How To Dilute Essential Oils For Skin

Learn how to dilute essential oils for skin safely and effectively with this beginner-friendly guide. Whether you’re new to essential oils or just need a refresher, this article walks you through everything step by step in a clear, easy-to-follow format.

You’ll discover how to source reliable information directly from the VINEVIDA website, plus helpful tools to guide your dilution process.

We’ll answer key questions like:
“How many drops of essential oil per 100ml carrier oil?”
Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all answer, we’ll show you how to calculate safe and appropriate dilutions based on your needs.

You’ll learn how to:

• Dilute essential oils in carrier oils with simple, effective recipes like Dry Skin Serum and Aching Joints Massage Oil
  

• Understand why essential oils and water don’t mix—and how to use dispersants safely in water-based products like our Rosewater & Rose Geranium Facial Toner
  

• Explore beginner-safe options like premade cream bases and lotions, including our Easy Face Cream
  

Settle in with a cup of tea and build your confidence as you learn how to dilute essential oils for skin—safely, simply, and successfully.

Why Do I Need to Learn How to Dilute Essential Oils for Skin?

Pure essential oils are powerful and full of possibility—but they must be used with care. That’s why it’s so important to understand how to dilute essential oils for skin safely, right from the beginning.

Essential oils are highly concentrated extracts of plant material. Each one contains a unique combination of chemical constituents—these are the active compounds responsible for the oil’s aroma, therapeutic properties, and potential skin effects.

At VINEVIDA, every essential oil product page includes a detailed breakdown of both its characteristics and key chemical constituents. For example, here’s a look at the profile of  Bulgarian Lavender, where you can explore exactly what gives this oil its soothing and skin-friendly qualities.

Why Dilution Matters for Skin Safety

Understanding how to dilute essential oils for skin is essential to using them safely and effectively. Each essential oil is made up of its own unique blend of chemical constituents, which determine not only its benefits but also its safety profile.

That’s why every essential oil has its own specific skin safety guidelines. You’ll find this information clearly outlined on each product page at VINEVIDA, where we list key chemical components and usage considerations.

Never Apply Essential Oils Neat

It’s important to remember: essential oils must never be applied undiluted to the skin. Doing so can lead to:

• Skin irritation
  

• Sensitization (a form of allergic reaction that can develop over time)
  

• In rare cases, chemical burns
  

Even if your skin feels resilient, proper dilution is non-negotiable—especially for leave-on products like facial oils or hair treatments.

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Considering Underlying Health Conditions

Learning how to dilute essential oils for skin is even more critical if you’re managing underlying health issues or working with sensitive populations.

For example:

• Jasmine Absolute is excellent for acne and scarring, but it must be used in very low concentrations due to its low skin safety threshold. It’s also a uterine stimulant, so it’s not recommended during the first 37 weeks of pregnancy.
  

• Rosemary essential oil has a fairly standard topical dilution rate (up to 3%), but it carries cautions for individuals with epilepsy, high blood pressure, or schizophrenia.
  

This is why sourcing trusted safety data is vital before blending. At VINEVIDA, we provide detailed safety information for each oil, helping you make informed and responsible choices.

How To Dilute Essential Oils For Skin Safely

How to Dilute Essential Oils for Skin: Step by Step

Now that you understand why dilution matters, let’s walk through exactly how to dilute essential oils for skin—safely, simply, and with confidence.

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Step 1: Decide What You’re Making

Before calculating any dilutions, it’s important to identify the purpose of your blend.

Are you creating:

• A massage oil that will be applied directly to the skin?
  

• A multi-surface cleaner that will not come into contact with skin?
  

Only products that will be used topically require adherence to skin safety dilution guidelines. Cleaning sprays or room diffusers follow different usage parameters.

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A Quick Note on Essential Oils vs Fragrance Oils

If you're working with essential oils, dilution guidelines typically refer to general skin application.

However, with fragrance oils, the guidelines vary based on the specific body area (e.g., face, body, or hands). For fragrance oil safety, you’ll need to refer to the IFRA Statement for each product to determine safe usage by skin area.

Common sense also applies when we say "skin"—always avoid delicate areas like mucous membranes and intimate zones unless specifically trained to formulate for those applications.

