Here at Plant Therapy, we are committed to making sure you have the information you need to safely and effectively use all of your essential oils. Due to the volatile and highly concentrated nature of essential oils, comprehensive and understandable guidelines on their appropriate dilution is critical to ensure everyone’s safety. While it might seem overwhelming, here are a few basics so you can learn how to dilute essential oils safely and effectively.
The Purpose of Dilution
Safety and essential oil dilution are inextricably connected to one another. Using an essential oil directly out of the bottle, without diluting it first, can quickly become a one-way ticket to sensitized, irritated skin, or worse. According to world-renowned Essential Oil Safety Expert Robert Tisserand, essential oil dilution has two primary safety concerns. “One, to avoid skin reactions: irritation, sensitization, and phototoxicity. Two, to avoid systemic toxicity, such as fetotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, carcinogenicity, and neurotoxicity. Adverse skin reactions are obvious when they happen, but systemic toxicities may not be. Skin reactions are totally dilution-dependent, and safety guidelines exist to minimize the risk.”
Simply put, we dilute essential oils before applying to the skin to minimize adverse reactions and systemic toxicity. Applying undiluted essential oils to your skin can easily cause short-term or long term adverse reactions, and there is no good reason to take the risk.
Diluting not only saves your skin, but your bank account will appreciate it, too. Diluting with a carrier oil before applying to your skin prevents the essential oil from evaporating as fast as it would if not used with a carrier oil. This reduction in volatility means that more of the essential oil’s therapeutic properties are able to absorb into your skin, it can be spread over a larger area, and you will use less essential oil overall.
Many Types of Carrier Oils
While carrier oils seem like the obvious choice for carrying essential oils, they are not your only option. Lotions, creams, butters, shampoos, conditioners, castile soap, and aloe jellies are fantastic choices to dilute your oils, and many of these products may include natural preservatives, which may suit your needs.
Dilution Rates for Different Situations
Plant Therapy aligns its dilution rate to the Tisserand Institute’s recommendations. These values are approximate and have been rounded to whole drops. Please keep in mind that “drops” are not an exact measurement since the drops depend on the size of the orifice reducer and the viscosity of the oil. Also, the dilution rates presented here do not imply that each rate is safe for all essential oils in all situations.
1% dilution
This rate is recommended for children over the age of 2, facial applications, long term use, daily use, and accessing the subtle energetic effects of the oil.
- 10 mL/ 2 tsp = 3 drops
- 15 mL/ 3 tsp/ 1 tbsp = 4 drops
- 30 mL/ 6 tsp/ 2 tbsp/ 1 oz = 9 drops
2% dilution
This rate is recommended for children, bath and whole body products, and is great for regular daily use of an oil.
Many of our KidSafe blends have dilution recommendations that range from 2-5%. These dilutions are fine to use with children under the age of 10 for spot treatment or acute situations. We do always recommend starting on the low end of dilution recommendations and then working your way up as needed.
- 10 mL/ 2 tsp = 6 drops
- 15 mL/ 3 tsp/ 1 tbsp = 9 drops
- 30 mL/ 6 tsp/ 2 tbsp/ 1 oz = 18 drops
3% dilution
This rate is recommended for specific localized discomfort.
- 10 mL/ 2 tsp = 9 drops
- 15 mL/ 3 tsp/ 1 tbsp = 13 drops
- 30 mL/ 6 tsp/ 2 tbsp/ 1 oz = 27 drops
5% dilution
This rate is recommended for short term use for a specific concern, no longer than two weeks.
- 10 mL/ 2 tsp = 15 drops
- 15 mL/ 3 tsp/ 1 tbsp = 22 drops
- 30 mL/ 6 tsp/ 2 tbsp/ 1 oz = 45 drops
10% dilution
This rate is recommended for small areas of concern and acute situations.
- 10 mL/ 2 tsp = 30 drops
- 15 mL/ 3 tsp/ 1 tbsp = 45 drops
- 30 mL/ 6 tsp/ 2 tbsp/ 1 oz = 90 drops
Essential Oil Dilution Chart
A good rule of thumb is to use one drop of essential oil per teaspoon of carrier oil for a 1% dilution. For a 0.50% dilution, because you cannot measure half of one drop, increase the amount of carrier oil used. If you are unable to add more carrier oil, round down to get a whole number for you essential oil drops. For example, 1.5 drops would become 1 drop. Use the dilution chart below or check out our comprehensive dilution chart.
Dilution for Young Children
Children have thin, porous skin that readily absorbs anything topically applied. We do not recommend essential oils be used topically on premature infants, but you can use essential oils sparingly with full-term infants. The dilution for full-term infants, ages 0-3 months, is 0.10% to 0.20%. This equals 1-2 drops of essential oil per 1 ounce of carrier when being used for whole-body application. For spot usage, you can use 3-9 drops of essential oil per 1 ounce of carrier.
Additionally, we recommend that anyone wanting to use essential oils on children under the age of two years consult with a Certified Aromatherapist or medical professional to help you decide if this is the safest and most effective course of action.
For children ages 3-24 months, we recommend a general dilution of 0.25%-0.5%. This equals 2-4 drops of essential oil per 1 ounce of carrier when being used for whole-body application. For spot usage, you can use 9-27 drops of essential oil per 1 ounce carrier.
For children ages 2-6 years, we recommend a general dilution of 1%-2%. This equals 9-18 drops of essential oil per 1 ounce of carrier when being used for whole-body application. For spot usage, you can use 9-45 drops of essential oil per 1 ounce of carrier.
KidSafe Essential Oil Dilution Chart
The dilutions recommended on this chart are for whole-body applications using our KidSafe essential oils and blends only. For both adults and children, we recommend starting with a lower dilution and adding more for specific applications when needed.
Contact an Aromatherapist Before Going “Neat”
If you still want to use an undiluted essential oil topically, please get advice from a Certified Aromatherapist first. There are some specific situations where using oils neat may be appropriate, however, err on the side of caution. A sudden burn after touching a hot pan or a stinging bug bite are both examples of acute, short-term issues where using an oil neat may be beneficial. If this is the case, receive professional guidance on safe usage. Not only can some essential oils irritate the skin, but you will increase your risk for sensitization. Please note that we always urge safe, conservative use of essential oils so that you can continue to reap the benefits of these wonderful tools without creating additional problems.
Contraindications to Consider
If you are on a course of treatment with prescribed medication, have epilepsy or asthma, have a compromised immune system, are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have any doubts about how an essential oil may negatively affect your health, seek advice from your physician.
Stay Safe!
When it comes to essential oils, the saying “I’d rather be safe than sorry” should be taken seriously. Applying essential oils directly to your skin without proper dilution increases the risk of adverse reactions significantly. Keeping safe use of essential oils in mind, always use the lowest dilution possible that gives you effective results.
