Mixing essential oils and water. Emulsifier needed?

I am making a mouthwash, when I mix essential oils and products like neem seed oil with water, do I need to use an emulsifier?
Don't essential oils, being oils just sit in the water and not mix? I definitely would of thought so with neem oil.
What about extracts that have been made, I presume with alcohol to make a tincture? Things like Lemon Balm or Grapefruit Seed Extract,  are these water based, or oil based? Can they be added straight to the water base for the mouthwash?

Hi Clara,

The oil will float on top of the water without being emulsified. To determine if the extract is in oil form, will depend on the methods of extract and whats being extracted. If I recall most seed extracts purchased from suppliers typically are in oil form, and made from distillation extract processess. Otherwise it would be a tincture, made with water and or alcohol.

The best method I know of to emulsify your mouthwash, without adding things like alcohol, is to use a high speed blender. Add your water, then your essential oils at ratio, and slowly crank up the blender to high speed. After maybe five minutes of high speed blending the mixture becomes emulsified.

A word of caution to anyone using neem products, that may be ingested. It has been documented as a reproductive disruptor, that should be avoided if pregnant or expecting to become pregnant.

Hope that helps!

Extracts are made with alcohol, which will mix with the oils without an emulsifier. So, you'll only need an emulsifier if you have water in your mouthwash formula. I know I've seen essential oil emulsifiers that can be purchased, but I have no idea what's in them. People commonly use liquid castile soap, aloe vera gel, or plain powdered gelatin to keep the oils from separating from the water. Aloe vera would be especially pleasant for a mouthwash, I'd think.

Why use Essential oils?

Why not use the herb itself?

I make a Rosemary mouthwash using fresh rosemary.  I brew tea and then I keep the mouthwash (tea) in the refrigerator until it is all gone.

I find Essential oils are expensive so I only have a few that I use sparingly. I  inhale them, either directly out of the bottle or by using a diffuser.

I like Dr. Axe so I asked, his recipe adds calcium carbonate. Other recipes I saw use baking soda or salt instead:

https://draxe.com/beauty/homemade-mouthwash-with-essential-oils/

In the comments, someone said if calcium carbonate is not available use a crushed multivitamin or honey.

I like the idea of trying honey since I have honey.

Anne Miller wrote:Why use Essential oils?

Why not use the herb itself?

I make a Rosemary mouthwash using fresh rosemary.  I brew tea and then I keep the mouthwash (tea) in the refrigerator until it is all gone.

Anne, good points, plus yours sounds a lot easier to make.

If oils are truly wanted, I wonder why an infused oil wouldn't work. Essential oils are super concentrated so a few drops go a long way. But an infused oil would still have the herbal qualities and be easy to make at home by just letting the herb steep in olive oil.