online course

Beyond the Drop

Carrier Oils for Aromatherapy

Be 100% certain you’re using the most effective carrier oils!

Applying the therapeutic properties of carrier oils in topical aromatherapy

For many aromatherapists, the focus has always been on the essential oils but the oils that carry those aromatic compounds contain their own complex chemistry and therapeutic properties.

In this course, Susan M. Parker, author of Power of the Seed, takes you beyond the drop to explore how to get the most out of your carrier oils to create more potent and effective therapeutic blends.

What You'll Study

A 16-lesson study into the chemistry, function, and personality of carrier oils.

  • Part 1: The Living World of Carrier Oils
    Discover the many sources of carrier and plant oils, the similarities and differences between carrier and essential oil chemistry, and the extraction methods that give us the most potent and effective carrier oils.
  • Part 2: Inside the Molecule
    Learn how the fatty acids that make up lipid carrier oils determine absorption, skin feel, and therapeutic properties.
  • Part 3: Stability & the Life Cycle of an Oil
    Why oxidation affects some oils more quickly than others, methods for determining and extending shelf life and preventing rancidity, selecting and storing your oils to keep them fresh and potent. 
  • Part 4: The Skin Connection
    Explore the oils through the skin itself with lessons on the skin barrier function, and how to choose and work with carrier oils to treat specific skincare needs and skin conditions. 
  • Part 5: Working with Oils in Practice
    Infusing herbs, understanding scent in carrier oils and butters, choosing refined vs unrefined carrier oils and how to put it all together in your aromatherapy base blends.

What you'll learn in this course

  • The differences between essential and carrier oil chemistry and how they work together
  • Why oxidation affects different types of carrier oils differently and how it affects carrier oil shelf life and stability
  • The unsaponifiables or healing fraction of carrier oils: the trace plant compounds and bioactives in carrier oils
  • Understanding the skin’s lipid strucutre and how carrier oils help repair, support, and restore the skin
  • Lessons on oils for skincare including inflammation, anti-aging, skin barrier repair, acne and blemishes, eczema and psoriasis, dry and damaged skin
  •  Working with the natural plant scent in carrier oils and plant butters, and why sometimes a refined deodorized oil is best.  

A Scientific and Botanical Approach to Carrier Oils

This course bridges two worlds, the empirical science of lipid chemistry and the living traditions of herbalism and aromatherapy.

You’ll study carrier oils at the molecular level, understanding their triglyceride structures, oxidation behavior, and unsaponifiable content while also exploring botanical families, plant energetics, and cultural uses.

It’s a holistic approach to carrier oils that combines scientific accuracy a conversation with the plant world. 

My Promise to You

When I began making skincare over thirty years ago, our choices for carrier oils were limited, olive, almond, maybe a few others. Since then, the world of plant oils has opened dramatically. We now have access to hundreds of carrier oils, each with its own chemistry, texture, and therapeutic properties. .

I’ve spent decades studying these oils, their chemistry and fatty acid makeup, the botanical families they belong to, patterns that emerge. And it has absolutely expanded what we can do as formulators and aromatherapists. Beyond the Drop brings together decades of research and hands-on experience, helping you bring the therapeutic properties of carrier oils into your skincare formulations and work with essential oils. 

If Beyond the Drop doesn’t deepen your understanding of carrier oils and how they shape your aromatherapy work, simply email us within 7 days and we’ll refund your investment, no questions asked.

One Payment

Beyond the Drop

Carrier oils for aromatherapy

  • 16 Comprehensive Lessons - The Therapeutic Properties of Carrier Oils
  • Video Presentations - Susan's detailed explanations and lessons
  • Downloadable PDFs - Reference materials for each module
  • Lifetime Course Access - Study at your own pace
  • Immediate Access - Start learning today

$

297

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7 day money back guarantee

FAQ

When do I get access to the course?

You’ll get access right after you enroll. The first set of lessons is available now, and new lessons will be added over the coming weeks. 

Will I get lifetime access?

Yes, once enrolled, you’ll have lifetime access to all current and future lessons for Beyond the Drop: Carrier Oils for Aromatherapy.

Is this course right for me if I’m already trained in aromatherapy?

Absolutely. Beyond the Drop was created specifically for aromatherapists and practitioners who already understand essential oils but want a better understanding of the carrier oils. The lessons go beyond the basics, exploring chemistry, structure, and the therapeutic properties of lipids.

Do I need any prior chemistry knowledge?

No advanced background is required. Susan explains the science of oils in clear, accessible language that connects directly to your hands-on practice. You’ll finish with a working understanding of lipid structure, stability, and how to choose the right oils for each purpose.

Can I take the course at my own pace?

Yes, it’s completely self-paced. You can study on your own schedule, revisit lessons anytime, and learn at the rhythm that works best for you.

Is there a certificate of completion?

Yes, once all lessons are released and completed, you’ll receive a downloadable certificate showing your study hours and completion of Beyond the Drop: Carrier Oils for Aromatherapy.

Your Teacher and Guide

Susan M. Parker has spent over 30 years studying and working with carrier oils, lipids, and herbal skincare. As a self-taught formulator, she launched her herbal skincare business in 1996, crafting infused oils with herbs and botanicals that became the foundation of her formulations.


Susan is the author of Power of the Seed: Your Guide to Oils for Health & Beauty (2014), and her passion for understanding plants, botanical families, and carrier oils remains central to her work today.


Today, Susan's work is dedicated to researching, exploring, and teaching about the science behind lipid oils and botanical infusions through Lipid Oils Academy.

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