If you are concerned about a negative reaction to a new essential oil, we recommend conducting a patch test. For first time use of an essential oil, a safe practice is to place a drop of diluted essential oil to a small area of skin, such as the inside elbow. After application, be aware of adverse reactions for the first 24 hours. Possible reactions include skin irritation, headache, nausea, respiratory complaints, or dizziness.
**The advice shared is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any illness or disease nor is it intended to replace proper medical advice. When using essential oils we always recommend you consult with your doctor.
Looking for more information on essential oil dilution? Check out these in-depth educational pieces from the Tisserand Institute.
Hello, the Tisserand dilution chart has an error. 20mL at 5% would be 30 drops, not 22.5. Hope this helps! Otherwise great information! Thank you!
Thank you for letting us know! We passed this on to the correct department to take a look at and fix, Thank you again. Have a great day
Hi there!
I was wondering if you could speak to how one would properly dilute when using multiple essential oils with different dilution percentages.
For example, let’s say I wanted to add Lemon Essential Oil at 2% and Peppermint Essential Oil at 5% to 100ml of carrier oil. If I follow your chart, 2% in 100ml = 60 drops and 5% in 100ml = 150 drops. I’m assuming I have to reduce these amounts by a certain factor, otherwise, if I were to simply add all 210 drops, the total concentration of essential oils is too high. Is there a formula that would allow me to calculate this?
Any info would be so appreciated!
I just have to say, I’m fairly new to the essential oil community and I am so grateful for all the wonderful information you make available on your website, so thank you!
So you would want to take the max dilution of the oils and compare them if they are all at 2% then you would want your blend to be a 2% for all the oils. Even if one is 5% you would want to stay with the max dilution of the lowest oil as some of the constituents in one oil may be in another oil at a different percentage. Then you would follow the dilution chart for the 2%. We hope this helps!
Hello! I was wondering about using undiluted Rosemary oil on my scalp for hair fullness. I have been doing it for approximately a year already and only just read it might not be the best. I’ve had no problems, only lots of hair growth and way more shine! I put about 20-30 drops on my scalp and ends in the evening and then wash out the next morning. It tingles a bit but I don’t have any burns or increased sensitivity whatsoever.
Could you speak on Rosemary oil specifically? Perhaps toxicity over time?
Hello! We recommend using Rosemary for hair growth and hair loss. We recommend using it for a month and then resting for a month. We even have a hair detox and a hair serum that we recommend to people. We have never heard of any issues with people using it on their hair except for good things. You can always email us at [email protected] if you have further questions. Have a great day!
Hi! I will be welcoming a newborn soon and also have an almost 2 year old. I see that diffusing is considered safer than topical application. If we choose to diffuse kidsafe oils around our 0-2 year olds, should we follow a similar dilution rate. Can you clarify drop amounts per 100ml water? Also, I am hoping to switch to more natural household cleaners. Is it ok to make a household multi-purpose cleaner using kidsafe oils (i.e. germ destroyer) if my newborn is in the house? Is that similar exposure compared to diffusing?
Yes, you can diffuse with a baby, but we wouldn’t recommend doing it with a newborn. We would wait until at least 3 months to diffuse around the baby. You can use the household cleaners using the kidsafe oils but you would want to wait to bring the baby into the room you used it in for about 30 minutes. If you have further questions please email [email protected]
Hello Plant Therapy,
I am Deaf and Multiracial American. I read all that, but I am still not sure about how to put my stuffs properly mixture because I am scared of mess up with it. Of course, I can be trail and error, but not want to make a mistake that can end up waste worth of my oil since they are like… expensive to me. I will be best to ask someone who is experienced using for the medicinal purposes.
Here I am going to say… I bought a bottle of 16 oz. (473 ml) Organic Fractionated Coconut Oil as a carrier oil and 1 oz. (30 ml) Organic Frankincense Essential Oil.
The reason I bought them is for my uterine fibroids (3 tumors within 3 cm) that I diagnosed with it because of low progesterone in March 2017. Oh, yeah, so painful in my lower abdomen~! I am a chronic migraineur with aura for years since I was a little girl. I am fighting with it to get my uterus back to healthy and shrink those tumors. I read all about frankincense, clary sage, and thyme health benefits. They are probably great benefit for uterine fibroids, and… for progesterone, I think.
So~ I want to know how much do I need to put frankincense in 16 oz. fractionated coconut oil bottle that I can use everyday lower abdominal massage until it shrink or gone for good, probably… I hope.
Should I buy some more such as clary sage and thyme essential oils to mix with them in it or just frankincense is good enough to go in it?
What do you think that how much do I need to put them since it said I need to diluted frankincense in carrier oil from dilution ratio?
Look forward to know your message ASAP! Thank you for your time to read my health issue and stuffs I learned.
Sincerely,
Brandi
Hello Brandi! It would be 423 drops of the Frankincense to mix into the entire 16oz of FCO at a 3% dilution rate. Just do not add any of the mixture to your face. Also know that you will just want to stick to the Frankincense and not add other oils to it right now. We hope this helps! Have a great day!
Hi, I’m Jorge. I have been using coconut oil to get rid of candida bacteria but I don’t want to smell like coconut all the time, I also ha e an acne problem and dander the coconut oil works very well but I started mixing essential oil with the coconut oil. I started with lavender oil. Today I bought 5 bottles of essential oils 1 bergamot oil 1 tea tree oil 1 lemon oil 1 pine oil lavender oil ALL .25 oz . Together they make 1.25 oz ( roughly 600 drops of oil ) I mixed that amount with 1 quart of coconut oil ( because I got tired of mixing small amounts. That way I can have a big jar. I looked at the benefits of each oil to help me with the problems I have and they all have benefits that can help me without using them separate because it would take me longer to get ready for work. I looked online for what oils not to mix and these all seemed fine to mix. Any suggestions?
Hello Jorge! This is close to a 2.5% dilution rate So it will be safe to put on you. So you will be good. You will just want to use it within a year or it will start to lose its potency. We hope this helps!
Hi, I’ll be using lemongrass oil as a DAILY body lotion and massager on my body and MAINLY on my legs. Olive oil will be my carrier oil.
If I’m NOT pregnant: what will be the dilution proportion?
If I am pregnant: what will be the dilution proportion? And can I still use this oil recipe daily?
Because Lemongrass can be sensitizing, we recommend a maximum dilution of 0.7% and occasionally alternating which oils you use to further avoid sensitization. Also, Lemongrass is not pregnancy or nursing safe, so we do recommend the use of that oil while you are pregnant.
Thanks for the great article! I’m wondering if I am making a dry shampoo with Rey flour and corn starch, do I still need to dilute the EO? I assume mixing it well into these two powders should dilute it already?
No, we would recommend adding a carrier oil of some sort. While the powder *may* hold the essential oils, if it was to get wet from sweat, etc. it would break down and cause issues.
How much EO should i put in a bottle of body wash (500g)?Do I need to dilute EO with carrier oil first before put in the body wash or I just can put it directly into the body wash? Thank you!
