If you are trying to work out how to take CBD oil for the first time, the two things most people actually need are: a clear description of the sublingual method, and a plain explanation of what the label numbers mean. Here in Byron Bay, NSW, the question that comes up most often is not about technique but about maths — what does 1000mg mean on the bottle, and how much cannabidiol am I actually getting per dropper?
This article covers how to take CBD oil using each of the four common methods — sublingual (under the tongue), blended into food or drink, swallowed in capsule form, or applied topically — and then goes into the label maths that most guides skip: the per-serving and per-drop CBD amounts at each of our four bottle strengths.
At FraLa CBD, we don't give dosing advice — that is a conversation to have with your health practitioner. What we can do is explain the physical methods and help you read the label with confidence.
The Sublingual Method — Drops Under the Tongue
Sublingual means "under the tongue." It is the most common way CBD oil is taken because the tissue under the tongue is thin and well-supplied with capillaries, which allows the oil to be absorbed directly rather than passing through the digestive system first.
The steps are straightforward:
- Shake the bottle gently before opening. Hemp extract and MCT carrier oil can separate slightly over time; a quick shake re-mixes them.
- Fill the dropper by squeezing the rubber bulb, inserting the tip into the bottle, and releasing the bulb to draw oil up.
- Place the oil under your tongue — not on top, not at the back of your throat. Lift your tongue and dispense the drops against the floor of your mouth.
- Hold for approximately 60 seconds, keeping the oil in place. No need to swirl or move it around.
- Swallow the remainder after the hold. Some of the oil will have been absorbed through the mucosal tissue; the rest enters the digestive system.
The 60-second hold is mechanical advice — it gives the oil contact time with the absorptive tissue. It is not a claim about what the oil does in your body.
FraLa CBD oils all use MCT (coconut-derived medium-chain triglyceride) oil as the carrier. It is neutral in flavour, clear in colour, and stays liquid at room temperature. The hemp extract is suspended in it; the MCT does not change how the sublingual method works.
Reading the Label Before You Start
This is the part most guides skip, and it is where a lot of confusion starts. The milligram figure on a CBD oil bottle — 1000mg, 3000mg, 6000mg, 12000mg — is the total cannabidiol in the whole bottle. It is not the amount per serving and not the amount per drop.
FraLa CBD stocks all four strengths in a standard 50ml bottle with a 0.5ml dropper. At 0.5ml per serving, a 50ml bottle contains approximately 100 servings.
Here is what each label strength works out to per serving:
| Bottle label | Per 0.5ml serving | Approx. per drop* |
|---|---|---|
| 1000mg | 10mg | ~1mg |
| 3000mg | 30mg | ~3mg |
| 6000mg | 60mg | ~6mg |
| 12000mg | 120mg | ~12mg |
*Drop estimates assume approximately 20 drops per ml (0.5ml ≈ 10 drops). Drop size varies with dropper design and oil viscosity; treat these figures as approximations.
The maths: divide the label mg by 100. 1000mg ÷ 100 = 10mg per serving. 6000mg ÷ 100 = 60mg per serving. No guesswork — the label tells you everything, once you know what you are dividing.
A standard dropper fully loaded (bulb fully released) holds approximately 1ml, so half a dropper is the 0.5ml serving. If your dropper has markings, fill to the 0.5ml line.
For a detailed look at how cannabidiol content is verified against the label, the Certificate of Analysis guide explains how the cannabinoid figures on a COA map back to the bottle.
To compare all four strength tiers side by side and see pricing, the shop page has the full FraLa CBD range.
Other Ways to Take CBD Oil — Food, Drinks and More
Sublingual is not the only option. Some people prefer to add their CBD oil to food or a drink, particularly if they find the taste of the raw oil too strong.
Adding to food: because CBD oil is oil-soluble rather than water-soluble, it blends most readily into fatty foods — a smoothie with almond or coconut milk, a spoonful of yoghurt, avocado, or a salad dressing. When you take hemp-derived CBD this way, you bypass the sublingual step entirely; the oil enters the digestive system with the food.
Adding to a hot drink: it is possible but not ideal. Cannabidiol can degrade at high temperatures; a hot (but not boiling) tea or coffee in the cup is unlikely to reach damaging temperatures. CBD oil will not dissolve cleanly into water-based drinks without an emulsifier — you will see it floating. Stirring repeatedly or blending gives a more even mix.
