The use of essential oil blends for diffusers is an easy way to make your homes smell incredibly refreshing without releasing any toxic chemicals into your atmosphere. Essential oils have many positive impacts on our overall mood and body. From treating sinus congestion to relaxing nerves, they provide various health and aromatherapy benefits as well.
Essential oils have been around for over 5,000 years when scented oils were used in ancient medicine and aromatherapy practices. Back in the time, essential oils were extracted and distilled from plant flowers, leaves, barks, roots, and peels. Centuries later, in the 1920s, French chemist René-Maurice Gattefossé discovered the healing properties of lavender oil, which he used to heal a burn on his hand. And, thus, they came into the spotlight! Ever since, they have been used in candle making, aromatherapy, healthful meals, cosmetic products, soaps, and many other products of human wellness.
If all this hype had you obsessed with essential oils, you could always experiment and create your favorite essential oil blend. We’ll go over the popular essential oil fragrances and recipes in a moment; let’s first talk about what essential oils are.
What are essential oils?
Essential oil is a hydrophobic liquid extracted from plant materials. The concentrate contains aromatic compounds. The seeds, flowers, fruits, leaves, barks, stems, and roots; any can be used to extract the concentrate depending on the plant. These oils are called “essential” not because they are essential to our body, like essential enzymes. Instead, they get their name from the liquid, which contains the true essence of its source plant.
Why use essential oil blends for diffusers when…
Air fresheners could serve the purpose!
However, their fragrance lasts only a few minutes. Also, they contain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Benzene, Formaldehyde, and Phthalates, although not listed as the main ingredients on the label. These chemicals are notoriously linked to hormonal abnormalities and congenital disabilities. As stated by experts, breathing low levels of VOCs can increase the risk of severe health problems such as cancer.
Essential oil diffusers are a savior in this regard. An oil diffuser is a device that breaks down the diffuser blend into mist-sized particles and causes essential oils to diffuse the aroma into the surrounding air. Oil diffusers could be as simple as a reed in a ceramic or glass jar or more complex form; electric diffusers, nebulizer diffusers, or ultrasonic diffusers. Ultrasonic diffusers use ultrasonic vibrations to break the mixture into a fine mist. Additionally, it can be used as a humidifier.
Since essential oils are highly concentrated, they should be mixed with a carrier oil like coconut oil or water. Wait, what? Did I say mix water with oil? But, we all know oil is insoluble in water. Then, why should we mix them? The answer lies in the oil diffusers. It relies on water to produce the mist. The water is broken down into small-sized particles by ultrasonic vibrations, to which the oil particles are attached and, thus, diffused. With that said, you can safely experiment with different oils in a diffuser to create an essential oil blend that boosts the ambiance at home, offices, and even cars.
Most popular and versatile essential oils to blend
Here is our list of the most popular and versatile essential oils from each family. Read on to get familiar with their scent profiles.
Floral – Lavender essential oil
The soft-smelling floral essential oils are mostly used as middle notes. These include oils like chamomile, lavender, neroli, geranium, tuberose, and ylang-ylang.
Lavender is the most well-known essential oil in the world for its refreshingly floral scent. It is also the most-studied essential oil with a plethora of health benefits. It acts as comforting as your favorite childhood sitcom. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds help with insomnia, anxiety, and emotional imbalances in a very natural way. This sweet and calming floral oil blends well with almost any oil.
Diffusing Lavender essential oil with other oils can do miracles!
- Mix lavender oil with peppermint oil for improving sleep, relieving headaches, and skin glow. Peppermint oil aids with clearing sinus blockage as well.
- Mixing lavender essential oil with oils from other families like clove, cinnamon, and tea tree enhances its antibacterial properties. It fights off bacterial or fungal infections caused by Candida albicans and Staph aureus.
- The lavender essential oil also aids in wound healing and skin repair. Mix it with shea butter to heal chapped lips.
Citrus – lemon essential oil
Coming in a close second, citrus is a large group of refreshingly summer fragrances like orange, lime, lemon, mandarin, grapefruit, lemongrass, tangerine, bergamot, and yuzu. The tangy aroma of citrus essential oils qualifies as top notes that blend well with Bergamot and tea tree. Inhaling citrusy essential oil blends stimulates our minds and lifts our mood. A favorite amongst citrus-lovers, the natural remedial properties of lemon essential oil help improve your skin pH, reduce oxidative stress, and also helps with digestive problems like diarrhea.
Herb/Grass – Patchouli essential oil
Herb or grass essential oils belong to the same fragrance group as lavender: the middle or base notes. The sharp-smelling essential oils are sure to give you a vibe of walking in a field on one fine spring evening. The popular oils include basil, marjoram, patchouli, rosemary, or thyme.
The signature musky and sultry aroma of Patchouli makes it stand out from the crowd. Patchouli is very effective as a stress reliever and anti-inflammatory agent.
