A tincture is a concentrated liquid extract. For example, Delta 8 THC tinctures are made by diffusing a concentrated delta 8 THC distillate into a liquid base — usually MCT oil, hemp seed oil, or another vegetable oil.

Using tinctures is simple; there’s no need to overthink it.

However, if you’re looking for some specific step-by-step advice for how to use tinctures yourself, we’ve included four common methods people use to take their tinctures every day.

There’s also one way you should never use delta 8 tinctures — which we’ll explore in more detail below.

Method 1: Down the Hatch!

This is the simplest method of them all. Fill the dropper with oil by squeezing the rubber top and allowing it to suck up some oil, and drop it directly into the mouth and swallow. Only fill the dropper with one squeeze of the black topper. The oil should fill the glass dropper by about 3/4 of the way.

One pump of the dropper (called on dropperful) works out to around 1 mL of oil. Using our delta 8 tinctures as an example, this would be a dose of 40 mg of delta 8 THC. At this potency, you may want to start with just half a dropper if you’ve never used delta 8 THC before or are normally more sensitive to THC.

Most delta 8 THC tinctures don’t taste very good, so we’ve added some terpenes to ours to give it a more enjoyable flavor.

Method 2: Hold it Under Your Tongue

This method is a modification to the first method. Rather than swallowing the oil directly right away, hold it underneath your tongue for a minute or two. This allows the delta 8 THC to absorb through a network of tiny capillaries underneath the tongue.

This method has the fastest onset of effects — usually within about 10 minutes. This is because the delta 8 THC absorbed directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the digestive tract and first-pass liver metabolism.

This is the most efficient method of consuming tinctures orally. The only downside is that if you don’t like the taste of the oil, it can be pretty uncomfortable.

Method 3: Mix it With Something Tasty

Those who don’t like the flavor or texture of taking the oil directly can also mix it with something flavorful to mask its taste.

Keep in mind that oil doesn’t mix well with water — so if you try to add this tincture to a tea or juice, it’s going to float to the surface of the drink. When you take your first sip, you’re going to get a direct hit of the oil floating on the top.

To get around this, you’ll want to make sure the oil is mixed thoroughly into the drink. You’ll also want to drink it fairly quickly before it has a chance to separate and float to the top.

The best way to mix delta 8 tincture with another beverage is to use one of those small electric stirrers or a blender to help distribute the oil evenly throughout the drink.

We like mixing these tinctures with bulletproof coffee in the morning or a hojicha or turmeric latte in the evenings. The addition of milk, cream, or butter will go a long way in helping to distribute the tincture nicely and evenly throughout the beverage.

Method 4: Put it on Your Skin

Yes, delta 8 tincture can be applied topically as well, much like CBD.

Tincture consists of delta 8 distillate and a carrier oil (MCT in the case of Area 52 tinctures) — both of which are just as well-suited for topical use as they are for internal use.

Just keep in mind that you only need a small amount — just a few drops. Putting too much oil on the skin is just going to leave a greasy mess. So instead, add a few drops and rub them in before adding any more.

How Not To Use Delta 8 THC Tinctures

There’s one wrong way to use tinctures.

Never, under any circumstances, add delta 8 tinctures to your vape pen. We’ve seen some companies advertising their oils for use in a vape pen, but this will not only taste terrible, but it’s also very risky. MCT oil or other polyunsaturated oils are not safe to inhale. They can lead to a condition called lipoid pneumonia, which can be fatal.

Vape oils are very different than tinctures. They use vegetable glycerine and propylene glycol rather than fatty acids like MCT or hemp seed oil.

Frequently Asked Questions: Using Delta 8 THC Tinctures

Here are some of the most common questions about how to use delta 8 tinctures effectively.

1. How Much Delta 8 THC Tincture Should I Use?

The average dose of delta 8 THC ranges from 10 to 40 mg. Some people like more, some less — it all depends on the individual. A good starting dose is 10 mg. Wait 1 hour, and then take another 10 if you aren’t feeling anything yet.

