Essential Oil Dilution Guide
Essential oil conversions and dilutions are approximations for the following reasons:
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Individual oils have different viscosities (thicknesses)
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The size of the bottle dropper insert varies depending on where you buy your essential oils.
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What this means is that the amount of essential oil that is released in a drop will differ slightly and therefore the measurements in recipes are approximations.
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This is why it’s a good idea to find a supplier you like and stick to them. That way you will develop consistency in your recipes.
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When you make a product for a more vulnerable person, such as a child, you might find that the recipe designer talks about dilution percentages. Below is a guide to help you understand what quantities they are referring to.
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Please always check with a licensed and registered aromatherapist or naturopath before you administer any natural product to a child, a pregnant woman, or someone with underlying health concerns. Just because essential oils are natural and organic does not make them safe for everyone.
Dilution Guide
Dilution % 10ml 15ml 20 ml 30ml 60 ml
(Base Oil) (1 oz) (2 oz)
0.5% 1 E.O drop 2 3 4 8
1% 3 4 6 9 18
2% 6 9 12 18 36
3% 9 13 18 27 54
4% 12 18 24 36 72
5% 15 22 30 45 90
Example:
You want to make a 2 % dilution of product and you have a 30ml (1 oz) bottle.
You are going to pour 30ml of carrier oil in your bottle and then add 18 drops of essential oil to it.
Some useful conversions
Drops -> Teaspoons -> Ounce -> Milliliters
10 drops 1/10 tsp 0.5 ml
12.5 drops 1/8 tsp 0.625 ml
20 drops 1/5 tsp 1 ml
25 drops 1/4 tsp 1.25 ml
40 drops 2/5 tsp 2 ml
50 drops 1/2 tsp 2.5 ml
60 drops 1/3 tsp 3 ml
75 drops 3/4 tsp 1/8 oz 3.75 ml
100 drops 1 tsp 1/6 oz 5 ml
150 drops 1 ½ drop 1/4 oz 7.5 ml
300 drops 3 tsp 1/2 oz 15 ml
600 drops 6 tsp 1 oz 30 ml
So if a recipe calls for 1 ml of essential oils, you will know that it calls for around 20 drops.
Teaspoons -> Tablespoons -> Ounce -> Milliliters
24 tsp 8 tbsp 4 oz +/- 120 ml
48 tsp 16 tbsp 8 oz +/- 240 ml
96 tsp 32 tbsp 16 oz +/- 470 ml
Dilutions for various applications:
Please note that these are only suggestions. Always consider the end-user. If it’s a child, pregnant woman, or someone with health concerns, please do your research on dilution strengths first. Check with your doctor if you are not 100% sure.
If the application is going to touch the skin, do a spot test first.
Application No. of Amount of carrier
Drops
Massage oil 10 - 20 30 ml (1oz) oil
Liniment 15 – 24 30 ml (1oz) Vodka
Ointment 24 - 48 60 ml oil (2oz) lotion or gel
Body lotion 5 - 20 30 ml (1oz) lotion or cream
Compress 4 – 6 240 ml (8 oz) water
Room spray 20 – 30 120 ml (4 oz) water or
50:50 water : vodka
Inhalant 1 – 2 On a tissue or cotton ball
Inhalant stick 12 – 24 Per stick
Deodorant spray 48 240 ml (4 oz) vodka or witch hazel Insect repellent 10 – 12 30 ml (1oz) water, witch hazel, vodka or oil
or 1 – 2 drops on your clothing ( a hem, hat,
scarf etc)
Facial/sinus steam 2 – 5 1 bowl of hot water (never boiling)
Face oil 8 – 15 100 ml (3.5 oz) oil
Face tonic 8 – 15 100 ml (3.5 oz) water or hydrolat
My Essential Oils Recipes website offers a very useful E.O. dilution calculator and safety checker.
Disclaimer: Do not use any essential oils or essential oil blends if you have any underlying health conditions. Some oils are not safe for children, pregnant women, or pets. Always check with your doctor or certified aromatherapist, if you are unsure about the benefits or contra-indicators of a recipe or its ingredients. ‘A Scented Story’ is solely my platform to share my experiences with essential oils and other natural products. I do not prescribe any treatments.