Book Recommendations... and Why Many Aromatherapy Books Are Not Worth Your Money

Something's Missing From Most Aromatherapy Books

When I first became interested in aromatherapy, I purchased several books that had authoritative-sounding titles and encyclopedia-like tables of contents. What I found, though, was that many of them just rehashed the same vague information, with very little in the way of research citations or chemical information to support the claims of the authors.  I do appreciate anecdotes and traditional uses for essential oils, and this type of information certainly has value. However, I was dissatisfied with many aromatherapy books, which were too vague and seemed to have little substantial information.

Jump to my aromatherapy book recommendations, below.

What to Look for in An Aromatherapy Book

After I learned more about aromatherapy, I became a more discerning buyer of aromatherapy books. Here are some of the guidelines I use:

~ Use of botanical (Latin) names of the essential oils, and not just the common names.
~ Specific safety warnings or precautions included with essential oil descriptions.
~ I usually avoid any books that recommend neat use of essential oils, which can cause adverse reactions. Using essential oils "neat" means using them undiluted.
~ I appreciate books that include at least some chemical information and/or research citations.
~ I usually favor authors who have some scientific or healthcare background or experience.

These are just general considerations, and there are, of course, exceptions. See below for links to articles related to these considerations.

Highly Recommended Aromatherapy Books

While some of these books do not strictly meet all of the criteria listed above, these are the books I have found most useful.

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Book Summary

The A to Z of Essential Oils, by Joy Bowles
If I were to teach an introductory aromatherapy course, I would use this book. Each of the fifty essential oil profiles has a section on why the oil works, which includes the major chemical constituents in the oil and how the constituent contributes to the oil's therapeutic properties. Read my full review of this book.
 

The Essential Oils Book, by Colleen K. Dodt
An ideal book for beginners who want to dive right in to making their own blends. Includes tips on buying, using, and applying essential oils, as well as some therapeutic information. Recipes for bath, perfumes, hair, cleaning,  travel, sickrooms, and pets.
 

Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy, by Suzanne Catty
Profiles the therapeutic uses of hydrosols (or hydrolates), which comprise the lesser-known area of aromatherapy. One of the only resources on the interesting subject of hydrosols.

Advanced Aromatherapy, by Kurt Schnaubelt
Written by a chemist, this book is definitely more "advanced" than most. For those who want a scientific discussion of aromatherapy, it includes information about distillation, chemical composition, therapeutic effects, and risks.

Essential Oil Safety, by Robert Tisserand
Though geared somewhat toward health professionals, this book is highly recommended for anyone serious about safely using essential oils therapeutically. Covers a wide range of topics, including toxicity, administration, metabolism, cancer, and includes oil profiles.

Related Articles

Article: Why You Need to Know Botanical Names >>
Article: Essential Oil Safety Guidelines >>
Article: Tips for Purchasing Essential Oils >>

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