How you use an essential oil decides how it reaches you. Through your nose. Through your skin. Or through your mouth. Each way has its own rules. In this article I show you all three, explain why diluting is not watering down and tell you my favourite spot to apply oils.
Why the way matters
An essential oil is highly concentrated. One drop holds the power of a lot of plant material. So it is not only about which oil you use. It is also about how.
Everything I share about oils here applies to oils of outstanding quality. How to recognise them is in the article “Pure says almost nothing”.
Way 1: Smell
Smelling is the fastest way to your feelings. There is a reason for this. Our sense of smell is closely linked to the brain areas responsible for emotions and memories, such as the amygdala and the hippocampus. That is why a certain smell can take you back to your childhood in seconds.
How it works:
- In your hands: put one drop in your palms, rub briefly, hold your hands in front of your nose and mouth and breathe in deeply.
- In a diffuser: five to ten drops in the water. The diffuser spreads the oil as a fine mist through the room.
In my home, citrus runs in the diffuser in the morning. At night a drop of lavender goes into my hands. That is my signal that the day is done.
Way 2: Apply
On the skin I always use essential oils mixed with a carrier oil. For example fractionated coconut oil, almond or jojoba oil. For massage, for my feet in the evening, for skin care.
Diluting is not watering down
A fatty carrier oil spreads the essential oil evenly over a larger area. It binds the oil and protects the skin. The effect is not lost. On the contrary: you get further with less oil.
My rule of thumb for a 10 ml roller bottle
| For whom | Drops of essential oil per 10 ml carrier oil |
|---|---|
| Adults | 8 to 10 drops (about 4 to 5 percent) |
| Children aged 6 to 12 | 4 to 6 drops |
| Children aged 2 to 6 | 2 to 3 drops |
The younger, the gentler. That is also what I write in my book on essential oils for the whole family.
My favourite spot: the soles of the feet
The skin on the soles of your feet is thick and robust. It has no oil glands, just like your palms. That is why it handles oils particularly well. Apply in the evening, socks on, done. For me it is the simplest ritual of the day.
Way 3: Enjoy
Essential oils can also go into drinks and food. But only oils that are clearly labelled as food. For me that is the most important rule of all.
A drop of lemon in a large glass of water. A hint of peppermint in your tea. A drop of basil in your tomato sauce. In the kitchen, one drop is often already a lot. I prefer to put it on a spoon first and then stir it in.
I drink a drop of lemon oil in my water every day. That is my way number three and the one I use most.
My everyday life with oils
It is pretty unspectacular. And that is exactly the point.
- Morning: a drop of lemon in my water, citrus in the diffuser.
- During the day: a roller bottle in my bag.
- Evening: lavender in my hands, an oil on the soles of my feet, socks on.
You don’t have to do everything at once. Pick one way and try it for a week. Then add the next.
Frequently asked questions
Do I apply essential oils neat to my skin?
For the skin I always mix them with a carrier oil. That way less oil is enough, and the skin is protected.
How many drops go into a diffuser?
Five to ten drops, depending on the size of the room and the device.
Which oils can go in my water?
Only oils that are clearly labelled as food. If the label doesn’t say so, the oil doesn’t belong in your glass.
Which way is yours?
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- Soudry Y, Lemogne C, Malinvaud D, Consoli SM, Bonfils P: Olfactory system and emotion: common substrates. Eur Ann Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Dis 2011;128(1):18–23: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21227767/
- LibreTexts Medicine: Sebaceous (Oil) Glands (absent on palms and soles): https://med.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Anatomy_and_Physiology/Anatomy_and_Physiology_(Boundless)/5:_Integumentary_System/5.3:__Accessory_Structures_of_the_Skin/5.3B:_Sebaceous_(Oil)_Glands/
- Christof Twickler: essential oils for the whole family, chapter on dilution (e-book 2026, German edition)