Gives uses for many plants and the essential oils but no complete details for making the remedies with the oils. Eg. how much of each oil to put into the natural remedies?

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils is a wonderful book to add to a collection of knowledge of Aromatherapy. It contains very detailed properties of each essential oil - easy to understand and great for reference for all to read, learn and practice. If you can't find what you are looking for specifically for an essential oil, you will most definately find it in this 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.

I love the wonderful pictures and illustrations. This book is great and will get let you see the physical properties of herbs and oils. Great reference guide.

I planted Cistus Ladanifer `Paladin' otherwise known as the Rock Rose in my garden this past fall and since then have discovered that this may be the original Rose of Sharon mentioned in various ancient texts. Now I read in ESSENTIAL OILS by Julia Lawless that `Labanum', which is used to make perfume, is none other than Cistus or the European Rock Rose. But Paracelsus called Laudanum which had a somewhat unsavory reputation in the 19th century (an opium derivative used by addicts to heighten the effect of alcohol) Labdanum which heightens my interest even more.

No, Lawless hasn't written another Dale Pender-like book on "How to get high on your own grass". She provides the reader with an overview and synopsis of the various practices associated with herbs and their oils such as the manufacture of perfumes and therapeutic uses, as well as a short section on the `Methods of Extraction' (we're after essential oil here). The last 170 pages of the book contain an "annotated" index of the essential oils, showing a botanical sketch and photograph of the parts of a plant used to produce the oil, as well as a photograph of the oil in a clear glass vial (oils are generally stored in colored vials to protect their efficacy).

Although Lawless includes a list of sources for the reader interested in purchasing their own supply, her contact list is extremely limited and none of the sources I use are on it. You might try the website maintained by the American Herb Association for a more comprehensive list of suppliers.