There is a lot of information out there when it comes to essential oils. You should get your information from certified clinical aromatherapists or people with scientific backgrounds that work with essential oils. They should be unbiased. This means don't get your info from MLM reps. Below are some great resources. I would always look at information from at least two sources.
Disclaimer: Per FTC regulations, I am disclosing that I use affiliate links. I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the links. It is a way to support my blog at no additional cost to you. You can read more here.
Intermittent diffusion is the best. That means it's on and then off, such as 10 minutes on and then 10 off. 30 on and then 30 off. You don't have to diffuse all day. Even if you just diffuse for 30 minutes, that can be fine.
3-5 drops per 100ml is all you need. Of course, you can use fewer drops.
Dilution also matters. Here are some good websites.
This can be caused by using the same essential oils over and over. You can develop a tolerance to the oil or even end up having negative reactions. Read more here.
Shelf Life
All oils have a shelf life. Heat, light, air (head space in the bottle), and time are all going to interact with your oil. Below are some good resources for shelf life.
Please do not get your info from MLM reps. They have a financial interest in you buying oils from them so that they can make a profit. They want you to purchase from them and them alone (not another rep) and to go through the bottle as fast as possible so that you purchase more.
They do not have an interest in your safety or the safety of your family. A red flag is when a company says that all oils are safe for everyone. Be aware that if they are giving you medical advice and trying to sell you an oil for a specific medical condition then this is practicing medicine without a license. You really ought to be under the care of a certified clinical aromatherapist if you're going to use them internally.
* Andrea Butje
She owns Aromahead Institute and has a YouTube channel as well.
* Animal Aromatherapy
They have a website, Facebook page, and Facebook group. There's also a book you can purchase from NAHA.
* Aromaweb
Another good website with information about safety and dilution. Check it out here.
(The) Barefoot Dragonfly
This is a reflexology-aromatherapy wellness center. Here's the link.
Dr. Jean Valnet
One of the pioneers of aromatherapy, he was also a medical doctor. He wrote Aromathérapie in 1964 and then co-authored a book in 1982 with Robert Tisserand called, The Practice of Aromatherapy: A Classical Compendium of Plant Medicines and Their Healing Properties.
Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt
I've seen people either love him or hate him. He has been around for a while, but some of his safety info should be double checked. He has written a few books, Medical Aromatherapy, Advanced Aromatherapy, and The Healing Intelligence of Essential Oils.
Dr. Robert Pappas (Dr. P)
He is a chemist and the owner of Essential Oil University.
Dr. Rodney Young
Co-authored Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals with Robert Tisserand.
Hubert Marceau
Works for Phytochemia and deals with the chemistry behind essential oils.
* Edens Garden
They worked with Sylla Sheppard-Hanger and Dr. Pappas to create an OK for Kids line. Check them out here.
* Elizabeth Ashley
Her website is The Secret Healer and she wrote The Complete Guide to Clinical Aromatherapy. You can get the Kindle version free.
* (The) English Aromatherapist
She is very upfront about why she refuses to buy MLM brands (I'm very much anti-MLM myself), has talked about the controversy regarding essential oils curing cancer, and has gone head to head with Dr. Z. She also has a YouTube channel and is definitely worth following.
* EssentialOils.co.za
A South African website with good information about oils. Check it out here.
Essential Oil University
They run GCMS tests on essential oils to ensure purity. Check them out here.
Gabriel Mojay
He is part of the International Journal of Clinical Aromatherapy and owns Aromatherapy Studies. He wrote, Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit: Restoring Emotional and Mental Balance with Essential Oils.
Jade Schutes
She is pretty controversial. She has gone against Tisserand as well. You can read more about her here.
Jane Shunes and Christina Weaver
Jean Rose
She wrote a number of books including 375 Essential Oils & Hydrosols.
Jennifer Peace Rhine
She wrote Essential Oils: A Handbook for Aromatherapy Practice.
* E. Joy Bowles
She wrote The Chemistry of Aromatherapeutic Oils. She also has a free webinar.
Julia Lawless
She has written a number of books on aromatherapy such as The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils. You can find more info about her here.
Kelly Holland Azzarro
If you have pets, check out her info. She runs the animal aromatherapy groups.
* Lauren Bridges
Lauren is the Aromapologist and is a great person to follow.
* Lea Jacobson (formerly Lea Harris)
She is a newly certified clinical aromatherapist. She has a Facebook group and a website. I don't agree with everything she says, especially about some of her recommended essential oil brands and how they get on the list. You have to pay to play. However, she does have some good basic resources.