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Step 2: Where to Find Essential Oil Safety Information

VINEVIDA makes it easy to find safety guidelines for each essential oil:

1. Visit the product page for the essential oil in question.
   

2. Under the "Add to Cart" button, look for the DOCUMENTS tab.
   

3. Click to open the Safety Synopsis.
   

Let’s look at Bulgarian Lavender as an example.

In the Practical Usage Notes, you’ll see clear guidance like:

“3% dilution for adults, 2% for people in a weakened state, and 1% for children over the age of 6. 0.5% for younger children. Essential oils are not recommended for children under 6 months unless in an emergency.”

“Use of essential oils is not advised during the first 16 weeks of pregnancy. Lavender essential oil may be used safely after this time.”

Based on this, you can safely use up to 3% Lavender essential oil in a massage oil for a healthy adult—not pregnant and over the age of 16 weeks gestation.

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Step 3: How to Calculate Dilution for Skin

Now let’s apply those percentages in practice. Here’s how to calculate how many drops of essential oil to use based on your desired dilution level.

Common Dilution Rates:

Note: These estimates use the standard guideline that 1ml ≈ 20 drops of essential oil. However, drop count can vary based on viscosity and oil type (e.g., Lemon is thinner than Vetiver), so this is intended as a general guide only.

Starting with 100ml of carrier oil makes the math easy, but you can scale the percentages down for smaller batches (e.g., 30ml or 50ml bottles).

Let’s do this again, but let’s do it for Jasmine Absolute to demonstrate the obvious differences.

Always Check Safety Guidelines—Every Time

As you've just seen, dilution rates and usage recommendations can vary significantly between oils. That’s why it’s essential to check the safety information for every single essential oil you use when learning how to dilute essential oils for skin.

Even oils in the same botanical family can have different contraindications based on their individual chemistry.

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Pro Tip: Label Your Bottles

To save time and stay safe, consider noting the maximum topical dilution rate directly on your essential oil bottles or storage boxes.

• Write the percentage (e.g., “1% max”) on the cap or box.
  

• Use colored dot stickers to mark oils with special safety considerations—such as pregnancy restrictions, child limitations, or photosensitivity.
  

This system helps you quickly spot oils that require extra caution, especially in clinical or family settings.

Why It’s Worth Learning to Calculate Dilutions by Hand

While calculators are helpful, it pays to understand how to work out essential oil skin safety dilution rates manually. This foundational skill builds confidence and accuracy when creating your own blends.

You can always double-check your work using the VINEVIDA Dilution Calculator, but learning to calculate by hand gives you more control—especially when adjusting batch sizes on the fly.

A good starting point is 100 ml of carrier oil:

• 1% dilution = 1 ml essential oil ≈ 20 drops
  

• From there, you can scale up or down as needed
  

Tip: If you’re a visual learner, visit the Tools section in the navigation bar and look for the Dilution Chart for Essential Oils. It offers an easy reference for how many drops equal each percentage.

You can find the Dilution Chart for Essential Oils in the tools section of the navigation bar. (Image below)

At some point in your journey in learning how to dilute essential oil for skin safety, you want to know what you can dilute your essential oils with. It’s a great question, let’s get into it! 

How To Dilute Essential Oils For Skin With Carrier Oils

Carrier Oils: The Most Common Way to Dilute Essential Oils for Skin

The most widely used method for diluting essential oils for skin is with carrier oils. These natural, plant-based oils are not distilled or concentrated like essential oils, but they bring their own nourishing properties to your blends.

Carrier oils are typically cold-pressed from nuts, seeds, or fruits. Most are unscented or very mildly aromatic—though there are exceptions, such as Tamanu oil, which carries a distinct, celery-like scent.

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Popular Carrier Oils:

• Jojoba Oil
  
• Sweet Almond Oil
  
• Coconut Oil
  
• Fractionated Coconut Oil
  
• Sunflower Oil
  
• Grapeseed Oil
  
• Olive Oil
  
• Avocado Oil
  
• Castor Oil
  
• Rosehip Oil
  

Lesser-Known but Useful Options:

• Sea Buckthorn Oil
  
• Tamanu Oil
  
• Camellia Oil
  
• Wheatgerm Oil
  

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Carrier oils are the foundation of safe dilution for products like:

• Rollerball blends
  
• Bath oils
  
• Massage oils
  
• Facial serums
  

Because they’re so easy to work with, this is the most common dilution method shared online. Unfortunately, it’s also where many mistakes happen—even among professionals.

