Made Essential Oil Diffusers.
29th December 2022- New Experience Number 34.
I had a ‘scents’ this would be a nice calming kit to make – creating a subtle and relaxing aroma. In reality, my enthusiasm was quickly ‘diffused’.
Are Essential Oils Really Essential?
I’m sure most of us have encountered essential oils in some guise at some point. Whether it’s in toiletries, reed diffusers, cleaning products, air fresheners, at a massage, or even in food and drink. But would you really call them essential? I’ve made it through my life without considering them to be indispensable!
Apparently, the ‘essential’ part of the name comes from the fact that they’re made using the essence of a plant. In other words, it’s about the key elements of smell and flavour which are essential to the make up of individual plants.
Capturing The Essence
The oil is generally extracted from the plants through distillation, although some herbs and flowers are put through a different process. This captures the key components, leaving us with an intense liquid fragrance.
The Essential Oil Kit
The boxed kit was far bigger than it needed to be for what was inside. It included;
- a booklet with information about essential oils and ideas for other projects
- two small bottles of essential oil
- two hanging bottles diffusers
The Oils
The kit contained two bottles of essential oil which it claimed would invoke some pleasant benefits.
Rose oil – the fragrance is supposedly helpful in creating a feeling of calm, and in relieving stress.
Lavender oil – perhaps one of the most abundant essential oils, is said to be good for relaxing, helping to relieve stress and supporting a good nights sleep.
The Make
The make was very straightforward. This was not a big project.
Opening up the bottles of essential oils, it was like releasing a botanical garden into the room. The scents were wonderfully deep and fresh. Concentrating so as not to spill, I added the oils to the water I’d already poured into the bottles. Only a few drops were needed so there’s ample opportunity for future makes.
After fastening the lids tightly, I shook them up to release the subtle diluted fragrance through the porous caps.
An Essential Craft?
I had hoped this would be a bit more engaging, but it was simply a case of diluting the essential oil with water in the little bottles, popping the tops on, then finding somewhere to hang them. That was pretty much it. But it was still a new experience for me!
The hardest part of this new experience was deciding where to hang the finished creations! Alternatively, they could make a nice little gift.
Any Benefits At 'Oil'?
The diffusers certainly had a lovely fragrance. It was subtle and not too strong. However, I’m not sure I really appreciated the full benefits that the oils claimed to deliver. Other people may have a much stronger response though.
If you’re short on time but fancy doing something creative, this could be a good project.
Want To Try It Yourself?
- There are lots of different kits available to make your own essential oil diffusers. I picked mine up from a highstreet shop (I can’t remember which one! Sorry!)
- There are more involved experiences available that use essential oils, such as aromatherapy candle making, or bespoke fragrance designing which can be found from places such as Not On The High Street
Cost Of Experience
The kit I bought was £5.
- Kits vary in price but you should be able to pick one up for around a similar price to the one I used.
- In person experiences will be more expensive.
Recommendations
- Be careful with essential oils. There’s the usual – don’t drink them or get them in your eyes.
- You might also want to put some paper down and wear old clothes just in case you spill any of the oil.
- The kit I used was very quick and easy to use. If you’re short on time and fancy doing something creative, this could be a good option. Of course this will vary depending on how you give it a go.
- Follow the instructions for the dilution ratio. You can always add more if you want a stronger scent, but you can’t take any out once you’ve put it in and you don’t want to be left with something overbearing.
- Take a picture of your creation!