The 35 Most Popular Essential Oil and Aromatherapy Books
This list ranks the 35 top aromatherapy and essential oil books that have been purchased most often via Amazon by AromaWeb visitors over the past year.
A larger selection of categorized aromatherapy book reviews can be found through the main Essential Oil and Aromatherapy Books page and also on the Alphabetical Books page.
#1:
The Complete Book Of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy
Also known as "The Fragrant Pharmacy" in the UK.
Author: Valerie Ann Worwood
This 25th anniversary edition of this remarkable aromatherapy guide has been significantly updated to include expanded content, safety information, 125 essential oil profiles and 800 recipes.
#2:
The Encyclopedia Of Essential Oils (Updated Edition)
Author: Julia Lawless
The updated edition of The Encyclopedia Of Essential Oils by Julia Lawless is an outstanding reference that covers 182 essential oils. It is suitable for beginners and as a reference for more advanced aromatherapy students, practitioners and professionals.
#3:
Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals
Authors: Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young
The second edition of Essential Oil Safety is invaluable to the serious aromatherapy student, aromatherapy practitioner, health care professional, and everyone seriously interested in understanding the safety precautions and contraindications for essential oils. For everyone past the stage of enjoying "recipe" style aromatherapy books and that seeks solid knowledge about the safe and effective use of essential oils, this book is an absolute must-have.
#4:
The Complete Aromatherapy & Essential Oils Handbook for Everyday Wellness
Author: Nerys Purchon and Lora Cantele
This is a must-have book for the aromatherapy libraries of beginners and intermediates who are eager to gain a solid understanding of specific essential oils, hydrosols and carrier oils and learn how to safely incorporate them within therapeutic and daily living applications. It is a good choice as a first book for those who are seriously interested in learning about aromatherapy.
#5:
Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy
Author: Suzanne Catty
Until Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy, very little has been written about hydrosols and their remarkable place within the scope of aromatherapy. Suzanne Catty teaches us clearly what hydrosols are, how they are produced, how to differentiate quality, how to store them, and how to use them properly.
#6:
Essential Oil Maker's Handbook: Extracting, Distilling & Enjoying Plant Essences
Authors: Betinna Malle and Helge Schmickl
The Essential Oil Maker's Handbook is a beautiful hardcover book that is presented using a writing style that makes it easy to grasp the process and requirements for essential oil distillation. It is well organized and rich in color photography.
#7:
Power of the Seed
Author: Susan M. Parker
Power of the Seed by Susan M. Parker is an enlightening, must-have book for understanding the composition, properties, benefits and applications of vegetable oils and other lipids. In addition to providing a helpful overview of over 80 vegetable oils and butters, the Power of the Seed is the most in-depth book currently available in print that covers the important benefits and properties of the lipids used in personal care applications.
#8:
The Aromatherapy Beauty Guide: Using the Science of Carrier & Essential Oils to Create Natural Personal Care Products
Author: Danielle Sade, BSc, CAHP
The Aromatherapy Beauty Guide is an indispensable, necessary book for everyone interested in making effective, natural skin and hair care products for personal use.
#9:
The Heart of Aromatherapy
Author: Andrea Butje
Within its 288 pages, Andrea Butje beautifully and clearly explains the science, art and spirit of aromatherapy. Her writing style is charming, fun and easy-to-read. Andrea sprinkles lovely, insightful stories throughout the book of her experiences meeting with and working with distillers and of her wonderful experiences in using essential oils.
#10:
Gattefossé's Aromatherapy - The First Book on Aromatherapy
Author: Rene-Maurice Gattefossé
Although the basic principles of aromatherapy have been used for thousands of years, Rene-Maurice Gattefossé is the father of the term aromatherapy. Originally written in French in 1937, this book is the English translation of this renowned work.
#11:
The Art of Aromatherapy
Author: Robert B. Tisserand
Robert Tisserand is an aromatherapy pioneer and modern day expert in aromatherapy, and his name is well known to most aromatherapists. Although written in 1977, this book is a valuable resource for the aromatherapy student and practitioner who is seeking more detailed historical and background information into aromatherapy and essential oils.
