use the spray you’ll want to gently shake or roll the bottle in your hands to mix everything back together (the oils like to separate).