beyond the drop
Exploring the Role of Carrier Oils in Skincare & Aromatherapy
Winter Session 2026
Includes the complete course plus live formulating classes
Learn how to work with carrier oils as active therapeutic ingredients in skincare and aromatherapy
For many aromatherapists, training focuses almost entirely on essential oils. Yet the carrier oils that deliver those aromatic compounds have their own complex chemistry and therapeutic action.
In this course, I'll take you Beyond The Drop to show you how carrier oil chemistry, fatty acid composition, and bioactive compounds can enhance and magnify the effects of your essential oils and aromatherapy blends.
Whole carrier oils contain fatty acids, unsaponifiables, and oil-soluble nutrients that support the skin barrier, reduce inflammation, and play an active role in skin health.
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 and a conversation with the plant world.
What You'll Study
16 in-depth lessons, organized across five core sections
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 you don't feel more confident working with carrier oils after taking this course, email us within 7 days for a full refund.
Winter Session Special
Two Live Classes on Formulating (with recordings)
In these sessions, you'll learn how to building therapeutic oil blends, how to choose base oils for specific skin conditions, layer in supplementary oils for targeted benefits, and create formulas with clear intention.
Live Class 1: Foundations in Formulating
Learn how to choose and combine oils for the skin, work with astringent oils for oily skin, barrier-supportive oils for sensitive skin, and antioxidant-rich oils for mature skin. We'll look at oils like camellia, pomegranate, rice bran, and meadowfoam, why they work and how to use them as the foundation of your blends.
Live Class 2: Building on Your Base
In the second session, we take each base oil and add supplementary oils to address specific concerns, anti-inflammatory support with evening primrose, linoleic acid from watermelon seed, omega-7 from sea buckthorn. You'll also learn how aging skin loses the ability to produce certain lipids and compounds, and how to support that through thoughtful oil selection.
Beyond the Drop
Carrier Oils and Plant Lipids for Skin Care and Aromatherapy
The Winter Session Includes:
Beyond the Drop Course + Two Live Formulating Classes (with recordings)
or 3 monthly payments of $99
7-day-money-back guarantee
Secure payment
FAQ
We will have two live sessions Wednesday February 11th and 18th. The live classes will be at 11 AM Pacific / 2 PM Eastern (US) and we will have recordings available.
You’ll get access right after you enroll to the complete Beyond the Drop course modules.
Yes, once enrolled, you’ll have lifetime access to all current and future lessons for Beyond the Drop: Carrier Oils for 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.
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.
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.
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.
