How to dilute essential oils: a simple safety guide

Essential oils are among the most concentrated things on our shelves. A single drop of lavender holds the work of a great many flower heads, and that potency is exactly why these oils should never go on skin neat. Dilution is not a compromise - it is simply how essential oils are meant to be used. After two decades behind the counter at Herbaty Organics, the question our founder Dr. Hamza Nassrallah hears most often is still the simplest one: how much is enough? Here is our honest, practical answer.

The simple dilution rule

Work in drops per tablespoon. One tablespoon (about 15 ml) of a good carrier - sweet almond, jojoba, fractionated coconut - is your base. For everyday use on the body, add 6 drops of essential oil for a 2% dilution. For the face, sensitive skin, or older adults, halve it: 3 drops per tablespoon, a gentle 1%. For a short-term blend on a small area, 9 drops (3%) is a sensible ceiling for most adults. When in doubt, use less - a lighter blend smells just as lovely and sits far more kindly on the skin. You will find sweet almond, jojoba, and friends among our carrier and infused oils.

Patch test, every time

Mix your dilution first, then dab a little on the inner forearm and leave it be for 24 hours. If the skin stays calm and comfortable, carry on. If there is any redness, itching, or stinging, wipe the area with a plain carrier oil, wash gently with mild soap, and set that particular oil aside. Repeat the patch test whenever you try a new oil or open a new bottle - skin can be particular, and it is allowed to be.

Oils that ask for extra care

Some oils are naturally hot and deserve a lighter hand: cinnamon bark, clove, oregano, thyme, and lemongrass are best kept at 0.5 to 1 percent, or enjoyed in a diffuser instead. Peppermint is stronger than its friendly scent suggests. And cold-pressed citrus oils - bergamot especially, along with lemon and lime - can make skin extra sensitive to sunlight, so keep them off any skin that will see the sun within 12 to 24 hours.

Never ingest, and mind the household

We will always be plain about this: essential oils are for external and aromatic use only. Never swallow them, never add them to food or drink, and never apply them inside the mouth or nose. Keep every bottle tightly capped and well out of reach of children - the lovely smells are exactly what makes them tempting. Pets deserve the same caution; cats in particular do not process these compounds well, so diffuse only in ventilated rooms with a door left open, and never apply oils directly to an animal.

Store them well

Light, heat, and air slowly change an essential oil, and an oxidized oil is far more likely to irritate skin. Keep your bottles in dark glass, tightly capped, in a cool cupboard away from sunlight - never on a warm windowsill or a steamy bathroom shelf. Write the date you opened each bottle on the label: citrus and pine oils are happiest used within a year of opening, while most others keep well for two or three.

Since 2005, our advice has not changed: measure, dilute, patch test, and let the plants do their quiet, pleasant work. Browse our organic essential oil collection when you are ready to blend, and if you are ever unsure about an oil, write to us - we would much rather answer a small question than hear about a sore forearm.