This book exists because there was a conversation that wasn’t being allowed to happen.

Inside, I start at the beginning — what an essential oil actually is, chemically and functionally. Not the romantic version. Not the lifestyle version. The real version: highly refined, volatile chemical concentrates that do not behave like whole plants, herbs, or traditional preparations.

From there, each chapter breaks down how essential oil compounds interact with the body system by system — the nervous system, endocrine system, immune function, liver detox pathways, respiratory and olfactory routes, skin absorption, digestion, oral health, and more. This isn’t vague “toxicity talk.” It’s about mechanisms, exposure, and cumulative impact.

Every chapter is grounded in published research — prioritizing non–industry-funded studies whenever possible, while also using pro–essential oil research when it’s relevant. I don’t ignore those studies — I read them closely. And in many cases, their own data quietly contradicts the claims being made in marketing spaces.
For example, some essential oil compounds are being studied in clinical settings specifically for their ability to suppress immune activity in the skin — while those same oils are simultaneously marketed as immune-supportive. I don’t editorialize that contradiction. I simply show it.

You’ll also learn how essential oils move beyond personal use and into everything else — food, cosmetics, cleaning products, laundry, “natural” wellness goods — often without clear labeling. I show you how to spot them, what questions to ask, and why “pure,” “therapeutic grade,” and “diluted” don’t mean what people think they mean.

This book doesn’t stop at human health. It looks at the environmental cost — the massive amount of plant material required, the impact on soil and waterways, the effect on animals and plants, and the disconnect created when living ecosystems are reduced to distilled commodities.

And no — this is not an anti-plant book. It’s a pro–whole plant book. I offer alternatives throughout, showing how effective, traditional, and far gentler approaches already exist — without needing to rely on highly concentrated volatile compounds.

This isn’t about fear.
It’s about informed choice.

The goal of this book is simple: to give you the information that has been sidelined, minimized, or outright avoided — so you can make decisions with your eyes open in a world where questioning essential oils often isn’t welcomed.

This is the book that asks the questions others didn’t want asked — and then shows you the answers.

Then this book is especially for you.

This isn’t about taking anything away from you, shaming your past choices, or telling you what you have to do. My entire goal is — and always has been — to help people make educated decisions about their own well-being.

The problem is, it’s almost impossible to make an informed decision about essential oils when questioning them isn’t allowed. And I don’t mean that figuratively — I have literally received death threats for writing this book.

The essential oil industry has spent decades training its customer base to react defensively — to label concerns as “fear-based,” to attack the person asking the question, or to shut the conversation down entirely. When disagreement is treated as disloyalty, real education can’t exist.

I understand how big this can feel. Essential oils are often tied to identity, community, livelihood, and the belief that you were doing something good — for yourself, your family, your home. Walking into information that challenges that can feel uncomfortable, emotional, and even scary. That reaction makes sense.

This book doesn’t demand that you stop using essential oils. It asks you to look at them honestly — to understand what they are, how they behave in the body, and what the research actually shows when it’s read without marketing filters.

If, after reading, you decide to step away from essential oils — or simply limit their use — you won’t be left without options. I’ll be here, waiting and ready, to show you whole-plant medicine, traditional preparations, and gentler approaches that don’t rely on highly concentrated volatile compounds.

You don’t have to rush.
You don’t have to defend anything.

You are smart enough to face this — and strong enough to choose what comes next.

Most essential oil books start from the assumption that essential oils are beneficial — and then work backward to explain how to use them “safely.” This book does the opposite. Essentially Deadly is the first book written entirely outside the essential oil industry, with no financial ties, no affiliate relationships, and no need to protect a product, a brand, or a belief system. It doesn’t exist to sell oils, teach recipes, or reassure you that everything is fine. It exists to ask a different question: what are essential oils actually doing — and at what cost? Rather than focusing on application methods or dilution charts, this book examines essential oils as what they are: highly refined chemical concentrates. It looks at their effects through the lens of chemistry, physiology, exposure pathways, and cumulative impact — not lifestyle branding. Most books rely heavily on industry-funded studies or selectively cite research that supports positive claims. This book prioritizes independent research, while also closely examining pro-essential oil studies and allowing their own data to speak — even when it contradicts marketing narratives. This book also widens the conversation. It doesn’t limit the discussion to individual use or personal preference. It looks at the environmental impact, the scale of production, the effect on animals and plants, and the ethical implications of turning living ecosystems into distilled commodities. And finally, this book doesn’t replace one system of belief with another. It doesn’t tell you what to think. It shows you how to evaluate claims, recognize misinformation, and make decisions based on evidence rather than pressure or identity. This isn’t an essential oil book that includes a few safety warnings. It’s a book that asks whether the entire conversation has been framed wrong — and then shows you why.