If using body wash, you do not need a carrier oil. However, we recommend 1% dilution for the bath or less.
If i want to dilute EO into say 100ml of liquid soap, how much EO should i put? Thank you!
Hi Renee, for a 1% dilution in 100 mL of liquid soap, you’d use 30 drops of essential oils. You can find a hand dilution chart here.
Hello! I’m making a menstrual cramp oil for myself and my family/friends. I have been doing research on the appropriate dilution for essential oils for the purpose of PAIN. I have been seeing online that for pain, you can dilute from 5-15% or 5-20%. The oil will only be designed for use during the period/for menstrual cramps (temporary pain). I started with a dilution of 12% and it seems effective without skin irritation. Using mainly lavender & clary sage, with small amounts of bergamot, sweet marjoram, frankincense Roman chamomile and ginger. Is this appropriate? Should I advise not to use for more than 2-3 days at a time?
Hi Ebony, when it comes to something like this, we actually recommend a 2-3% dilution, maybe up to a 5% dilution, keeping in mind the individual dilution rates for the oils you’re using. For something like a 10% or 12% dilution, you should absolutely advise to not use more than 2-3 days at a time or dilute it further so it is closer to 2-5%. Often times, there might not be skin irritation right away, but using higher dilutions increases the risk of sensitization down the road.
Two things:
First. This one might be silly but 6 teaspoons of Fractionated coconut oil (liquid) = 6 teaspoons of organic coconut oil (solid). Right? I don’t have fractionated carrier oil so I plan on making a cream instead. 18 drops at 2%.
Second. Not all essential oils are equal correct? Some I have say to avoid skin exposure. Are they referring to avoiding skin contact WITHOUT a carrier? Or in general?
Yes, here we’re referring to Fractionated Coconut Oil. But melting solid coconut oil and adding essential oils is always an option. And you are correct, not all essential oils are equal. There are a couple of oils we don’t recommend using topically no matter what and there are some that require an extremely low dilution rate. As long as you follow the dilution guidelines for each oil that’s found on the label, you can safely use essential oils topically.
I’ve got a question; if, for example, I’m going to prepare a 1% dilution in 120 mL of carrier oil; so, it’d be 36 drops of EO. If I want to add like 3 different EO, that means that I have to use 36 drops of each EO into 120 mL of the carrier oil, 108 drops of EO in total? Thanks, love this site!
Hi Leticia, for a 1% dilution, you’d want to use 36 drops total. If you were to use 36 drops of each oil, you’d end up with a 3% dilution. Hope that helps!
Hi. I want to make a massage oil/ muscle relaxant for my husband and 13 year old son, would you recommend combination of EOs which are effective to dilute in carrier oil? Thanks
We have a number of great options! Muscle Aid, Tension Relief and Rapid Relief are all fantastic essential oil blends for this. Or you can check out this Sore Muscle Master Blend DIY.
I apologize since I am new to using essential oils so this may seem like a silly question, but is there a similar chart or information on how many drops of essential oil to use when you are using a diffuser?
There isn’t (although that’s something we’ll look into creating). Much of diffusion depends on the size of our room, the purpose of the blend, and scent of the oils you’re using. You’ll often find drop recommendations on the back of our labels. A good rule of thumb is to start small and keep adding from there.
Hello
I have 3-4 Essential oils that i want to add in a 500ml coconut carrier oil but i don’t know have much essential oils to put in could someone give me some advice thanks
Hi Martina, the dilution for your essential oils depends on the individual oils. You can find the dilution rate for each oil on the label. From there, you can use this guide (and our dilution chart) to help you make your recipe.
Does the number of times you apply the diluted oil in a day change the safety ratio recommended? I understand that 1% to 2% is a good amount for daily use, but wondering if it is safe to use the oils two or more times a day and if the percentage needs to adjusted. Also, if oils are applied to a large area, such as body lotion, does this alter the safety ratio recommended? Thank you
A 1-2% dilution is low enough to apply as needed throughout the day. For full-body applications, a 1% dilution should be used.
Hello dear, pls, can a pregnant lady use the anti age blend that has been dilluted in a carrier oil by the 1% ratio on her face?
Unfortunately, Anti Age is not pregnancy and nursing safe. You can find a full list of our pregnancy and nursing safe oils here.
I have a question about adding multiple oils to say a 10ml roller bottle at 2% dilution. Would six drops be the total for all the oils or 6 of each oil I want to mix?
That would be six drops total in your roll-on.
I’m making a 10ml roller bottle of oregano, cinnamon bark, and clove bud EOs to be used for Lyme disease. How many drops of each should I use, and where is the best place to apply it? And how often? Thank you!
Hi Karen, those three oils have incredibly low dilution rates and should be used with caution. You should also consult with your doctor regarding Lyme disease.
I added 12 drops of Plant therapy anti age blended essential oil in 10ml of Jamaican Castor oil, and I’ve been using it for like a month now. I just mixed another tonight. Pls, is it safe? Or should I just pour it out and do the 2% ratio rate. I’m using it to tackle deep laugher lines around my mouth. So far, i’ve really not seen any result yet. If you know the best essential oil and carrier oil that can be used for that, pls, do let me know, pls…. Thanks
The skin on your face is quite delicate, so we recommend sticking to a 1% dilution for regular use (which would be 3 drops). You don’t have to toss your mixture, maybe just add more carrier to further dilute it. And if castor oil isn’t doing the trick for you, you might try one of our carrier oil blends like Younger Glo.
Thanks so much for the Info. I’ve really learnt a lot from the questions you answered too.
Please I’m new to Essential oils and carrier oils usage soI like to know how long a diluted essential oil can last.
What about if I add variety of essential oils to carrier oils, can it be stored for months?
Thank you
Hi Janet! Any time you add essentials to a carrier oil, the shelf life will the same as whatever ingredient has the lowest shelf life. Here’s the shelf life chart for our carrier oils and essential oil singles!
Thank you for sharing this information! I have been trying to get more and more into the EO world and your site is super helpful. I recently ordered the PT Coconut Oil and was wondering if we are putting a little bit of carrier oil on our hand (and not measuring and putting it into bottles yet), how do you decide how many drops of oil to use? Thanks!
Hi Savannah, we don’t recommend mixing essential oils in a carrier oil in your palm as it has the potential for getting undiluted oils directly on your skin. It might be an extra step, but measuring everything out in a bottle first is the safest way to go!
Hello Im making a rose infused oil for the face it’s going to make a little over 6 oz I’m using grape seed and sweet almond oil as my carrier how many frankincense EO should I put in it??? Thanks saying this sight to my fav lol
Hi Monica, if you’re making a face serum, we recommend using a 1% dilution, which would be 9 drops per ounce (54 drops total). We have this handy dilution chart that you can reference any time you need!
Thanks so much for such a detailed blog. Another thing for this blog is that 1% dilution is also for the immuno compromised, and this is the one I try to use most times. It is also due to skin senstivities.
