Essential Oils Dilution Guide
Direct application of undiluted essential oils to the skin is an issue with many different opinions. The general consensus among professional aromatherapists is that you should not apply undiluted essential oils to your skin unless professionally advised and directed.
Using essential oils directly on the skin without diluting can be harmful to skin health, causing severe irritation or sensitivity.
Robert Tisserand, a leading aromatherapist and recognized industry authority, says, “Do not apply undiluted essential oils to your skin… The most common side effect experienced by hundreds, possibly thousands, of people each year is a skin reaction, and the most common reason is to use an undiluted essential oil.” says.
Symptoms of sensitivity to essential oils can vary from person to person. It can start as a skin allergy that results in an itchy rash. As they become more sensitized, it can lead to respiratory problems or, in the most serious form, anaphylactic shock.
Essential oils are non-drinkable.
Essential oils are obtained from the processing of plants in very large quantities. For example, 250 kilograms of lavender or 10,000 kilograms of rose petals must be processed to obtain 1 kilogram of essential oil. The essential oil in the bottle is 50-100 times denser than the herb. Due to this concentration, drinking essential oils or applying directly to the skin can cause various health problems.
Note that even if you have ever used one or more undiluted essential oils and have not had a problem, this does not guarantee that you will not develop sensitization with repeated exposure.
Always use essential oils with proper dilution.
2% dilution is recommended in “Essential Oil Safety” an aromatherapy textbook used by international aromatherapy practitioners.
According to the Tisserand Institute, the dilution rule can vary depending on what you're using essential oils for:
However, Robert Tisserand warns that simply adding essential oils to water is not safe, especially for baths. Because oils are insoluble in water, adding essential oils to bath water causes a film layer of undiluted essential oils to form on it. It can lead to negative consequences.
You can consider a dilution rate of 1% as a safe harbor. In other words, you can use 2 - 3 drops in 15 ml (1 tablespoon) of base oil (sesame, sweet almond...etc).
