Though there are hundreds and hundreds of good quality fragrance oils out there - in scents ranging from Blackberry Sage to Amber Romance to Pumpkin Pie - I hope you will all try making soap and candles with some pure essential oils at some time. Yes - they can be expensive, and a bit intimidating at first - but creating your own custom blends with essential oils can be almost as rewarding as making your own candles and soap in the first place! To get you started on your scent-ual journey, here are my favorite books on Essential Oils, their uses, their properties, and more.
1. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils by Julia Lawless
Element Books
I have spent hours just browsing the pages of this wonderfully colorful illustrated book. It is both comprehensive and also accessible for beginners. Each page features an essential oil - including a photo of the plant/part of the plant it comes from, herbal & folk traditions surrounding the oil, aromatherapy and other uses, how the oil is extracted, and most importantly, clear safety data. Its primary focus is in the aromatherapy and medicinal properties of essential oils, but there's plenty of information for candle and soap makers too! A truly amazing book!
2. 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols by Jeanne Rose
Frog, Ltd. Publishers
As much a field guide to essential oils as it is a book about aromatherapy and uses of botanicals. Jeanne Rose has an amazing, encyclopedic knowledge of herbs and plants and the essential oils that come from them, and it comes through in the simple, straightforward text. One of my favorite sections in the book is entitled "Plant Names Mean Something." In it, Jeanne discusses the scientific names of the plants and what their names mean. For example, grapefruit essential oil Citrus x paradisi means "the citrus of paradise." Spearmint Mentha viridias means "the mint that is green."
3. The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy by Valerie Ann Worwood
New World Library
Worwood's book gives great background into the uses and history of essential oils. It is not as splashy and illustrated as the Julia Lawless - where this one excels is in the practical advice and recipes. Worwood makes essential oils and aromatherapy "do-able" by creating a "Basic Care Kit", "Basic Travel Kit" and others. She also gives hundreds of recipes for everything from hair care, insomnia, perfumed pillows, and some (if I say so myself) wonderful recipes for "Party Punches". It's also full of great charts that you'll refer to again and again.
4. Aromatherapy Through the Seasons by Judith Fitzsimmons and Paula M. Bousquet
Conari Press
Restorative recipes and sensory suggestions for each month of the year. From the hectic holidays to summertime where the livin' is easy - there are great recipes, tips and remedies. Includes a great forward by Jeanne Rose.
5. The Essential Oils Book by Colleen K. Dodt
Storey Books
Dodt's book focuses less on the aromatherapy and medicinal aspects of essential oils and gets down to more practical bath and body uses. She too gives a great primer on essential oil uses, and a great listing of the major oils that most folks use, with good advice on blending. The book is also full of dozens of "Mind and Body" recipes for your bath, your home, and your body.
6. The World of Aromatherapy edited by Jeanne Rose and Susan Earle
Frog, Ltd. Publishers
A luxurious collection of articles, case studies, research, information and lore about essential oils. Inspiring and scientific at the same time!
7. Making Aromatherapy Creams & Lotions
Storey Books
This marvelous book by Donna Maria is a wonderful resource for understanding how essential oils affect can help us live better on the inside (our mood and health) and the outside (our skin.) It has a great collection of easy recipes for creams and lotions - and if you make soap, you may already have a lot of the ingredients on hand.
