Encyclopedia of Essential Oils: The Complete Guide to The Use of Aromatic Oils In Aromatherapy, Herbalism, Health and Well Being [Paperback]

Julia Lawless (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 25, 2002

This authoritative guide to aromatic plants contains 193 entries on the most important plants for health and healing.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"at last a clear and systematic distillation of useful information about a truly comprehensive spectrum of essential oils and absolutes." John Steele, American Aromatherapy Association. "A comprehensive and timely contribution to aromatherapy, herbalism and the whole field of holistic health care. An authoritative, reliable guide that will serve its readers for many years." David Hoffmann, the American Herbalists Guild & California School of Herbal Studies.

About the Author

Julia Lawless is a practicing aromatherapist and the author of numerous highly respected and successful aromatherapy books. She has her own company selling and distributing essential oils.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Thorsons (November 25, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0007145187
• ISBN-13: 978-0007145188
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #87,458 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 100% recommended - BUT..., July 23, 2005

By 

Kallisto (EU) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Encyclopedia of Essential Oils: The Complete Guide to The Use of Aromatic Oils In Aromatherapy, Herbalism, Health and Well Being (Paperback)

As someone who has been actively involved in aromatherapy for almost ten years, I couldn't wait to get my hands on Lawless' acclaimed book. Based on its title and description, I was expecting a true encyclopedia - something like Worwood's The Fragrant Pharmacy, only more comprehensive and without specific recipes (I prefer it that way).

It IS an "encyclopedia": it contains the descriptions of 190 + EO (= essential oils), probably the most you'll ever see compiled in a single book.
They are arranged by alphabetical order, and the entries include a detailed description of the plant & of the oil, its geographic distribution, etc.
It also includes extensive botanical, chemical and safety data. They even include traditional uses of the plant from which the EO in question is extracted. (This, by the way, is not at all necessary - or even particularly useful - information, since EO can be extracted from parts of plants different to those that are used in traditional medicine.)

All this information would be fine (if slightly superfluous) - if the data concerning the specific properties of the EO discussed had been more extensive.
Of course Lawless duly lists all the actions (such as antipyretic, fungicidal, sedative, etc.) and "aromatherapy/home" uses. But the latter are listed in a "telegraphic" way that doesn't really appear to make any distinctions between the specific benefits of each EO. Of course many oils have very similar effects. But "similar" does not equal "the same".

A typical "Aromatherapy/Home Use" rubric (in this case, for spikenard) looks like this:

SKIN CARE: Allergies, inflammation, mature skin, rashes etc.
NERVOUS SYSTEM: Insomnia, nervous indigestion, migraine, stress and tenson.
OTHER USES: Little used these days, usually as substitute for valerian oil.

First of all, what is meant by "etc."?
Those already familiar with the EO in question would know - but those who aren't probably wouldn't.

In this particular case, BTW, the data also fail to mention the cardiotonic properties of the plant, which makes the OTHER USES rubric incomplete. (And by the way: I, for one, use spikenard A LOT!)
Surprisingly, the HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION also fails to mention its restorative effect on hair colour.

And this is just an example, picked at random.

I am really, really not nit-picking, and I hope my writing doesn't come across that way. I think Lawless' book is an extremely useful primer - and, yes, an "encyclopaedia", in a concise sort of way - that absolutely should find a place on the shelves of anyone interested in aromatherapy. There is no question about that. This book is 100% recommended. It is a very good introduction for beginners, and a very useful quick-reference book for those who already are experienced EO users.

I just find that it has perhaps too many general (somewhat superfluous) data on the one hand, and too little (specific) information on the other. I think it would be a very good idea to extend the "Herbal/Folk Tradition" and "Aromatherapy/Home Use" rubrics, to include perhaps some more anecdotal information (duly labeled as such) and somewhat more elaborate indications for the specific uses of each oil.

Then this book would truly become the unsurpassed treasure of aromatherapy data that it should be.

58 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not practical for home users, January 30, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Encyclopedia of Essential Oils: The Complete Guide to The Use of Aromatic Oils In Aromatherapy, Herbalism, Health and Well Being (Paperback)

The first thing you notice about this book is that there's no color in it, which is misleading because the cover is so beautiful. I thought there would be photos of each plant and it's uses. Although it is in alphabetical order, it all sorta runs together. For practical home use, I do not recommend this book. For each plant it gives synonyms, general description, distribution, other species, herbal/folk tradition, actions, extraction, charactistics, principal constituents, safty, and FINALLY aromatherapy and home use. For me half of those catergories are of no interest. Lots of the aromatherapy and home use seems to be the same from plant to plant. It never describes how one should apply or administer these plants and essential oils for therapy. Its just not what I was looking for as far as a practical guide that you can grab and look up a certain symptom or oil...

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Handy Reference Guide, December 13, 2001

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Encyclopedia of Essential Oils: The Complete Guide to The Use of Aromatic Oils In Aromatherapy, Herbalism, Health and Well Being (Hardcover)

Part 1: An Introduction to Aromatics
Chapter 1 Historical Roots
Chapter 2 Aromatherapy and Herbalism
Chapter 3 The Body Actions and Applications
Chapter 4 How to Use Essential Oils and Home
Chapter 5 Creative Blending
Chapter 6 A Guide to Aromatic Materials
Part 2: The Oils
--Over 160 essential oils discussed which includes its common name, synonyms, general description, distribution, other species, herbal folk tradition, actions, extraction, characteristics, principal constituents, safety data, aromatherapy/home use and other uses

At the end of the book, it includes a few useful addresses, including phone numbers where you can contact for more infomation about essential oils

This book also includes a therapeutic index which is a guide of abbreviate terms in 10 categories which are suggested appilications of essential oils mentioned in the book. You can use essential oils for skin care; circulation, muscles, and joints; respiratory sytem; digestive system; gentio-urinary aand endocrine system; immune system; and nervos system

Includes a general glossary and a section on botanical classification