So I’m trying to understand dilution and what it means. If I understand correctly, the lower the %age of the dilution the less amount of oil there is. Making it safer for long term use. The higher the %age of the dilution the more oils is in it making it better for short term use. If that makes sense.
That’s exactly it! The only other thing you have to keep in mind is any specific dilution requirements for certain oils (like Cinnamon).
Hi
My husband has a nasty fungus in his big toe nail, I wanted to use oregano oil to see if it helps do I need to dilute the oregano oil?
thanks
Oregano is a great choice to help with that, but it absolutely must be diluted. Because it is a very powerful oil, dilute to a maximum of 1% in a carrier oil. You can always combine with other oils that are helpful for this issue like Citronella and Tea Tree. Here’s a DIY that combines a few of those oil for this issue.
Does waxes and butters count as carriers also when calculating dilution rates?
Yes, they do!
I have a blend recipe for slimming. It has 105 drops to be topped up with FCO in a 120ml (4oz) bottle. Is that a safe dilution? What percentage is that? its for a DIY Skinny wrap. Should I be doing this???
105 drops in 4 oz of carrier is about a 3% dilution, which is safe for short term use on smaller areas. If you’d feel more comfortable, you can drop that number down to 72 for a 2% dilution (the same dilution rate we use for a similar slimming wrap).
Hi. How would you form the equation to know how many drops to use for a percentage. Like if I had an 8oz of oil and the essential oil was 2% of the 8oz how would I know how many drops that is?
Hi Jan, we have a comprehensive dilution chart that you can use for larger calculations like that. For example, you would find your desired percentage, check how many drops in one ounce and then times that by eight!
Is there a particular oil that’s recommended above others to use as a carrier? I have a few bottles of argan oil at home. Can I use that or should I go ahead and buy the fractionated coconut oil? Thank you
Fractionated Coconut Oil is a popular choice because it’s so versatile, odorless and has a lighter viscosity. Argan oil is another great option because it’s very nourishing to the skin and is rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids. You really can’t go wrong with either! And if you already have Argan oil, it’s worth using what you have. You can always check out our Carrier Oil Chart as a quick reference guide.
I would like to know if the dilution formula also applies to making essential oil perfumes? Thanm you!
Since perfumes get applied topically, you’ll still want to stick to the recommended dilution rates.
Thank you so much for these dilution guides! I’m hosting an aromatherapy DIY get-together at my house this weekend and this is going to be so helpful.
Hello, I’m new to using EO but i’m jumping in and wanting to blend my own for my personal/family use. One thing I cannot figure out is if I have a recipe to mix 1 oz of oil total, how this recipe will fit into 1 oz bottle, for instance for Immune support: Grapeseed – 2 tablespoons, 2 drops Lavendar EO, 2 drops of Niaouli EO and 2 drops of Rosemary EO. This recipe does not seem to have enough EO and too much carrier and it doesn’t seem like it would fit into a 1 oz bottle. From the chart on the site i would use 27 drops of EO correct? Any advice would be helpful. All of my recipes has 2 tablespoons of carrier oil so i’m a little confused.
Dilution can be a bit tricky at first. One ounce of carrier oil will still fit in a one-ounce bottle, even when you add essential oils to it. A small dilution of essential oils shouldn’t add enough volume to cause the mixture not to fit. You can always err on the side of caution by using a larger bottle. As for your recipe, six drops is a less than 1% dilution, which is quite conservative. 27 drops in an ounce would be 3% dilution, which is fine for short term or localized use. You might try a 1-2% dilution (9-18 drops) for regular, daily use. You can find a more detailed dilution chart here that should be more helpful.
I have seen different dilution charts out there. I go by PT rule of thumb for dilution. This is a great post. Thanks for having this posted.
This is very interesting information! I’m new to PT and I’m loving the learning curve it is taking me on. I am realizing I have not been diluting essential oils nearly enough. Like, for years now.
Recipe calls for: 15 drops lavender, 10 drops vetiver, 5 drops Frankincense, 5 drops ylang ylang and 5 drops of wild orange, combined in 10ml roller and top off with fractionated coconut oil? is this safe?
With 40 total drops in 10 mL of oil, this would be well over a 10% dilution, which far is more than we recommend using on a regular basis. You can either reduce the number of drops or increase the amount of Fractionated Coconut Oil to achieve a 2-3% dilution.
Great post! I am just starting ti use roller bottles and needed some guidelines for dilution!
Hello! I want to mix 2 carrier (grapeseed and jojoba oil) with 1 EO (rosehip oil). what woulld be the good ratio for this. I will use this after my serum or combine it with moisturizer. Thank you in advance
Hi Richelle, if you’re looking to make a facial serum, we recommend a 1% dilution for your essential oils. And Grapeseed and Jojoba would make a great combination. You can try equal parts or adjust based on your skincare needs.
Is Rose-hip oil an essential oil? I’ve been using it as a carrier for creepy skin serum.
Rosehip is a carrier oil. You’re absolutely safe to use for a skin serum.
Hi, I am interested in trying a 3% dilution with 9 drops of essential oils to include rosemary, lavender, and clary sage in two tsp of grapeseed oil. I want to use this to improve thinning hair on my scalp. After several months if there is no issue, I’d want to try 13 drops of the same oil mixture in one tbsp of grapeseed oil. Do you think there will be any issue with this combo of oils if using on my scalp at least 2-3 times a week, and possibly increasing if it is well tolerated? Thanks
Hey there! We would recommend a lower dilution for the scalp and also for situations where you’re going to be using an oil for an extended period of time. For the scalp, I would go with a 1% dilution which would be 9 drops of essential oil in 1oz of carrier.
Hello I’m wanting to add multiple oils to a carrier for a daily facial serum. Would it be better to do a 1% or 2% dilution? Also when it has the total drops to use per a ounce do I divide that amount since I will be using multiple oils?
Hi Melissa! The dilution rate would depend on which oils you choose to use in your facial serum. Once you decide on your oils, please reach out to our team of aromatherapists at [email protected] to help you with the number of drops you’ll use.
Thank you so much for this. I have this link saved as it makes it nice and easy to figure out how many drops of oil in a carrier I need when making a roller bottle (or something else) for either myself or my children.
I am doing a home made insect repellent. 40drops of citronella, 20 drops of eucalyptus, 20 drops of tea trea with 40 drops of lemon grass makes up 6g, 20 percent of 30ml. The eco solvent we are using is 24g. Is this concoction safe?
Hi Nancy, please reach out to our team of aromatherapists at [email protected] and they will help you make sure you’re using a safe dilution.
