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 essential 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 aromatherapy products. This is a list worth sharing!

Karen’s favorite essential oils

1. Artisan Lavender Oil

Latin Name: 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 essential 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!”

2. Sweet Orange Oil

Latin Name: 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 your mood, 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.”

3. Ravintsara Oil

Latin Name: Cinnamomum camphora 1,8 cineole

Ravintsara essential oil has a fresh, crisp, penetrating essence 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’s favorite carrier oils

4. Jojoba Oil

Latin Name: 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 body oils, making it an excellent moisturizer. Use this carrier oil 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.”

5. Baobab Seed Oil

Latin Name: 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 this carrier oil ideal to add to your skincare practice - especially helpful 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!”

6. Marula Oil

Latin Name: 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.”

7. Red Raspberry Seed Oil

Latin Name: Rubus idaeus

Containing vitamins A and E, red raspberry seed oil is an antioxidant-rich carrier oil 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’s favorite hydrosols

8. Lavender Artisan Hydrosol

Latin Name: 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.”

9. Comfrey Hydrosol

Latin Name: 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.”

10. Spearmint Hydrosol

Latin Name: Mentha spicata

Refreshing and cool, spearmint hydrosol has a familiar minty scent that can fill you with positive energy! Yet it’s also soft and comforting. Use it to relax 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’s favorite blending accessories

11. Blank Inhalers

Essential oils can be inhaled any time, anywhere with this convenient aromatherapy product! 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.”

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.”

13. Aroma Glass Diffuser

A beautiful, high-quality glass and wood diffuser! 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 quiet whisper function and wood grain. And it diffuses essential oils so efficiently, filling my room with aroma.”

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 aromatherapy products! Browse them all in our Founders’ Favorites Collection, and find new staple aromatherapy products for your own natural care kit.

Founder's favorite recipes

Now that our founders have shared their favorite aromatherapy products, discover a few of their favorite recipes! Whether you're looking for essential oil blend recipes for natural skincare, diffuser blends for tranquil sleep, or natural cleaning recipes, these recipes will enable you to use essential oils and carrier oils for your overall health and wellbeing based on our founder's years of research.