Making Your Own Diffusers at Home: Tips, Tricks and Equipment

Let’s face it. Diffusers are amazing. They are long lasting, beautiful additions to any home. However these fragrances have one flaw, they can be very expensive to buy. 

Apart from just being an aesthetic version to any home, diffusers have a range of benefits. As well as aiding in relaxation and improving focus, they’ve also been known to boost moods and encourage better sleep. 

Reed diffusers have been growing in popularity for many years, and for good reasons. They last longer than most oil diffusers, they are often alcohol free, they hold no flame, no aerosol, no power, and create no residue. 

They’re a great alternative to other forms of home fragrance such as scented candles. Where a candle will envelop your home in a wave of scent and to create an ambience with its golden light, reed diffusers offer a more subtle and atmospheric aroma where you may not necessarily want the ambience a candle gives. 

Reed diffusers work in a very simple and effective way. Reeds are dipped into a base (sometimes called a carrier) liquid that’s been blended with fragrance. The many channels inside the reeds allow the blended liquid to be absorbed up the length of the reed and their porous nature diffuses the scent into the air. It’s that simple and the result is a subtle odour that adds ambience to the home. 

Yet store bought diffusers can be expensive, and you are limited to the brands you can find. However making your own diffusers is easy, cost effective and a great way to create truly personalised and memorable gifts. 

How to create your own reed diffuser

Creating your own diffuser is as easy as one, two, three. Because that’s how many steps it takes. When making your creations you only need an oil base and fragrance, your container and a reeds. 

Firstly think about what container and fragrance you want. Think about the use of the diffuser and the room it’ll be in. Remember different smells work differently in different environments. 

To start weighing up your options, you can look at our range of diffuser bottles here. 

Once you’ve decided on the vibe you can begin to look at the oil base you’ll be using. Most diffuser making sets contain a base oil made from Dipropylene Glycol (DPG) & Ethanol. 

When creating your diffuser it's important to balance the fragrance load so that you’re not overloading the scent throw. You want your diffusers to be subtle rather than suffocating. We recommend you do your own personal testing to ensure the desired scent throw is achieved as some fragrance oils are much stronger than others. 

The usual rule of thumb is for every 100ml bottle of base – add 20 drops, or 25mls fragrance oil. However if a stronger scent is required 25% can be added, often larger rooms require an increased fragrance ratio to fill the space. 

To save yourself the hassle of guessing, you can check out our premium reed diffuser bases here.

Caring for your diffusers is also very simple. Every time you make a new batch you'll need to replace the reed sticks, as the reeds get covered in dust and then lose their ability to diffuse oils. You can wash out your containers in between uses as well if you’re changing scent throws. 

When it comes to reeds, try to ensure the reeds are twice as tall as your diffuser, this ensures good distribution of fragrance. You can check out our range of reeds here. 

So, you’ve got your base, fragrance, container and reeds. Now all you have to do is put them all together. 

First off, assemble your reed diffuser creation on top of newspaper to grab any spills, and make sure you do this over a bench top or sink to avoid marking fragile surfaces. 

Make sure your reed diffuser jar is clean and dry. Place the clean jar on top of the newspaper or coveted surface. Then you can place the reed sticks into the jar to check the length that looks right. 

Next you’ll need a measuring jug to measure the fragrance or essential oil required. Pour the required amount of reed diffuser on top. Mix well and carefully pour into your diffuser jar. Do not fill to the top as you need to leave space to allow for the reed sticks. You can always add more later. 

Lastly, place reed sticks into a jar and leave for 1 - 2 hours, then flip the reed sticks over and insert the dry end into the jar to saturate the other end. Ensure you wash your hands thoroughly and clean the jar with a soft clean cloth before placing it in the final area. 

Remember the placement is super important. Be sure to place your reed diffuser in an area that gets air flow, to ensure the scent moves around the room. Never place it in a stagnant corner, as you'll never get the benefits of all your hard work. 

So happy creating and enjoy your newest fragrance creation!