#12:
Aromatherapy and Subtle Energy Techniques
Author: Joni Keim Loughran, Ruah Bull
Aromatherapy and Subtle Energy Techniques introduces beginners to the concepts of subtle energy techniques and briefly dives into energy therapies including Therapeutic Touch, Reiki, Polarity Therapy, Subtle Energy Medicine, Earth Energy Healing and Hands-on-Healing.
#13:
Aromatherapy for the Soul
Author: Valerie Ann Worwood
Aromatherapy for the Soul offers a broad and enticing look at the spiritual application for essential oils in ancient and present times. Consider this book if you're looking for a deeper introduction into the role that aromatherapy and aromatic botanicals play within spirituality in general and within your own personal spiritual practices.
#14:
Holistic Aromatherapy for Animals
Author: Kristen Leigh Bell
Holistic Aromatherapy for Animals acts both as a reference as well as a readable textbook (216 pages). Kristen Leigh Bell's presentation and writing style are informative and intriguing, and I appreciate her emphasis on safety issues.
#15:
375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols
Author: Jeanne Rose
With over forty years of professional experience, Jeanne Rose is a pioneer in the field of holistic aromatherapy, and is a well respected aromatherapy author and educator. Within 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols, Jeanne provides monographs (profiles/summaries) of many essential oils, hydrosols and other natural aromatics used in holistic aromatherapy.
#16:
Carrier Oils for Aromatherapy & Massage
Author: Len Price with Ian Smith & Shirley Price
Carrier Oils for Aromatherapy & Massage provides an overview of carrier oils, monographs (profiles) for 60 carrier and macerated oils, an introduction to the chemistry of the oils and other relevant information regarding the carrier oils used within aromatherapy, massage and other topical skin care applications.
#17:
Healing Intelligence of Essential Oils: The Science of Advanced Aromatherapy
Author: Kurt Schnaubelt, Ph.D.
The Healing Intelligence of Essential Oils is beautifully presented. The eye-catching layout includes numerous color photographs and educational sidebars. Although the subtitle of this book is The Science of Advanced Aromatherapy, this book is quite different from Kurt Schnaubelt's older book Advanced Aromatherapy: The Science of Essential Therapy.
#18:
Aromatherapy for the Healthy Child
Author: Valerie Ann Worwood
This vast 316-page book covers a multitude of aromatherapy uses for children. In Worwood's typical style, she doesn't merely give a recipe or two for particular conditions or issues, but she also provides well-rounded advice that complements her aromatherapy suggestions.
#19:
Making Aromatherapy Creams & Lotions
Author: Donna Maria
Making Aromatherapy Creams & Lotions is a must-have book for those wishing to make natural aromatherapy skincare products.
#20:
Essential Oils in Colour
Author: Rosemary Caddy
At the core of Essential Oils in Colour is the ninety essential oil profiles. Each profile includes a visual and colorful pie chart that accompanies a list of the functional groups present for the oil. For each functional group, she lists the percentage present in the oil.
#21:
Aromatherapy for Menopause Success
Author: Angela Sidlo
Angela Sidlo has prepared a book that focuses upon the use of essential oils to help support fluctuating hormones and the symptoms/challenges that women face during peri/menopause. What a helpful book and resource this is for those of us facing this special stage in our lives.
#22:
The Practice of Aromatherapy
Advanced
Author: Jean Valnet
Jean Valnet is a name well known by serious aromatherapy students and aromatherapists. This work was originally called Aromatherapie and was published in French.
#23:
Clinical Aromatherapy: Essential Oils in Practice
Author: Jane Buckle, RN, PhD
Updated with more studies, tables and references, the third edition of Clinical Aromatherapy is a hefty 412-page book that focuses on the use of essential oils in a healthcare setting. Dr. Buckle gives a good overview for each topic and as appropriate, she describes the traditional drugs and procedures that are commonly used for treatment and follows with essential oil/aromatherapy alternatives and applicable research and case studies.