It’s better to start low for the first dose and increase gradually until you find a dose that gives you the effects you’re looking for — rather than starting big and taking too much. Then, of course, you can always take more, but you can’t take any away once you’ve ingested it.

Our tinctures come standardized with 40 mg of delta 8 THC per dropper. For a 10 mg dose, take a quarter of a dropper. For a 20 mg dose, take half a dropper. For a full 40 mg dose, use 1 full dropper.

2. Will Tincture Burn My Mouth?

Traditional herbal tinctures were made with alcohol, so they caused a burning sensation in the mouth if you took them directly.

Our tinctures aren’t made with alcohol; they’re made with MCT oil — so there’s nothing in these tinctures that would cause a burning sensation.

In fact, it’s the opposite. The oily nature of these tinctures gives a nice soothing sensation.

3. How Long Does it Take For Tinctures to Kick In?

It can take anywhere from 10 minutes to 1 hour for delta 8 THC tinctures to kick in.

If you’re using the second method (under the tongue), the effects will kick in fairly quickly — usually within 10–30 minutes. The longer you hold it in your mouth, the faster and stronger the effects are.

If you’re mixing the tincture with a drink, or swallow it right away, expect it to take about an hour before the effects kick in.

Some people report having to wait longer — up to an hour and a half. If you take delta 8 THC with food or have a slower absorption rate naturally, it will take longer than people who have a fast absorption rate or take delta 8 THC on an empty stomach.

4. What if I Take Too Much Tincture?

You won’t overdose on delta 8 tincture — there’s never been a reported case of overdose from this substance. However, if you take too much, it can bring on some uncomfortable side effects.

The two most common side effects of using too much delta 8 tincture are dizziness and couch-lock.

Delta 8 THC is powerfully calming and might make you feel dizzy or lightheaded. The best thing to do if this happens is to drink some water and lay down.

The second most common effect, couch-lock, is also a result of the calming nature of delta 8 THC. For some, this is a positive, but it’s viewed as an unwanted side-effect for others.

5. Will Tinctures Make Me Fail a Drug Test?

Using delta 8 THC will register a false positive for delta 9 THC on a standard drug test.

It’s virtually impossible to differentiate between delta 8 THC and delta 9 THC without precision lab equipment. Because of this, if you’ve used delta 8 THC, most urine or blood drug tests will register the compound as THC. However, they can’t tell the difference between D9 and D8.

For this reason, we recommend avoiding delta 8 THC in any form if you have an upcoming drug test — even if delta 8 THC is legal in your state.

It usually takes about 2 weeks for the delta 8 THC to be out of the system completely when you stop using it, but we recommend quitting at least 3 weeks before the test to be certain it’s all out of the system.

The more frequently you use delta 8 THC, the longer it will take to clear out the system entirely.

6. Can I Give Delta 8 THC Tincture to My Dog?

No, delta 8 THC is not suitable for use with dogs, cats, or any other animal.

Many people are giving their dogs CBD products and have asked us whether it’s safe to use delta 8 THC. Unfortunately, our answer is a resounding no because of the psychoactive effects. While delta 8 THC isn’t going to harm your dog physically, the psychological effects could be harmful if the animal doesn’t understand what’s going on.

Summing it Up: What’s the Best Way to Use Delta 8 THC Tinctures?

Using delta 8 tinctures is easy — try not to overthink it.

The best method is to drop it under your tongue and hold it there for a few moments before swallowing. You can also swallow it directly, mix it with a drink, or rub it into the skin. Never use delta 8 THC tinctures in a vape pen.

We’ve designed our tinctures to make dosing as simple as possible. For example, every 1 dropper contains 40 mg of delta 8 THC — which is the upper end of the standard dose.

Use a quarter dropper for an introductory 10 mg dose or half a dropper for a standard 20 mg dose.

It helps to play around with the dose slightly until you find what dose works best for you.