Aromatherapists are currently regulated on a voluntary basis by two regulatory bodies - the General Regulatory Council for Complementary Therapies (GRCCT) and the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC). You can find out more about voluntary regulation on the GRCCT and CNHC websites.
Under the law, how “aromatherapy” products are regulated depends mainly on how they are intended to be used. FDA determines a product's intended use based on factors such as claims made in the labeling, on websites, and in advertising, as well as what consumers expect it to do.
NAHA Level 2 certification courses must contain a minimum of 200 hours of study, including specific information as outlined by NAHA, the completion of case studies, coursework and the passing of a final exam. Many course providers provide more hours than the minimum set by NAHA.
essential oils are NOT regulated. Like dietary supplements, essential oils are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. This means that essential oil products don't need to gain FDA approval before they're brought to the market and sold to consumers.
What is a Certified Aromatherapist? Technically speaking, anyone who has taken a “certification” course in aromatherapy can call themselves a certified aromatherapist. However, certification courses in aromatherapy vary widely and the level of education does too.
How to become an aromatherapist
The Study of Aromatherapy Although there is no formal educational degree program in aromatherapy, you can obtain the necessary skills and information through training programs offered by professional organizations and certificate programs offered by community colleges.