Topical applications must be diluted to prevent irritation and sensitization. This often requires some arithmatic. Below are two sets of data showing how much essential oil is used for a topical application. In both cases, the amount listed is the amout of EO to be added to the bottle which is then filled to capacity with a carrier.
Rules of Thumb for Dilution
5mL ~ 1 tsp.
6 tsp. = 3 Tblsp. ~ 30 mL ~ 1 fl.oz.
100 drops ~ 1tsp. ~ 5mL
Dilution is generally notated in either a ratio (ex. 1:4) or a percentage (1%).
Here are some common dilutions:
In a 5mL bottle:
0.5% = 1/2 drop = 0.025 mL = 1:198
1% = 1 drop = 0.05mL EO = 1:99
2% = 2 drops = 0.1mL = 1:48
5% = 5 drops = 0.25mL = 1:19
10% = 10 drops = 0.5mL = 1:9
25% = 25 drops =1.25mL = 1/4tsp = 1:3
33% = 33 drops = 1.7mL = 1/3tsp = 1:2
50% = 50 drops = 2.5mL = 1/2tsp = 1:1
In a 1oz. Bottle, simply multiply the chart above by 6:
0.5% = 3 drops = 0.15 mL = 1:198
1% = 6 drops = 0.3mL = 1:99
.
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50% = 300 drops = 15mL = 3tsp = 1Tblsp = 1:1
Note that these “rules of thumb” are close approximations and not precise, however, they do come quite close for most topical applications.
