EO Calc - Essential Oil Calculator

Supporting Safe Essential Oil Usage for the DIY Community

Recommendations

If you are new to using essential oils, you might be a little overwhelmed! It’s understandable – there are oh so many essential oils out there, plus tons of information and recommendations. It can be hard to find reliable information, so let’s fix that right up!

Essential Oils for Beginners

If you are just starting out, you probably want to know what essential oils to snag first.

Here’s a list of the Top Ten Recommended Essential Oils for Beginners:

  • Lavender Essential Oil
  • Rosemary Essential Oil
  • Folded Lemon Essential Oil (best lemon for soapmakers)
  • Cedarwood Essential Oil
  • Patchouli Essential Oil
  • Clary Sage Essential Oil
  • Folded Sweet Orange Essential Oil (best orange for soapmakers); 
  • Peppermint Essential Oil
  • Bergamot Essential Oil
  • Tea Tree Essential Oil

So why these oils?  For a few simple reasons:  They are widely available in most places in the world, they are typically NOT cost-prohibitive to source, and they are SO versatile for blending! You can pick up these oils and support the calculator by shopping with one of our affiliate partnerships.  When you purchase, we receive a very small percentage back to help offset the calculator’s hosting and development costs.

Essential Oil Tools

The right tools can make all the difference! These are go-to tools in your studio when using essential oils:

  • Fragrance Test Strips for Perfume and Essential Oils – Fragrance strips allow you to create and test essential oil blends in small amounts to prevent wasting those precious essential oils.
  • 3 mL Plastic Transfer Pipettes – While I tend to skip the disposables, cleaning glass pipettes is a pain in the rear. Disposable pipettes make it easy to dispense essential oils when blending.
  • 600 Gram Capacity Scale  – A great starter scale for essential oils and other small amounts of ingredients with 0.1 gram increments.
  • Powder Free Nitrile Gloves – Many folks are allergic to latex, so snag nitrile gloves instead. (Sometimes, you can find them at pharmacies and grocery stores in the pharmacy area.)
  • KD 8000 Digital Scale by My Weigh – My favorite formulating scale for larger batches of product, like soap, lotion, creams, and the like. This scale has a 8,000 gram capacity, but will also weigh in oz.
  • 200 Gram Calibration Weight – If you need to check your scale for accuracy, a non-classified calibration weight can give you a good idea if you need to replace your scale. (Calibrating your scale with a classified weight tends to be more expensive than replacing the scale itself for home formulators.)

Essential Oil Books

If you are looking to further extend your essential oil knowledge or dig deep into the world of botanical oils, one of these books is sure to hit the spot:

  • SMELLGOODS: How to Use & Blend Essential Oils – Disclaimer: Kenna, the original creator of this site, wrote this book.  Her goal with this book was to give a new formulator everything they needed to know to safely and successfully use essential oils in their handmade creations.
  • The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils: The Complete Guide – This book has been a staple in the library of many aromatherapists and home formulators for over a decade! It’s easy to read and understand, and features extensive information about most of the readily accessible essential oils. 
  • Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals – If you are looking for more in-depth information about essential oils, supported by science, this is the perfect book for you. Written by the father of  modern aromatherapy, Robert Tisserand, this book is my go-to essential oil bible.

Soapmaking Equipment, Tools & Supplies

Are you looking to expand your horizons as a product maker, formulator, or a soapmaker? Maybe you’re quite established but you’ve hit a bump in the road with cash flow? Maybe you have the desire to start your own business, but don’t know where to start out? We have some recommendations for you, too!

More Learning Opportunities

Are you looking to expand your horizons as a product maker, formulator, or a soapmaker? Maybe you’re quite established but you’ve hit a bump in the road with cash flow? Maybe you have the desire to start your own business, but don’t know where to start out? We have some recommendations for you, too!

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