Capsules and softgels: FraLa CBD does not currently sell CBD capsules, but it is worth understanding the format. A CBD capsule is pre-measured oil sealed in a gelatine or vegan shell, swallowed whole and digested through the gastrointestinal tract. The sublingual step is absent. Some buyers prefer the fixed dose and the absence of taste.
Topical application: topical cannabidiol products — creams, balms, lotions — are applied directly to the skin surface. FraLa CBD does not sell topicals. They are a separate product category from oils and operate through a different pathway.
From our CBD oil range
CBD Oil 12000mg – Broad Spectrum
Broad-spectrum CBD — all the supporting cannabinoids and terpenes from the hemp plant, with THC removed. 12000mg in a 50ml MCT bottle (240mg per ml).
CBD Oil 1000mg – Full Spectrum
The whole-hemp profile — CBD alongside the smaller cannabinoids and terpenes from the same extraction. Trace THC stays under 0.3%. 1000mg in 50ml of MCT oil (20mg per ml).
CBG Oil 3000mg – Cannabigerol
Cannabigerol — the cannabinoid the hemp plant uses to make the others as it grows. Less abundant than CBD, which is why CBG oils sit at a different price point. 3000mg in 50ml of MCT carrier (60mg per ml).
Choosing Your Strength — What the Numbers Mean
Understanding how to take CBD oil at different concentrations starts with the same label maths from the table above. The four strength tiers at FraLa CBD represent different concentrations of CBD per serving, not different formulas. A 1000mg bottle at 10mg per serving and a 6000mg bottle at 60mg per serving contain the same whole-plant hemp extract in MCT oil — just at different concentrations.
Whether you choose full-spectrum CBD oil (trace THC under 0.3%) or broad-spectrum CBD oil (0% THC) does not change how you take it. Both are delivered sublingually, added to food, or any other way described above. The spectrum choice is about composition, not method. The full-spectrum vs broad-spectrum comparison covers the compositional difference in full detail.
For buyers across South East Queensland, FraLa CBD ships tracked from Byron Bay, NSW — CBD oil Brisbane is one of our most common destinations, just over the border. Orders are dispatched the same business day when placed before the daily cut-off.
Browse the complete strength range on the shop page.
Storing and Handling Your CBD Oil
Good storage keeps the carrier and extract stable.
- Cool and dark: store away from direct sunlight and heat sources. A kitchen cupboard away from the stovetop works well. CBD extract can degrade with prolonged UV exposure or heat.
- Upright and sealed: keep the bottle upright and the dropper cap closed between uses to prevent oxidation.
- Check the label for the best-before date. FraLa CBD products carry a date on the bottle — this is the date EU Labs recommends as the quality guarantee.
- Refrigeration is optional. Some buyers refrigerate their oil, which can extend shelf life slightly. It may thicken in the cold; let it return to room temperature before drawing into the dropper.
Do not freeze CBD oil and do not leave it in a hot car or on a sunny windowsill.
Common Questions About How to Take CBD Oil
People who are learning how to take CBD oil often ask similar questions. Here are the four that come up most often.
How long should I hold CBD oil under my tongue? Approximately 60 seconds. This gives the oil contact time with the mucosal tissue. Holding past 90 seconds adds marginal benefit. Swallow after your hold.
Can I take CBD oil with food or a drink? Yes. Adding hemp-derived CBD oil to food or a fatty drink is a valid alternative to the sublingual method. The absorption pathway differs — through the digestive system rather than mucosal tissue — but the delivery is still oral. The how-to-use guide on the FraLa CBD website has additional practical notes.
What does the mg figure on a CBD oil bottle actually tell me? The total milligrams of cannabidiol in the entire bottle. For a 50ml bottle with a 0.5ml dropper, there are approximately 100 servings. Divide the label mg by 100: 3000mg ÷ 100 = 30mg per 0.5ml serving. Per-drop is approximately one-tenth of that (assuming ~10 drops per 0.5ml).
Does it matter which spectrum I choose for how I take it? No. The delivery method — sublingual, oral, topical — is the same regardless of spectrum. Full-spectrum retains trace THC under 0.3%; broad-spectrum is 0% THC. The method of taking it is identical. Read the full-spectrum vs broad-spectrum guide for the full comparison.
