Essential Oil Dilutions & Measurements

It is fun and easy to make some simple aromatherapy products to aromatically enhance your environment, improve your well being, and even increase your immunity to life’s everyday stresses.

Essential oils are very concentrated and powerful substances but when they are used in the proper dilutions they can have some very pleasing and positive effects.

Here are a few suggestions on how to add Aromatherapy to your life:

1. Aromatic Bath – 6 – 10 total drops of essential oil or blend added to a full tub of water
2. Aromatic Detoxifying Bath – Add 6 – 10 total drops of essential oil or blend to 1/2 – 2 cups of unscented bath salts, mix well, and add to a full tub of water
   
3. Aromatic Luxury Bath – Add 6 – 10 drops of essential oil or blend to 1 cup of real cream and add to a full tub of water
   
4. Aromatic Massage Oil or Body Lotion – 1 – 2% essential oil or blend in an appropriate base (vegetable oil or unscented lotion)
   
5. Aromatic Room Mist – 2% essential oil or blend in pure spring water (be sure to shake well before each use)
   
6. Aromatic Treatment Oil (for local application, like a strained muscle or chest rub) – 4% essential oil or blend in an appropriate base
   
7. Aromatic Shampoo or Conditioner – 2% essential oil or blend in an unscented shampoo or conditioner

Use the following table as a guideline for making your own Aromatic products:

Carrier/Base	1% dilution	2% dilution	3% dilution	4% dilution
½ oz (1 Tbsp)	3 drops	6 drops	9 drops	12 drops
1 oz (2 Tbsp)	6 drops	12 drops	18 drops	24 drops
2 oz (4 Tbsp)	12 drops	24 drops	36 drops	48 drops
4 oz (1/2 cup)	24 drops	48 drops	72 drops	96 drops
8 oz (1 cup)	48 drops	96 drops	144 drops	192 drops

Example: You want to make an aromatic room mist and you have a 2 oz spray bottle. Just follow the 2 oz line over to the 2% column and you will need to add 24 drops of essential oil to your spray bottle and then fill the rest up with pure spring water. It’s simple and easy and we’ve done the math for you.

You may also find some of the following information helpful:

Generally 2 drops of essential oil should be used per tsp. of carrier oil (but follow individual recipes if available).
Generally it takes from 1 to 2 oz of carrier oil for a full body massage.
Generally use only half of the recommended amounts of essential oils if the product will be used on children, the elderly, or pregnant women.
Generally you can use any kind of natural carrier oil except mineral oil. There are lots to choose from and each has their own properties. For most applications, many massage therapists prefer our own special massage oil, “Samara Base Blend”. It is a combination of Sweet Almond, Meadowfoam Seed, Jojoba, and other skin loving oils.

Measurement Equivalents:

Measurements are based on water drops. Thicker oils produce larger drops than water; therefore it takes fewer drops of thicker oils to equal desired measurements.

1 milliliter (ml) = approx. 20-30 drops
5 ml = 1 tsp. = approx. 100-150 drops
10 ml = 2 tsp. = 1/3 oz = approx. 200-300 drops
15 ml = 3 tsp. = 1 Tbsp. = ½ oz = approx. 300-450 drops
30 ml = 6 tsp. = 2 Tbsp. = 1 oz = approx. 600-900 drops

If you have any questions please feel free to ask our sales associate for further assistance. We want to help you make your life as aromatic as possible.

Note: Samara Botane sells pre-bottled 10% Essential Oil Dilutions in Fractionated Coconut and Alcohol for use by perfumers on our EO Dilutions page in our Aromatic Apothecary.

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