Take You To Understand The Aroma Diffuser

Take You To Understand The Aroma Diffuser

It’s Personal — Scent, Emotion, and Best Diffuser for You

Scent is tied to emotion, which could be why I’m on a permanent mission to make my home smell amazing.
With two dogs and four active kids, plus the fact that we live, work, and cook in this space, no one would mistake our home for a serene, spa-like retreat.
But with the right fragrance blend (and our eyes closed), couldn’t we recreate both that captivating scent and the feelings that come with it?

Scented candles are always an option, but I was drawn to the idea of diffusing essential oils. Not only would our house smell wonderful, but I figured we might all benefit from the aromatherapy aspect. And maybe there’d be a little bonus humidifying action.

What is a diffuser?

A diffuser is a device that breaks down essential or synthetic oils into tiny molecules that can be evenly dispersed into the air, creating a lovely aroma and some specific effects.
Essential oils can have calming, soothing, invigorating, and stress-relieving benefits. And then there are those personal associations.
“Different aromas can elicit different emotions, as olfaction (our sense of smell) is in direct communication with our limbic system (seat of emotion and memory),” says Kara Montgomery on behalf of the Bloomy Lotus team.
And here’s something interesting: The things we smell trigger emotion, even before we identify the scent. That’s why our ability to smell is such a truly powerful sense. It’s not just about the smell itself, but the entirely personal way we perceive it.

Are all oil diffusers the same?

There are a few options in the world of diffusers, but most can be grouped into three categories.

Ultrasonic diffusers

These devices use an oscillating plate that vibrates to create and release a cool, odorless mist.
“It’s like the mist around a waterfall,” says Trevor T’úýtemken Ellestad, the education and communications manager, in-house herbalist, and aromatherapist at Saje Natural Wellness.
“When you add essential oils to the water, this vibration breaks the essential oil into small particles that are released into the air with the mist.”

Nebulizing diffusers

These diffusers use neither heat nor water. Instead, “they work by atomizing the essential oils into fine particles,” explains Elisabeth Lemieux of ECO Modern Essentials.
“Nebulizers use a larger amount of essential oil for a shorter running time. However, the concentration of essential oils released into the air is much stronger,” she says.

Passive diffusers

This type of diffuser doesn’t use heat or water either, and it’s also powerless. There are no cords, outlets, batteries, or apps.
“Passive diffusers include reed diffusers, gentle oil warmers, and diffusers that use porous ceramic to naturally emit essential oils into the air,” says Bella Martinez, the lead certified aromatherapist at Edens Garden.

Features

Both ultrasonic and nebulizing diffusers can come with a number of bells and whistles, including ambient lighting, automatic shut-offs, scent intensity and interval settings, and timers.
Those features make diffusers a safer option than candles — you’re free to drift off to sleep or leave the house completely, and you’ll still come home to a space that smells amazing.
But diffusers aren’t just about the fragrance. “A diffuser can act as a piece of decor to help tie a room together,” says Sara Panton, the co-founder of Vitruvi.
Panton says the mood and emotion linked to diffusers in specific colors or textures can deepen its intention in a space, which makes the room look, feel, and smell fantastic.