Aromatherapy Resources (Aromatherapy)

Here is a list of some of my favorite aromatherapy books. There are many others that I've read and love but these are some of the best in the subject in my opinion. For some more book reviews and online resources, check out my Natural Skin Care and Aromatherapy Books and Resources Archives links. Note: be sure to reference at least three different books before using an essential oil, as not all books have the same information on the oil's properties, not all essential oils are safe to use, and some essential oils are not safe to use in certain instances (like pregnancy, or in children or the elderly, or those with certain medical conditions).


A very good book on essential oil profiles is:
Jeanne Rose: 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols. I love this book--it lists many of the rarer essential oils that aren't usually described in other books.

Jeanne Rose's "Aromatherapy book: applications and inhalations" also has good decriptions and charts on usages. There aren't too many recipes in this one, but it has a lot of interesting historical notes, and her charts (which were compiled along with the help of another noted aromatherapist: Victoria Edwards) are among the first things I look at when concocting a new blend.

I use Jeanne Rose's books the most for referencing essential oil properties (but I always use them along with others like Tisserand's safety book, see below).

Good beginner books:
Aromatherapy for dummies by Kathi Keville. Highly recommended if you are completely new to essential oils. I love the dummy guides--they really are helpful and often written by experts in the field--and this book clearly explains most of the uses of essential oils. There are some recipes, but perhaps not as many as other books. Good essential oil profiles and also has a section on the medicinal uses in the back of the book. She really knows her herbs (both aromatherapy and herbalism!)


Another good one for beginners is:
Aromatherapy: a complete guide by Kathi Keville and Mindy Green. Maybe a little more advanced than the dummies guide but still great for beginners and also more advanced students. This one has more recipes than the dummies guide (skin care and medicinal uses).


Victoria Edwards has a wonderful book called "Aromatherapy companion" which goes over many aspects of aromatherapy, from some profiles to chemical components to cosmetic to medicinal to spiritual uses. Lots of recipes. She has some interesting blends!

I love the Valerie Worwood books--I have learned so much from them; she goes over a lot of topics not found in other books. Definitely for more advanced students but also good for beginners. "The complete book of essential oils and aromatherapy" is considered one of the 'bibles' of aromatherapy. Not really many oil profiles (get Rose's or Tisserand's books for that), but this book has many recipes and suggestions on a very wide range of medicinal and cosmetic uses of essential oils. I love this book. If I am making any medicinal concoctions, this is one of the first I reach for to see what essential oils are good for whcih conditions. For people with children, there is a very good section on essential oils and children (there are also great sections on women, men, and the elderly as well).

Robert Tisserand's book "Art of Aromatherapy" is a classic (first published in 1978). This book is what spured aromatherapy's popularity in England, and later the U.S. There are only a few recipes but this book has good profiles and also background info on how essential oils work. Tisserand has done many scientific studies on essential oils.
Other books by him: "To tend and heal the body" which contains many case studies from many prominent aromatherapists, and my favorite by Tisserand's and Balacs' "Essential oil safety" which contains many scientific studies and also essential oil profiles on essenial oil safety. I always use this book to check how safe an essential oil really is before I purchase one. This book is the best but it is pricey. A new edition is probably going to be published soon--hopefully!

Kurt Schnaubelt has a great book called "Advanced aromatherapy: the science of essential oil therapy" which breaks down essential oils to the chemical components.