I was first introduced to the world of aromatherapy while visiting a friend’s home.  Her house always smelled so good–kind of like Christmas, but it never smelled like a cheap candle!  I finally asked her about the unique smell and she pointed out a cute little essential oil diffuser that was putting out a constant stream of steam.  A tiny humidifier I thought?  I now count a total of 5 essential oil diffusers in my own home!

Diffusing essential oils is an easy affordable way to create a happy home without the addition of toxin-heavy fragrances.  My friend showed me how I can get a diffuser and 12  oils. It is the perfect way to get started in diffusing and a huge value.

essential oil diffuser

How do Essential Oil Diffusers Work?

The most common diffuser and the type that I recommend is the ultrasonic diffuser.  This diffuser quietly uses ultrasonic vibrations to break down the essential oils into tiny particles that mix with the water and disperses the oils into the air.

essential oil diffusers

What are the Benefits of Diffusing?

  • Promotes good sleep.  After trying quite a few different essential oil recipes and blends, each of my family members has found a scent that they enjoy and helps them feel relaxed.  I thought everyone would like the universal Lavender scent for relaxation, but it turns out everyone is different and it sometimes takes a couple of tries to find an essential oil combination that helps to promote sleep.  Each of my children has a diffuser by their bedside that they use to help them drift off to a peaceful night of rest, and each of them is diffusing their own recipe.
  • Removing unwanted odors.  My kitchen diffuser almost always has a citrus scent or another scent that helps kill bacteria and fungus in the air that cause odor.  Did you know that instead of masking the scent with a candle that emits toxins, the essential oils actually kill what is creating the odor in a safe and healthy way?
  • Respiratory support.  When my family is battling respiratory problems, including allergies and head colds, the relaxing oils are swapped out for oils that help stimulate and open airways.  Eucalyptus oil has been used for hundreds of years to help ease breathing and it is even found in many over the counter products.
  • Emotional support.  Inhaling essential oils can have a direct effect on your mood.  Essential oils stimulate the receptors in your brain to stimulate and release different chemicals.  Chemicals that can help you relax, reduce your anxiety and also make you feel good and boost your energy.

diffuser blends

Instructions to Use an Essential Oil Diffuser

  1. Fill the basin with water.  Each diffuser will have a fill line to indicate how much water you should add to the basin.
  2. Add Essential Oils.  The amount can vary depending on personal preference and the size of the room. Anywhere from 3-12 drops is a good start.  Don’t be afraid to combine oils and try new recipes!
  3. Set the Timer.  All of my diffusers are different brands, but the timers are all pretty similar.  One button is continuous stream and one for a periodic stream.  Each of my diffusers turns off when the basin is empty, but some may vary.
  4. Rinse the basin before changing oil scents.
  5. Periodically clean the diffuser using a cotton swab and some witch hazel.  If the stream seems to be weak, I run a little white vinegar through the diffuser for 5 or 6 minutes and then rinse it all out.

What is the best way to diffuse essential oils?

One important thing that I learned over the last few years researching essential oils, is that they truly affect everyone differently.  Start with some basic oils like Lavender, Peppermint and Lemon.  See how you respond to diffusing each of those scents and try mixing two or three of the scents together for a different blend.  Research oils and learn what they are most commonly used for, and see if they are helpful to you.  Frankincense is one of my most used and favorite oils.  You can read about the research I did on Frankincense oil here.

How do you diffuse essential oils yourself?

The short answer is this–every day and in every room! During the day I have citrus scents and Thieves running in the kitchen and family room diffusers.  In the evenings, the kids are filling up their bedroom diffusers with their favorite calming scents.  If is it a big homework night, we might have peppermint diffusing by the kitchen table to help everyone stay alert and on task.  If guests are coming, we diffuse a clean and crisp fall scent–Thieves is always our go-to here! During allergy season you can always catch a whiff of Eucalyptus diffusing.

Is it safe to inhale essential oils from a diffuser?

Years of research has shown that inhaling essential oils is safe and can have a positive effect on our body.  Inhaling essential oils allow their molecules to travel directly to our brain through the olfactory system.  Once there, they can affect our hormones and stress levels.  Our brain produces neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine allowing our body to feel good and to relax.  Inhaling essential oil that has been diffused into the air can have a calming effect or an energizing effect based on the type of oil used as well as an individual’s personal preference.

What is the best essential oil diffuser?

I’ve tried many different aromatherapy diffusers on the market and I have found quite a few that work great in different sized rooms and for different members of my family.  I’ve added this list with links to make it easy for you to find something that will work for you and your family too!

