Pure, Therapeutic-Grade Essential Oils

The standard adult dilution is 2–3% in a carrier oil — that's roughly 12–18 drops of essential oil per ounce of carrier (jojoba, fractionated coconut, sweet almond). For sensitive skin, kids over 6, or daily use: drop to 1% (6 drops per ounce). For "hot" oils — wintergreen, clove, cinnamon bark, oregano — start at 0.5% and stay there. Never apply undiluted to skin except in trace situations (a single drop of lavender on a fresh small burn is the classic exception, but even that's controversial). When in doubt, dilute more, not less.

Kids over 2: Lavender, Lemon, Frankincense are generally well-tolerated diffused for 30–60 minutes at a time in a well-ventilated room. Avoid Peppermint, Eucalyptus, and Rosemary diffusion around kids under 6 — the high 1,8-cineole and menthol can affect breathing in young airways.

Infants under 2: Skip diffusion entirely. The respiratory system is still developing.

Dogs: Most oils are tolerated, but always diffuse with the door open so dogs can leave the room.

Cats: NEVER diffuse Tea Tree, Clove, Cinnamon Bark, Eucalyptus, or Wintergreen around cats. Their livers can't process the phenols and ketones — these can be toxic. Stick to occasional Lavender or Frankincense in well-ventilated rooms cats can leave, or skip diffusion entirely if you have cats.

"Therapeutic grade" isn't a regulated term — anyone can claim it. What matters is the actual constituent profile: does the oil contain the active compounds at clinically relevant concentrations? Cheap retail oils are often diluted with carrier or fragrance oils to reduce cost, or extracted from older or lower-grade plant material that doesn't yield the active compounds. The Lavender on a grocery store shelf at $4 is rarely the same molecule as a properly distilled high-linalool lavender at $16. We GC-MS test our oils for constituent profile and post the major actives — that's the practical difference, not a trademark.

For most oils, no — and this is one of the most-misused recommendations in the consumer essential oil space. The exception is culinary use of citrus oils (Lemon especially) at trace amounts in food or water, which has a long history. Internal use of any other oil should ONLY happen under a qualified clinician's guidance — peppermint capsules for IBS, oregano for specific GI protocols. The consumer trend of "putting drops of essential oil under your tongue daily" is not how Dr. Schrock practiced and is not what these oils are formulated for. Diffusion, dilution-based topical use, and inhalation are the safe primary methods. When in doubt, don't.