Complete Ig to Essentials Oils

by Julia Lawless

A guide to the most commonly available aromatherapy oils. It gives vital information on plant origins, medical herbalism and the properties and actions of herbs and essential oils. The book covers 165... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1852306610
• ISBN13: 9781852306618
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Element Books
• Length: 256 Pages

Customer Reviews

Your Aromatherapy library is not complete if you don't have the book

If I had to have only two books in my Aromatherapy Library, this would be one of them, along with The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy, by Salvatore Battaglia. I have been an Aromatherapist since 2003, I know - a relatively short time - but a productive time, and I could not have accomplished what I have without this book. It is a very complete list - if not the best list - of essential oils available in book form, with all their properties, chemical breakdown, methods of extraction, history, ancient uses for the plants and oils, modern uses, toxicity and as if this wasn't enough - the photos are marvolous and extremely helpful in identifying plants and the oil colour. Every plant gets a whole page and the format repeats and is so easy to follow. What makes this book stand out among its peers is the ease of use with an excellent index, glossary of terms, botanical index, botanical classification and references (just because a book has these thing doesn't mean they are always good or useful). The most toxic of essential oils, which are hardly mention in other books , or, we are merely warned to stay away from for aromatherapy use, are also covered in Ms. Lawlwess' book, and I am glad for that because I want to know the "why" of everything. Why is it bad? After all - this is meant as a reference book, not a "how to". It is one of the most important books on essential oils and you are cheating yourself not to have a copy. I don't know if Ms. Julia Lawless is alive, and if she is, when she will come out with an updated version, but I sure hope so.

Required reference material for aromatherapy/essential oils

This was one of the first and still one of the best books I have on essential oils. About 3/4ths of the book gets 99% ofmy usage -- the section on the Oils. Extensive and consistent description of 167 different oils filed under latin names. Full index allows reference by almost any common name. Each entry takes 1 page and contains pictures of the oil, the plant, various parts of the plant, how the oil is distracted, what plant parts are used, description of scent, major chemical composition, other and related species, area(s) of the world the plant comes from, what mixes well with it, safety data, effect on the body, aromatherapy and home medical uses, other uses, synonyms and other common names, latin plant family and herbal/folklore tradition: i.e. extensively complete!I'm honestly surprised if I run into someone who claims to be an aromatherapists and doesn't have this book in their library.I hope she comes out with an expanded/updated edition as more plants are beginning to be used in A.T. and wouldn't mind if she included a section on chemistry (like information from "Advanced Aromatherapy: The Science of Essential Oil Therapy" by Kurt Schaubelt, excellent book, but doesn't cover nearly enough oils).This isn't a formula book, but with the 'blends well with'information and the 'effects', you can come up with your own recipes that often do the trick. Only problem is that I come up with too many options!

One of the best books I've found on aromatherapy

When I started researching natural treatments for arthritis and other ailments to incorporate into my massages, I looked at many a book on aromatherapy, ranging in price from $10 to $79. This book is complete and concise - I checked Julia's info on many different oils against other books written by doctors, scientists, etc. costing much more. All was very accurate, and this book even has pictures, traditional folk medicine uses, etc. If you're into aromatherapy, you need this book!

This book is for anyone and everyone!!!

I have ordered this book, and I have yet to put it down!! There are at least 165 essential oils in this book, along with the photos that correspond with the name of the oil/herbs. This book shows a very beautiful illustration of aromatherapy, and it tells you which oils to avoid as well. I would say to any aspiring aromatherapist, or someone who is doing this as a hobby, this is THE book you need to add to your collection.

If you're interested in aromatherapy, you need Lawless.

Julia Lawless's Encyclopedia of Essential Oils is rightfully regarded as one of the primary reference books for anyone who wants to explore essential oils and their uses in aromatherapy. Beautifully organized and wonderfully easy to use, it is far and away the most frequently-consulted volume in my aromatherapy library. The book includes a concise outline of the history, chemistry and use of essential oils, although this section is more of a summary/review than a primer for beginners to the field. The heart of the book is Lawless's admirably consistent, clear and detailed presentation of 165 common and uncommon essential oils. In a spacious, well- organized and convenient lay-out, she gives each plant's common name, Latin name and synonyms; its description and distribution; related species; traditional and herbal uses; extraction methods; the aroma and appearance of the oil; chemical and (sensibly cautious) safety data as well as its uses in aromatherapy and in the home. All that's missing are "scratch and sniff" strips!