Essential oils are powerful tools, but they're also some of the most misunderstood substances in modern herbalism. The safety concerns, quality questions, and sustainability issues are real, and sorting through the marketing noise to find reliable information isn't easy.

I wanted this conversation with Hana Tisserand because I know so many herbalists feel uncertain about essential oils. You're curious, maybe even drawn to aromatherapy, but you're also cautious. You've seen the MLM hype, the fear-mongering, and the conflicting advice. You want to use essential oils responsibly, but where do you even start?

Hana Tisserand is an internationally respected essential oil educator, author, and co-director of the Tisserand Institute alongside her husband, Robert Tisserand. She brings decades of experience in aromatherapy education, essential oil safety, and sustainable sourcing practices. And before we dove into the technical side of essential oils, we talked about something that felt even more important: strength and resilience in times of uncertainty.

Finding Strength When Things Feel Uncertain

We recorded this episode during a moment when many people were feeling unsettled. Political tension, social unrest, and a general sense of uncertainty were sitting heavy for a lot of us. Hana and I acknowledged that at the very beginning of our conversation, because it matters deeply.

Before we talked about essential oils, safety, or sustainability, we talked about resilience.

Herbalism has always lived in times like these. It has carried people through war, displacement, scarcity, and systems that failed to protect them. It was never precious or mystical. It was practical. Necessary. Real. 

At its core, herbalism is about remembering our agency. The ability to care for ourselves and our communities. To grow food. To make medicine. To tend to one another when stability is not guaranteed.

Hana spoke to this through her own lineage.

She shared stories of her matriarchal ancestors in Czechoslovakia, women who lived through immense upheaval during times of war and political instability. What struck me most was not the idea of heroism in the moment, but the quiet endurance of daily life. The kind of strength that doesn't announce itself while it's happening. The kind you only recognize later, in hindsight, or when you see how it shaped the generations that followed.

At the time, they were simply surviving. Caring for family. Making do. Continuing on.

That kind of strength often doesn't feel like courage when you're inside it. It feels like necessity. But from a wider lens, it is exactly that. Courage. Resilience. The steady act of living and caring under pressure.

That grounding became the foundation for everything else we discussed.

Essential oils are not a solution to the state of the world. But learning how to work with plant medicine thoughtfully, safely, and responsibly is part of building skills that matter in uncertain times. Knowledge builds confidence. Confidence builds resilience. And resilience, especially when shared, helps carry communities forward.

What Essential Oils Actually Are (and What They're Not)

Before we can talk about safety, quality, or sustainability, we need to understand what essential oils actually are.

Essential oils are highly concentrated volatile aromatic compounds extracted from plants, usually through steam distillation or cold pressing. They're not the same as herbal infusions, tinctures, or extracts. They're not "essences" in a mystical sense. They're chemical compounds with specific properties, actions, and risks.

This matters because the concentration and potency of essential oils require different handling than other herbal preparations. A drop of peppermint essential oil is not the same as drinking peppermint tea. The safety considerations are different. The therapeutic applications are different. And the ecological impact is different.

Hana emphasized that essential oils are neither miracle cures nor dangerous toxins. They're tools, and like any tool, they need to be understood and used appropriately.

Essential Oil Safety: Beyond the Fear and the Hype

One of the biggest challenges with essential oils is the polarization. On one side, you have companies claiming you can ingest oils freely, apply them undiluted, and use them for everything. On the other side, you have people who are terrified of essential oils and see them as inherently dangerous.

The truth, as Hana laid out, is far more nuanced.

Essential oils can be used safely when you understand dilution, application methods, contraindications, and individual variability. But safety isn't one-size-fits-all. It depends on the oil, the person, the application, and the context.

Hana walked through practical safety guidelines:

Dilution matters. Most topical applications should be diluted to 1-5% in a carrier oil, depending on the oil and the individual. Undiluted application (neat) is rarely necessary and increases the risk of sensitization and adverse reactions.

Internal use is not casual. While some essential oils can be used internally in specific therapeutic contexts, this isn't something to experiment with lightly. Ingesting essential oils without proper training can cause serious harm.

Sensitization is real. Repeated exposure to certain essential oils, especially undiluted, can cause the immune system to develop an allergic response. Once sensitized, you may react to that oil for life.

Children, pregnancy, and medical conditions require extra caution. What's safe for a healthy adult may not be safe for a child, a pregnant person, or someone with a medical condition.

