Like many books on aromatherapy, this one does not attempt to do everything. It is not a general beginners' book which spends much of its time telling you what an essential oil is and how to put them in the bath; it does not go into detail on massage or chemistry. The first 50 pages cover such topics briefly, but the bulk of the book is devoted to profiles of individual essential oils and recipes for blends.The essential oil profiles are usually two pages long each. They list the botanical name, family, location of the plant, extraction method, colour and odour of the oil, and description of the plant. There is a little more detail on the history of the plant and oil, precautions if relevant, and then the properties are listed (e.g. Clary sage: Tonic, sedative, hypotensive, anti-convulsant and euphoric). The really useful part is where the uses are described. They are divided into body systems, e.g. circulatory, respiratory, reproductive, nervous, muscular, emotion (to continue using the Clary sage entry), and then listed as follows:
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM - Relaxes spasms in asthma due to anxiety or other emotional tension.
REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM - Very useful for treating PMS and period pains. Can also be beneficial for infertility.
This is followed by a list of blends for each system, which is particularly useful if you want to make a certain oil the focus of your blend e.g.
MUSCULAR
clary sage 5
rosemary 4
coriander 4
The last section of the book is devoted to recipes. There are sections on baths; general massage blends; face and bodycare; first-aid and holidays; pregnancy, mother and baby; blends for men; and then by ailment, again classified by body system e.g. circulatory disorders, skin disorders, emotional problems. Most ailments will have several different blends suggested, and the recipes are usually for three essential oils per blend (as is standard in aromatherapy).
The 60 oils discussed are the standard repertoire for home use, and are recommended with due regard for safety. The dilutions are sensible and the recipes are practical. The vast number of recipes included, and the simplicity of each one, means that even if you only have a small number of oils, there are bound to be recipes somewhere which include them. There is a glossary of medical terms at the end, suggested further reading and a good index.
This is a good general-purpose book for blending oils. It is nicely laid-out, very easy to follow, and excellent for cross-referencing. It will be useful to the beginner and the professional alike.
