All Posts

While aromatherapy is backed by legitimate science and has clear therapeutic benefits, the field is currently at risk. Because the industry often uses language in ways that contradict broader scientific standards, it is frequently vulnerable to being dismissed as "pseudoscience." This isn't just a matter of reputation; it poses a risk of professional "demarcation," in which more established, authoritative medical fields actively work to invalidate or limit the practice of aro

Defining evidence-based practice The dismissal of ‘evidence-based’ Aromatherapy as a failed or meaningless metric – often by those who narrowly define evidence as a binary of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) – betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of clinical methodology.   The term “evidence-based” is frequently hijacked to mean only randomized controlled trials (RCTs), but in a clinical setting, that is a narrow and often impractical definition. True evidence-based prac

The cost of misinformation The Aromatherapy industry currently navigates a difficult landscape between clinical validation and an "infodemic" of uneducated advice. When practitioners suggest protocols based on personal anecdotes rather than chemistry, the safety of the entire field is compromised. When a user experiences an adverse reaction, such as sensitization or a chemical burn, they rarely blame the individual’s poor advice; instead, they conclude that "Aromatherapy does

Adulteration and the “placebo effect.” Recently, I attended a presentation in which the speaker said we shouldn’t worry about synthetics or adulterants in our essential oils. Why? Because the average consumer doesn’t know about them, and if they believe the cheap oil purchased online has helped them, then that’s okay. I disagree. After a quick search on Amazon for essential oils, I found a set of six 15mL bottles for $9.95. As an Aromatherapist for almost 25 years, I’ve learn