Dilution - Ratios and Percentages

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

.

.

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.