Aromatherapy 101
Nine essential oils, practical safety you can use at home, and 39 hands-on recipes that show you how much you can do with a small, well-chosen collection of oils.
You’ll make personal inhalers, aromatic steams, diffuser blends, massage oils, body oils, lotions, salves, bath blends, bath salts, foaming hand soap, and blends for sleep, stress, low-energy days, everyday aches, seasonal comfort, and digestion.
Karen and Jenny blend alongside you on video, and every recipe is built around the nine essential oils in the course kit.
Lifetime access · 4 credit hours toward NAHA, AIA & IFPA.
Aromatherapy 101 is where many students begin with us.
You’ll get to know nine versatile essential oils and learn how to use them safely at home. You’ll smell them, compare them, learn what is on the label, practice dilution, and begin blending from the first few lessons.
As you move through the course, you’ll work with the oils in many different ways and begin to understand why you might choose one method, one oil, or one combination over another.
Everything is designed for a beginner, with clear guidance, hands-on practice, and child-friendly versions where appropriate.
Aromatherapy 101 is Aromahead’s introductory course. It gives you a strong foundation for using essential oils at home and prepares you for deeper study if you decide to continue into Aromatherapy for Natural Living or professional aromatherapy training.
This course answers the questions you keep asking.
- Nine essential oils, known well. Learn where each oil comes from, which part of the plant is used, how it is produced, and how to read the botanical name on the bottle.
- Practical essential oil safety. Learn dilution, storage, topical use, inhalation, bath safety, and the extra care some oils require with children and sensitive individuals.
- Different ways to work with essential oils. Use personal inhalers, aromatic steam, diffusers, massage oils, body oils, lotions, salves, bath blends, bath salts, and foaming hand soap.
- Blending for everyday life. Create blends for winding down at night, stressful days, low-energy moments, tired muscles, seasonal comfort, and an unsettled stomach.
- Hands-on blending skills. Learn how to choose oils, work with top, middle, and base notes, blend one drop at a time, make thoughtful substitutions, and record what you create.
- A foundation you can build on. By the end of the course, you’ll understand how the oils work together and have a clear framework for creating and adapting simple blends of your own.
You begin with nine bottles.
You finish knowing how to use them.
Inside the course.
Six modules, 54 lessons, 39 recipes, nine essential oil data sheets, and plenty to smell, blend, and make as you go.
Welcome & Class Orientation · 5 lessons
- Meet Karen and Jenny and get to know the nine oils you’ll be working with
- See how the course works and how to move through your lessons
- Gather your supplies and explore the Aromatherapy 101 Kit
Module 1Intro to Essential Oils · 12 lessons
- What essential oils are and where they come from
- How essential oils are extracted
- How aroma reaches us through inhalation and topical use
- How to choose a high-quality essential oil
- Common names and botanical names
- Top, middle, and base notes
- Training your nose with the Smell and Sort activity
- How to read and use an essential oil data sheet
Module 2Handling Essential Oils · 6 lessons
- Common ways to use essential oils
- How to store and care for your oils
- Dilution and topical safety
- Essential oils and sunlight
- Safety during pregnancy and around children
- Extra considerations for asthma, allergies, sensitivities, and animals
Module 3Inhalation · 7 lessons
- How to make and use a personal inhaler
- Aromatic steam
- Diffuser blends
- How amounts change depending on the method
- Child-friendly inhalation where appropriate
Module 4Topical Blends · 10 lessons
- What a carrier is and why we use one
- How dilution works
- Blending one drop at a time
- Using your Blend Journal
- Blending by plant part and aromatic role
- Massage oils and body oils
- Pre-made lotion bases for blending
- Simple salves made with jojoba and beeswax
Module 5Bath and Soap · 5 lessons
- How to use essential oils safely in the bath
- Simple bath blends
- Bath salts, four ways
- Foaming hand soap
Module 6Essential Oils in Everyday Life · 9 lessons
- Sleep
- Stress and anxiety
- Lifting a low mood
- Everyday aches and tired muscles
- Seasonal comfort
- Digestion
Every module ends with a What You Learned lesson and a short review so you can check your understanding as you go.