Hi, I am new to your site and have many questions. First some background; I am a certified aromatherapist through another company that is not a MLM company, but had master distributors/teachers and people who were trained were able to purchase oils from our teachers at a discount from the “rack rate.” FYI pertaining to my next questions and comments, I’m aware that my training differs from every other companies’ I’ve ever heard of. My teachers (and I) are separating from the company we’ve been with for many years for personal reasons and so now I am researching other companies. First, I was trained to NEVER dilute oils, but instead to know which oils can cause photosensitivity, or burn the skin along with any other deleterious effects -same goes for ingestion. Each bottle has the physicaI temperature as well as the emotional/spiritual temperature printed, as do my training materials. I was also taught never to blend oils but to layer them instead. The rationale behind that was that blending does not honor the plant and its’ intrinsic nature, as well as the possible chemical changes that can occur with blending. So you can see why I am now somewhat confused. I am looking for a company that will help my practice grow as well as being ethical and willing to train accordingly. Can you help?
Yes I think we can! Come look around, we have tons of great resources!
Thank you for this article! I’m new to the EO world, and this is so helpful! I do have a question, though. When I’m using EOs in a recipe that has other ingredients, like witch hazel or rose water, as well as a carrier oil, how would I dilute it? Would I base the dilution off of the amount of carrier oil used within the recipe, or how much the recipe makes all together?
This is a great question! Since oil and water doesn’t mix, you would base the dilution off of just the carrier oil because of this.
This is a very helpful post. I see that the dilution chart is available in magnet form which might be really helpful. https://www.planttherapy.com/dilution-chart-magnet-6995
Thank you so much for this info! I’m bookmarking this blog post
Thank you so so much for this. I am new to using essential oils for aromatherapy (vs just scenting my diy products and not realizing %s matter) and this breakdown is exactly what I needed!
This is so helpful! Thank you so much!
Can I just say how much I appreciate the clear details Plant Therapy provides, the helpful feedback to Qs posted here, and that I love the user-friendly charts you provide? It’s easy to copy the image and save for future reference. (Trying to be digitally organized to save paper.)
Thanks for the post! Very handy to print out and store with my oils
Thank you, this is very helpful.
Thank you for the charts! Very helpful!
I used to always have a rogue drop or 2 messing up with my dilution rate when making blends. Found a solution! I bought tiny bottles to mix my blends before adding to carrier oils. If those rogues get into the mix, I would simply adjust my portions.
Great tips! Love the pictures!
As a hair restoration topical, I’ve been given a recommendation of an EO mix totaling 17 drops. Forgive my ignorance, but how much carrier oil should be added to that for an adult male?
Using 17 drops of EO to one ounce of carrier will make about a 2% dilution, which is safe to use topically for hair restoration 🙂
This is a great post with tons of helpful information. The charts are especially helpful!
I’m so happy to see this information here, plainly written for all to see! I see so many people with affiliations to mlms providing and recommending unsafe dilutions and practises. I’m happy plant therapy cares about its customer base so much!
Very useful post! I am trying to make roller ball with Tea Tree for my daughter’s acne and this made it simple to figure out the right dilution. Although since most of my containers are in ml I do prefer measurements in that rather than oz . . . even though the math is simple I tend to make simple mistakes lol!
This is the same question someone else asked but they didn’t get a response… is the dilution guide for each essential oil added or for the total drops of essential oil added regardless of variety? Example: for a 0.5% dilution I would add 3 drops to 4 tsp. of carrier oil. If I wanted peppermint and rosemary, would I add three drops of each to that 4 tsp. or 3 drops total – splitting the 3 drops between the two essential oils..?
Laura, the dilution recommendations are for *total* drops added for all oils in your blend. So if you wanted a Peppermint/Rosemary blend at a 0.5% dilution, you would split the 3 drops between the two essential oils. The easier way to do this would be to change your amount of carrier rather than try to get 1.5 drops of each oil, since half a drop can be a bit tricky to determine. For instance, if you did 3 tsp of carrier oil, a 0.5% dilution would be 2 drops, allowing you to do an easy one drop of each Peppermint and Rosemary 🙂 I hope this helps!
Thanks for the tips. I am fairly new to EO’s I have been trying to make roller blends with 10mls and 2mls rollers. So how does the dilution ratio change when you use several types of oils? If your trying to get 1% in a 10 ml roll on is that 6 drops of each oil or 6 total? If it is 6 drops total doesn’t that make the percentage of each individual oil less than 1%? Thanks for the help.
In a 10 mL roll on bottle, you would only need 3 drops *total*. 6 total drops would equal a 2% dilution. Also, yes, if you stick with the total number of drops for a certain percentage, each oil would be less than 1%. If you would like a higher overall percentage, you could go up to 3%, which would be 9 total drops, making the amount of each EO you use a bit higher. I hope this helps!
Sorry I didn’t get it. I have lavender and tree tea essential oils, how can i make 3 percent dilution??
And can we use it on body?
Dichhya, yes you absolutely can use Lavender and Tea Tree on the body! A 3% dilution would be 13 total drops in a tablespoon of carrier oil or lotion. Or, you could make a larger batch and do an ounce of carrier or lotion with a total of 27 drops. Hope this helps!
Sorry i didn’t get it . I have lavender and tree tea essential oils , how can i make 3 percent dilution??
Thanks for the info. I’m new to EOs and have made up some lavender bottles, peppermint bottles, and lemon oil bottles without this knowledge. I have added probably at least 2-3 times as much EOs as I should have. Would it be best for me to throw these out, or may I continue to use them? I heard they needed to be diluted with carriers but they may likely be at least 5-10 percent … that probably shouldn’t be. I’ve used argan oil mostly and I use it on body, hands and feet. Thanks again
Pris, I’d hate to recommend throwing anything out! Is there a way you can add more carrier oil? Maybe transfer your mixture to a larger bottle and fill it with more carrier? My largest concern here would be the Lemon, as that’s a phototoxic oil and shouldn’t be diluted to higher than 2% for some serious safety concerns. Although Lavender and Peppermint pose less of a risk being at a high dilution, there is a big difference between them being anywhere from 5% to 10%. A dilution like that would be OK for short-term, acute use for a specific issue, but not daily.
Are dilution percentages for each single oil you use, or would you make your blend first and then determine the dilution percentage for the whole blend?
Ada, if you are making a blend of essential oils, the entire blend should have a dilution percentage around 2 or 3%, ideally (but of course this depends on what you designing your blend for). You could also make your blend first, keep track of the amount of all the oils you have included, then add enough carrier oil to get the end dilution you are looking for. I hope this helps!
That makes sense. Thank you!
This is confusing to me. If there are 20 drops in 1 ml, there would be 200 drops in 10 ml. Therefore, I would think that a 2% solution would be .02 X 200 which equals 4 drops, not 6. And a 3% solution would be .03 X 200 which equals 6 drops, not 9. Am I wrong on this? Thanks!
So, this is inherently a kind of confusing subject. Since “drops” is not a scientific measurement, and because the viscosity of each essential oil can impact their drop size, it’s very difficult to get the *exact* right amount. Plant Therapy follows the dilution guidelines of Essential Oil Safety Expert Robert Tisserand, which you can find here: https://tisserandinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/EO-dilution-chart.pdf or even more information here: https://roberttisserand.com/ Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of aromatherapists at [email protected] if you need more information 🙂
I have been as equally nervous as other users on this topic and grateful for all PT staff’s patient answers. I wonder if PT can one day create an online dilution calculator for all sorts of purpose? That’ would be a gospel for all users!
