Aromatics Wellness Blog
13 Products our founder Karen can’t live without
Lavender artisan oil, comfrey hydrosol, and more aromatherapy products our president always has on hand.
What makes an expert in quality aromatherapy products?
The internet is crowded with essential oil enthusiasts full of recipes and tips about aromatherapy products. But not all of them have the knowledge and experience to back up their advice.
That’s why we’re proud to have Karen Williams—a certified aromatherapist with a background as a registered nurse—as our president, product sourcer, and lead aromatherapist!
Karen has been working with essential oils for decades—ever since she was a nurse and realized that the oils gave her a natural way to care for people holistically. The more she learned about essential oils and aromatherapy products, the more she wanted to know!
She devoted herself to education, mastering the science and chemistry of essential oils.
As Aromatics’ president and product sourcer, Karen has traveled the world to work with small-scale farmers and distillers. She knows how to identify the purest, highest quality aromatherapy products.
That’s why our ears perked up when she told us about her favorite products. This is a list worth sharing!
Karen’s favorite essential oils
1. Lavender Oil Artisan (Lavandula angustifolia)
High in the Bitterroot Mountains of Montana, the Aromatics team grows a variety of certified organic lavenders. Each variety is harvested and distilled individually, and the essential oils are blended to create this exquisite, artisan lavender oil! It has a warm, floral, honey-like scent.
“I love lavender because it’s so calming and soothing. It’s one of the most popular essential oils in the world due to how versatile it is. Plus, we have our own high-altitude lavender fields here in western Montana!”
- Karen Williams
2. Orange Sweet Oil (Citrus sinensis)
Bright and fruity, this gorgeous essential oil smells just like a freshly peeled orange! It’s often used in recipes to overcome low energy, boosting optimism, confidence, and inspiration.
“Sweet orange’s sparkly aroma never fails to uplift my spirit! Just smelling it can bring a big smile to my face.”
- Karen Williams
3. Ravintsara Oil (Cinnamomum camphora 1,8 cineole)
Ravintsara has a fresh, crisp, penetrating aroma that can clear your head with a single breath. It helps protect immune strength against health threats, making it a popular aromatherapy product for those who are sniffling.
“I love the woody, eucalyptus-like aroma of ravintsara. It has such a positive effect for breathing, especially during cold and allergy season.”
- Karen Williams
Karen’s favorite carriers
4. Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis)
Karen agreed with our 2 other founders on this one—they each named jojoba as their #1 carrier! It’s a liquid wax that mimics the skin’s natural oils, making it an excellent moisturizer. Use it alone or blend your favorite essential oils into it!
“Jojoba is so easy to use. It’s gentle and nourishing for all skin types. Even sensitive skin usually responds well to it. Its aroma doesn’t compete with essential oils and it has a long shelf life.”
- Karen Williams
5. Baobab Seed Oil (Adansonia digitata)
Baobab seed oil has a light, silky texture and a mildly nutty scent. It absorbs quickly, and encourages skin’s natural repair process on deep levels. This makes it ideal for skin that’s often irritated or itchy.
“Baobab seed oil has a rich, silky texture that absorbs easily. And the tree itself is so impressive—it can live for thousands of years!”
- Karen Williams
6. Marula Oil (Sclerocarya birrea)
Smooth and luxurious, marula oil is an excellent choice for natural anti-aging skin care. It’s rich in essential fatty acids that help rejuvenate mature skin, reducing fine lines and wrinkles.
“I love how lightweight and easily absorbed marula oil is. Its fatty acid content makes it exceptionally skin nourishing.”
- Karen Williams
7. Red Raspberry Seed Oil (Rubus idaeus)
Containing vitamins A and E, red raspberry seed oil is an antioxidant-rich carrier that has a light texture. It’s at home in blends that protect skin from daily damage, while restoring a supple, glowing complexion. (But it doesn’t smell like raspberries!)
“Red raspberry seed oil is great on the face! It’s non-greasy and antioxidant, so it protects and moisturizes skin without clogging pores.”
- Karen Williams
Karen’s favorite hydrosols
8. Lavender Artisan Hydrosol (Lavandula angustifolia)
Our Montana-grown lavender hydrosol! People fall in love with the floral, herbal, honey-like aroma of this artisan hydrosol, using it for everything from face sprays, to room mists, to relaxing linen sprays. It’s versatile so you can get creative!
