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If you’re thinking about using an essential oil diffuser, it’s important to know how best to optimise these gadgets for the best results.

Whether you’re looking to use an oil diffuser to reduce anxiety, manage stress or simply want to create beautiful aromas in your home, we’ve gathered our top tips and tricks to ensure you’re getting the most out of your essential oils. 

If you’re wondering how to use an essential oil diffuser like an expert, this guide covers everything you need to know. 

What is an essential oil diffuser?

An essential oil diffuser is a device that is used to disperse essential oils into the air. When essential oils are dispersed into the air, they’re easy to inhale and leave lasting, aromatic scents.

While aromatherapy was typically practised using heated devices in the past, most aromatherapy is now practised using heat-free oil diffusers. 

Different types of essential oil diffusers

There are two main different types of essential oil diffusers: the ultrasonic essential oil diffuser and the cold-air oil diffuser.

An ultrasonic essential oil diffuser works by using an ultrasonic plate to create vibrations, which then create sound waves and disperse the essential oils. To use an ultrasonic essential oil diffuser, all you need to do is fill your diffuser with water and a mix of your favourite essential oils.

Alternatively, a cold-air oil diffuser works by utilising the air around the diffuser to push the essential oils into a nebulizer. The essential oils are then dispersed by the nebulizer in a fine mist.

Benefits of using an essential oil diffuser

Using an essential oil diffuser can be beneficial both for your wellbeing and your home environment:

Repel bugs and insects

Certain essential oils (such as lemongrass) are known to repel bugs and insects, such as mosquitos. An oil diffuser is the best way to use essential oils to protect your home from unwanted insects. 

Aids relaxation and fights anxiety

When it comes to wellbeing, the benefits of aromatherapy are long-established. Studies have proven that inhaling essential oils can lead to enhanced moods, reduced levels of anxiety and depression and can even help when it comes to mood regulation. 

Can help prevent mould and illness

Some essential oils can even fight mould and bacteria in the home. When you diffuse essential oils with antimicrobial or antifungal properties, you make it more difficult for both bacteria and yeast to survive in the air. This can help prevent illness while also stopping mould from developing in your home.

Using an essential oil diffuser like an expert: top tips

Here are our tip tops for using an essential oil diffuser like a true aromatherapist:

Pick the right oil diffuser 

When it comes to picking an oil diffuser, we believe that ultrasonic oil diffusers are the best option. There are many advantages to using an ultrasonic oil diffuser over a cold-air oil diffuser:

• They don’t use a lot of essential oils. With an ultrasonic oil diffuser, you won’t need to replace your essential oils every few weeks. As your essential oils are mixed with water, they’ll last a lot longer.
• They’re more affordable. Not only do ultrasonic oil diffusers help you save on cash when it comes to replacing your essential oils, they’re also typically cheaper than cold-air diffusers.
• They can double up as humidifiers. Not only are ultrasonic diffusers more economic, they can also be used as humidifiers. To turn your ultrasonic diffuser into a humidifier, all you need to do is fill it up with water, without adding any essential oils.
• You can control the strength of the aromas. One of the biggest advantages of using an ultrasonic oil diffuser is that you dilute the essential oils with water. This allows you to get the benefits of certain essential oils without overpowering your home with certain scents that you might not particularly like.

For a customisable aromatherapy experience, we’d recommend opting for an ultrasonic oil diffuser.

Location, location, location

Another important factor to take into consideration when using an oil diffuser: where are you going to put it? You’ll want to choose an area of your home that you use regularly, so a living room or your bedroom is probably the best option.

You’ll also want to consider the air circulation in your chosen room: if the oil diffuser is placed next to a window that is often left open, you might find that the aromas are weakened by the passing breeze.

Don’t also forget that any natural home aromas (such as odours from cooking) can overpower an ultrasonic oil diffuser. To ensure your essential oils aren’t overpowered, it’s best to place your diffuser away from any potentially smelly environments. 

Don’t go overboard with oils

When first starting out with an oil diffuser, it’s important not to go overboard when testing out essential oils. In fact, it’s a good idea to begin with small quantities, using one essential oil at a time. This allows you to experiment with different aromas, while also seeing which oils offer the greatest benefits to you and your wellbeing.

When it comes to essential oils, the ancient adage of ‘less is more’ should be applied - at least to begin with. Luckily, with an ultrasonic oil diffuser, you can correct any overpowering scents by diluting the blend with more water. 

Don’t use an air purifier at the same time

If you use an air purifier in your home (one that removes odours) it’s important not to use your oil diffuser at the same time. Your air purifier will neutralise the aroma of the essential oils, rendering both your oils and your money wasted.

Mix things up

The mark of a true aromatherapy expert is being able to mix essential oils together and create custom blends. Once you’ve got the hang of using your oil diffuser, we’d recommend mixing together different essential or following known recipes.

Mixing essential oils is also a great way to create scents that you love, or mask scents that are too overpowering. This allows you to reap the benefits of certain smelly oils without having to hold your nose the entire day.