Diluting & Blending with Essential Oils

The most important skill for DIY aromatherapy products is dilution: a basic understanding of dilution will allow you to follow recipes, make homemade blends, and ensure safety. When diluted, essential oils become less concentrated and more suitable for application without the risk of irritation.

Diluting in aromatherapy involves mixing an essential oil with a carrier oil. Pranarom offers beautiful Virgin Plant Oils that make ideal carriers, including Argan oil, Avocado oil, Borage oil, Evening Primrose oil, Hazlenut oil, Calendula oil, and more. These plant oils have benefits of their own that can enhance the ability of the essential oils. Other carriers include water, alcohols, wax, food, and certain essential oils.

Here is an example:

A recipe calls for a 2% dilution of Peppermint in Jojoba oil.

First, choose how much you want to make. The amount to be made is usually determined by the bottle you will be storing your blend in. Veriditas By Pranarom offers empty 2oz amber glass bottles and 10 ml frosted roller cap bottles, but any glass or steel bottle with a cap will do.

For a single use blend, mix 1 drop essential oil in 1/2 teaspoon of carrier and rub onto the area of concern. This is equivalent to a 1-2% dilution.

For multiple applications, blend 1oz carrier oil with 18 drops essential oil. This is also a 2% dilution (see reference chart below).

A couple important notes: 

For children and areas of sensitive skin, a 0-1% dilution (1-9 drops per ounce of carrier) is recommended. For general use with adults, a 0.5-7% dilution covers most needs safely and effectively (this is 1 to 62 drops in 1oz of carrier oil).

Certain essential oils are very potent and require dilution rates below 2% to avoid irritation. These oils include Oregano, Thyme ct thymol, Cinnamon Bark and Tulsi. Other essential oils, such as Helichrysum and Lavender, are very mild and can be used without a carrier.

* 1 drop will vary in size depending on the essential oil and the orifice reducer cap. The given amounts are estimated based on average drop size.

VIEW our dilution guide here!

Dilution Rates

Carrier oil in ounces	.5% dilution	1%	2.5%	3%	5%	10%
½ ounce	2 drops	4-5 drops	11 drops	13 drops	22 drops	44 drops
1 ounces	4 drops	9 drops	20 drops	27 drops	45 drops	90 drops
2 ounces	9 drops	18 drops	45 drops	54 drops	90 drops	180 drops

Measurements Chart 

1 ml	20-25 drops
5 ml	100 drops	1 teaspoon
10 ml	200 drops	2 teaspoons	1/3 ounce
15 ml	300 drops	1 Tablespoon	½ ounce
30 ml	600 drops	2 Tablespoons	1 ounce	1/4 cup
60 ml	1200 drops	4 Tablespoons	2 ounces	1/4 cup
120 ml	2400 drops	8 Tablespoons	4 ounces	1/4 cup
240 ml	3600 drops	16 Tablespoons	8 ounces	1 cup

 post by | NATHAN ROSE

"I am in love with my work sharing the joys of plants and herbs. Assisting others to help themselves with simple, safe, and effective remedies is my passion. Ultimately, I intend to help humanity expand their consciousness and to do my part to heal the Earth. I am a specialist in holistic health, a writer, and an artist. I have extensive training and have practiced as a holistic health practitioner for 10 years as a certified advanced level aromatherapist, licensed massage therapist, certified yoga instructor and herbalist."