Informative
This book lets the beginner know all about aromatherapy. I'm a beginner and it gives more than enough information for me to mix and blend oils for healing. It has a section defining different terms used in aromatherapy. I find this very helpful because I like to know the meaning of words so that I will know what I'm talking about while explaining terms to friends.

Some of the dangerous suggestions in this book include using highly irritating and sensitizing cinnamon bark oil for head lice, putting sensitizing Peru Balsam on broken and chapped skin, and baths and skin treatment with lemon verbena, an oil so phototoxic and sensitizing that it has been banned in European perfumery. Rose even suggests using sassafras oil and tea without mentioning that both contain a potent carcinogen and are FDA banned.

It's a pity that Rose paid so little attention to safety, because there are some very creative uses of essential oils and lots of interesting stories and history in the book. There are sections on spiritual and emotional uses of essential oils, vendor listings, and a nice chapter on natural perfumery. Just remember that if you choose to buy this book, you must doublecheck all of the essential oil uses against some very reliable safety information.

You will not find alot of recipes in this book, but it is an excellent book for looking up particular essential oils, finding their properties, cautions etc. for both the beginner and advanced aromatherapy student. The aromatherapy reference charts listed in the book are indispensable and there is even a Chakra and Color chart as well. It is direct, and written in layman's terms. I myself have 2 copies of the book because I wore out the first one!

I find Ms. Rose's personal stories that are weaved throughout the book delightful and because of her particular style of writing - have every book that Ms. Rose has ever written.

Review this book