"Wish I'd read this sooner... just made my first rosemary oil batch and it's like a punch in the face every time I open it."
Haha, been there! My first peppermint oil extraction was so intense it practically cleared my sinuses from across the room. Honestly, I panicked at first and thought I'd wasted all that effort, but diluting it with almond oil made a huge difference. Also, I've noticed that oils tend to mellow naturally over time. Maybe give yours a week or two to settle down before deciding it's a lost cause. Sometimes patience is the secret ingredient nobody mentions in these DIY recipes... Hang in there, your rosemary oil might surprise you yet.
Honestly, patience might not always be the answer here. If your rosemary oil is that potent right off the bat, it's probably overloaded with plant material or steeped too long. I'd suggest diluting immediately rather than waiting—sometimes mellowing just doesn't happen naturally... learned that the hard way myself.
I get what you're saying, but sometimes dilution can just mask the issue rather than fix it. I once made a lavender oil that smelled super harsh—thought I'd ruined it—but after leaving it alone for a couple weeks, it mellowed out nicely. Maybe rosemary behaves differently though...
Yeah, I totally get the hesitation about dilution—sometimes it just feels like you're sweeping the problem under the rug. But honestly, time can be your best friend here. I had a similar issue with a mint tincture once; it smelled almost medicinal at first (like mouthwash gone wrong, lol). After letting it sit for about a month, it mellowed out nicely. Rosemary might be trickier, but patience could still pay off...worth a shot before giving up completely, right?
Totally relate to that mint tincture story, haha. The first time I tried making lavender oil at home, it ended up smelling like grandma's perfume cabinet exploded—way too strong and kinda headache-inducing. I freaked out a bit, thinking I'd wasted all that lavender (and my kitchen smelled weird for days...). But honestly, after leaving it alone in a dark cupboard for about three weeks, it really mellowed out and turned into something pretty nice. Still strong, but way more pleasant and usable.
Rosemary definitely sounds trickier though... it's such an intense herb to start with. Maybe try splitting the batch? Let half sit longer like suggested above, and experiment diluting or blending the rest with something milder like chamomile or calendula. Could end up being a happy accident combo—who knows? Either way, don't stress too much; even if it doesn't turn out perfect, you'll learn something useful for next time.
