Contributor Guidelines

Thank you for your interest in contributing to Botanical Oils. We celebrate the power of plants—oils for body, skin, hair, wellness, and home—and we’re always seeking passionate, evidence-led voices to help our readers learn, create, and thrive.

Please read these guidelines carefully before pitching. Our editorial standards are built by practitioners and science-minded editors. We value real-world experience, transparent sourcing, and safety-first education. If you love plants, science, and beautiful results—write for us.

What We Are Looking For

We accept articles that are:

  • Original: Content must be 100% unique and unpublished elsewhere (including your personal site or newsletter). We run plagiarism and image-rights checks.
  • Actionable: We prefer how-to guides, formulation tutorials, case studies, and analytical pieces with clear takeaways over opinion rants.
  • Depth: Aim for 1,000–2,000 words with a clear structure, scannable subheadings, ingredient lists, precise measurements, and step-by-step methods where relevant.
  • Experience + Evidence: Combine hands-on results (what you made, tested, or observed) with credible citations (peer‑reviewed research, regulatory bodies, safety frameworks such as IFRA guidance, PubMed/NIH, cosmetic chemistry texts).
  • Safety-First: Include appropriate dilutions, patch-testing notes, contraindications, and phototoxicity info where needed. No ingestion of essential oils, no undiluted skin use.
  • Ethical + Transparent: Be clear about sourcing, sustainability, and testing (e.g., GC/MS when applicable). Disclose affiliations. Provide original photos/diagrams with alt text when possible.
  • Trustworthy: Tone should be warm and precise. Avoid exaggerated or medical claims. Educational, not prescriptive.
  • Author Bio: Include a 40–80 word bio highlighting relevant experience (e.g., formulator, aromatherapy training, cosmetic chemist, esthetician), plus one professional link.

Topics of Interest

  • Formulations & Tutorials: body oils, serums, balms, scalp and beard oils, massage blends, cleansing oils, oil-based home care.
  • Ingredient Deep Dives: carrier oils, essential oils, CO2 extracts, absolutes; chemotypes, fatty acid profiles, stability, shelf life.
  • Safety & Dilution Guides: IFRA categories, phototoxic oils, pregnancy and pediatric considerations, skin-sensitivity strategies.
  • Skin & Hair Science: comedogenicity, barrier support, curls/coils/waves routines, scalp microbiome, protective styling with oils.
  • Wellness & Home: diffusion for mood/sleep, mindful rituals, green cleaning with oils, candles and home scenting (safety and performance).
  • Case Studies & Experiments: stability testing, oxidation prevention, side‑by‑side ingredient trials, interpreting GC/MS data.
  • Responsible Sourcing: sustainability, small-batch production, fair trade practices, quality assessment and documentation.

What We Do Not Accept

  • Press releases or sales pitches.
  • Posts with excessive self-promotion or undisclosed affiliate links.
  • Medical claims or content that implies diagnosis, treatment, or cure.
  • Unsupported claims, pseudoscience, or unsafe practices (e.g., ingesting essential oils, undiluted topical use, ignoring phototoxicity).
  • Plagiarism, lifted images, or previously published material.
  • Content generated entirely by AI tools without substantial human expertise and editing.
  • Keyword-stuffed, thin, or spun content.

How to Submit

Please send a concise pitch (2–3 sentences describing your idea), a 3–5 point outline, who the piece is for, your relevant credentials, and links to two samples of your previous writing via the contact us page. Use the subject line “Pitch: [Working Title]”. If we’re interested, we typically reply within 5 business days with next steps (outline approval, draft due date, and our style/sourcing checklist). We can’t guarantee publication of unsolicited drafts, so please pitch first.