“This house-made lavender artisan hydrosol won my heart with its honey-floral scent. I also like its air-purifying effect.”
- Karen Williams
9. Comfrey Hydrosol (Symphytum officinalis)
Comfrey hydrosol is warm and radiant—and it’s a must-have aromatherapy product for any natural care collection! It’s traditionally used for skin, muscles, and joints, since it helps nurture these areas after minor damage.
“Comfrey hydrosol has an amazing ability to support the body’s natural repair process, especially for bruises, muscles, and bones. My favorite way to use it is in a compress on the area of the body that needs extra support.”
- Karen Williams
10. Spearmint Hydrosol (Mentha spicata)
Refreshing and cool, spearmint hydrosol has a familiar minty aroma that can fill you with positive energy! Yet it’s also soft and comforting. Use it to dissolve emotional blockages that have weighed you down, so your heart feels light and free!
“I can’t get enough of spearmint hydrosol’s minty, herbal scent. It fills me with energy!”
- Karen Williams
Karen’s favorite blending accessories
11. Blank Inhalers
A convenient way to use essential oils anytime, anywhere! Use these to make personal inhalers for stress relief, mental focus, clear breathing, immune support, digestion, and more.
“I use these all the time! They fit right in my pocket, and I can get the benefits of my oils with just a few breaths.”
- Karen Williams
12. PET Bottles with Foamer Caps
Make your own foaming hand soap or body wash! These bottles come in sizes that are perfect for your kitchen or bathroom sink, and in smaller travel sizes so you can take them on the go.
“These work great! They create a luxurious foam soap with air, instead of using added propellants.”
- Karen Williams
13. Leah Diffuser
A beautiful, hand-blown, polished glass essential oil diffuser! The Leah features a spiral of exotic charcoal and sparkling gold. It uses high-frequency ultrasonic technology to vibrate tap water and essential oils into a fine, cool mist.
“This diffuser is beautiful! I love the classic, dark gray and flecks of gold. And it diffuses essential oils so efficiently, filling my room with aroma.”
- Karen Williams
See more founders’ favorite products!
Karen is one of our three founders, side by side with Andrea Butje and Cindy Black. Together, they have over 30 years of combined experience in aromatherapy.
While Karen has a background as a registered nurse, Andrea has dedicated much of her life to aromatherapy science and education. And Cindy brings an in-depth knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and massage therapy to the table.
Each of these master aromatherapists has their own favorite, must-have products! Browse them all in our Founders’ Favorites Collection, and find new staple products for your own natural care kit.
SHOP THE COLLECTIONREFERENCES
Cardoso, C.R., Favoreto, S. Jr, Oliveira, L.L., Vancim, J.O., Barban, G.B., Ferraz, D.B., Silva, J.S. (2011) Oleic acid modulation of the immune response in wound healing: a new approach for skin repair. Immunobiology. Mar;216(3):409-15. doi: 10.1016/j.imbio.2010.06.007. Epub 2010 Jul 23. PMID: 20655616.
Komane, B., Vermaak, I., Kamatou, G., Summers, B., Viljoen, A. (2017) Beauty in baobab: A pilot study of the safety and efficacy of Adansonia digitata seed oil. Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia. 27(1):1-8. doi:10.1016/j.bjp.2016.07.001
Lima, N.G., de Souza, D.P., Pimenta, F.C., Alves, M.F., de Souza, F.S., (2012a) Anxiolytic-like activity and GC-MS analysis of (R)-(+)-limonene fragrance, a natural compound found in foods and plants. Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior 103, 450-454
Lin, T.K., Zhong, L., Santiago, J.L. (2018) Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 19, no. 1: 70. doi.org/10.3390/ijms19010070
Pazyar, N., Yaghoobi, R., Ghassemi, M.R., Kazerouni, A., Rafeie, E., Jamshydian, N. (2013) Jojoba in dermatology: a succinct review. Giornale Italiano de Dermatologia e Venereologia. 2013 Dec;148(6):687-91. PMID: 24442052.
Price, S. and Price, L (2007) Aromatherapy for Health Professionals 3rd Edition. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.
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