Herbal – Tea tree essential oil
Blending the tea tree essential oil with any fragrance mix will add a unique touch to the blend. This versatile essential oil is well known for its antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and skin-cleansing benefits. What’s more! Inhaling the warm notes of this oil will boosts spirits.
Spice – Cinnamon essential oil
You must be familiar with a famous T.V. adage; Winter is coming!. And, if you are craving some warm-smelling spicy fragrances, black pepper, cinnamon bark, and leave, cardamom, cassia essential oils can be used as middle and base notes.
Cinnamon is one of the most strongest-smelling essential oils. The sweet-and-spice scented oil is ideal for diffusers throughout the season. It is an excellent source of antioxidants. Pair it with clove essential oil for a potent spicy aroma.
Woodsy -Sandalwood essential oil
Woodsy fragrances such as cypress, cedarwood, pine, sandalwood, and vetiver are usually middle to base notes. The strong earthy fragrance of Sandalwood is often described as grounding, comforting, and calming. Sandalwood is one of the top three most expensive trees in the world, so is its oil. It creates a peaceful ambiance and is thus widely used in religious practices around the world. Sandalwood oil also helps dispel stress and hypertension.
Tree/Wood – Frankincense essential oil
Frankincense essential oil or Boswellia is also touted as “kings of oils.” It is one of the strongest and versatile essential oils. From enhancing skin glow to improving memory and boosting immune responses, this ancient healer comes with many medicinal benefits. One of its most well-studied properties is its ability to help fight cancer. The soft and balsamic notes make it an excellent addition to a base note to your diffuser blends.
Mint – Peppermint essential oil
Peppermint essential oil always steals the show. This oil is also one of the world’s most versatile essential oils. Peppermint oils can be more than a breath freshener, lip balm, or flavoring agent in foods. The cooling essence of peppermint is known to relieve pain, inflammation, and headaches. Diffuse peppermint oil for a fresh, minty aroma. Combining it with lavender oil is a sweet floral blend. Stay with us to know about easy yet amazing essential oil blend recipes for your diffuser at home.
With a balanced recipe, floral and herbal essential oils pair well with each other, and also citrus, mint, and woodsy essential oils. Wood or tree essential oils make a good smell with floral, spice, herbal, and citrus oils. However, these aren’t hard-and-fast rules. Experiment with fragrances and see what scent combinations appeal most to you.
How many drops of essential oils do you use in a diffuser?
The amount of essential oil drops you can add to your diffuser depends on the size of your diffuser. For a 100 mL diffuser, it’s ideal to start with three to five drops of essential oil at one time. If you’re using multiple oils, remember, it has to be three to five drops of all oils. Likewise;
- You can add six to ten drops for 200 mL,
- Nine to twelve drops for 300 mL,
- Add twelve to fifteen drops for 400 mL,
- And for 500 mL or above, you can add fifteen to twenty drops of multiple oils.
Pro-tip: If you’re beginning to make your blend, limit yourself to a mix of three essential oils only.
Best essential oil combinations that smell good together
It is fun crafting essential oil blends that smell good together. There are limitless options available to create your own bespoke, unique, essential oil blends, which diffuse to amplify your mood and invigorate your space just like any luxury candle would do!
However, it is essential to understand the fragrance profile before choosing essential oils to add to your essential oil blend. Like scented candles, essential oil fragrances are identified in notes. The top notes are first to appear, usually short-lived, followed by nice-smelling middle notes that melt into base notes. Base notes are last the longest as they evaporate slowly.
For example, the top notes can be comprised of refreshing citrus essential oils like pulpy orange or tangy lemon oil that layer down into soothing lavender. And, finally, there is the subtlest, long-lasting base note that could be either sandalwood or sandalwood.
Let’s get started with good-smelling essential oil recipes for your diffusers.
We have compiled a list of the best essential oil recipes for cold-air diffusers. These essential oil diffuser recipes are perfect for pretty much your every need.
1- Clean-smelling essential oils
This essential oil blend is surprisingly clean-smelling. The light-smelling top floral notes diffuse into sugary-sweet citrus notes and end with woodsy rosemary essence to give you a fresh and clean atmosphere to breathe in:
- Top notes: 3 drops lavender oil
- Middle notes: 3 drops lemon oil
- Base notes: 3 drops rosemary oil
2- Earthy-smelling essential oils
If you are a fan of earthy fragrances, then this soft, woody, and musty blend of lavender, vetiver, and hyssop are for you.
- Top notes: 3 drops of lavender oil
- Middle notes: 3 drops hyssop oil
- Base notes: 3 drops vetiver oil
3- Sweet-smelling essential oils
If you are looking for perfect kitchen fragrances to diffuse together, this blend will serve you the best. The sweet aromatic blend of rose and herbs fuses in the creamy vanilla so well that it will not let you step out of the kitchen.
- Top notes: 3 drops geranium oil.
- Middle notes: 3 drops chamomile roman oil
- Base notes: 3 drops vanilla oil
4- Fall-scented essential oils
You could never resist the contrasting hot and sweet blend of cinnamon and frankincense for a warm aroma during fall.