One common error is using blanket dilution ratios, without considering individual oil safety or intended use. In the next section, we’ll tackle these misconceptions and explore your most frequently asked questions about how to dilute essential oils for skin properly.

Magic Ratio?

A common customer question is:
“What is the carrier oil to essential oil ratio for skin?”

The answer?
There is no universal ratio.

The correct dilution depends entirely on the essential oil you’re using and its individual safety profile. Each oil has a unique set of guidelines found in the Safety Synopsis document on its VINEVIDA product page.

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How Many Drops Should I Use?

Another popular set of questions:

• “How many drops of essential oil per 100ml of carrier oil?”
  
• “How many drops of essential oil in 10ml of carrier oil?”
  

Again, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.
You must calculate the number of drops based on the maximum recommended skin safety dilution for that specific oil.

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Example Coming Up…

To illustrate why this matters, let’s take the question:
“How many drops of essential oil per 100ml carrier oil?”
We’ll apply it to a few different oils next to show just how much dilution rates can vary.

The differences are clear to see. You cannot use the same number of drops for every essential oil, it has to be a decision based purely on the essential oil in question. 

Checking Your Cinnamon Essential Oil Safety

Watch Out for Variants: Cinnamon Bark vs Cinnamon Leaf

If you were paying close attention, you may have noticed two examples of Cinnamon essential oil included in our earlier dilution discussion. That’s intentional—and here’s why.

Cinnamon Bark and Cinnamon Leaf come from the same plant, often share the same Latin name (Cinnamomum zeylanicum or Cinnamomum verum), and yet have very different skin safety profiles:

• Cinnamon Bark: Maximum skin dilution = 0.07%
  
• Cinnamon Leaf: Maximum skin dilution = 0.60%
  

This is a dramatic difference—and mixing them up can lead to serious skin irritation or sensitization.

Unfortunately, many suppliers label their product simply as “Cinnamon” without specifying the type. More often than not, it's Cinnamon Bark (the harsher one), but this isn’t guaranteed.

If you're unsure which type you're working with, we recommend reading our guide:
Benefits of Cinnamon Leaf Vs Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil 

Always confirm the botanical name and check the Safety Synopsis before applying any oil to the skin.
This is also why I roll my eyes everytime I see a ‘hobby mom’ lip balm recipe just randomly adding 20 drops of Cinnamon essential oil because it smells nice, as it smells ‘just like Fall’ or a ‘Cinnamon Bun’.

Hmmm, smells more like stinging lips and danger to me! NEVER EVER do this please, it borders on dangerous! (Same with Peppermint oil, it might taste and smell nice but it will just dry your lips out)!

Please seek out professionally written recipes, like the ones on our blog when you first start out making aromatherapy blends and products and when you are first learning how to dilute essential oils for skin safely. 

REMEMBER: Essential oils, like Chamomiles, Cedarwoods, Eucalyptuses, Mints and Pines, often have more than one variety, always make sure you double check the latin and the type!

Avoid Unsafe DIY Recipes

This is exactly why it's so concerning to see casual DIY recipes—like homemade lip balms—calling for 20 drops of Cinnamon essential oil just because it smells like fall or cinnamon buns.

While the scent might be appealing, the risk is high. Cinnamon (especially Cinnamon Bark) has an extremely low skin safety dilution rate and can easily cause burning or irritation—especially on sensitive areas like the lips.

The same goes for Peppermint essential oil—despite its minty freshness, it can dry out and irritate the lips when used incorrectly.

Please avoid using essential oils this way. It can be unsafe and borders on harmful.

When you're starting out with aromatherapy, always follow professionally formulated recipes—like the ones on our VINEVIDA blog—and refer to trusted dilution guidelines for each oil.

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Always Check the Type and Latin Name

Essential oils like Chamomile, Cedarwood, Eucalyptus, Mint, and Pine often come in multiple species or varieties. These can have very different safety profiles, so always:

• Check the botanical name (Latin name)
  
• Confirm the type or chemotype
  
• Review the individual Safety Synopsis
  

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No One-Size-Fits-All Dilution

Now that you understand how to dilute essential oils for skin, you know that questions like:

“How many drops of essential oil per ounce of carrier oil?”
can’t be answered without knowing:

• The specific essential oil
  
• The person's age, condition, or health status
  
• Any contraindications, like pregnancy or medication use
  
  

For instance, Bergamot essential oil, like many cold-pressed citrus oils, is phototoxic. If applied to skin and then exposed to sunlight or UV light (like sunbeds), it can cause:

• Redness or rashes
  
• Irritation
  
• Skin discoloration
  

That’s why oils like Bergamot aren’t ideal for morning face creams or summer body lotions.

