Clarity and sanity! There's a lot of misinformation out there on essential oils. Moldenauer is highly qualified and educated in complementary alternative medicine, and it shows. The first part of the book is an overview with safety concerns and carrier oil information. The second section is lavender-bordered for easy reference and describes 50 essential oils with traditional name, botanical name, precautions, uses, applications, and properties of each one. (For instance, Bergamot Orange's properties are: antianxiety, antibacterial, antidepressant, antiviral, central nervous system tonic, etc.)
The majority of the book is dedicated to recipes, with guidelines for blending and layering oils. She specifies what works best for children, adults, pregnant women, and babies. Recipes include inhalers, room sprays, bath balls/salts, diffuser blends, body oils, inhalers, shower melts, etc. Safety is listed on each page, whether direct or passive inhalation, topical use, safe for ages 2+, 5+, etc. Finally, her emotions and essential oils charts describe emotional concerns acutely and offer recipes for every concern. A delightful, unique volume that will be a welcome addition to my wellness library. Thanks to Callisto Publishing for sending me a copy!