Li Wong
She knows about a variety of topics such as herbs, aromatherapy, and formulations. Her websites are Earth Alkemie and Plant Alkemie.
National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy
A great place for anyone to start. Check them out.
Peter Holmes
The owner of Snow Lotus Aromatherapy, he is also a medical herbalist, clinical aromatherapist, and Chinese medicine practitioner.
* Plant Therapy
They worked with Robert Tisserand to create a KidSafe line. They have PDFs of their oils in their Facebook group as well as numerous helpful downloads. Check them out here.
Phytochemia
Like Essential Oil University, they deal with the testing of essential oils. Check them out here.
Rhiannon Lewis
She is the director of Essential Oil Resource Consultants and is an experienced aromatherapist.
* Robert Tisserand
If you've been involved with essential oils, you'll be sure to have heard his name. I've mentioned his info on bath safety, emulsifying essential oils in the bath, and eucalyptus and peppermint. Check out his book, Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals (co-author with Dr. Rodney Young) and The Art of Aromatherapy: The Healing and Beautifying Properties of Essential Oils of Flowers and Herbs.
Salvatore Battaglia
He wrote the book titled The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy. It is rather old, written in 2004, but a great book to start with.
* Sylla Sheppard-Hanger
She has been around for a long time, over four decades. Her website is Atlantic Institute. They have some free courses.
Valeria Ann Worwood
She wrote The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy and has written a handful of other books.
Venessa Levin
She works at Grateful Aromatics and studied with Sylla Shepperd Hanger.
Disclaimer: Per FTC regulations, I am disclosing that I use affiliate links. I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the links. It is a way to support my blog at no additional cost to you. You can read more here.
Safety Matters
Not all essential oils are safe for everyone. I know they're natural but natural doesn't always mean safe. Plenty of things in nature can harm or even kill you. Here are some examples of certain populations that need to be careful around oils.- Pregnant and nursing people: Please check with your care provider and the EO company
- People with pre-existing conditions: Check with your care provider and the EO company
- People on medication: Please check with your care provider and the EO company
- Infants and young children: Edens Garden and Plant Therapy out here have good info
- The elderly: Please check with your care provider and the EO company
- People with pets: Animal aromatherapy has a website, Facebook page, and Facebook group
Intermittent diffusion is the best. That means it's on and then off, such as 10 minutes on and then 10 off. 30 on and then 30 off. You don't have to diffuse all day. Even if you just diffuse for 30 minutes, that can be fine.
3-5 drops per 100ml is all you need. Of course, you can use fewer drops.
Dilution also matters. Here are some good websites.
- Dilution calculator
- Edens Garden has maximum dilution information on their individual product pages.
- Tisserand Institute dilution chart
- Using Essential Oils Safely
This can be caused by using the same essential oils over and over. You can develop a tolerance to the oil or even end up having negative reactions. Read more here.
Shelf Life
All oils have a shelf life. Heat, light, air (head space in the bottle), and time are all going to interact with your oil. Below are some good resources for shelf life.
- Aromaweb
- Edens Garden has shelf life information on their individual product pages.
- Plant Therapy out here has a lot of useful downloads including ones on shelf life.
- Tisserand talks about keeping your lemon on the rocks.
Please do not get your info from MLM reps. They have a financial interest in you buying oils from them so that they can make a profit. They want you to purchase from them and them alone (not another rep) and to go through the bottle as fast as possible so that you purchase more.
They do not have an interest in your safety or the safety of your family. A red flag is when a company says that all oils are safe for everyone. Be aware that if they are giving you medical advice and trying to sell you an oil for a specific medical condition then this is practicing medicine without a license. You really ought to be under the care of a certified clinical aromatherapist if you're going to use them internally.
Resources
There is so much information out there. There are also a handful of books listed below. I would suggest trying to get them from your local library first to see if you like them. Also, be sure to check out the links to websites as well. If you're just getting started, check out the resources with an asterisk (*). They're free and have basic information. I'm not saying the other ones aren't good, just that they might be more complicated. Check them all out. See which ones work best for you!* Andrea Butje
She owns Aromahead Institute and has a YouTube channel as well.
* Animal Aromatherapy
They have a website, Facebook page, and Facebook group. There's also a book you can purchase from NAHA.
* Aromaweb
Another good website with information about safety and dilution. Check it out here.