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A Recommended Resource

If you’re looking for a reliable reference, check out:

The Complete Guide To Clinical Aromatherapy and Essential Oils of The Physical Body: Essential Oils for Beginners by Elizabeth Ashley, a globally published aromatherapist and Director for NAHA UK. This practical guide is available as a free Kindle download, or in paperback with space for annotations and notes as you develop your blending skills.

How To Dilute Essential Oils Into Carrier Oils Safely - Some Simple Recipes.

I think it would be good to show you in practice how to dilute essential oils into carrier oils with a few simple examples.
You need very little equipment, a few bottles and just a handful of essential oils. I’ve used a range of different carrier oils to show you how versatile they are, but you could just use Jojoba or Sweet Almond oil throughout if you wish. 

You Will Need:

1. A small measuring jug
2. Bottle funnel
3. Stainless steel spoon
4. A selection of dropper bottles and dark glass bottles
5. Oil and waterproof labels

Dry Skin Serum

Super simple and perfect for dry skin. 

Carrier oils like Jojoba are perfect for balancing dry skin by regulating sebum production. Pair that with one of my favourite carrier oils for skin care, Rosehip Seed Oil, and we create a powerhouse combination for dry skin, as this oil is high in antioxidant and useful fatty acids. 

All this, even before we add any essential oils! I have chosen essential oils that are fantastic for dry, flaky skin conditions like eczema and dermatitis:

• Egyptian Geranium (Pelargonium Graveolens)
  
• Rose Geranium (Pelargonium Roseum X Asperum)

Both of these essential oils have maximum skin safety dilution rates, for adults, of 3% and cannot be used in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy. There are no other safety advisories. 

Here is how I work out how many drops of oil you need by using math.

50ml divide by 100 (to get the figure for 1%) = 0.5ml

0.5ml x 3(%) = 1.5ml

1.5ml = approximately 30 drops.

This means I can use up to 30 drops of each type of Geranium oil in this face serum. Though I don’t need this much and 2% or 20 drops each is more than adequate for both a lovely aroma and for the active benefits. 

Ingredients:

1. 45 ml of Jojoba carrier oil (Simmondsia chinensis)
2. 5 ml of Rosehip carrier oil (Rosa Canina)
3. 20 drops of Egyptian Geranium (Pelargonium Graveolens)
4. 20 drops of Rose Geranium (Pelargonium Roseum X Asperum)
5. Optional - A preservative of your choice.

Safety:

• Do not use it in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy

Method:

1. Simply combine all the ingredients together thoroughly and decant into a suitable bottle.

2. Label listing all ingredients and safety information, add a production date and a 3 month expiry date. 

How To Use:

1. Always do a 24-48 hour patch test before using for the first time. 

2. Dispense a couple of drops into your hand to warm up slightly.

3. Apply to your face in small upward circular motions.

4. Avoid dragging the delicate eye area.

5. Store in a dark, cool and ambient place. 

6. If it starts to smell like an old chip pan, your oil has turned rancid, time to make a new batch! 

More Serum Recipes:

1. Rosehip Oil Benefits: Sublime Serum, Cream Mask & Moisturizer Recipes
2. Spring Skincare Recipes: Natural DIY Cleansers, Serums & More for Glowing Skin
3. Rosehip Oil For Acne-Prone Skin | Clear Skin Naturally

Nourishing Cuticle Oil

A great Cuticle Oil is little more than a good carrier oil. I love the nourishing quality of thick and viscous Castor oil mixed with Sweet Almond. It has a good long shelf life and a tiny amount will last your ages. If you like, swap out the Castor and use Olive oil as a carrier oil instead.

This Cuticle Oil is rich enough to not have to use it every day, just 2-3 times a week at most.

I have chosen essential oils that nourish the skin and replenish moisture, so you will see Geranium re-appearing to prove its versatility and Patchouli which is absolutely fantastic at introducing moisture and protecting the skin by locking it in. Like Geranium, Patchouli has a skin safety maximum dilution rate of 3%.

We are only making 10ml, and it can be hard working in such small numbers, but can always work it out to 100ml and divide it by ten if you find that easier.

