How to test for Polarity:

This is a simple test that was developed by a lab so that the home user would have an easy,
inexpensive and accurate method of testing fragrances.

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1) Part One: First make sure your glass is clean, dry and clear (easy to clearly see through). Some glass
can have flaws in it and may not give you a good clear view. We use scientific grade test tubes, but you
can use small, clear glass oil bottles.

2) Take 3 parts fragrance oil and mix it with 1 part white mineral oil. (Example: 3/4 tsp. to 1/4 tsp.). Eye
droppers (pipettes) or syringes with measurements on them will work for this. The correct type of oil to
use is a straight cut mineral oil with a viscosity of about 230 SUS@100F and a flash point of around
435-440F. The food grade mineral oil you can get at your local pharmacy will work fine. You cannot use
baby oil, as it already contains fragrance, and will not give you an accurate result.
We use only Penreco mineral oil in our testing.

3) Mix the oils thoroughly (put it into a clear glass bottle with cap, and shake well). If the mixture clouds
for a second as you mix it, but then clears up as you continue, that may be ok. Let it sit for no more than
5 minutes. If it stays cloudy no matter how much you mix, it is polar & unsafe. If there is any separation
line or beads, it is polar & unsafe. If it remains clear and there is no separation, then do the second part
of the test below.

4) Part Two: The next step is to reverse the proportions and do the test using 1 part fragrance and 3 parts
mineral oil. It is important to do it both ways and make sure there is no clouding or separation in either
mixture. The easiest way to do this is to add 8 parts mineral oil to the mixture you already have in the
bottle and shake very well. Let it sit for no more than 5 minutes. If there is any clouding or seperation,
then it is polar & unsafe. If the mixture is completely clear with no hint of cloudiness, beading or any
seperation line, then it is non-polar, and therefore safe to use.

Tip: I find the best way to see really clearly is to hold the bottle up to a light, this way you can see any
fine lines or beads. Sometimes they can be difficult to see!

Below are a couple of examples of polarity tests I did in clear glass test tubes. In this example, the oil on the left clouded up and proved to be polar. But the oil on the right remained perfectly clear with no separation or clouding at all and proved to be non-polar

Non-Polar: Gel safe

---Polar: Not gel safe