The course finishes with a Course Review, final quiz, certificate of completion, and a Next Steps lesson if you are ready to continue learning.
The Reference Library holds your Recipe Book, all nine essential oil data sheets in one download, the Dilution Chart, and your fillable Blend Journal.
A few of the things you’ll make
These are a few examples from the 39 recipes you’ll work with throughout the course:
You’ll also create blends for different times of day and everyday needs, giving you plenty of opportunities to practice choosing oils, changing proportions, and noticing how each blend comes together.
What students say about the course.
Rated 4.9 out of 5 by 332 students in our post-course surveys.
“This course was a great introduction to essential oils. I learned a great deal and had a blast in the course.”
“I love this course. It was a refresher for me because I am already a certified aromatherapist so thank you so much.”
“The course was amazing very detailed fun and learned so much.”
“This course has shown me great information in regards to the safety and dilution rates. It was really great having the emphasis on children, elderly, and pet safety. These 9 oils have multiple uses and the datasheets will help in the future.”
“This course helped me to gain basic knowledge about the use of essential oils. I'm so happy I enrolled! I learned a lot , especially the use of essential oil for health care. Many thanks to the people who created this incredible course, I deeply appreciate it !”
“This course was informative and easy to follow and learn. I highly recommend anyone who wants to learn more than just the basics about essential oils and learn how to blend should take this course.”
Every hour counts toward Clinical Aromatherapist.
This course sits at the Natural Living milestone on the path to Clinical Aromatherapist. Take it on its own, or get it in the Natural Living Bundle or the Scholars Program and save.
Taught by Karen and Jenny Williams.
Karen and Jenny Williams
Karen and Jenny Williams teach this course together: Karen brings the plant chemistry and decades of classroom warmth, Jenny the student experience that keeps every lesson practical. Between them, they have guided tens of thousands of students into confident, everyday aromatherapy.
“I printed all of my data sheets and now they are full of stains from years of learning. And as you make your blends, I'm sure you will have some happy stains on your data sheets too.”Karen and Jenny Williams, in this class
Aromatherapy 101 FAQ
How will I learn?
You’ll learn through short lessons, videos with Karen and Jenny, hands-on blending, 39 recipes, essential oil data sheets, your fillable Blend Journal, and short reviews at the end of each module.
The lessons are arranged in the order we recommend, and everything you need to move through the course is built in.
Will I receive a certificate?
Yes. Complete the course and final quiz, and you’ll receive a certificate of completion for Aromatherapy 101.
How long can I access the course materials?
You will have ongoing access to your version of the course for as long as our school operates. While we can't use the term 'lifetime' due to its legal ambiguity, we assure you of continued access to the course materials as long as Aromahead Institute is active.
Is the course recognized by any professional organizations?
Yes, the course is accredited by well-respected, industry-leading organizations, including NAHA (National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy), IFPA (International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists), and AIA (Alliance of International Aromatherapists). This ensures the education provided is of high quality and aligns with industry standards.
Will I actually make things?
Yes. This is a hands-on course.
You’ll have 39 recipes to work with, including personal inhalers, aromatic steams, diffuser blends, massage oils, body oils, lotions, salves, bath blends, bath salts, foaming hand soap, and blends for everyday life.
Every recipe is built around the nine essential oils in the course, with child-friendly versions where appropriate.
Is Aromatherapy 101 free?
The course is $49 on its own, and it comes free inside the Natural Living Bundle ($349, eight courses). Your free Aromahead account does include two free starter courses: How to Blend Essential Oils and Essential Oil Foundations & Smarter Blending.
Do I need supplies before I start?
You can begin the course right away.
When you’re ready to blend along, the Course Supplies lesson shows you what to have on hand. The customizable Aromatherapy 101 Kit at Aromatics International gathers the essential oils, carriers, and blending supplies in one place, with savings applied automatically as you add items.
This course appears in our field guide, Essential oils for anxiety: the oils, methods, and recipes we teach first.
Start Aromatherapy 101 today.
Nine essential oils, practical safety you can use at home, and 39 hands-on recipes that show you how much you can do with a small, well-chosen…