BOOK REVIEW The Beginner's Guide to Carrier Oils and Essential Oils

The Beginner’s Guide to Carrier Oils and Essential Oils

By Joanna Beach

Independently Published, 2024 (119 pages)

This concise guide demystifies carrier and essential oils for absolute beginners. Joanna Beach sets a playful tone that eases readers into blending recipes, safety insights, and practical applications. With 119 pages of approachable text, the book promises to transform novices into confident DIY oil enthusiasts. The whimsical narrative and straightforward layout make it an inviting starting point for home aromatherapy.

Beach uses humor and lively storytelling to make technical concepts feel approachable. She compares oils to art supplies—carrier oils are the canvas, essential oils the paint—creating vivid mental images. Anecdotes and playful warnings about accidental stink bombs keep the narrative fun. This style lowers intimidation and encourages experimentation for readers who might otherwise feel overwhelmed.

The book offers a variety of simple, step-by-step recipes for skin care blends, relaxation roll-ons, and home diffusers. Each recipe clearly lists ingredients, carrier ratios, and mixing instructions. Beach also provides storage tips, blending tools recommendations, and guidance on sourcing high-quality oils. She compares common carrier oils—sweet almond, jojoba, fractionated coconut—to highlight skin-type suitability. Visual icons next to each recipe make reference easy. A generous splash of whimsy permeates the text. Character illustrations and casual asides—such as imagining essential-oil-fueled spa days—give the book personality. These creative flourishes encourage playful exploration, inviting readers to mix, sniff, and learn. The tone never veers into pretentious jargon or elitism; instead, the author’s down-to-earth humor reassures beginners that mistakes are part of the learning curve.

There were only a few minor flaws to the book.  While the tone is engaging, the book only briefly touches on the chemical constituents and physiological mechanisms behind each oil. Safety precautions are present but lack detailed rationale for contraindications or advanced dilution formulas. For example, cautions during pregnancy or for epilepsy get only brief bullet points rather than nuanced discussion. Without detailed notes on photo-sensitivity or potential allergens, readers must cross-check safety elsewhere. At 119 pages, the guide covers a core set of popular oils but omits lesser-known or specialized varieties. Specialized oils like Siberian fir, black pepper, or niche florals receive only passing mention. Profiles focus on familiar choices like lavender and peppermint, with fewer insights into emerging blends or adaptogenic synergies. Readers craving a comprehensive atlas or targeted therapeutic discussions may need an advanced companion volume.  But it is a beginner’s guide, so I can see why she limited it. Also, mixed metric and imperial measurements can confuse readers accustomed to one system. The index is minimal, making it difficult to quickly locate specific oil profiles or recipes. A more robust table of contents and a thorough style audit would enhance professionalism and usability. The Beginner’s Guide to Carrier Oils and Essential Oils by Joanna Beach is a delightful entry point for anyone curious about DIY aromatherapy. Its friendly voice, clear recipes, and playful anecdotes foster confidence and creativity. However, users seeking deep scientific analysis or an exhaustive oil encyclopedia may find the content too light. Paired with a more technical aromatherapy textbook, this primer becomes a solid springboard for comprehensive self-study. For casual hobbyists and creative DIYers, it ranks as a top choice; for aspiring professional practitioners, it’s a fun sidekick but not a standalone resource.

Joanna Beach is a passionate writer and holistic health advocate who specializes in making natural wellness approachable and fun. With a background in aromatherapy and DIY herbalcraft, she blends practical knowledge with lighthearted storytelling to empower readers at every level. Her signature style turns technical topics—like carrier oils, essential oils, and natural remedies—into playful experiments, inviting novices to become confident creators of their own self-care rituals.

Across her diverse portfolio, Joanna has penned beginner-friendly guides on skincare blends, flower essences, and affirmations, as well as lifestyle titles ranging from retirement reinvention to overcoming inertia. She believes that a pinch of whimsy and a dash of science can transform everyday routines into moments of discovery and delight. When she’s not writing, Joanna enjoys gardening, tinkering with new oil blends, and hosting small-group workshops that bring community, curiosity, and creativity together.