Hana also addressed the fear-based messaging that sometimes circulates in herbal communities. Essential oils aren't poison, but they do require respect and education. The goal isn't to avoid them out of fear but to use them with knowledge and care.

Quality and Adulteration: How to Know What You're Actually Buying

One of the most eye-opening parts of this conversation was Hana's discussion of essential oil quality and adulteration.

Not all essential oils are created equal. The market is flooded with oils that have been diluted, adulterated, or mislabeled. You might think you're buying pure lavender essential oil, but you could be getting a blend of lavender, lavandin, and synthetic compounds.

This isn't just about getting what you paid for. Adulterated oils can have different safety profiles, therapeutic effects, and environmental impacts than pure oils.

Hana shared practical guidance on assessing quality:

Know your supplier. Work with companies that prioritize transparency, provide GC/MS testing, and have a reputation for quality and ethics.

Understand pricing. If an oil seems too cheap, it probably is. Essential oils require large amounts of plant material and careful processing. Authentic rose or sandalwood oil will never be budget-priced.

Look for botanical names. A product labeled "lavender oil" could be anything. Look for the Latin name (Lavandula angustifolia, for example) and the country of origin.

Be wary of marketing claims. Terms like "therapeutic grade" or "certified pure" are often meaningless marketing language, not regulated standards.

Ask questions. Reputable suppliers should be able to tell you where their oils come from, how they're produced, and what testing they've undergone.

Sustainability: The Hidden Cost of Essential Oils

This was one of the most important parts of the conversation. Essential oils have a significant ecological footprint, and not enough people are talking about it.

It takes hundreds of pounds of plant material to produce a small amount of essential oil. For some oils, like rose or melissa, the ratio is staggering. This creates pressure on wild plant populations, agricultural land, and the communities that harvest and produce these oils.

Hana didn't sugarcoat this. She acknowledged that the essential oil industry has real sustainability problems, from overharvesting endangered species to exploitative labor practices.

But she also offered guidance for herbalists who want to use essential oils more responsibly:

Choose abundant, sustainably grown oils. Lavender, rosemary, and peppermint are easier to source sustainably than sandalwood, frankincense, or rose.

Use less. You don't need to diffuse oils all day or add them to every product. A little goes a long way, and using less reduces demand and waste.

Support ethical companies. Look for suppliers who are transparent about their sourcing, pay fair wages, and invest in regenerative practices.

Consider alternatives. Sometimes a hydrosol, infused oil, or tincture can achieve the same therapeutic goal with less environmental impact.

Question necessity. Before buying an oil, ask yourself if you really need it or if you're buying it because of marketing, trends, or habit.

How Herbalists Can Integrate Essential Oils Responsibly

Hana and I talked about the practical side of using essential oils in herbal practice. For many herbalists, aromatherapy feels like unfamiliar territory. You might be confident making tinctures and teas but uncertain about how essential oils fit in.

Hana's perspective was grounding. Essential oils aren't a requirement for good herbalism. They're one option among many, and they're not always the best option.

But when used thoughtfully, essential oils can be valuable tools for:

• Topical pain and inflammation support (diluted in carrier oils for massage or salves)

• Respiratory support (steam inhalation, chest rubs)

• Emotional and nervous system support (diffusion, personal inhalers)

• Antimicrobial applications (wound care, cleaning blends)

The key is to integrate them intentionally, not just because they're trendy or because someone told you that you should.

Final Thoughts

This conversation with Hana gave me a lot to think about. Essential oils aren't the answer to everything, and they come with real considerations around safety, quality, and sustainability. But they also have a place in thoughtful, informed herbal practice.

If you've been curious about essential oils but unsure where to start, I hope this episode gives you a foundation. And if you've been using essential oils for a while, I hope it deepens your understanding and inspires you to ask more questions about where your oils come from and how you're using them.

We need skilled, thoughtful herbalists now more than ever. People who can navigate complexity, think critically, and make medicine with care. That includes knowing how to use essential oils responsibly.

Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts: https://www.theherbalistspath.com/blog/essential-oils-for-herbalists-hana-tisserand

Connect with Hana: Learn more from Hana at the Tisserand Institute: https://tisserandinstitute.org/

Want to go deeper with your herbal skills? Hana will be a guest educator in the Community Herbalist Certification and Mentorship Program, where you'll get the herbal education, but more importantly, you'll learn how to actually think like an herbalist. Learn more here: https://www.theherbalistspath.com/community-herbalist-certification