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Learn how to make a homemade essential oil reed diffuser with this simple tutorial, and yes, you read that right. You don’t have to go out and buy a fancy essential oil diffuser to receive the aromatherapy benefits.
Making your own DIY reed diffuser is so simple and they make the best decorations. You only need a few items to fill your home with the beautiful aroma of essential oils. And most likely, you have everything you need on hand!
I love diffusing essential oils in my home. One of my favorites is my mood boosting diffuser blend. Most of the time, I am running my diffuser, but over the years, I have found many ways to make my own essential oil diffusers. One of my favorites to make is a reed diffuser. They work great and look so pretty on the shelf.
You can customize your diffuser by picking the jar it goes in, the carrier oil you want to use, as well as pick your favorite blend of essential oils to add.
PIN IT FOR LATER
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SUPPLIES
- Narrow necked vase or glass jar– You can get very creative here! I found a cute vase at a thrift store for a couple of dollars that worked great for my homemade reed diffuser. Or you can find some beautiful ones in-store or online.
- Carrier oil– Fractionated coconut oil or sweet almond oil are my favorites to use.
- Alcohol– This acts as a binder and helps the oils to get up the reed.
- Essential oils– I share my favorite blends below.
- Reeds
DIY ESSENTIAL OIL REED DIFFUSERS
It is best to use a vase or a jar that has a small opening at the top. This will help the scent to last longer by trapping in the oils. Vases like this can easily be found used in thrift stores, garage sales, or in your grandma’s basement.
INGREDIENTS FOR REED DIFFUSER
- 1 narrow-necked vase or glass jar
- 1/4 cup carrier oil
- 1 tablespoon alcohol (at least 90%)
- 20-3o drops of essential oils
- Reeds
HOW TO MAKE A REED DIFFUSER
- Mix the carrier oil and alcohol in a small mixing bowl. Make sure they are well incorporated and then pour the mixture into your vase or jar.
- Add in 20-30 drops of essential oils.
- Place the reeds in the vase, fan out the reed sticks, and voila, you’re done. The reeds will absorb the oils and release the scent into the air.
REED DIFFUSER RECIPE BLENDS
When choosing which essential oil blends to add, you can diffuse for the season, to help with a certain ailment, or just for your personal preference. You can add a single oil or a blend of oils.
FRESH SCENT
10 drops lemon
10 drops rosemary
5 drops lime
5 drops Siberian Fir
CITRUS BLISS
10 drops lime
10 drops grapefruit
5 drops tangerine
5 drops lemon
FLORAL
10 drops lavender
10 drops Roman chamomile
5 drops jasmine
5 drops geranium
WOODSY
10 drops sandalwood
10 drops lemongrass
5 drops cedarwood
5 drops eucalyptus
WINTER
10 drops cassia
10 drops cinnamon
5 drops clove
5 drops wild orange
Find more winter diffuser blend recipes.
FALL
10 drops cardamon
10 drops cinnamon
5 drops clove
5 drops wild orange
Find more fall diffuser blend recipes.
SUMMER
10 drops juniper berry
10 drops tangerine
5 drops grapefruit
5 drops bergamot
Find more summer diffuser blend recipes.
SPRING
10 drops lavender essential oil
10 drops geranium essential oil
5 drops patchouli essential oil
5 drop rose essential oil
Find more spring diffuser blend recipes.
HOW TO MAKE REED DIFFUSERS SMELL STRONGER?
If you notice that the scent from your homemade reed diffuser isn’t as strong, you can turn your reeds over to expose the part of the stick that is drenched in oils. This can help in the beginning to release the aroma.
You can also add more essential oils to your vase if you want, depending on the brand of essential oils you are using will determine how many drops you need. I use about 30 drops in mine and the scent will last for weeks!
It is also important to note that if you are using a jar with a small opening at the top to prevent the essential oils from evaporating too fast that you need to be using a light carrier oil.
WHAT IS THE BEST CARRIER OIL FOR REED DIFFUSERS?
It is best to use a light carrier oil as it will travel up the reeds quicker and disperse the smell better.
You will also want to choose a carrier oil with little to no scent to avoid interfering with the scent of the essential oils you add.
Be sure to stay away from vegetable oil, olive oil, or coconut oil.
After a little trial and error, I find fractionated coconut oil and sweet almond oil to be the best options for your reed diffuser.
More on carrier oils HERE.
CAN YOU REFILL REED DIFFUSERS?
Yes, you can definitely refill your reed diffuser as often or as many times as you want!
You can add more essential oils into the vase as needed and after several months, you can empty out the carrier oil and essential oils to start fresh.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I REPLACE REEDS IN MY REED DIFFUSER?
You will want to replace the reed sticks every 2-3 months. After switching them out, you will want to flip them around every few weeks to help disperse the scent better throughout your home.
WHAT IS THE BEST CONTAINER TO MAKE REED DIFFUSER IN?
It is always best to use glass when making anything with essential oils.
Essential oils can actually break down plastics over time and pull the toxins out of the plastic and into your DIY project.
When looking for a glass container for your DIY reed diffuser, it is also important to use one that has a small opening at the top, such as a vase.
Using amber or blue-colored glass can also help to preserve the life of your essential oils longer.
For more essential oil information, check out my 18 Essential Oil Hacks or how to use an electronic diffuser post.
Essential Oil Reed Diffuser
Ingredients
- 1 narrow-necked vase or glass jar
- ¼ cup carrier oil
- 1 tablespoon alcohol, at least 90%
- 20-30 drops of essential oils
- Reeds, or bamboo sticks
Instructions
- Mix the carrier oil and alcohol in a small mixing bowl. Make sure they are well incorporated and then pour the mixture into your vase or jar.
- Add in 20-30 drops of essential oils.
- Place the reeds in the vase, fan them out, and voila, you’re done. The reeds will absorb the oils and release the scent into the air.
These are great ideas!! I have a question.. is it safe to diffuse essential oils if you have and indoor cat? I hear different things and I am not sure what to do
I have a whole blog post about this, you can diffuse around animals but there are a few safety guidelines.
Hi from the UK Laura,
Thanks for sharing these. I love reed diffusers. When you say alcohol, can I use Isopropyl 90%? Is that the same thing?
Thanks and take care
I only have 70% isopropyl alcohol and vodka that is 40% alcohol. Any advice on which to use or how to adjust the ratio if need be?
Hello Laura
I have been watching your tutorials on You Tube and reading all about how you became interested in essential oils and have been enjoying them all. I myself have just started using essential oils. I am a bit of a reed diffuser freak and didn’t realise how much money I was spending on them so decided to try making my own. I was a bit overwhelmed with the amount of oils out there but have persevered and have purchased the oils that I think I will use the most.. I am following the recipe correctly and the final product smells nice but they just don’t smell at all. I was wondering if you could maybe give me some advice and where I might be going wrong? Could it be the quality of my oils?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Regards
Lesley
Yes, it could be the quaility. You can add more as needed. Did you read my tips in the post about this?
A wonderful mixtureto try out….
which I love…very simple
about 70% grapefruit
and 3o% rose geranium
to mix well with water add
1 tsp Glycerine vegan
Sounds great! I love anything with grapefruit! Thanks for sharing.
Why glyserin and water instead of alcohol? Thanks