Here’s how I worked it out. 

10 ml divided by 100 = 0.1ml

0.1ml x 3(%) = 0.3ml

0.3 ml roughly equates to 6 drops

This means I can use up to 6 drops of each essential oil and in this instance, I’m going to use the full allowance. 

Ingredients:

• 5 ml of Sweet Almond carrier oil (Prunus dulcis)
• 5 ml of Castor carrier oil (Ricinus communis)
• 6 drops of Egyptian Geranium (Pelargonium Graveolens)
• 6 drops of Patchouli essential oil (Pogostemon cablin)
• Optional - A preservative of your choice.

Safety:

• Do not use it in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy

Method:

1. Simply combine all the ingredients together thoroughly and decant into a suitable bottle.

2. Label listing all ingredients and safety information, add a production date and a 3 month expiry date. 

How To Use:

1. Always do a 24-48 hour patch test before using for the first time. 

2. Add one drop to the tip of your finger and work across every cuticle and fingernail bed and up the sides of the fingernail. Repeat for the other hand. One drop is often more than enough, but some days you might need two if your skin is particularly dry. 

3. Store in a dark, cool and ambient place. 

4. If it starts to smell like an old deep fat fryer it is a sign that your oil has turned rancid and it is time to make a new batch. 

Explore More:

How to Make Cuticle Oil with Essential Oils

Aching Joints Massage Oil

Learning how to dilute essential oils safely, allows you to make super potent and powerful essential oils blends that will have a therapeutic benefit. Here we take carrier oils and a selection of essential oils and turn them into an effective massage oil for sore, stiff joints and aching muscles. 

These are projects where they are likely to run into essential oils like Eucalyptus, Oregano, Rosemary and Wintergreen, all of which have additional safety information and may have differing maximum skin safety dilution rates. 

Many carrier oils are suitable for this body massage oil, like, Sweet Almond, Jojojoba, Grapeseed, Coconut etc. However, it is always worth adding 10% Wheatgerm carrier oil because it gives the skin a bit of grip and resistance which gives a better massage. Don’t use Wheatgerm oil in facial massage treatments though as it has a high comedogenic rating.

This is a little more challenging, as there are essential oils with differing safety advice. So let’s work through it systematically. 

Phew, that’s a lot! So how do we work this out when all the essential oils are combined like this?

1. First look for the pregnancy advice - Juniper cannot be used at all during pregnancy. Therefore, this applies to the finished massage oil, irrespective of the other pregnancy safety advice pertaining to the number of weeks, (usually 16 or 37 weeks). 

2. Eucalyptus says - For children under 6 years of age use a 0.25% dilution. In reality these essential oils are very strong and potent for any young child. Apart from Lavender, it would be worth applying the 0.25% dilution rate for them all, if this is for a child. If not, remain with up to a 3% dilution rate for adults.  

3. Rosemary has very specific information that you would include on your label if you're gifting or selling your massage oil. You could shorten it to - ‘Do not use with hypertension, schizophrenia and use with caution with epilepsy’.

The safety advice then looks a lot like this:

Safety:

• Do not use it during pregnancy
  
• Not for use on children under 16
  
• Rosemary Specific - Do not use with hypertension, schizophrenia and use caution with epilepsy

Ingredients:

• 84 ml of Grapeseed carrier oil (Vitis vinifera)
• 10 ml of Wheatgerm carrier oil (Triticum vulgare)
• 50 drops of Lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia)
• 20 drops of Juniper essential oil (Juniperus communis)
• 20 drops of Eucalyptus essential oil (Eucalyptus globulus)
• 20 drops of Black Pepper essential oil (Piper nigrum)
• 20 drops of Rosemary essential oil (Rosmarinus officinalis)
• Optional - A preservative of your choice.

Method:

1. Combine all the ingredients together, mix well.

2. Using a funnel, decant into a 100 ml dark glass bottle and lid immediately.

3. Label, listing all ingredients on an oil and waterproof label. Add the safety information and a production and expiry date of 3 months. 

How To Use:

1. Always do a 24-48 hour patch test before using for the first time. This is especially important as some of these oils are pretty potent! 

2. Set a small bowl over and larger bowl filled with warm (not hot) water, add some oil into the small bowl and allow to warm through a little. 

