We recently received the following question from Stephanie through our Plugoo Chat Window.
How many drops of essential oil per ounce should I use? I made a wonderful baby oil and not only want the benefits of the essentials oils but also the aroma. What is safe? My baby is 4 months old. – Stephanie
Dear Stephanie,
Thank you for contacting us with your question. When using Essential Oils in baby care products it is more important than ever to make sure you are using a safe dilution. Baby's skin is very sensitive, as are their internal systems. An overdose, or a misused Essential Oil can be very dangerous for babies. Before using any Essential Oil in any baby product, look up the usage rate for that particular Essential Oil in the particular product, for the specific age of the child. Unfortunately, there is no safe "rule of thumb" when it comes to Essential Oils, especially when used with babies and children. Also, it is important to double check the use of the Essential Oil with your child's physician to make sure it is safe. We some great books in our book store that can be used as a references for using Essential Oils safely with children and babies. Check out Aromatherapy for the Healthy Child by Valerie Ann Worwood and Aromatherapy & Massage for Mother & Baby by Allison England. You can also find some helpful articles in our Beauty by the Batch Library.
From my practice, 1% of EO is usually safe and enough as fragrant.