#24:
The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy Third Edition Volume 1 - Foundations & Materia Medica
Author: Salvatore Battaglia
Salvatore Battaglia is a highly respected Australian aromatherapist, educator and essential oil expert. The first edition of Salvatore Battaglia's Complete Guide to Aromatherapy was published in 1995, and the second edition was published in 2003. At long last, Salvatore Battaglia's The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy Third Edition Volume 1 - Foundations & Materia Medica is available.
#25:
Understanding Hydrolats: The Specific Hydrosols for Aromatherapy: A Guide for Health Professionals
Authors: Len Price and Shirley Price
For anyone seriously interested in actively utilizing hydrosols within their daily lifestyle or aromatherapy practice, Understanding Hydrolats is a must-have additional book to use as an educational resource and hydrosol reference book.
#26:
The Chemistry of Aromatherapeutic Oils
Author: E. Joy Bowles
The Chemistry of Aromatherapeutic Oils should be considered as a resource for students and practitioners who want a deeper understanding of the chemistry and constituents behind the essential oils commonly used in holistic aromatherapy.
#27:
Women's Health Aromatherapy
Author: Pam Conrad
Women's Health Aromatherapy is a must-have guide and educational resource written especially for nurses and practitioners that desire to effectively and safely utilize aromatherapy to support women's health. Well organized and clearly written, it is also helpful and suitable for reading by non-professionals.
#28:
The Fragrant Mind
Author: Valerie Ann Worwood
This volume delves into the psychological and emotional use of aromatherapy and essential oils. It covers both general psychological and aromatherapy information as well as listing emotional conditions and the oils that can assist with the condition. It also discusses various personality profiles and the oils most suitable for those personality types.
#29:
Aromatherapeutic Blending: Essential Oils in Synergy
Author: Jennifer Peace Rhind
Within the enlightening and thought-provoking pages of Aromatherapeutic Blending, Jennifer Peace Rhind introduces and teaches the reader how to formulate safe and effective synergistic therapeutic blends while also sharing differing approaches and viewpoints to developing synergistic blends.
#30:
Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit
Author: Gabriel Mojay
Gabriel Mojay, Founding Co-Chair of the International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists, discusses the use of aromatics for emotional and spiritual well being. Aspects of Chinese medicine are explained. Profiles (monographs) of 40 essential oils are also covered.
#31:
The Blossoming Heart: Aromatherapy for Healing and Transformation
Author: Robbi Zeck ND
The Blossoming Heart is a beautifully written and wonderful addition to the library of aromatherapists and aromatherapy enthusiasts who want to pause from studying the chemistry and the physically therapeutic properties of essential oils and delve into exploring the esoteric and emotionally healing/transformative possibilities of essential oils.
#32:
Aromatica Volume 2: A Clinical Guide to Essential Oil Therapeutics, Applications and Profiles
Author: Peter Holmes LAc, MH
Aromatica Volume 2 provides an insightful look at essential oil uses and delivery methods, clinical use of essential oils and an intriguing perspective regarding the vitalistic and analytical approaches to the use of essential oils is presented. It also features an enormous 403-page Materia Aromatica section that includes detailed profiles for 42 essential oils
#33:
Aromatica Volume 1: A Clinical Guide to Essential Oil Therapeutics, Principles and Profiles
Author: Peter Holmes LAc, MH
Aromatica Volume 1 provides an insightful, eloquent and intriguing perspective regarding the background, energetics and the clinical applications of essential oils and essential oil therapy. At the heart of the book lies a 242-page Materia Aromatica section that includes detailed profiles for 30 essential oils.
#34:
Essential Chemistry for Aromatherapy
Author: Sue Clarke
Essential Chemistry for Aromatherapy, in conjunction with The Chemistry of Aromatherapeutic Oils by E. Joy Bowles, are the two books I would recommend first to those that are new to essential oil chemistry or to those that struggle with the concepts of chemistry.
