Totally get the eucalyptus overload—been there myself. Vitamin E is a solid tip, I've used it too and noticed a difference. Another thing I've found helpful is jojoba oil as a carrier. It's pretty stable and doesn't oxidize as quickly as almond or grapeseed oils, so blends last longer without getting that weird stale smell.
Valerian though... yeah, that's next-level brave. I once tried making a clove tincture for toothache relief (cosmetic dentistry nerd here), and let's just say my kitchen smelled like holiday baking gone horribly wrong for weeks. Even after airing out, the scent lingered in cabinets and drawers. Lesson learned: always dilute cautiously and maybe test small batches first?
Valerian is definitely a bold choice—I admire your courage there. I've only experimented a bit with lavender and chamomile tinctures, and even those turned out surprisingly potent. The jojoba oil tip makes sense; I've also noticed it holds up better over time compared to grapeseed oil.
On the clove note, yeah...been there too. I once made a small batch of peppermint oil for headaches, thinking it'd be gentle and easy to manage. Well, let's just say minty freshness isn't always a good thing when your entire house smells like toothpaste for days. Opening windows barely helped, and I ended up placing bowls of baking soda and activated charcoal around to absorb the scent. It wasn't an instant fix, but it did speed things along noticeably.
Testing in smaller batches is probably the best advice here. It might feel tedious at first, but it's way better than having to deal with weeks of lingering smells or potent oils you can't comfortably use. Also, keeping detailed notes on ratios and extraction times really helped me fine-tune future attempts. You're on the right track though—these little mishaps happen to everyone experimenting at home.
Speaking of potency, has anyone tried diluting overly strong tinctures afterward, maybe with extra carrier oil or alcohol? Would that even work, or just mess up the balance somehow...I'm always worried about accidentally making something too intense for my kid.
"Speaking of potency, has anyone tried diluting overly strong tinctures afterward, maybe with extra carrier oil or alcohol?"
I've definitely done this before! Last year I made a chamomile tincture that ended up way too strong for my daughter—she hated the taste and it seemed a bit intense. I just diluted it with a little extra glycerin (we prefer glycerin over alcohol for the kiddo). Worked perfectly...didn't notice any weirdness or issues with effectiveness. Honestly, I'd say go for it; better safe than sorry when it's for kids.
I've never diluted tinctures myself, but your glycerin idea sounds smart. I once made a homemade clove oil for tooth pain (dentist anxiety here, big time...) and accidentally made it way too strong. It burned my gums a bit, which freaked me out. Ended up mixing it with coconut oil to tone it down, but honestly, I was still nervous using it again. Has anyone else had issues with homemade remedies being too harsh on sensitive areas like gums or skin?