Cloudiness and Precipitation when Mixing Eucalyptus Oil and Alcohol 95%

Mixing 40 ml of Eucalyptus Oil with 60 ml of 95% Alcohol resulting in cloudiness and precipitation is a common issue when mixing high concentrations of essential oils with alcohol that contains water (95% Alcohol still contains 5% water). This happens because essential oils do not dissolve well in the water portion, and a 40% oil concentration is quite high for this alcohol strength. This leads to small separations that appear as cloudiness and can settle out as precipitate over time.

In order to fix this problem and make the mixture clear and stable, you need to use a Solubilizer. A solubilizer acts as a bridge between the oil phase (Eucalyptus Oil) and the alcohol/water phase, allowing them to mix well, remain clear, and prevent precipitation.

Based on the information we found, suitable solubilizers include:

• Flora Solve™ Clear (Fragrance Solubilizer)
• Free Solve™ (PEG-Free Solubilizer)

The general method for using a solubilizer is:

1. Mix the Eucalyptus Oil with the chosen solubilizer first, ensuring they are well combined by stirring or mixing.
2. Gradually add the 95% Alcohol to the oil/solubilizer mixture little by little, stirring continuously until the entire mixture becomes clear.

The amount of solubilizer needed depends on the specific essential oil and solubilizer used, as well as the desired clarity. Based on the description for Flora Solve™ Clear, for dissolving Eucalyptus Oil, a ratio of 2 parts Flora Solve™ Clear to 1 part essential oil might be a starting point, but you may need to experiment slightly to find the exact ratio that gives you the desired clarity for your specific formula.

Regarding your second question about whether mixing just the oil and alcohol is sufficient, as you've experienced cloudiness and precipitation, it is not sufficient for a stable, clear solution at the concentration you are using. Adding a solubilizer is necessary to achieve a clear, non-precipitating product suitable for a spray bottle. Other ingredients like preservatives (though less critical in high alcohol content) could be considered to extend shelf life, but a solubilizer is the key ingredient to solve the current cloudiness and precipitation issue.