The genus includes annual or short-lived herbaceous perennial plants, and suffrutescent perennials, subshrubs or small shrubs. Leaf shape is diverse across the genus. They are simple in some commonly cultivated species; in others they are pinnately toothed, or pinnate, sometimes multiple pinnate and dissected. In most species the leaves are covered in fine hairs or indumentum, which normally contain the essential oils. Flowers are borne in whorls, held on spikes rising above the foliage, the spikes being branched in some species. Some species produce coloured bracts at the apices. The flowers may be blue, violet or lilac in the wild species, occasionally blackish purple or yellowish. Extracts from Lavander are widely used in the cosmetics industries, being marketed as variously having soothing, antiseptic, healing.

Latin name of the plant: Lavandula angustifolia
Plant of material: Flower
Solubility: Can be produced in both oil-soluble or water-soluble form
Cosmetic applications: For use in every cosmetic formulations