That is a fantastic idea, Tina! I will definitely pass that idea along to the marketing team 🙂
Very good information. I ordered the dilution rate magnet and will also be printing one out to keep handy
Thank you for this post. I love all that I am learning about EO, and that you give handy little guides to help.
So if you want to make a roller for severe nausea what is the highest dilution for an adult when it will only be used for a couple of days?
Laura, you will have to look at the highest dilution recommendation for the EO you are wanting to use for this. That recommendation will either be on the bottle or the product’s website page. Often, a 3% dilution works great, but you’ll need to make sure the oil you are using can safely be diluted that high. You’re also welcome to contact our team of aromatherapists at [email protected] for more information 🙂
Thank you for this article. It’s a great reference especially for those of us that are still new to EOs.
Great information…not only for newbies but as a reminder for all.
This information was incredibly helpful! I especially appreciate the chart and clear explanations of teapoons, tablespoons, and oz per number of drops.
Great tips and clear instruction on how to safely use oils! I love learning more about how oils used correctly are a great addition to any wellness routine.
Thank you for the information and chart. I’m new to EO and am thankful for the guidance I can find here.
Hi thank you for the info, it really helps. Still i need to ask if i add 2 carrier oils making it 25ml in all, i need to add 6 EOs in it. How many drops should i add? Can i add 2 drops of each? Also can i add more drops of lavender oil? Btw i’m making this serum for my face
According to the info in this article, facial applications should be diluted at 1%. 1% dilution with 30 ml carrier oil uses 9 drops essential oils. So with your 25 ml carrier oil, it would be best to use 1 drop of each of your 6 oils, then 1 or 2 drops of the lavender that you are wanting to add extra, for a total of 7 to 8 drops of essential oils to 25 ml carrier oil.
So grateful for this information. Used to purchase from MLM company, and they didn’t provide much education. I’m a Plant Therapy fan for life.
We’re so happy you’re part of our PT family, Teresa! Thank you for your kind comment 🙂
I haven’t purchased any of your oils yet, but your safety standards are making me want to! I love that you focus so much on safety, especially with the kiddos! So my question is, is dilution for the face the same as dilution for the undereye area? I was thinking of making an undereye roller. Thank you!!!
Kimberly, we actually do not recommend using an essential oil blend right under the eyes. If the EOs get into your eyes it can be incredibly painful and may lead to short or long term damage. Instead, we recommend that for the undereye area, only carrier oils or infused carrier oils are used. These are much more gentle for this delicate and very important area, and they also provide tons of amazing benefits! You can learn more about carrier oils and all their benefits here: https://blog.planttherapy.com/blog/2018/12/15/focus-on-carrier-oils/
I’m so glad you told me this, thank you!!!
Thank you! This has been so helpful! I’ve always been unclear about the dilution guidelines but this article explains everything so well!
Thank you for the detailed explanation on how to properly dilute EO’s. Even after almost 2 years if using it, I still tend to get confused. I will print this for easy access in case I forgot again lol!
Love this! Thanks so much for keeping us safe!
This post is very helpful. There are many recipes out there, so it is good to have a definitive guide for safety. I feel more comfortable in making blends as a result of having a chart like this. Also, it’s good to have one place to refer back to as I sometimes forget how many ml = how many drops or how many tsps are in an ounce or vice versa, etc. Good job, Plant Therapy!
This is so so useful!
I’m pretty new to essential oils and I wanted to make a chest rub for my kids. The base is made up of coconut oil, shea butter and beeswax and once melted yields 4oz. What’s a safe dilution/drops of sniffle stopper to use for kids ages 5-7?
Laura, for a 3% dilution in 4 oz, we recommend a total of 108 drops of Sniffle Stopper. Our maximum recommendation is all the way up to 5%, which would be 180 drops. As long as you stay within those guidelines, your chest rub will be perfectly safe to use for your children 🙂
Thanks for always going the extra step to help your customers make the most out of every purchase! No more guess work. I will be referring back to this one OFTEN!
Thank you for sharing great reliable info!
So, to make sure I understand, if I want to make a blend for my face in a 10ml roller, I should add three drops of EO and then top off with carrier?
That’s absolutely right! 3 drops to 10 mL would make a 1% dilution, which is perfect for the face 🙂
While I’m awaiting a response, here’s my second question. Are body butters known as carrier oils as well? I ask that because if I’m using them in combination with an actual carrier oil, how do I know how much of a dilution i’m using? Hypothetically speaking, if I’m using 2 tbsp of almond oil and mixing it with let’s say 1/4 cup of cocoa butter, how much would that be in total for me to figure out how many drops of EO to use? If I wanted to add another butter, how do I figure it out then? I hope I’m not confusing anyone. I appreciate any information.
Yes, body butters can be great carriers for essential oils. In order to get the dilution correct, you will need to add up all of the carriers you are using for your recipe first, then determine how many drops would be appropriate. So, a little math is involved here and possibly some measurement conversion. Since 1/4 cup equals 4 tablespoons, add that to the 2 tablespoons of Almond Oil for a total of 6 tablespoons. If you add another carrier, include that into your equation. We’re always here to help, so contact us directly at [email protected] or [email protected]
Hello, I’m fairly new to this and am so anxious to begin coming up with my own blends instead of always having to look up recipes on the site. But it’s very useful for beginners so I can’t complain. I still seem to be stuck on 2 things. First, I’d like to make a 10ml roller bottle blend for my son who has ADHD, so he needs serious redirection in school along with other stuff related to the disorder. Now I know that I would use 6 drops total for the 10ml bottle. Here’s where the confusion comes in. If I were to use 2 or 3 different oils, how do I know how many drops of each oil to use? This would also apply to other blends I would like to make in general. Sometimes I see blends that say use equal parts and sometimes they’re all different amounts. I even tried going the 3,2,1 route with Top, Middle, and Base notes. It’s really confusing and I hope someone can make it simpler to understand.
Toni, you may have to try some experimenting to find out what combination of oils you like best! That’s one of the best parts about aromatherapy – as long as you stay safe by adhering to the dilution guidelines, the actual recipe you make can be totally up to you! If you feel more comfortable with only using premade recipes, reach out to our aromatherapists at [email protected] and I’m sure they can help you out 🙂
Thanks for all the great information. I like to mix about 5 different essential oils together with a carrier oil. If the chart says 10 drops of essential oil should I put 10 drops of each or is 10 the total amount for all the essential oils combined?
Belinda, 10 drops would mean a total amount. Great question!
This is just what I’ve been looking for. Thank you for the great information.
This dilution chart has been so helpful! Thank you for the informative article and the chart.
Thank you for taking the guess work out of dilution. Before I found PT I had read many books, blogs, and never clearly understood what the % meant when it came to drops. I was always using an online conversion sight. You have made it so much easier!
I think the answer will be yes, of course. But, just out of interest, should I make all the tools and containers (using during dilute processing) supposed to sterilised ?
Thanks for great informations though. I am really enjoying learning about essential oil worlds lately from you 🙂
Clean, sterilized tools would be the best! That way you can be sure there are no extra components getting into your blend 🙂
Thanks for quick answer for my question! Now it’s time to me to try then 🙂 Always using your roll-ons but getting excited / nervous to try by myself. haha
I discovered you one month ago and already placed two orders. Can’t wait fot the oils to arrive in Romania. Your site is an universe. I very much apreciate you because this is not just an e-commerce store, it’s a “classroom” where anybody can learn about this amazing domain of pure essentials. Thank you! I am reading about it every day.
Thank you so much for your wonderful comment, Mada! We are so glad you are enjoying the information we love to share with customers 🙂
Very informative. But I have a question. If you are using more than one essential oil in a dilution do the essential oils count as a carrier oil for the other essential oils in the blend?
This was extremely helpful! I love the effort that is put into these blog post. Thankyou Planet Therapy
Great article! I re-read this post a few times just to give myself a refresher. Also, shared this many times with family and friends. Thanks again PT!
This may be a silly question, or please direct me to the location of this information: what does one use for the dilution? Your hand? A small container? Is that what the empty, amber bottles you can purchase used for? I’m fairly new to all of this! Thanks!
That’s not a silly question at all, Kelley! How you dilute depends a lot on what you are trying to make. If I want to use some Skin Restore (for example) after a shower, honestly, I’m going to pour about a teaspoon worth of a carrier oil in the palm of my hand, then add my Skin Restore directly to that (since it has a 3% dilution, I would use about 3 or 4 drops), rub it in my hands together, then rub it where I want on my skin. On the other hand, some people prefer to mix them in a separate container before applying to their skin. If you want to make something like a bath salt, I would say to mix the carrier oil and essential oil in a container first, since it’ll have to hold salt as well. I hope this makes sense! But it really all boils down to whatever your preference is, and as long as you know the essential oil is safely diluted, it doesn’t really matter how you mix it up 🙂
This is so helpful! I appreciate the wealth of information and education PT provides to their customers
Thank you so much for this information! It’s super helpful.
Thank you. I love PT’s commitment to safety and education. Before OT I had been using essential oils for many years and sometimes not safely. I had done quite a bit of reading and research but I was never aware of sensitization and that is so beyond important! Essential oils are a great compliment to health but need to be treated with respect for the potent gift they are!
This post is wonderful. I’m so happy that PT promotes safe dilution rate. So many other oil companies don’t, they just care about sale.
this is great information, especially for those starting out with EO’s.
very helpful post because i always dilute for the kidsafe and will dilute the essential oil with correctly
Very comprehensive. I am very impressed with all the information in this page alone! It sure helps me to make diluted essential oil properly! Thank you PT!
This is such great information. With a 4 month old at home this helps put me at ease!
Thank you! The dilution charts are extremely helpful!
Thank you for this post! I was unsure how to make rollers and dilutions for kids and this chart helps so much!!
Great information!
Great information about dilution. As a beginner I was nervous about using the oils on my children. This blog decreased my apprehension.
Thanks for this information! I’m new to essential oils and was nervous about dilution, so I ordered roll-ons for my first batch. Once I feel a little more comfortable with their use, I will definitely be referencing this page.
You’re welcome! If you ever need any assistance with us, you can always contact Customer Service 🙂
Thanks for this. I have been mostly diffusing and using inhalers, but I’d like to start making applying topically and I was very confused as to how to use the carrier oils with them. So this helps a lot.
Thank you! I am very new to essential oils as I just placed my order today and I can’t wait for them to arrive and being able to start using them. This chart will help a lot.
Rebecca, we are so excited for you to start your oily journey with us!
Thanks for such a comprehensive article! I’m happy to have good articles to refer my friends to, so they can learn as well!
Thank you for sharing this information with your friends to learn from as well 🙂
Thank you! Always learning!
Good information. But you say “Using an essential oil directly out of the bottle, without diluting it first, can quickly become a one-way ticket to sensitized, irritated skin, or worse.” Isn’t personal inhaler or wearables pretty much the same as sniffing the bottle? There is no dilution there…
Nora, this is an excellent question! So, when referring to using undiluted, we are referring to topical use, not about use for inhalers, or diffusion. When applying oils topically we recommend diluting with a carrier oil.
This was so informative, especially since i have a 2 year old. Thanks for the information.
Thank-you for this information on diluting. I am new to essential oils and was not clear at all as to what to do with them, especially for applying topically.
You’re welcome Jayne! Please feel free to reach out to our Customer Service team if you ever need assistance with the dilution process.
I love rollerball application and knowing exactly how much to use based on which oil is very helpful. Thank you for the detailed explanation.
You’re welcome Jen! It’s a must have for roller bottle making 🙂
As someone who uses essential oils for a little and myself, thus is not only extremely helpful, but also a great guide to share with others. Friends and family ask about oils and I love sharing safe information to help get them started.
Dilution is such an important factor when using Essential Oils. We’re happy to provide this kind of information to help ensure our customers are using oils safely. Thank you for sharing with friends and family!
We are are a brand new retail store opening in Oklahoma. Although we have been using essential oils for years, the information and education that Plant Therapy provides is invaluable when helping educate customers and actually being able to give them a printed copy to take home is so very important for many reasons. Thank you Plant Therapy for all that you do. You make it easier for us to educate and keep our customers safe, happy, and coming back.
Sheri, thank you for passing along our Dilution Safety information to your customers! It’s something that we take very seriously at Plant Therapy and is such an important part of using essential oils
Thanks for posting this
Excellent information! Thank you PT for always keeping safety a top priority!
Thanks for this blog post. I just forwarded this to a friend who told me that she was taught by a MLM seller of essential oils to put one drop of Peppermint essential oil under her tongue every morning or everytime she needs to stay alert!!
One question:may I know how many ml there are in one teaspoon and one tablespoon?
For example, if I want to get a one percent dilution in 10ml,how many drops do I have to put in the carrier oil? I like reusing the PT rollerbottles.=)
Karen, 1 teaspoon = 5ml and 1 tablespoon = 15ml
1% in a 10ml roller bottle would need 3 drops of EO. So you would add the 3 drops, then fill the rest of that roller with your preferred carrier oil 🙂
Thanks for reusing those!
Kiana, Thank you! I copied this information down on my notebook just now.
You’re very welcome!
Thank you Kiana. I just copied this on my organizer
Thank you so much for this & I am gonna print this out because I have see so many others using another brand of essential oils & putting them on your skin & the skin of kids without diluting them!!! That is not a good idea & I am very thankful that you have this explained so well.
