BLOG: Dilute and Mix

Although you can use essential oils in a very versatile way, it is important to know how to do this in a safe way. In this blog I would like to give you a number of tools and guidelines, so that you can use your oils in a safe and responsible way.

DILUTE

Essential oils are very concentrated and therefore very powerful. To use them safely, you need to dilute them. This makes your essential oil more absorbable by your skin and helps to reduce / prevent evaporation, so that you enjoy the effect of the oil for longer. In addition, diluting the essential oil ensures a reduced risk of skin reactions. Also, your essential oils will last longer because you need less to use. Not only safe, but also sustainable for the environment and of course for your wallet.

When diluting essential oil, you take into account, among other things, the purpose of use, the age of the user and his or her health * . Consider, for example, medication use, pregnancy and illness. There are several situations where you should not use certain essential oils. Be well informed about this.

The location on the body is also important for the degree of dilution. The following dilution table (for adults) can be used as a guideline:

% essential oil

Number of drops of essential oil

Sight	0.2 - 1.5%	0.3 - 4.5 drops per 10 ml
Body	1.5 - 3.0%	4.5 - 9 drops per 10 ml
bath	1.0 - 4.0%	3 - 12 drops per 10 ml
Specific complaints	4.0 - 10.0%	12 - 30 drops per 10 ml
Acute pain / wounds	5.0 - 20.0%	15 - 60 drops per 10 ml

NB Always start with the lowest percentage and build up if necessary .
Source: Jacqueline van Liere, Makor Care .

💡 TIP: An easy guideline you can use is: 1 drop of essential oil per 1 teaspoon (approx. 5 ml) of carrier oil for a dilution of 1 %.

TO BLEND

As you may know, oil does not mix with water. So you need a substance that is fat soluble , such as one (or a combination) of the following products:

• A carrier oil, such as fractionated coconut oil, almond oil, or jojoba oil
• A fat, such as shea butter, mango butter, or coconut oil
• Another fat-soluble substance, such as alcohol (96%), castile soap or another (basic) soap

The following products are water soluble and therefore do not mix with your essential oil:

• Water
• Hydrosols
• Witch Hazel
• glycerin
• (Epsom) salt

Of course you can make products based on water-soluble substances. Then use an emulsifier to mix the oil part and the water part together and helps to spread your essential oil better. And preferably also a preservative, since water can cause all kinds of yeasts, molds and bacteria in your end product.

BASIC TIPS

Feel like getting started? Check out the following tips and information for making your own products.

Room spray
You can make a cream spray based on alcohol (96%) . Fill your bottle with drops of essential oil and top up with the alcohol. At the same time, alcohol acts as a preservative, so that your blend can be used for a long time without it getting 'dirty'.

> If you prefer to make a spray based on a water-soluble substance, such as witch hazel and/or a hydrosol, use an emulsifier to mix the water and your essential oil, for example the vegetable emulsifier solubol .

> If you prefer not to use an emulsifier, understand that your essential oils will float on the surface of the water, while the opening of your spray top straw is at the bottom of the bottle. Shaking well before use is very important to ensure that your oils come out of your spray top.

Bath salts (epsom salt)
If you want to make a delicious bath salt, first mix the essential oil with a carrier oil before mixing it further with the (epsom) salt . For example, use fractionated coconut oil or almond oil .

It is important to know when making bath salts that you should only use essential oils that are suitable for use in the bath, and that you should dilute them by first mixing them with a carrier oil. As soon as you are in a warm bath, your skin opens and is even more sensitive. The bath salt melts in the warm water, releasing the essential oils back onto the surface of the water. Since these do not mix with the bath water, it is important that they are diluted (through the carrier oil) before they come into contact with your warm, more sensitive skin.

Creams and balms
To make a cream you often use a butter, such as shea butter or (solid) coconut oil . Waxes such as soy wax or beeswax are often used for balms. Of course you can also combine butter and wax.

You slowly melt the butter and/or wax in a bain marie, so that the valuable properties are preserved and they do not burn. Once your butter and/or wax has melted, allow it to cool slightly before adding the essential oil so that it doesn't evaporate from the heat.

💡 TIP: If you want to make your final cream a little lighter, use a mixer to beat your end product lighter.

💡 TIP: Check out a nice recipe for making your own lip balm here .

Lotions
If you want to make a more liquid lotion, add a water-soluble substance to your oil/butter/wax mixture, for example (demi) water, hydrosol or witch hazel.

To mix the water part and the oil part together you need an emulsifier, possibly a co-emulsifier to get a stable mixture and prevent separation, and a preservative for the shelf life of your blend. Making a lotion is therefore a bit more complicated to do, but certainly not impossible with the right products and a good recipe.

You heat the butter and/or wax together with an emulsifier (for example Olivem 1000 ) and co-emulsifier (for example Cetyl Alcohol ) to 70°C. In a second bowl, do the same with the water-soluble substance. Once both mixtures have reached the temperature of 70 ° C , add them together and mix with a milk frother or hand blender until a milky consistency is formed. Let the mixture cool to 45° C and add the preservative (e.g. Cosgard (Geogard® 221) ) and the essential oils. Mix well and let cool. The mixture will slowly thicken.

💡 TIP: If you like to make water-based (care) products, use a preservative to extend the shelf life of your product. Water can become 'dirty' over time, so you need to protect it against all kinds of yeasts, molds and bacteria. One of the products you can use for this is Cosgard (Geogard® 221) , a biological preservative from Natural Heroes.

💡 TIP: If you are looking for more information and recipes about making creams, lotions and soaps, this book is highly recommended (can be ordered at bol.com).

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Disclaimer:

* It is very important that you use 100% pure essential oils and that you are well informed about which oils you can take responsibly and which oils you cannot take.

** There is a potential interaction between medications and essential oils, including a potentiation of drug side effects. Consult your doctor if you have any questions about incorporating essential oils into your daily routine. Pay particular attention to a (possible) pregnancy and when using blood thinners, which essential oil is safe to use. Special guidelines also apply to children. Consult a qualified physician for this.

This information has been compiled with the utmost care. The information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure and prevent diseases, or to replace medical advice from professional doctors and medicines. Anyone suffering from any illness or injury should consult a qualified physician.

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