Accidental discoveries are often the best

Sarah shares some insight into René-Maurice Gattefossé, the father of aromatherapy but also a mixed-media perfumer, a poet, a researcher, a published author and much more. 

The term aromatherapy was first used by R.M. Gattefossé (1881-1950)  as the title of his book of the same name published in French in 1937, then in English, translated by Robert M. Tisserand in 1993.

René-Maurice Gattefossé is better known as the father of aromatherapy than as an industrial perfumer, however, throughout his life he continued to develop both. The best known story tells that while working in a laboratory extracting natural isolates from essential oils, he burned his hand in a flame. According to the legend he plunged it into the nearest liquid, which turned out to be lavender oil. To his surprise and relief, it took away most of the pain, and healed faster than expected leaving no scars. He then dedicated his life to exploring the properties of essential oils, choosing the term ‘aromatherapie’ (French) and writing the original guidebook. What the story does not usually mention is that he continued working for the family perfumery business, also using synthetic materials, while studying poetry and archaeology publishing over 40 different works on chemistry, philosophy and novels, regenerating the French market for essential oils, which had lost out to other European countries, by replanting mint, funding the production of lavender, and introducing clary sage from Italy.

This book, translated from French, contains R.M. Gattefossé’s formulas for mixed-media fragrances. 

He wrote novels and philosophical works, studied Milton’s Paradise Lost for decades and wrote a book, Paradise Ltd., which put forward his many theories on how it is now the responsibility of mankind to recreate paradise on earth in a businesslike way, for the benefit of all. The family business also bought an abandoned farm in the south of France, where René-Maurice dedicated his time to creating a botanical garden and distillery to produce essential oils for their pharmaceutical company in Lyon. He witnessed aromatherapy overshadowed by antibiotics, but those who carried on his work have seen the continuation of essential oils as antimicrobial treatments.

You can read more about the story of the story of René-Maurice Gattefossé here. And here's the book mentioned - Gattefosse's Aromatherapy.