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Working with therapeutic plant lipids in aromatherapy & skincare

Create the most effective aromatherapy and skincare treatments with therapeutic plant lipids and carrier oils.

There’s an entire therapeutic world beyond the essential oils

Whether you’re an aromatherapist, practitioner, or formulator, you probably know how much thought can go into choosing the right essential oils for a blend. But what about the oils that make up the rest of the formula?

Carrier oils are far more than a neutral base for dilution. They are complex plant lipids with their own fatty acid profiles, bioactive compounds, textures, stability, affinities with the skin, and therapeutic properties.

Beyond the Drop opens up this other half of topical aromatherapy

You’ll learn to understand carrier oils from the inside out, from the fatty acids that make up 95–99% of an oil to the small but powerful unsaponifiable fraction that can distinguish one oil from another. You’ll explore how these compounds interact with the skin, why some oils are protective while others are more readily absorbed, what makes an oil stable or fragile, and how processing changes what ultimately arrives in the bottle.

So instead of choosing a carrier oil because a list says it’s “good for dry skin” or simply reaching for the same familiar bottle, you can begin to read an oil by its chemistry, understand what it brings to a blend, and choose it for the work you want it to do.

Beyond Carrier Oils

Discover the remarkable chemistry inside the oils you use every day

A carrier oil begins with the oil from a seed, kernel, fruit, nut, grain, or legume and inside that oil is an intricate mixture of fatty acids and plant compounds that make each oil unique.

In Beyond the Drop, you’ll learn about the fatty acids that make up the majority of an oil, from protective saturated fats to oleic, linoleic, and alpha-linolenic acids. You’ll explore the much smaller unsaponifiable fraction, rich in anti-oxidants and other plant compounds that can give otherwise similar oils very different properties.

You’ll see why some oils remain stable while others oxidize quickly; why butters behave differently from liquid oils; what happens when herbs are infused into oil; and how pressing, refining, fractionation, and even the age of the seed can change the color, scent, texture, and character of what arrives in your bottle.

And throughout the course, you’ll keep bringing that chemistry back to the skin where the fatty acids meet the lipid-rich skin.

This is the world of plant oils where each 'carrier' becomes a therapeutic addition to your formula.

What You'll Learn in Beyond the Drop

Beyond the Drop includes 16 concise lessons that take you from the fundamental chemistry of carrier oils through fatty acids, skin, stability, processing, infusions, and the remarkable compounds that make individual oils unique.

  • The Chemistry Behind Carrier Oils: Understand what lipid oils actually are and how they differ from essential oils at the molecular level. Explore triglycerides, glycerol, saturation and the structure of plant oils so you have a foundation for understanding why each oil behaves differently.
  • The Fatty Acids That Define an Oil: Learn the five common fatty acids that provide a framework for understanding the carrier-oil world, then go deeper into monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids including oleic, linoleic, alpha-linolenic, palmitoleic, eicosenoic and GLA. Learn to read fatty-acid profiles and recognize what the balance of fatty acids can tell you about an oil.
  • The Healing Fraction and Unsaponifiables: Fatty acids make up 95–99% of most carrier oils but that remaining fraction can be one of the most interesting parts. Explore phytosterols, tocopherols, carotenoids, phenolic compounds and other unsaponifiables, and discover why oils with similar fatty-acid profiles can have very different therapeutic value.
  • Carrier Oils & the Skin Barrier:  Discover why plant oils are so compatible with our own skin lipids and how saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids interact differently with the skin. Explore barrier function, moisture loss, protection and the role carrier oils can play in supporting different skin needs.
  • Oxidation, Shelf Life & Keeping Oils Fresh: Understand what causes an oil to oxidize, why some oils are inherently more fragile than others, and how fatty-acid composition, iodine value, light, heat, air and time affect shelf life. Learn how vitamin E and naturally stable oils can help protect more vulnerable formulations.
  • The Fascinating Oils That Break the Pattern: Go beyond the common fatty acids to explore oils with unusual chemistry including castor, pomegranate, tamanu and jojoba and discover what their distinctive fatty acids, wax esters and other compounds bring to topical applications.
  • Infused Oils, Fractionated Oils & Plant Butters: Learn how herbs and other botanicals are infused into carrier oils, what kinds of plant compounds can move into the lipid medium, and how to choose an appropriate oil for infusion. Explore FCO, MCT and CCT oils alongside saturated plant butters and understand where these very different lipid ingredients fit into aromatherapy.
  • From Seed to Bottle Extraction, Refining & Processing: Understand what happens to an oil between the plant and the bottle. Explore pressing, extraction, filtering, refining and fractionation; what can be lost or retained during processing; and how to make a more informed choice between refined, unrefined and minimally processed oils.
  • Scent in Carrier Oils: Carrier oils have aromas of their own. Learn where those scents originate, why processing can dramatically change them, how natural carrier-oil aromas interact with essential oils, and what scent can reveal about the material you're working with.
  • Carrier Oil Safety Without the Internet Myths:  Put everything you've learned together to examine questions around topical safety, skin penetration, PUFAs, seed oils, infused oils and supplier usage recommendations and know how to recognize when popular claims about carrier oils don't match the chemistry.

The other 95% of your EO blend matters

Three Decades in the World of Plant Oils

When I began making skincare more than thirty years ago, our choices for carrier oils were limited to oils like olive, almond, and perhaps a handful of others.

Today, the world of plant oils looks completely different. We have access to hundreds of oils from seeds, fruits, nuts, kernels, and plants around the world, each with its own fatty acid profile, unique compounds, texture, stability, and therapeutic properties.

I’ve spent those same three decades studying and working with these oils, looking at their chemistry and fatty acid composition, the plants they come from, and the patterns that connect one oil to another.

And the more I’ve learned, the more the possibilities have expanded.

Beyond the Drop brings together that research and hands-on experience to give aromatherapists, practitioners, and formulators a deeper understanding of therapeutic plant lipids and practical ways to bring them into your essential oil blends, body treatments, and skincare formulations.

Beyond the Drop

therapeutic plant lipids in Aromatherapy & Skincare Formulation

  • 16 Comprehensive Lessons - The Science of Carrier Oils & Plant Lipids
  • Video Presentations - Susan's detailed explanations of carrier oil chemistry, fatty acids and unsaponifables
  • Practical lessons - Learn how to formulate for specific skin conditions and skincare needs
  • Downloadable PDFs - Reference materials for each module
  • Lifetime Course Access - Study at your own pace
  • Immediate Access - Start learning today

$

297

7 day money back guarantee

FAQ

When do I get access to the course?

You’ll get access right after you enroll to the complete Beyond the Drop course modules.

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.

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