Why I wrote this book

My fascination with botanical oils began long before I knew the words fatty acids, unsaponifiables or skin barrier. Some of my earliest memories are of walking through the forests of Latvia with my grandmother, gathering plants and learning that nature rarely gives us simple, one-size-fits-all answers.

Years later, the same questions kept appearing — from clients, workshop participants and fellow practitioners:

Which oil should I use? Which one is best?

My answer was rarely the name of a single oil.

I wanted people to understand why one oil might be a wonderful choice in one situation and a completely different oil in another. Because knowledge should not create dependence on someone else's recommendations. It should give us the confidence to ask questions, understand our choices and make informed decisions for ourselves.

Simple Guide into the World of Oils grew from that idea.

It is my way of sharing the fishing rod rather than simply handing out another fish.

— Sabine Jakobsone