Recently, the aromatherapy world has begun discussing the truth behind the so-called “French,” “German,” and “English” aromatherapy “schools,” as if they actually existed.
I am thrilled to see this topic come up because the idea of these “schools” has baffled me for some time now. I would definitely advise reading Gabriel Mojay’s open letter to me on this subject here. He says, “In a nutshell: the so-called ‘French’ and ‘British’ labels are being used to mislead and mystify.“
In reality, depending on the need, there are only three methods of essential oils use: topical, oral, and inhalation (or external, internal, and environmental). Although, as Gabriel points out, the integrated therapeutic discipline of Aromatherapy should combine these methods. The different “schools” get the methods of aromatherapy correct, but that’s about the extent of their accuracy.
So where do these “schools” come from? To explain, I’ll need to dive back into the history of aromatherapy.
Around 1910, a Frenchman named R.M. Gattefossé burned his hands badly and contracted gas gangrene, which he successfully treated with Lavender essential oil. Afterwards, he coined the term “aromatherapy.” He was not the first researcher to write about this form of therapy, but he was the first to recognize the therapeutic use of essential oils as a discipline in itself (more on Gattefossé here).
Later, Dr. Jean Valnet coined the term “aromatic medicine.” He was also French (you can find his literature here and a brief biography here). Dr. Valnet has been made into the face of oral and undiluted use of essential oils. However, his research was much more widespread and focused on aromatherapy and essential oils as treatments for illnesses.
Nowadays, Gattefossé is hailed by many as the “father of aromatherapy.” He has been grouped together with Valnet, thus building the idea of a French “school” that supports widespread essential oil ingestion.
The French “school”
As medicinal aromatherapy took root, it began to engage pharmacists and physicians all over Europe; however, many were in France. In 1978, Dr. Paul Belaiche published a study on the clinical use of essential oils in the treatment of infectious and degenerative diseases (more information on Belaiche here). Jean-Claude Lapraz, Christian Duraffourd, and Dominique Baudoux have all contributed enormously to the understanding of the medical activity of essential oils as well.
In 1980, French chemist Henri Viaud published a study on the purity and quality criteria that essential oils have to meet in order to be suitable for medical purposes. Then, in the 1990s, Dr. Daniel Pénoël and Pierre Franchomme provided the medical aroma text of the decade. Today, we have the Endobiogeny sector with Doctors Lapraz and Duraffourd for that purpose (learn more about that here).
The contributions of these French and Belgian doctors and pharmacists have greatly added to the understanding of how to incorporate essential oils into medical treatments. This has become known as the “French method.”
The British “school”
Meanwhile, I’ve seen Marguerite Maury associated with the British School, though she was Austrian-born and studied in France. Maury did train beauty and massage therapists in London, but she also trained therapists all over Europe. She was Valnet’s student, too, though she had different goals for aromatherapy and a different perspective. She wasn’t aiming to medicate people in the way Valnet and his fellows were. However, her teachings were just as valid and are most often used in conjunction with other forms of aromatherapy. (See more on her here).
The separation of aromatherapy methods into “schools” really began in the early 2000s when one of Dr. Daniel Pénoël’s lectures included a joke that became truth.
Dr. Pénoël, whose speaking style is very charismatic and humorous, described the differences between the three schools in this way:
“The German system of aromatherapy (smell) is comparable to platonic love. You cannot make babies with platonic love. The English system is like flirting. You still cannot make babies. The French system of aromatherapy is like ‘The Full Monty,’ and it will make babies!”
So, although Dr. Pénoël’s statement had a joking quality to it, it was taken very much to heart.
In addition, Pénoël had previously lectured in California in 1989 and 1990, showing audiences his “living embalming” technique. He saturated an ill woman’s tissues with repeated undiluted applications every 30 minutes. We saw him drip large amounts of oils on her back and use a hair dryer to dry them on her skin. Many of my colleagues were witness to this. Not long after this event, Gary Young started spreading a similar method called Raindrop Therapy, which he supposedly learned from a Lakota medicine man named Grandfather Wallace Black Elk. Black Elk’s children and tribe have since denied Young’s claim, and you can read a direct letter on that subject here.
The Influence of Multi-Level Marketing Companies
After Pénoël spoke at the Young Living convention and had his book published by the company (Pénoël, D. & R. – Natural Home Health Care Using Essential Oils. Editions Osmobiose, La Drome, France 1998), Young Living began using the idea of different “schools” within their marketing campaign. It makes perfect sense from a business perspective; telling people to perform undiluted medical treatments like this and oral use, too, sells more oil than diluted topical or atmospheric use. This was the beginning of the “schools” myth. Meanwhile, these marketing campaigns purport that the French method is superior to other, non-medically focused forms of aromatherapy.
And so began the use of undiluted oils on spines to correct scoliosis, along with daily oral use in capsules or water to treat many serious medical conditions. This is essentially the practice of medicinal aromatherapy by the masses, which I absolutely believe our beloved French aromatherapists never intended. Now all the other copycat companies repeat the same “joke,” making it appear real to newbies searching on the internet!
The German “school”
One aspect that especially confuses me is how Pénoël came up with the idea of the “German” school. Some sites say it’s because Germans find inhaling essential oils similar to walking in a forest with streams and brooks. But I think we all enjoy that, no? Why would this be relegated to a German school of thought?
It’s all very confusing and unclear, in my opinion. After all, at the Atlantic Institute of Aromatherapy, I teach topical use, oral use, and inhalation, and I am not French, German, or British. I’m a USA born-and-bred southern gal! I’ve also benefited from training all over the world with French, German, British, Australian, and American aromatherapists, leaders, and experts.
The Truth Behind the Myth
Someone recently asked me which school I subscribe to, and my answer was this: None of them! I teach and use essential oils and other natural products internally, externally, and environmentally.
I will use essential oils and natural products internally if I’m ill, but not on a daily basis because there is no need and they contain no nutrients. When using oils topically, I dilute them because it’s safer, more economically effective, and it covers a wider area. I apply essential oils daily in creams and lotions, and I inhale them daily in my environment; I’ll also inhale them from a diffuser if I’m congested. Most importantly, I don’t subscribe to any one school, because I subscribe to all of the schools. All of the so-called schools, together, make up aromatherapy. No matter the particular method of aromatherapy, it’s important to be well-trained in the safe use of essential oils.
Mostly, I’m baffled by this school myth because it attempts to rewrite aromatherapy history in the United States—and I was there for much of that history, starting in the 1970s. I saw aromatherapy come to America via herbalists; we’ve had companies here since the ’70s. I’ve worked with scientists and industry leaders like Martin Watt (UK), Dr. Trevor Stokes (Australian), Robert Pappas (Greek/American), Tony Burfield (UK) and Michael Kirk-Smith (Ireland)—to name just a few. I was part of the Purdue Initiative that ultimately led to the formation of the ARC (Aromatherapy Registration Council) exam. See some stories from this time on my Vintage Aromatherapist Blog.
Recounting my experiences
For 40 years, I’ve actively been studying essential oils and essential oil safety. I’ve been involved in the industry since early 1980, long before the idea of these schools ever took root. I will not allow aromatherapy history in the USA to be rewritten. As long as I’m alive, I will recount my true experiences with it.
So please trust me. You’re better off focusing on all aspects of aromatherapy and learning how to use each one safely and effectively. Don’t worry so much about the schools! And help stop this myth from taking over our history.
Learn more HERE.
Lovely article discussing persistent PR distortions (promoted by several U.S. companies), of the various uses of essential oils in a handful of European countries.
I do not know how many aromatherapists there are in this country with the author’s level of experience and knowledge with essential oils, but the percentage of them in the total number of folks who sell oils is miniscule, unfortunately.
The one piece of information which seems markedly absent from the article, however, if I am correctly informed, is that currently in France, EO’s are prescribed for ingestion only by LICENSED PHYSICIANS. It’s not just any Thomasina, Denise or Harriet who pays a fee to become a consultant with a direct sales organization who can say, ‘swallow this’. People I’ve seen making similar prescriptions in this country at the direction of their companies may or may not have any education in botany and biology, and after what little direction they are given, they certainly do not have the knowledge to assess, comprehend or diagnose any adverse reactions and/or consequences of what they have distributed.
EOs are potentially very potent and deserve our respect and being circumspect about them, which the author obviously understands extremely well.
I keep reading stories of very scary adverse neurological reactions from EO use which go unsolved. Obviously, I don’t know the individuals involved in these cases, but the descriptions sound to me like what’s going on is that the antibiotic properties of the oils may be causing what’s known as a Herximer effect from killing off bacteria. This is expected to happen in some cases with medical antibiotics (and I have seen it happen with oils): the pile-up of dead organisms overloads the body’s disposal system for eliminating what needs to be removed. If it’s the case that this is what’s going on in the stories I’ve read which have described psychiatric and bodily conditions consistent with Herxing, the client really needs to be a patient of a physician who can get to the bottom of which infection(s) it is and treat an apparently as-yet-undiagnosed disease. This is NOT the place for someone without sufficient training to keep messing with or to abandon someone they’ve caused some level of harm (because they’ve triggered a response way beyond their training and certification). **
I’ve read of law suits which are in the works (in at least one state) to prevent companies from directing ingestion to their consultants. As much as I abhor the practice by people who little or no education who have no comprehension of the potential consequences of their sales and ‘prescriptions,’ that sort of legal fight could prompt legislative restrictions for others who use oils respecting precautions and ONLY distribute oils to the limit of their education.
Oils are powerful instruments which should be used with all humility. I cringe whenever I see self-proclamations of a particular product being the very best in the entire universe.
If there are going to be claims of purity, I’d like to see that backed up by 3rd-party, independent certification by a respected organization – otherwise, what it is, is pure hubris.
As a proponent and seller of oils, I appreciate the article very much. I found it informative even if I’m not entirely sure I’d stand behind each and every assertion in it, but I do think it’s an important contribution to a very important topic of discussion, and I certainly respect that the voice writing it comes from much deeper experience than my own.
**I do not know what infections cause this in addition to Lyme disease and its co-infections, but living through a round of Herxing is pretty terrifying even if it’s been predicted, if it’s NOT predicted, even more so.
Must be a US thing – taught in UK by a French therapist in the 80s – Never heard of these ‘schools of thought’ as such.
Hi Pat, well get ready because it will be coming soon to a neighborhood near you! I hear these companies are now in the UK, thus Gabriel Mojay’s post above. So now you are forewarned!
The Americans are coming, sound the alarm!!
http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/2146228
The history of the use of essential oils as medical treatments is wrong in most aromatherapy books. In fact essential oils were used in both the UK and USA long before the French supposed invention of aromatherapy. In 1901, W. Hale-White Physician to and Lecturer on Medicine at Guy’s Hospital, London published his book ‘Pharmacology and Therapeutics’. This book contains substantial sections on both essential oils and massage. Most of the UK and USP pharmacopoeias from the 1800s onwards refer to the medicinal use of essential oils.
The French were famed for their expertise in perfumery using essential oils in the late 1800s to early 1900s, NOT in their medicinal use. Valnet’s book is first and foremost a herbal with most of the uses of essential oils simply assumed to be the same as the herb, a major blunder continued to this day in most aromatherapy courses. Therefore, one has to question where the knowledge of the medicinal use of essential oils promoted by later French authors such as Penoel came from.
Therefore the concept of "schools" is incorrect and simply one more heap of trash emanating from the likes of Young Living and DoTerra.
Martin Watt aromamedical.org
I have been reading a few of your posts and will continue to peruse your site and subscribe to updates as I like the info you are providing. I am a plain ol’ consumer who has recently starting using EO through intro with a…drum roll…MLM co. I feel from the little research I have done so far that the quality of oils is probably not in question but I have grown skeptical of the ways they say to use them so trying to educate myself so I do not accidentally harm my family! I have stopped any undiluted usage but do take supplements that I feel work that contain a small amount of oils. What is your opinion on this?(asking the author of the post, not consultants out there please) what about the addition of a citrus oil to cut down on the fish taste in fish oil? (I have seen brands at Whole Foods that have lemon in them, is it any different to have a citrus EO?) Thank you! I hope to see webinars available in the future as I do not live near you to take in person courses. I have seen the benefit of using some EO’s so do not want to stop but rather educate so I can use properly.
