Essential Oil Dilution Calculator
Work out how many drops of essential oil to add to a carrier oil for a safe dilution: set your carrier volume and target percentage and get drops, EO volume and finished blend size. Calculates in your browser.
Add essential oil
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Show the math
The essential oil volume is a percentage of your carrier, then converted to drops:
EO mL = carrier × percent ÷ 100
drops = EO mL × drops-per-mL
Dilution guidelines protect your skin. The Tisserand Institute's general guide puts facial products at 0.2–1.5% (1% is common) and body oils and lotions at 1–3% (2% is common); go lower for children, during pregnancy, or for elderly or sensitive skin. Some oils are phototoxic or sensitizing; check each oil and always patch-test before wider use.
What this does
An essential oil dilution calculator works out how many drops of essential oil to add to a carrier oil for a safe dilution, with the EO volume and finished blend size.
How to use it
- Enter the carrier volume.
- Set the target dilution percentage.
- Read the drops and EO volume.
- See the finished blend size.
How it works
The Tisserand Institute’s general guide puts facial products at 0.2–1.5% (1% is common) and body oils and lotions at 1–3% (2% is common); use less for children or pregnancy. Drop size varies by dropper, so the default 20 drops per mL errs toward fewer drops. Some oils are phototoxic or sensitizing — check each one and patch-test.
EO mL = carrier × percent ÷ 100; drops = EO mL × drops per mL
Understanding your result
The safe percentage depends on use: about 1 percent for the face, 1 to 3 percent for a body blend, and lower still for children, the elderly, or during pregnancy. Some oils are phototoxic or strong sensitizers, so check each one individually and always patch-test, because more essential oil is not more beneficial, just more likely to irritate.
Example
30 mL of carrier at 2% is 0.6 mL of essential oil: 12 drops at 20 drops per mL, or 18 drops at the 30 per mL the Tisserand Institute chart assumes.
Last updated .
Frequently asked questions
How are the drops found?
The essential oil volume is your dilution percentage of the carrier (EO mL = carrier × percent ÷ 100), converted to drops using drops-per-mL. Drop size varies with the dropper and the oil: the default of 20 drops per mL errs toward fewer drops, while the Tisserand Institute’s chart assumes about 30.
What dilution should I use?
The Tisserand Institute’s general guide: 0.2–1.5% for facial products (1% is common), 1–3% for body oils and lotions (2% is common), and 2–4% for bath products. Go lower for children, pregnancy or elderly skin, and always check each oil’s own guidance.
Are all essential oils equally safe?
No — some are phototoxic, sensitizing, or unsuitable for certain people. Check each oil and patch-test before wider use. This tool gives general guidance, not medical advice.
Do you store anything?
No — every calculation runs locally in your browser.
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