  1. Dew Drop Diffuser: This diffuser is from Young Living and came in my starter kit.  It is definitely a great diffuser that is quiet and has a soft blue light option.  It runs for ten hours and has a good size water basin.  I keep this one next to my bed and my husband gets to enjoy the diffusing also.  $63.75 for Young Living members–but can also be a part of the starter kit.  It is a powerful diffuser and worth the money.
  2. Desert Mist Diffuser:  (pictured above with the diffusing recipes) Young Living hit the mark with this diffuser.  It is powerful AND beautiful!  We have this diffuser in our living room which is the biggest room that we have a diffuser in.  It is clean and beautiful looking and looks more like a fancy decoration than a diffuser.  It has ten LED light options and can also run continuously for ten hours and has multiple mist settings.  $63.75 for Young Living members.
  3.  The InnoGear 7 color Diffuser:  This diffuser was a great choice for my young daughter’s bedroom (and at $14.99 on Amazon, the price was right!)  It is very quiet and has 7 LED light colors that serve as a great night light.  You can choose to have just one color–we found that the red and blue lights softer lights for bedtime or you can choose to have the diffuser cycle through all seven lights slowly.  It runs continuously for 4 hours and shuts off automatically when the water runs out.
  4. The VicTsing 300ml Wood Grain Diffuser:  I bought this diffuser to take to work and run in my office.  It has a sleek look with an LED light option that isn’t over-bearing.  I fill it each morning and it can provide a continuous fine mist for about 7 hours.  It does a great job in my small office and I have it plugged in behind my computer.  The benefits for me are a clean smelling office, and a boost of energy as I work–however, I have noticed that people tend to linger around my office a little longer and someone comments every single day on how great my office smells!  $29.99 on Amazon and comes in a couple of different shades of the wood grain.
  5. Bamboo Diffuser:  I have had this diffuser for over two years running every single day in my kitchen.  I definitely feel like I have gotten my money’s worth.  I love the sleek bamboo look and it also can run with continuous mist for approximately seven hours.  $23.99 on  Amazon.
  6. Feather the Owl Diffuser:  This is a brand new diffuser to our house, but I am guessing that each of my children is going to want their very own!  As well as being super cute… it has ten different LED light choices and 5 different white noises–rain, birds, ocean waves, a fan, and lullaby.  It lasts 5-6 hours on high and 8 hours on low mode. It is great for the little one that struggles drifting off to sleep.  It also comes with a free bottle of Lavender essential oil when you order it.  I think this will be high on my gift-giving list to families with kids–it’s definitely a winner!  $49.76 for Young Living members.
  7. My newest that I love. It is made of glass and so pretty! Young Living Artisan Diffuser.
  8. Anjou 500ml water capacity: This is my newest addition and while I only have had it a couple of weeks I love its super long run time, 12 hours! Plus I think the cool sleek design is so pretty. Most all diffusers have an automatic shut off so you don’t have to worry about turning it off when the runs out.

white essential oil diffuser Amazon

Is an oil diffuser the same as a humidifier?

The ultrasonic diffuser does put water into the air, acting like a small humidifier but the two are not exactly the same. A humidifier has a large tank and can often hold around one to three gallons of water.  It is designed to add water vapor to the air and thus change the level of humidity in a room.  It can have a positive effect on conditions such as dry skin,  nose bleeds, static electricity, and other dry air problems.

Compared to your average humidifier that is putting a large amount of water vapor into the air, the diffuser is designed to put small amounts of water into the air that act as a carrier for the essential oil molecules.  It is designed to be a therapeutic way to enjoy the benefits of essential oils.

Do essential oil diffusers really work?

As an initial skeptic, I can honestly say that diffusing essential oils have had a huge impact on my family.  They have helped create a calm and grounded atmosphere at times when our family life felt crazy.  The oils have also helped give us a boost of energy when needed, and they most definitely helped us navigate through a time of childhood anxiety that often felt as if it was going to sink our family.  If you have a child struggling with any type of anxiety,  I encourage you to read a little about our journey here.

How do I keep my house smelling good all the time?

Just like I asked my friend about her clean scented home, guests now constantly ask me why my house smells so good.  I especially love when teenagers are hanging out at my house and tell me that they love spending time here because it always smells so good…..my heart explodes!  I diffuse all sorts of different recipes depending on the day or my mood, but when I have guests coming over, I am almost always diffusing Thieves.

Thieves essential oil blend is a powerful combination of Clove, Lemon, Cinnamon Bark, Eucalyptus Radiata, and Rosemary essential oils.  It is seriously a perfect blend.   It has a rich, spicy aroma that neutralizes and purifies the air from strong odors when diffused.   It is a key ingredient in Thieves Cleaner (you simply must try this!) so my house smells even better as I use it to clean every surface including my wood floors.  The Thieves cleaner is super concentrated (aka economical) and is safe enough that if one of the kids accidentally drinks it, they simply need to flush it out by drinking water.  You just can’t beat that for a great smelling AND great working household cleaner!

Can you use any essential oil brand in a diffuser?

You absolutely can use any essential oil brand in a diffuser, and I encourage you to try a wide variety.  Do your research and see what exactly is in the bottle.  Does it have added chemicals and/or fillers?  Is it 100% therapeutic grade?  This one is actually a bit more tricky and requires even more research.  the 100% therapeutic grade isn’t a strictly standardized label and can often be just used for fancy marketing.  Research the companies to make sure that you are getting exactly what you pay for.  I have found that when I tried diffusing cheaper grade oils, I actually had to use twice as much oil to be able to smell it in the air.  I also found that smells didn’t smell as good as higher grade 100% oils,  In the end, you truly get what you pay for.

Where do I get oils?

I chose Young Living oils because of their Seed to Seal promise.  For 25 years the Seed to Seal quality commitment has included global stewardship and accountability. Young Living products are genuine, free from harmful synthetics, and of unmatched purity that is even tested by third-party testing labs.  I would love to introduce you and your family to Young Living Essential Oils, and beyond that, I would love to walk alongside you on this oil journey and be a resource for you.  You can get started with your own high quality diffuser, 12 popular essential oils, Thieves cleaner, and a bunch of other great products to get you started! LEARN MORE.


About Stacy

Learn More

you may also like

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *