Essential Oil Topical Dilutions

 

I often get asked what percentage of essential oil should be diluted in carrier oil. With the amount of recipes posted on social media by essential oil reps, it's no wonder that people are confused. 

Not a day goes by that I don't see a recipe posted suggesting the use of extra strong topical dilutions. Many dilution charts coming from a particular MLM company suggest the majority of their oils should be applied either neat or at approximately 30% - 50% dilution! You have to stop and wonder is this just another marketing ploy so you will use up your essential oil quicker and need to purchase more?

No matter how pure and natural the essential oil being used is, safety should always be considered. This is what inspired me to create this basic topical dilution guide. ( Topical meaning skin application for anyone who is confused. )

Please note that this is a very general guide. Some essential oils should not be applied topically and other 'hot' oils (eg. cinnamon bark) or phototoxic oils (eg. lemon cold expressed) should be diluted at much lower concentrations. Other factors to consider are age of person being treated, any known medical conditions, if you have sensitive skin, are you on prescription drugs, are you pregnant or breastfeeding, and what issues are you hoping to be treated?

 
Always refer to a health care practitioner prior to treating medical conditions.

So here is how you do the math!

Basically 1ml of essential oil equals 20-40 drops of essential oils. 30 drops being the average amount.

Click for more information

Some bottles will have bigger or smaller drop sizes depending on the size of the orifice reducer. The viscosity of the oil may also affect the drop size. Thicker oils will have bigger drop sizes. It's best to do your measurements first to see how many average drops is in a ml with the oils you use.

For example : if you were creating a blend with a 3% dilution of essential oil in 30ml of carrier oil, you would work it out like this ~

0.03 x 30ml = 0.9ml
0.9 x 30 = 27 drops of essential oil total

Other dilution percentages per 10ml of carrier oil are listed below -

Below is a great chart by Robert Tisserand from Tisserand Institute.
Robert is one of the world's leading experts in aromatherapy. This is the same dilution guidelines that I have posted above which all qualified aromatherapists should  follow by.

Click on the image and it will take you to his page where you can download this wonderful chart to keep for reference.

 
I hope this article helps you! If you have any questions comment below.

Please read these other articles for more detailed safety information :

Essential Oil Safety & Precautions

Essential Oils for Pregnancy, Breastfeeding & Baby

Should I ingest essential oils?

Disclaimer: Information in this post is for education purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease. Please seek advice from a health practitioner prior to use.

 

7 Essential Oil Remedies To Help You Sleep

Having trouble getting to sleep at night? You might like to try some of these relaxing aromatherapy remedies and products before bed.

1) Ultrasonic Diffusers
Vaporising essential oils with a cold mist ultrasonic diffuser in your bedroom at night is a great way to help you to sleep. The benefits of using an ultrasonic diffuser like this is that when the water runs out it switches off. There is also no flame or heat which makes them safe to use while you sleep. I find the sound of the bubbling water also very relaxing.

Some essential oils to help you sleep include:
Lavender, Chamomile, Vetiver, Mandarin, Marjoram

Or try one of our pre-made essential oil blends :
Sleep Assist, Calming, Relaxation, Peace, Unwind, Stress Relief

< Shop for Diffusers > < Shop for Essential Oils > < Shop for Blends >

 

2) Body / Room / Pillow Mist
Our aromatherapy mists can be sprayed around the room, the pillow and on your skin before you tuck yourself into sleep at night. They make the room and linen smell amazing. The sedative properties of the essential oils used in our mists will help you to relax.

Our pre-made aromatherapy mists that help promote sleep are :
Lavender, Stress Relief, Sleep Assist & Calming

< Shop for Aromatherapy Mists >

3) Roll On Blends
Our Roll On Blends are pre-diluted and allow you to apply essential oils directly to the skin. I like to roll the blend on my neck, chest, wrists and behind the ears before I lay down to go to sleep at night. Essential oils cross the blood-brain barrier, so they are absorbed into the blood stream when applied to your skin. This is a convenient method of using essential oils before bed.

Roll On Blends that help promote sleep include:
Good Night, Calming, Relaxation, Sleep Assist, Stress Relief & Sleepy Time

 
< Shop for Roll On Blends >

4) Sleep Balm
Sleep balms work in a similar way to the roll on, in that they are appplied to the skin. They can be massaged into the chest and neck area. The oils are absorbed through the skin, whilst the vapours from the blend are also breathed in.

 
< Shop for Sleep Balm >

 

5) Relaxing bath with essential oils
Adding a few drops of essential oil to a bath before bed is another way to help you unwind. You may also like to add extras such as lavender petals and epsom salts which can help to sooth and relax muscles, making bath time that bit more indulgent. Try not to fall asleep in the bath though ;)

Essential oils that are nice in a relaxing bath include:
Lavender, Chamomile, Mandarin, Marjoram, Clary Sage, Ylang Ylang

< Shop for Essential Oils >

 
 

6) Nasal Inhaler
Nasal inhalers provide a convenient way to directly inhale pure essential oils. Breathing in oils stimulates our smell receptors sending the message to our brain and allowing the sedative properties of the oils take effect. Take long and slow breathes to help calm and relax you before bed at night.

Nasal Inhalers to help promote sleep include:
Sleepy Time, Calming, Stress Relief

< Shop for Nasal Inhalers >

 

7) Aromatherapy Massage

If you are lucky enough to have someone who can give you a massage it is one of the most therapeutic ways to help your whole body relax. By massaging oils into the skin, they are absorbed into your blood stream where the sedating therapeutic properties start to work. These beautiful massage blends will help you to relax whilst soothing the muscles. Alternatively you can use one of our  massage blends and massage the oil into your own skin before bed.

Massage Blends to help promote sleep include:
Do Not Disturb, Dreamtime, Peaceful Dreams, Relaxation.

< Shop for Massage Blends >

 

RELATED ARTICLE: 12 Essential Oils For Sleep & Relaxation

Yoga & Essential Oils

Practical Applications in Yoga

Essential oils can also be inhaled or applied topically to certain areas of the body to increase energy, relaxation or focus, decrease stress, or deepen meditation. Below is a basic guide of how to use oils during your yoga practice. 

~ Before Practice ~

• Purify: Diffusing oils like lemon essential oil, grapefruit essential oil, Citrus Fresh™ essential oil, Thieves® essential oil or Purification™ essential oil before or in between yoga class will purify the air while bringing a refreshing, uplifting energy to the space.
  
  
• Cleanse: For cleaning the studio floor, use Thieves Household Cleaner. This non-toxic product is safe for hardwood floors and can also be used for cleaning yoga mats and bathroom surfaces.
  

~ During Practice ~

• Meditation (dhyana): Diffuse or directly inhale oils such as lavender essential oil, Peace & Calming™ essential oil, or frankincense essential oil for a deepened, more relaxed experience.
  
  
• Breathing (pranayama): The pure aroma of essential oils such as frankincense essential oil, peppermint essential oil, and Raven™ essential oil assist in opening pathways to a more emotional state of mind via the pineal gland. Directly inhaling peppermint can help bring more oxygen to the brain.
  
  
• Exercise (asana): Topical application of oils such as Deep Relief™ essential oil roll-on, Pan Away™ essential oil, or peppermint  essential oil may help alleviate muscle soreness and tension. Peppermint can also aid to increase focus and mental clarity, and when added to a cool glass of water, can help sooth minor stomach discomfort. Lavender essential oil can also be used to decrease post-practice muscle irritation.
  
  More Information : http://www.youngliving.com/en_AU/wellness/yoga_health/
  
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