Nicole that is an excellent idea! We love to share information on how to safely use essential oils for adults and children 🙂 Hope you have a great weekend!
Hi! Thanks for this detailed information which is useful for beginner like me. Quick question – so basis above, for a 3 month old, is it 3-9 drops in a 10ml bottle for spot usage? Tia!
You’re very welcome Ida! It’s very useful information and something that is referenced often in the world of Oils 🙂 You are correct with your spot treatment dilution. 3-9 drops for 10ml bottle for a 3 month old.
Thank you so much for this blog post! I found it incredibly helpful and had no idea I’d been using oils wrong the whole time. I copied the chart onto an index card and taped into my box of oils for a quick reference…which I’ve already used multiple times this week.
You’re welcome, Jillian! This Dilution Chart is a must have if you are using EOs topically. I love the idea of copying it on a index card so it’s always readily available 🙂
Carrier oils and dilution is such a vital part of the essential oil usage that I’m glad that PT is committed to blogging on this great topic
Thank you for such a good load of info! So glad I found you guys early on in my oily journey – the only oil I ever applied neat was peppermint when I had a migraine a few times but SO glad I quickly learned from this company the proper way to help ourselves with oils through proper dilution!!
Great information as always! I thought the discussion on dilution rates and when to use them was particularly useful.
So informative! Love the help continuing to educate myself about essential oils
Great information!! Thank you for the charts!
Being relatively new to essential oils this infirmation was very valuable, thank you.
Thank you for sharing this information. It comes in handy 🙂
Great info on dilution! Thanks for posting! Unfortunately the MLM companies are constantly telling people to use most of their oils “Neat”. I had to learn the hard way with a rash on my chest after using neat.
Helpful Info but I would also like to see safety guidelines for diffusing. I have the large diffuser and often think I may be adding too many drops to the water.
Thank you for this guide i have been wondering how to safely dilute! And the charts are super handy!!
Great post! I am wondering if you could please do a post and share for us which E.O to use on specific bug bites; mosquito, wasp, yellow jacket, etc.
Thank you!
Thanks Kimberly! I will be sure to pass your suggestion along. Lavender is usually a great option for most bug bites 🙂
Thank you so very much for this wonderful information. Will be printing and adding to my EO education binder.
This really helped me in deciding what and how much to use with my 3yr old. So now we will have separate roll-ons. Thanks so much!!!
I always keep copies of my charts with me as a guide when using oils. Thank you for this comprehensive article and always putting safety first.
So many people use essential oils in an unsafe manner and it baffles me. Thank you for the useful information and for helping people stay safe!!
Thanks for the post! This information is very useful as I have been using my oils I’m roller balls. Does anyone have recommendations for which carrier oil they prefer?
Lindsay, here is a great download page that helps give you a better idea of the differences between the carrier oils: https://www.planttherapy.com/pdfs/carrier_oil_chart.pdf
Wonderful information! Now I don’t have to guess at dilution rates. Thank you! The charts are fantastic!
Wow, this is great information! And so easy to understand! Thank you! I love the chart graphics, too!
This blog is CHOCK FULL of great info! Thanks for my dilution chart that I keep on my fridge. I’ve been using oils for a year and a half but just recently going beyond diffusing.This entire blog might be worth printing out, it’s excellent and I need to read it frequently to get it in my head for keeps!
Very informative!! Thank you for making safety a priority!
this is awesome! the only thing that would be even more helpful is to have an explicit chart for number of drops and dilution rates to different size roller bottles. speaking of, is plant therapy ever going to sell their own empty roller balls? i’d buy those in a second!
Sarah, you may find this chart more helpful: https://www.planttherapy.com/blog/2013/12/04/essential-oil-dilution-chart/
And at this time, we do not have any info as to whether we will be selling the roller balls separate from the roller bottles we sell. I would be happy to pass your suggestion along though 🙂
Very handy to have taped inside of the cabinet door for quick reference.
Thank you for all of this wonderful information. These dilution charts are so handy
Very thorough! Thanks for the visuals
Thank you plant therapy for sharing this. Very helpful information especially to those who are starting on their oil journey.
Thank you so much for all of the information here. DefimDefinlearned some things from this blog
Thank you thank you for the dilution charts! I saved them both to my Pinterest.
Thank you for posting this! Such needed information. Oils are so powerful and require carefulness to use them in a safe way.
Thank you for posting this and explaining when each dilution rate is important! I like that both kid an adult information is all in one place! Consider this blog bookmarked!!!!
Very informative! Love the dilution sheets and explanation.
THANKS SO MUCH!
Perfect and informative, cannot forget the 1 drop per teaspoon for a 1% dilution which makes it easy to recall when mixing my oils at the 1% rate. Saved and keeping on hand.
I love these charts! So helpful. Thank you PT for the excellent conversion charts and explanation. I always keep these handy!
Love the safety charts!
This blog is really helpful. I am new to essential oils and been eager to research about it for a few months. Finally, ordered my 1st set yesterday. I am so excited to receive my orders. This blog will indeed going to be my guide. Hoping to enjoy my oily journey.
We’re so excited for you to receive your first order from us! Our Blog is an excellent source of information and recipes and we hope it helps you all along your oil journey 🙂
Excellent article. Thank you!
Do you recommend specific carrier oils for specific essential oils or will any carrier oil do?
Great question Kat! Any carrier oil can dilute an Essential Oil. Here is a Carrier Oil Chart to help you better pick a carrier that will work best for you: https://www.planttherapy.com/pdfs/carrier_oil_chart.pdf
Great info. Your charts are wonderful as well. So helpful when making products. Thanks PT!
Yes, Yes and more Yes! I love this post. I love the infographics and all of the information contained in the blog. I love how PT makes sure everyone is as safe as possible when it comes to using essential oils!
Thank you so much for this article! It’s super helpful. I was always confused about the correct number of drops for diluting. What great information, I’m saving these charts to my smartphone for quick reference 🙂
When I mistakenly get straight up oil on myself (hand, fingers, etc) is it best to rub the area with a carrier oil? I’ve done this before and it seemed to help but what would be the best carrier to use in this situation?
Yes Vicki! You would want to apply a carrier oil to the area of concern. You can remove, then re-apply more carrier as needed. Any carrier oil should do the trick 🙂
Great information for a beginner!
I’ve heard that straight oils should not be stored in plastic. Is the same true for diluted oils? Can I put a few drops of oils in my shampoo and leave it in the shampoo bottle?
Rachel, if you are planning to add EOs to a plastic bottle, I would recommend ones that are PET plastic. However, I have used oils in low amounts (.5-1% dilution) in my shampoo bottles, and they have been fine.
This information is SUPER helpful! I have just been guessing at the dilution ratios, but I’m going to print this info so I can have it handy whenever I’m diluting them.
Thank you! Great information. I’m new to oils, so I’m learning every day!
Thanks for this post! I’ve often heard and read about dilution, but wasn’t really sure how to do it correctly. I look forward to making dilutions in the future!