Amount of Essential Oils to be Used Per Application

Dr. Jean Valnet has said that 'while not speaking here of homeopathy, I have found that the smaller amount of essential oils used, the more potent are its effects'.

The amount of essential oil(s) that should be used per application depends on who is using the essential oils, the type of essential oil and the manner in which it is being applied:

1. Consider the age of the person, as children and older people, should use less essential oil than a person from age thirteen to the late sixties. Never use undiluted essential oils on a child, with the sole exception of small amounts of Lavender and Ti-tree on minor burns or injuries. The ratio of essential oil to carrier oil should be 1 - 1 1/2% for children, whereas the usual dilution for adults is 3 %.

2. According to many of the pharmaceutical studies that have been done, the most essential oil that should be used for an adult is about six (6) drops or so a day. Using more of the recognized safe essential oils on a continuous basis, without taking a break, or using any of a small number of oils that should not be used at all in aromatherapy can cause a toxic build-up, overloading the liver and poisoning the body to some extent.

3. If the essential oil is being used in the bath, after the warm water is drawn and just before getting into it, sprinkle about 6 drops of essential oil onto the surface of the water and swirl the water to disperse the oil .

As previously indicated, because of the concentrated properties of essential oils, essential oils generally must be mixed with a carrier oil. Because of this, a person could use a daily dram (.125 fluid ounce, or 128 drops) of a massage oil, mixed with up to 6.4 drops of an essential oil, which is typically sufficient for a complete body massage. After a period of twenty - one (21) days, though, the person should go on an essential oil holiday, and stop using essential oils. Generally, essential oils must not be used in a "neat" form, that is, not mixed with a carrier oil. (Essential oils are not diluted when mixed with water.) When a few drops of essential oil such as Lavender are used to help one sleep, a few more drops will not necessarily help the person to sleep better. In fact, the opposite result of the desired effect may develop if more than the recommended amount of essential oil is used, and the Lavender oil will keep a person awake. Also, if more than the recommended amount of oil is used, or a person does not go on an essential oil holiday, the body can build up toxic levels of the oils.