REGISTERED NURSE • FOUNDER • EDUCATOR
Evidence-aware guidance, grounded in prudent care
Hannah Mercer is a registered nurse, mother, and lifelong student of holistic wellness living among the red cliffs and desert landscapes of St. George, Utah.
She founded Essential Oils Pedia to give curious readers a calm, practical resource where evidence matters, safety comes first, and essential oils are discussed without hype.
Registered nurse
A clinical education that informs the questions she asks about evidence, risk, and when professional care matters.
Founder and editor
Focused on practical, approachable essential-oil education that clearly separates possibilities from limitations.
Southern Utah perspective
Her love of desert plants, herbs, and the red-rock landscape keeps the site’s botanical focus connected to daily life.
Her interest began at home
Like many mothers, Hannah was looking for simple, practical ways to make her household feel calmer, more comfortable, and more connected to nature. She began using oils in diffusers, diluted topical blends, bath products, and everyday wellness routines.
But her nursing education taught her to ask deeper questions.
- What does the research actually say?
- Which uses are reasonably supported by evidence?
- How should an oil be diluted?
- Which oils should be avoided around children, during pregnancy, or when taking certain medications?
- When is home care appropriate—and when is it time to call a healthcare professional?
Why she created Essential Oils Pedia
Hannah saw a gap between two extremes. Some sources dismissed essential oils completely, while others made dramatic claims without adequately discussing safety, limitations, or scientific evidence.
She wanted to build something more responsible: a practical, approachable guide for people who want to understand essential oils without being pressured by hype.
Essential Oils Pedia explores the traditional uses, aroma profiles, chemistry, potential benefits, safety considerations, dilution practices, and available research surrounding individual oils. Hannah’s goal is not to tell readers that essential oils can cure everything. Her goal is to help them become informed, thoughtful users who understand both the possibilities and the boundaries of plant-based wellness.
A practical philosophy
Hannah believes essential oils can have a meaningful place in personal wellness, but she does not believe “natural” automatically means harmless. She approaches aromatherapy with both curiosity and caution.
Evidence matters
Traditional use, laboratory findings, early clinical research, and stronger human evidence are not the same. Hannah’s goal is to explain those differences plainly and avoid stretching findings beyond what they can support.
Safety comes first
Essential oils should be used prudently, diluted appropriately, and paired with qualified medical guidance whenever symptoms, medications, chronic conditions, pregnancy, or other health concerns are involved.
Holistic care and conventional medicine do not have to compete
Essential oils may support relaxation, create a comforting environment, complement a self-care routine, or help someone enjoy the sensory benefits of plants. These uses do not require readers to reject appropriate medical care.
What readers can expect
- Practical explanations written for curious readers, including people who are new to essential oils
- Careful separation of traditional use, preliminary findings, and better-supported evidence
- Clear discussion of dilution, routes of use, sensitivities, storage, and relevant precautions
- Honest limits on what an oil can reasonably be expected to do
- Encouragement to seek qualified care when symptoms or personal health circumstances call for it
Life in southern Utah
When she is not researching oils or reviewing studies, Hannah can usually be found exploring southern Utah with her family, tending to her small collection of desert plants and herbs, experimenting with carefully diluted blends, or enjoying a quiet cup of tea while the evening sun settles over the red rocks.
Through Essential Oils Pedia, she hopes to create a trusted resource where curiosity is encouraged, evidence matters, safety comes first, and holistic wellness remains firmly grounded in prudent care.
“I believe essential oils can be valuable tools, but they should never require us to abandon common sense, careful research, or appropriate medical care. The most responsible approach is often one that allows nature and medicine to work alongside each other.”
— Hannah Mercer, RN
Our standards
Read more about the site’s editorial approach, safe-use guidance, and medical disclaimer.
Important health note: Essential Oils Pedia provides general education, not individualized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Essential oils can cause adverse effects and may not be appropriate for every person, route of use, or situation.