Diluting definitely helps, but if the smell's still too strong, you might try adding a few drops of peppermint or spearmint essential oil. I've done this with homemade dental rinses—mint masks weird herbal odors pretty effectively without overpowering everything else.
"Diluting definitely helps, but if the smell's still too strong, you might try adding a few drops of peppermint or spearmint essential oil. I've done this with homemade dental rinses—mint masks weird herbal odors pretty effectively without overpowering everything else."
Does the mint really cover it completely though? I mean, I've tried peppermint oil before to mask some pretty funky homemade tinctures, and it did help...but I could still detect that underlying weirdness. Maybe it's just me being overly sensitive to smells or something. Did you find spearmint worked better than peppermint, or are they pretty similar?
I'm always a bit cautious about mixing too many oils because I worry about reactions or sensitivities. Last time I got a bit adventurous with essential oils, my skin wasn't too happy about it. So just wondering if you've ever had any issues like that?
Anyway, your suggestion is reassuring—at least I'm not the only one who's ended up with some questionable-smelling concoctions at home. Good to know there's a chance to salvage them without having to toss everything out and start over from scratch.
Mint oils can definitely help, but you're right—they rarely mask everything completely. Spearmint tends to be a bit gentler and sweeter than peppermint, so it might blend better without feeling too sharp. I've also found cinnamon oil helpful in small amounts (but careful, it's strong stuff). And yeah, essential oils can irritate sensitive skin or gums if overdone—been there myself... moderation's key. If mint doesn't fully cut it, sometimes just diluting more and giving it time to mellow out helps a lot.
Totally agree on cinnamon oil—it's powerful stuff. I once made a homemade clove oil tincture to help with braces-related gum soreness, and let's just say I seriously underestimated how strong cloves can get. It burned like crazy at first! Diluting it way down with a neutral oil (I used coconut) and letting it sit for a few days really mellowed it out. Patience helps a ton with these DIY herbal experiments... learned that the hard way myself, haha.
I had a similar experience once, though mine was with peppermint oil. I was trying to make a DIY mouthwash because I'd read somewhere that peppermint oil is great for freshening breath and soothing gums. Well... let's just say I completely underestimated how potent pure peppermint oil can be. I figured "more is better," right? Wrong.
The first batch felt like icy fire in my mouth—honestly, it was borderline painful rather than refreshing. After panicking slightly (okay, maybe more than slightly), I ended up diluting it way down with distilled water and even added a bit of aloe vera juice to soothe the burn. It took a couple of tries and some tweaking, but eventually, it became usable and actually pretty pleasant.
So yeah, patience is definitely key here, as well as starting small. You really can't take back adding too much of something strong like cinnamon or cloves once it's in there. It's better to start with just a tiny bit, test it out carefully, and then gradually increase if needed. Also, if you're anxious about irritation or reactions (like me), I'd recommend doing a tiny patch test first before putting anything homemade near your gums or mouth.
Honestly, herbal DIYs can be awesome and helpful—but they can also go sideways quickly if you're not careful. I'm glad you sorted yours out by diluting with coconut oil; neutral oils are lifesavers in these situations for sure.