(The) Barefoot Dragonfly
This is a reflexology-aromatherapy wellness center. Here's the link.
Dr. Jean Valnet
One of the pioneers of aromatherapy, he was also a medical doctor. He wrote Aromathérapie in 1964 and then co-authored a book in 1982 with Robert Tisserand called, The Practice of Aromatherapy: A Classical Compendium of Plant Medicines and Their Healing Properties.
Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt
I've seen people either love him or hate him. He has been around for a while, but some of his safety info should be double checked. He has written a few books, Medical Aromatherapy, Advanced Aromatherapy, and The Healing Intelligence of Essential Oils.
Dr. Robert Pappas (Dr. P)
He is a chemist and the owner of Essential Oil University.
Dr. Rodney Young
Co-authored Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals with Robert Tisserand.
Hubert Marceau
Works for Phytochemia and deals with the chemistry behind essential oils.
* Edens Garden
They worked with Sylla Sheppard-Hanger and Dr. Pappas to create an OK for Kids line. Check them out here.
* Elizabeth Ashley
Her website is The Secret Healer and she wrote The Complete Guide to Clinical Aromatherapy. You can get the Kindle version free.
* (The) English Aromatherapist
She is very upfront about why she refuses to buy MLM brands (I'm very much anti-MLM myself), has talked about the controversy regarding essential oils curing cancer, and has gone head to head with Dr. Z. She also has a YouTube channel and is definitely worth following.
* EssentialOils.co.za
A South African website with good information about oils. Check it out here.
Essential Oil University
They run GCMS tests on essential oils to ensure purity. Check them out here.
Gabriel Mojay
He is part of the International Journal of Clinical Aromatherapy and owns Aromatherapy Studies. He wrote, Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit: Restoring Emotional and Mental Balance with Essential Oils.
Jade Schutes
She is pretty controversial. She has gone against Tisserand as well. You can read more about her here.
Jane Shunes and Christina Weaver
Jean Rose
She wrote a number of books including 375 Essential Oils & Hydrosols.
Jennifer Peace Rhine
She wrote Essential Oils: A Handbook for Aromatherapy Practice.
* E. Joy Bowles
She wrote The Chemistry of Aromatherapeutic Oils. She also has a free webinar.
Julia Lawless
She has written a number of books on aromatherapy such as The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils. You can find more info about her here.
Kelly Holland Azzarro
If you have pets, check out her info. She runs the animal aromatherapy groups.
* Lauren Bridges
Lauren is the Aromapologist and is a great person to follow.
* Lea Jacobson (formerly Lea Harris)
She is a newly certified clinical aromatherapist. She has a Facebook group and a website. I don't agree with everything she says, especially about some of her recommended essential oil brands and how they get on the list. You have to pay to play. However, she does have some good basic resources.
Li Wong
She knows about a variety of topics such as herbs, aromatherapy, and formulations. Her websites are Earth Alkemie and Plant Alkemie.
Lora Cantele and Nerys Purchon
I've had their book recommended by friends. The Complete Aromatherapy and Essential Oils Handbook for Everyday Wellness
National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy
A great place for anyone to start. Check them out.
Peter Holmes
The owner of Snow Lotus Aromatherapy, he is also a medical herbalist, clinical aromatherapist, and Chinese medicine practitioner.
* Plant Therapy
They worked with Robert Tisserand to create a KidSafe line. They have PDFs of their oils in their Facebook group as well as numerous helpful downloads. Check them out here.
Phytochemia
Like Essential Oil University, they deal with the testing of essential oils. Check them out here.
Rhiannon Lewis
She is the director of Essential Oil Resource Consultants and is an experienced aromatherapist.
* Robert Tisserand
If you've been involved with essential oils, you'll be sure to have heard his name. I've mentioned his info on bath safety, emulsifying essential oils in the bath, and eucalyptus and peppermint. Check out his book, Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals (co-author with Dr. Rodney Young) and The Art of Aromatherapy: The Healing and Beautifying Properties of Essential Oils of Flowers and Herbs.
Salvatore Battaglia
He wrote the book titled The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy. It is rather old, written in 2004, but a great book to start with.
* Sylla Sheppard-Hanger
She has been around for a long time, over four decades. Her website is Atlantic Institute. They have some free courses.
Valeria Ann Worwood
She wrote The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy and has written a handful of other books.
Venessa Levin
She works at Grateful Aromatics and studied with Sylla Shepperd Hanger.
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