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.
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 tradtions 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!
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.
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.
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.
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