French Medical Aromatherapy

Melissa Farris – Pioneer of French Medical Aromatherapy in America

Melissa Farris, Clinical Herbalist & Aromatherapist is internationally recognized for bringing the first 100% certified organic essential oils to the American marketplace in 1996, forever transforming how Americans approach aromatherapy. She has also been in private clinical practice and teaching the Chemistry, and Medicinal Formulation of Essential Oils for over 27 years. In France she is called “Formulateur en aromatherapy scientifique/médicale” emphasizing both the expertise in formulation and the clinical application/use of essential oils.

Watch here to see a video of Melissa’s Cooperative, in Provence, France.

At just 23 years old, Melissa brought the FIRST 100% ECOCERT ORGANIC ESSENTIAL OILS to the American market thru Simplers Botanical Companyand published her first book, The Simplers Aromatherapy Guide. This groundbreaking work challenged outdated American practices and clarified that fatty oils should be used to remove essential oils from the skin, while lavender essential oil is the true carrier, volatile by nature it allows it and other healing essential oils to penetrate deeply for burns, cuts, infections, and scars. Her vision and clarity pioneered a new era of safe, clinical aromatherapyin the U.S. and was influential in many parts of the world.

She was the first to formulate a wellness line with 100% Essential Oils, (Lavender being the “carrier”) for Acne, Warts, Shingles, Yeast Infections, Herpes, and even extremely effective “signature scent” Men’s and Women’s Deodorants.

To simplify essential oil learning, she also created her Aromatherapy & Chemistry Reference Chart—in 1996, a one-of-a-kind Chemistry Functional Group reference used as a teaching tool that condenses her monographs into a single, easy-to-follow chart, guiding both proper use of each essential oil and what to avoid.

Melissa went on to create her second company, Veriditas Botanicals, which became the #1 selling Organic Aromatherapy Brand in the U.S., supplying more than 2,000 independent stores and co-ops and clinics nationwide. Each certified organic essential oil was sourced directly from her cooperative in France, where she has been a member for more than 27 years. Veriditas, Simplers, and now Melissa’s Botanicals are known for purity, traceability, and French medical aromatherapy standards. Do you know any other companies who write their sources right on the labels?

With all three groundbreaking companies, since 1996, has been devoted to organic agriculture, plant biology, the making, selling and use of French Medical Aromatherapy, and taught along the way.

Her mission has always been about education as well as products. She has taught pharmacists and at institutions in France, Japan, Australia, Europe, and the U.S., including the Mayo Clinic. Through courage, vision, and innovation, Melissa Farris singlehandedly redefined American aromatherapy—bridging herbal tradition, French medical science, and modern clinical practice.

Today, with her third company, Melissa’s Botanicals, she continues to offer clinically proven, guaranteed formulas and organic oils.

You can order from MelissasBotanicals.com

They offer a 24 hour guaranteed out the door shipping and free shipping on orders $100 or more.

ANNOUNCING

Melissa’s Book

“Aromatherapy Guide”

Third Edition

Coming soon……

Melissa’s book will focus on using essential oils for the following:

Bath
Compress
Diffuser
Inhalation

Neat (undiluted) Applications
Diluted Applications
Massage
Skin Care

Natural Perfumery
Cuisine
Diffuser
Herbal Honeys

Tinctures
DYI
Hydrosols
and More!

Redefining Aromatherapy

As a certified herbalist and aromatherapist, Melissa Farris has been revealing the secrets of nature’s healing power for more than 20 years. When she isn’t inspecting the lavender fields of Provence or perfecting her latest formula, Melissa uses her expertise to educate the public about the role of pure essential oils in promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Farris founded Veriditas Botanicals in 1995 and a year later Simplers Botanical Company, LLC, located in Forestville, California. Her companies were the first to introduce ECOCERT organic essential oils to Whole Foods and the U.S. marketplace, and the first to provide education on how to use them medicinally. After selling Simplers Botanical Company, LLC in 2002, Farris returned to her hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she established Veriditas Botanicals as one of the Midwest’s leading providers of pharmaceutical-grade, organic essential oils. She sold Veriditas Botanicals in 2016 and now works with the largest essential oil cooperative in the world, SA Plantes Aromatics du Diois. (SAPAD – Link here)

Extracting the most out of a plant’s healing potential requires a human touch, so Melissa is committed to using only organic products from small, independent farms and distilleries. Through annual visits, she has developed strong bonds with and a deep respect for the growers and producers of the essential oils sold by Veriditas. Farris is a member of an esteemed, organically certified cooperative called SAPAD, located in Provence, France. The SAPAD network expands to over 30 countries around the world.

Sustainability through organic and biodynamic farming is at the core of her mission because she knows firsthand how much land and care are required to produce each drop. Farris is proud to reveal the sources of her products, which is a true rarity in the usually tight-lipped market of herbal extracts and essential oils. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications including msn.com and Alternative Medicine Magazine (now called Natural Solutions).

She conducts annual seminars at the prestigious Bastyr University in Seattle, Washington and has delivered lectures around the world, including in Greece, Czech Republic, France and Japan. In the Twin Cites area, she has worked extensively with clients such as HORST (founder of Aveda and Intelligent nutrients), Prince, Aveda and more.

Farris is currently authoring an updated, comprehensive aromatherapy guide.

This is Melissa in 2004, hangin’ in Provence playing with bees. Melissa swears that the reason she was able to sit and “pet” them as they were sucking and pollinating is because they were drunk on the lavender nectar. I guess you will have to go there and judge for yourself!

Melissa Farris shows here the Tea tree lake waters running into the ocean. The water is a rusty brown color, showing the tannins from the tea tree roots. These lakes are sacred and nobody, even Australians, know about them. Next time you are on the Gold coast… try to find them. Hidden gems! Swimming them is the most tannic-rich experience known to man. Totally astringent to the skin ????

Melissa distilling in Corsica France at ENC with her BFF, Bianca. Here, Andrea explains the basics of steam distillation and the florentine flask system of distillation, co-distillate (hydrosol) and the end product, the essential (or volatile oil).

Melissa teaches the basics on how to understand to use the Chemistry Reference Card at a class at Erewhon, Calabasas, California.

Melissa showing the Rose otto roses (Rosa damascena) being picked for distillation at the end of May, This farm is in Kazanlak, Bulgaria, a 4th generation organic rose farm and distillery.

Bernhard Nusstien, Amper Valley, Bavaria, Germany Here Bernhard shows us his biodynamic Angelica. Listen to what he says about when they harvest and how he waits for “the power” to go into the seed for the next planting.

Melissa distilling Horst’s organic Peppermint in Oceola Wisconsin at Horst’s house with Andrea and Jake.

Friend and distiller, Bernhard Nusstein, preparing an organic essential oil sample of Melissa officinalis (lemon balm) in his lab in Bavaria, Germany.