3. Set an old towel or sheet underneath you to catch any stray oil. 

4. Always apply some oil onto the body and work it around in long stroking motions before starting any massage techniques. This makes sure the oil is evenly distributed and it won’t drag the skin. 

5. Enjoy the relief! 

I liked this video from Rich Poley Self-Massage for Knee Pain & Stiffness: Feel Better Fast why not give your new Aching Joints Massage Oil a whirl?

How To Dilute Essential Oils For Skin With Water

Naturally when it comes to learning how to dilute essential oils for skin safely, we get all sorts of questions from complete beginners. Prime examples being:

“How to dilute essential oils with water for skin”?

“How to dilute essential oils with water for sprays”?

I don’t mean to teach you how to suck eggs, but it is no secret that oil and water do not mix. If you add oil and water together, the oil will simply float on top of the water. 

Essential oils are no different. Therefore if you mix essential oil and water together, you are NOT DILUTING them. Try it if you don’t believe me, and leave it to stand overnight, you will see the oils floating on the surface of the water by morning. 

This can be precarious, because if you apply that mix to your skin, you risk actually applying the undiluted oils floating on the surface of the water onto your skin. This is not what you want. 

How Do You Get Essential Oils And Water To Mix?

Thankfully there are a handful of easy ways to get oil and water to mix and safely dilute your essential oils into a water base that you can use for body sprays, face spritzes and toners. Some are more reliable than others. Let me teach you how to dilute essential oils for skin in water, safely.

Dispersants

Using a dispersant to dilute essential oils into water is by far the most reliable method and the one I would advocate to you when you are first learning how to dilute essential oils for skin safely. It’s easy to obtain and use in homemade products and essential oil blends. 

A dispersant is an agent that will hold the small molecules of oil and suspend them in a water base, preventing them from joining together to form larger molecules of oil on the surface of the water. It separates and distributes the oil through the whole body of water. 

If you want to make toners, body mists and perfume spritzes you need a commercial dispersant like Polysorbate 20 or 80. Generally, you would use equal amounts of essential oil and Polysorbate, but it can vary by manufacturer. 

While this would be our main recommendation, in a pinch you can try these next suggestions instead, understanding they are not foolproof by any means. 

Castile Soap

To use essential oils combined with water, we can use Castile Soap which will act as a type of dispersant in a similar way to Polysorbate. However, it can be less effective depending on the strength of your Castile Soap. 

Again, equal quantities tend to work as a rule of thumb. Although, whenever you buy a new bottle of Castile Soap, mix equal 5 ml quantities of soap and oil (cooking oil is fine) together, mix into 100 ml of water and leave to settle overnight. 

In the morning, if oil is floating to the top, you need a higher ratio of soap to water. Add a measured amount of soap, note the amount and stir well. Again, leave overnight and check the next day, continue until you find the magic ratio for that bottle of Castile. Annotate it on the bottle so you don’t forget it for the next time you come to use it. Your future self will thank you! 

Vinegar

When it comes to learning how to dilute essential oils for skin safely, you might be surprised to see you can use vinegar to dilute essential oils. 

Again, this is where the vinegar strength can have an effect on the overall outcome. Too weak and the oils will not dissolve and disperse into the vinegar. Yet, if you are using vinegar on your skin, you don’t want it to be too strong either. It is a delicate balance to get this right and can prove to be a tricky one. 

If you plan to use your essential oils with vinegar, I would suggest using Apple Cider Vinegar and mixing it with an equal quantity of water.

First, dilute up to 5ml of your essential oils into 2 cups of vinegar and then dilute that further with 2 cups of water. Again, I advise leaving this overnight and checking no oils have floated to the surface. If they have, add more vinegar and an equal quantity of water to balance it. 

You may have noticed you need much more vinegar to dissolve the essential oils than you need Castile Soap.

Alcohol 

There are always a few surprises learning how to dilute essential oils for skin and body care products and one of those can be the use of alcohol. It must also be paired with larger quantities of water, to mitigate the alcohol irritating your skin.

Pretty much all commercial/branded perfumes are alcohol based and diluted down with water to be safe for your skin. They contain dispersants and agents that slow down evaporation and affect how a perfume’s scent behaves and dries down. 

We can buy Perfumer's Alcohol that includes these components already and it is ideal as an alcohol for diluting essential oils for use on the skin. 