- Top notes: 3 drops pine oil
- Middle notes: 3 drops cinnamon oil
- Base notes: 3 drops frankincense oil
5- Focus essential oil blends
This powerful and sharp-smelling duo of eucalyptus and rosemary essential oils is all you need to stay focused throughout your day.
- Top notes: 3 drops eucalyptus essential oil
- Base notes: 3 drops rosemary essential oil
6- Energizing or uplifting essential oil blends
Name anything better than a lively blend of tangy orange smell setting into the musty, woodsy scent of juniper berry and patchouli for a morning boost.
- Top notes: 3 drops bitter orange essential oil.
- Middle notes: 3 drops juniper berry essential oil
- Base notes: 3 drops patchouli essential oil
7- Happiness essential oil blends
Are you feeling low on happiness? With its fresh, balsamic citrus-woodsy fragrance, this blend will uplift your moods and spirits.
- Top notes: 3 drops bergamot essential oil
- Middle notes: 3 drops of lavender oil
- Base notes: 3 drops frankincense essential oil
8- Springtime essential oil blends
This trio of refreshingly floral scents will make your home smell like a flower garden on a fine spring morning. All of these serve as top notes in their respective families.
- 3 drops of each; geranium oil, chamomile oil, and lavender oil
9- Spiced Chai essential oils to blend
Craving a cup of chai on a frosting winter evening? This spicy-warm concentrate of cardamom, clove, and ginger is sure to give you a chai-tea vibe:
- Top notes: 3 drops cardamom oil
- Middle notes: 3 drops clove oil
- Base notes: 3 drops ginger oil
10- Tangy citrus essential oil blends (summer version)
If you love diffusing citrus blends, then this blend is a quick pick-me-up. It will make you feel bright and refreshed. All of these can be used as top-notes individually.
- 3 drops of each; lemon oil, lemongrass oil, and wild orange essential oil.
11- Welcome Home essential oil blends
Greet your guests with the inviting blends of mint and floral notes in the entryway of your house.
- Top notes: 3 drops peppermint oil
- Middle notes: 3 drops Roman chamomile oil
- Base notes: 3 drops lavender oil
12- Woodsy essential oil blends
If this lockdown had you stuck in your home, try out this essential oil blend for your diffuser to enjoy a clean and musty, woody aroma. This earthy blend will give you “walk in the woods” vibes right from your house.
- Top notes: 3 drops cypress oil
- Middle notes: 2 drops cedarwood oil
- Base notes: 3 drops vetiver oil
To sum it up, there is no limit when it comes to experimenting with your favorite fragrances. The only thing that matters are the notes which affect the way you feel the fragrances. Let us know in the comments if you liked any of our recipes. or if you created a blend of yours! We would love to hear from you.
Avoid overdoing essential oils for your diffusers.
Keep track of the number of essential oil drops you have used in your essential oil diffuser. If you go overboard with potent essential oils in your diffuser, you might start feeling dizzy and experience headaches or migraines more often. Nausea and vomiting might also occur in extreme cases.
Precautions with essential oils
- Never use concentrated essential oils or undiluted essential oils on your skin.
- Mix oils with a carrier oil or water always.
- Do not place concentrated essential oils on your skin. It can cause severe chemical burns, particularly in people with sensitive skin.
- Never swallow essential oils, even the diluted ones.
- Consult with your General Physician before using any essential oil diffuser if you are pregnant, have allergies, high blood pressure, or have asthma.
Frequently Asked Questions
What to do if I add too much essential oil?
It will take some time before you get the hang of your perfect essential oil blend recipe. Don’t stress out if you accidentally add more than the recommended amount of your expensive essential oil. Take out about half of the mixture in an airtight jar to preserve it for later use. And dilute the remaining concentrate with more water. And, there you go. Make sure to dilute the other half (stored) of the essential oil before diffusing.
How to clean your essential oil diffuser effectively?
Cleaning your diffuser between each use is very important to maintain a perfect blend. It removes any remaining oil, which might result in too much oil for subsequent use. Regular cleaning also prevents the growth of mold and mildew. Rinse your diffuser thoroughly with warm water and soap or white vinegar. Let it dry completely before using it again.
What is the freshest smelling essential oil?
Citrus-scented essential oils are the freshest and sweetest smelling essential oils. These are usually used as top-notes in fragrance blends for diffusers and candle making.
What is the strongest smelling essential oil blend?
Fragrances such as cassia, cinnamon, and ylang-ylang are the strongest and long-lasting.
What is the sweetest smelling essential oil?
Lavender is the sweetest smelling essential oil.
What is the most versatile essential oil?
Lavender, peppermint, frankincense, tea tree, and lemon are the most versatile essential oils in the world.
Can I mix lavender and peppermint oil?
Yes, you can. It makes an amazing blend for your diffuser and aromatherapy.
