At some point in time, it happens to us all… too much essential oil drips into your diffuser, and becomes WAY too strong for the room you're in.
It can be so frustrating. You have a great essential oil recipe you want to put in the diffuser. Whether you're scaling down a roller ball recipe, or accidentally found a potent diffuser recipe on Pinterest that ended up being WAY too strong… and oops! You cannot have your diffuser on without feeling like you need to leave the room.
The problem… diffusing too much at one time may cause dizziness, nausea, headaches, confusion, and lethargy.
How much is too much?
Typically, I respect other people's opinions and choices as to how much constitutes “too much” or “too little” essential oils because it really is a personal choice on what you use based on what you're comfortable with.
There are a lot of factors, like room size and personal preference, that dictate how many drops of which type of oil you should use. Some oils are stronger, like peppermint, so you won't need as many drops to spread around the peppermint aroma. Other oils, like lavender, require more drops because they are much milder.
When you're just starting out, I recommend being very conservative with how much of each oil and how often you diffuse.
Why? Because sometimes over-doing it can cause headaches or nausea… and no one wants to see you not liking your new oils because of something silly like using too much right away. Save your money… save your sanity… and start slow!
When starting with essential oils, think Less Is More! Don't learn the hard way!How to start diffusing:
When you're just starting out, think “less is more.” Essential oils are not like lotion or medication or your favorite ice cream topping where more is awesome. These little bottles are incredibly concentrated and need a bit of respect and care.
When coaching new customers, I recommend doing 2-3 drops of essential oils in their diffuser, and diffusing for 30-60 minutes, depending on how they feel. If at any time you start feeling light headed, dizzy, nauseous, or get a bit of a headache… chances are you're moving too fast and need to slow down.
Every body is different. Some people are perfectly fine starting out diffusing 8-10 drops right away, all day long. Others need to allow their bodies to adjust a little at a time as they take in the new experience. Sometimes this is an indication of needing to detox, which opens up a whole different conversation. Sometimes this is the body's way of handling something new. Because every body is different, judging what exactly is happening in a generic blog post can be more speculative than helpful.
When in doubt, give yourself a break and use less. Over time you'll be able to use more… but listen to your body and learn what is right for you.
What if you add too many drops?
If you add too many drops of oil to your diffuser, don't fret! You're not stuck needing to leave the house until the diffuser empties itself.
Simply pour the contents into a glass jar (we use these mason jars), and then dilute with more water to use to refill the diffuser as needed.
Yes! It really is that simple! We love simplifying our essential oils use!
There is no need for making things too complicated… life is complicated enough… go enjoy your oils!
Related Posts to Using Oils in Your Diffuser:
- Oil Blend Recipes
- Diffusing essential oils safely
- Can diffusing essential oils make you feel light-headed?
- Tips for finding high quality essential oils
Did you find this post helpful? If you enjoyed this post, please comment below and share.
Nicole
P.S. If you need help using essential oils, we provide special coaching, resources, and support groups for our members. Just head over to our membership page to creation account or contact us.
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How do u detox from an overdose of oils?
Hi Carol, thank you for your question! You won’t need to do much if you’ve used too much oils. Simply get some rest and drink a lot of extra water to help support your liver and kidneys. Most bodies tend to metabolize them within an hour or two, depending on your body’s natural processes.
those bottles of oil not drip that easy, 2nd i not smell much but still my eyes get irritated
Hi Pascal, thank you for your comment. There are two small holes in the orface of each bottle, one in the center and one tiny one to the side. If you angle the tiny hole on the side to the top when you drip, it will drip faster. If you’re eyes are irritated, you’re using too much. If you’re having difficulty with your sense of smell, don’t use as much as you need to smell it… still keep to only using fewer drops. I highly suggest looking up essential oils that may be able to help you with your sense of smell. I know peppermint essential oil helped my father in law with improving his sense of smell, but something else may work better for your body. I hope you’re able to find something that works well for you!
All the information and reassurance I needed was here. GREAT post!
Mary, thank you so much for your kind words. I’m so thrilled to have provided help and reassurance.