Essential oil dilution.

Drops table

Drops of essential oil for a given carrier amount and dilution, using 20 drops per ml. It updates with the drops-per-ml setting above.

Dilution ranges by use

These are the six ranges the Tisserand Institute describes (page published 2024-01-22). Think of them as guidelines, and start low: higher concentration always raises the risk of a skin reaction, but may not add benefit.

• Sensitive or impaired skin: 0.2 to 1%
• Facial cosmetics and deodorants: 0.5 to 1.2%
• Body oils and lotions: 1 to 3%
• Bath and wash-off products: 2 to 4%
• Acne spot treatment and wound care: 2 to 10%, short-term and targeted
• Pain and "feel good" rollerballs: 3 to 10%, small area of skin

The "children" button uses the lowest range because the source gives no separate child percentage. Do not treat it as a child dose.

How it works

Dilution is a percentage of the finished blend by volume. If you add oil volume v to a carrier amount C, the dilution is p = v / (C + v) × 100. Solving for the oil gives v = C × p / (100 − p), and drops = v × drops per ml. The reverse mode runs the same formula backwards: drops ÷ drops per ml gives oil volume, then the percentage.

Worked example. 30 ml of carrier at 2%: v = 30 × 2 / 98 = 0.612 ml, and at 20 drops per ml that is 12.2 drops. Rounded to 12 drops, the real dilution is 12 / 20 = 0.6 ml in 30.6 ml = 1.96%.

US units: 1 fl oz = 29.5735 ml, 1 tbsp = ½ fl oz, 1 tsp = ⅙ fl oz. Stay with volume throughout; do not mix weights and volumes.

What this tool does not do. It has no oil-by-oil limits. Phototoxic citrus oils, cinnamon bark and other oils with their own restrictions need lower dilutions, which you must look up in the IFRA Standards Library or Essential Oil Safety. It is not advice for pregnancy, infants or medical use.

Sources (as of 2026-10-02): Tisserand Institute, Dilution for essential oils (the older address tisserandinstitute.org/safety/dilution/ redirects there); IFRA Standards Library; Tisserand R, Young R. Essential Oil Safety, 2nd ed. (Churchill Livingstone, 2014), cited for reference only.

FAQ

How many drops of essential oil per ml of carrier oil?

It depends on the dilution. At 20 drops per ml, a 1% dilution is about 0.2 drops per ml of finished blend, so about 6 drops in 30 ml. At 2% it is about 12 drops in 30 ml. Drop size varies between bottles and oils, so Tisserand Institute notes that drop conversions are always approximate.

What dilution should I use for the face, body or children?

The Tisserand Institute lists 0.5 to 1.2% for facial cosmetics and underarms, 1 to 3% for body oils and lotions, and 0.2 to 1% for reaction-prone or impaired skin. It gives no percentage for children, so this tool does not invent one. For children, babies and pregnancy, ask a qualified aromatherapist or health professional.

Does this work for every essential oil?

No. The ranges apply to most essential oils but not to those with their own restrictions. Individual oils such as phototoxic citrus oils (for example cold-pressed lemon, which Tisserand says has a 2% limit to avoid phototoxicity) and cinnamon bark have lower limits. Check the IFRA Standards Library and Essential Oil Safety for the oil you use.

How do I find the percentage if I already added drops?

Use the reverse mode. Enter your carrier amount and the number of drops you added. The tool converts drops to volume using your drops-per-ml setting and returns the dilution as a percentage of the finished blend.

Why is the answer a decimal number of drops?

Because the maths gives fractions. The tool also shows the nearest whole number of drops and the actual dilution that whole number gives, so you can see how much rounding changes the result.

Is 20 drops per ml correct?

It is a common convention, not a fixed rule. Real drops depend on the dropper, the oil's viscosity and the temperature, so you can change the setting. If precision matters, measure by volume with a syringe or pipette instead of counting drops.

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