While I am, personally, not over keen on using alcohol on my face, a dash of this in a litre of homemade Rosewater Toner really does disperse a few drops of essential oils rather effectively. Much more effectively than if I just used a high strength Vodka for example. This is down to the addition of dispersants like Di-propylene Glycol.

You can use a very high strength alcohol like Vodka, White Rum or Brandy to dilute essential oils, but it is not an exact science and isn’t always a reliable method of diluting essential oils safely. 40% vol isn’t going to cut it, you need a much higher ABV, closer to about 70% vol.

Buy the good stuff if you are just learning how to dilute essential oils for skin safely. But honestly, Perfumer's Alcohol is designed for use on the skin and will probably work out cheaper in the long run. 

Try this simple recipe to learn how to dilute essential oils in water safely and easily.

Rosewater & Rose Geranium Facial Toner

This is super simple, fresh, light and easy to use. You will wonder why you never made this before! Look how learning how to dilute essential oils for skin, can lead you to such aromatic wonders! 

You can use any of the techniques for dispersing essential oils into water I have mentioned above for this project. However, I’m going with the Castile Soap because it is a more accessible product for you, that you probably already have at home.

If you want your toner the same color pink as in the image, add a little skin safe colorant to achieve the desired effect. Food colorants will often be a good substitute. 

You Will Need:

• Measuring jug
• Stainless Steel spoon
• Funnel 
• 100ml bottle
• Oil and waterproof label

Ingredients:

• 82 ml of Rosewater (Rosa Damascena)
• 10 ml of Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)
• 5 ml of Castile Soap (Potassium cocoate, jojobate and olivate)
• 60 drops of Rose Geranium essential oil (Pelargonium Roseum X Asperum)
• Optional - A preservative of your choice, follow the manufacturer's instructions. 

Safety:

• Do not use during the first 16 weeks of pregnancy

Method:

1. Measure out your Castile Soap and add the drops of Rose Geranium essential oils into the soap and mix thoroughly to combine. Take care not to make it too foamy and bubbly.

2. Mix the Rosewater and Witch Hazel together and decant into the bottle using the funnel, then pour in your Castile Soap and essential oil mix. It may take a moment for all the soap to drip through, give it time.

3. Add the lid and shake vigorously for a couple of minutes to combine the ingredients. You may need to do this more than once. 

4. Allow to stand overnight and then check the surface of the toner for any floating oil. If there is any, add a few more drops of Castile Soap. Shake and allow to settle again, and check again. 

5. Label listing all ingredients and safety advice. Add a production date and an expiry date of 3 months.

How To Use:

1. Always make sure you carry out a 24-48 hour patch test.

2. Apply to your face on a reusable cotton pad and wipe gently across the entire surface of the face, neck and decolletage. 

3. Check your pad periodically as you move around the face, if it looks a bit grubby, use a new one. 

4. Rinse your pads in hot soapy water and hang to dry for the next day. Then machine wash your pads at the end of every week on a hot wash. 

How To Dilute Essential Oils For Skin With Lotion and Commercial Bases

I genuinely believe when you are first setting out to learn about aromatherapy, essential oil blending and how to dilute essential oils for skin safely, that premade lotion bases offer you amazing value and help you build experience.

Sourcing a good quality cream or lotion base is key to getting great results in the early days of your journey. It is worth buying small amounts of a few and trying them out on your skin over a series of weeks before even adding essential oils. You’ll soon have your favourites and will kick out the ones that don’t work for your skin type. 

It is easy to dilute essential oils into cream and lotion bases, even if they are water based. You can mix them right in, but it is always worth diluting them in some carrier oil first and then mixing them thoroughly, as good practice. By diluting them first, you eliminate the chance of undiluted essential oils sitting in pockets of cream that you missed in the mixing. 

It allows you to create a range of products to suit your individual needs. It means you can make something up in a heartbeat, to suit your every whim. Even I use pre-made bases sometimes when I need to knock something up quickly. I buy the ones I trust and try to stick to organic offerings. 

I also tend to buy cream bases that will stand heavy dilution to double as a lotion base too. Meaning I only need one product to create a variety of bases rather than two. Saving money and storage space. 

I cannot recommend this method highly enough for those of you who are complete beginners to learning how to dilute essential oils for skin safely and the applications of essential oils.

Easy Face Cream Recipe 

One of the most important skills you can teach yourself in aromatherapy is how to dilute essential oils for skin care and body care products safely.  It allows you to take those skills and transfer them to all sorts of different projects. 

