These classifications designate how scents are perceived once they are applied to the body. In a nutshell:
•Top/head notes are the first impression of any blend, evaporate quickly and are quick to dissipate. They are usually described as "light" and "sharp." Common essential oils with top/head notes include eucalyptus, lemon, and peppermint.
•Middle/heart notes are experienced next and supply the dominant aroma of the blend. Classic examples include clary sage, neroli, and ylang ylang.
•Base/bottom notes are the foundation of the blend. Known to be heavy, dense, earthy and strong, common examples include frankincense, patchouli, and vetiver.
If anyone's head is spinning from what I've just written, take heart. This book is a casual read and every effort is made to make it understandable and friendly. There are personal stories of how the oils have been used beneficially woven throughout the book. The author's descriptions are not all dry, scientific breakdowns. For example, in a section on "Sleep and Weight Loss," we read, "Lavender is a superstar when it comes to promoting sleep- it is found in the vast majority of studies that evaluate essential oils for sleep relief. Using lavender oil as a sleep aid can be as simple as inhaling its scent straight out of the bottle!" Safety recommendations in this book are included and tend to run more conservatively than many multi-level marketing company's reps would recommend, yet not as strictly as I have seen some EO safety resources urge. Given Dr. Z's training as an aromatherapist, public health researcher, and chiropractor, I feel he has valid reasons for presenting the cautions that are included. He is also quick to debunk some misconceptions where misinformation or poorly executed studies have created an atmosphere of fear where it may not be proportionate to the risk involved.
You can have a favorite EO distributer, you can love your particular brand, but I hope many people see the logic in getting educational insights and application advice from a party who is not personally promoting any EO brand or gaining income from the sales of any EOs. Also, I was impressed by the variety and volume of recipes in this book: cleaning products, oral health, gut health, mental health, pain relief, skin health, immune boosting, sleep, and even weight loss are some of the categories the recipes fall into. I think I'm most excited to try the blend of carrier oils described in this book.
*In the interest of full disclosure, I received a complimentary copy of this book from Blogging for Books for this review. I was not required to give a positive review; my opinions expressed here are genuine.