Thanks for asking Liz. This is Sylla. I think the jury is out on the supplements with EO in them. Supplements but why add the oils with no nutrients, giving the body more to process out than help? never in the history of use of oils have we had supplments with oils in them for daily use. So I hate to say this but I am sure we will see what happens as more and more take them. Unfortunately we already know that they can interfere with other medications, create haywire blood tests, and other generally bad feelings that stopped with stopping the daily massive use of both EO in water, or capsules, but most especially in the supplements. The lemon in fish is lemon flavor, which is lots more lemony and made for that purpose, cover up!
Yes webinars coming first of the year, stay tuned!
The problem I have with the internal use of EO’s over here in the UK is that because we come under so many EU directives, if the internal use of EO’s becomes widely accepted then they will fall under ‘licence’ as have many herbal remedies and homoeopathic remedies. This has resulted in many well known homoeopathic manufacturers who have been providing us with top grade remedies to go out of business this year.
I have been hearing a lot about the "schools" and pretty much figured they were bunk, so thanks!
I really enjoyed your post! Thank you! This is the first post about the different "schools" of thought that was not a YL distributor website. I’ve been using YL oils for a couple years now, but am finally doing my own research into their claims and looking for a new brand of oils to use. This post was very informative and helpful. Thanks again!
Erica, I too feel the same! Refreshing to have solid info not coming from yl cult! We need more un bias information grounded in truth!
yl makes me feel like like this….
"Don’t Drink The Kool Aid!"
…… and I say it often hoping people will start thinking for themselves and seeking real core truthful information grounded in facts!
I just love this post. It is truthful, filled with facts and history, and quite insightful. Time to share this!!!
So sad to see all this. Indeed Dr. Pénoël is paid by Ameo and Ameo is not even organic. The only thing I have to say is that the mighty $$$ speaks again.
This is awesome Sylla! We were taught a lot of this, but not nearly as much as you’ve included here. I will add this to my classes and share it far and wide. Thanks very much for getting this all down in such an easy to ready blog. I don’t see how anyone could argue with the veracity of this.
Thank you Ann! I don’t know either why people argue the facts but many do, as if I was not there!! also Martin adds a bit more in his comments, check that to add to your notes!
Wonderful blog, thank you!
Thank you for publishing this article and, I do agree with you. I also use essential oils a herbal oils in the same way as you ourself and incorporate them in various ways as part of my daily life. Perhaps even, not enough.
Thank you for writing this article! Great information! The number of blatant lies in the EO sales world (esp MLM) is just appalling. I’m saving this information to use for classes! Again, thank you!
Also….Love your including the BeeGees song! Ha!!
sometimes these things bring a song to mind and I cant help it!! did you see the Mamas dont let your babies grow up to be sensitized? 🙂
wonderful blog post ! I’m an aromatherapist in New Zealand where the the MLM companies have just hit the scene and i have clients asking "what method i use French or British" which was confusing me because i trained in the uk but in a herbal medicine school so internal was part of our training in a few lessons that where shared with the medical herbalists but it was seen as i treatment only used in rare cases and tinctures where the better option for everyday herbal
NAHA is a leading governing body for national educational standards for Aromatherapists. I am currently enrolled in a NAHA approved aromatherapy program that does not subscribe to the French method. However, I did additional research and found that there are NAHA approved schools that have certification programs for French Aromatherapy. Therefore, even though some may not agree with it, or may scrutinize it’s origins, I feel comfortable affirming that French Aromatherapy is a legitimate school of thought, regardless of one’s personal feelings about it.
Dear Sylla, would the lakota medicine link broken and them changed by this one: https://www.naturesgift.com/aromatherapy-information/essential-oil-safety/rdt-lakota/ ???