Try this super easy, but highly effective Face Cream, packed with essential oils for hydrating and balancing dry skin, nourishing the skin and improving the complexion. This is where you can use your essential oils to create stunning beauty products. 

You Will Need:

1. Measuring jug
2. Mixing bowl
3. Stainless Steel spoon
4. Funnel 
5. 100ml jar
6. Oil and waterproof label

Ingredients:

• 50 ml of Aqueous Cream (Various ingredients)
• 35 ml of Rosewater (Rosa Damascena)
• 10 ml of Rosehip carrier oil (Rosa Canina)
• 50 drops of Rose Geranium essential oil (Pelargonium Roseum X Asperum)
• 20 drops of Patchouli essential oil (Pogostemon cablin)
• 12 drops of Ylang Ylang essential oil (Cananga odorata)
• Optional - A preservative of your choice, follow the manufacturer's instructions. 

Safety:

• Do not use during the first 37 weeks of pregnancy

Method:

1. Measure out your Rosehip carrier oil and add the essential oils and mix thoroughly to combine. 

2. Add this directly into the Aqueous Cream before you add any other ingredients, The emulsifiers in the Aqueous Cream will help integrate the oils into the cream.

3. Then add the Rosewater, until you reach a consistency that you like. Remember though,  that your final volume must be 100 ml or more, to remain a safe volume in comparison to the amount of essential oil used. You can always add an extra dollop of Aqueous Cream to balance the skin feel, if necessary.  

4. Decant into a jar using a funnel and lid immediately.

5. List all ingredients on an oil and waterproof label and any additional safety advice. Add a production date and an expiry date of 3 months. 

How To Use:

5. Always make sure you carry out a 24-48 hour patch test.

6. Apply to your face using your fingers, in small upward circular motions.

7. Take care not to drag the delicate eye area.

8. Leave to soak in, no need to rinse. 

And there we go…. how to dilute essential oils for skin safely into a cream base. Simple, right?

The Final Word On How To Dilute Essential Oils For Skin

I think we have quite comprehensively covered how to dilute essential oils for skin safely. We have discovered that we need to dilute essential oils to:

1. Stay skin safe because of the concentrated chemical constituents of essential oils.

2. Be mindful of underlying health conditions.

3. To care for, and look after our precious skin. 

Before We Even Begin

We have learnt that to even start the process of diluting essential oils for skin safely, we need to:

1. Define what type of product we are trying to make.

2. Decide which essential oils we wish to use.

3. Locate the correct safety information for each essential oil.

4. Note the maximum skin safety dilution rates and any contraindications.

5. Make a note of these on the box or bottle for future reference.

6. Learn how to work out and convert the maximum skin safety dilution rates into the number of drops to use. Preferably by hand, rather than relying on the VINEVIDA Calculator. 

Diluting Essential Oils In Carrier Oils

We discovered how to dilute essential oils for skin in different types of carrier oil. We explored why there is no one magic ratio or no set number of drops that applies to all essential oils. We defined that it is dictated by the individual essential oils maximum skin safety dilution rate and its contraindications. We now understand there is no 'one size fit all’ answer. 

We worked through step by step, how to work out essential oil safety and how to apply it to recipes where we dilute essential oils into carrier oils. Why not try these quick and simple carrier oil recipes for yourself:

• Dry Skin Serum
• Nourishing Cuticle Oil
• Aching Joints Massage Oil 

Diluting Essential Oils In Water

We addressed the pitfalls when it comes to how to dilute essential oils for skin in water. Oil and water don’t mix, so we need dispersants like Polysorbate 20 and Castile Soap or dissolving agents like vinegar or alcohol.

We looked at how to make an aromatic and skin loving delight with Rosewater and Rose Geranium Facial Toner. Where we used Castile Soap to disperse the essential oils into the water. 

Diluting Essential Oils In Cream Bases & Lotions

Finally, we discovered how easy it is for beginners to learn how to dilute essential oils for skin safely in cream bases and lotions. They generally have their own emulsifiers and dispersing agents that we can take advantage of.

We discovered how easy it was to make a Quick & Easy Face Cream with essential oils using an Aqueous Cream Base.

I think if you got to this point, you are well on the road to learning how to dilute essential oils for skin safely, all on your own! Don’t forget the website and blog are there to help you on your way. Good luck!