LIVE LIFE NATURALLY
There are four basic types of essential oil diffusers each with it's own unique method for dispersing essential oils into the air to utilize their benefits. I'm going to use the doTerra explanations for each. I personally have four diffusers in my home at this time. They are all ultrasonic diffusers. There is one in each of our bedrooms and in the main living area of our home. I like the ultrasonic diffuser because it puts a fine mist into the air acting a little like a humidifier and with our dry desert climate, it's nice to add a little moisture into the air. I LOVE my diffuser in my bedroom and use it nightly. Below I'll give some different recipes and my favorite nightly recipe to help me breathe clearly throughout the night. I also have an evaporative diffuser in the car. (Like the one in the photo below.) I add a drop or two of whatever essential oil I'm in the mood for to the felt pad and it makes the car smell lovely.
Four Types of Diffusers
Nebulizing Diffusers
A nebulizing diffuser breaks down the essential oil into tiny particles through the use of a high velocity, pressurized air stream and jet nozzle. When the essential oil is released, it goes into the air in a fine mist. This method does not alter the chemical composition—it diffuses the entire oil at once so you don’t get the more volatile components first and then the heavier later. The particle size is small enough to be easily inhaled.
- Pros: Nebulizers use no heat or water, yet disperse the entire oil into the air for optimal therapeutic benefits.
- Cons: Nebulizers are often the most expensive diffusers to use and sometimes to buy. Because these diffusers use only essential oil, they often also use more oil.
Try the Aroma-Ace Diffuser
Ultrasonic Diffusers
This popular type of diffuser uses water and electronic frequencies to create a fine mist from the essential oil and water. Ultrasonic vibrations are created by a small disk under the surface of the water which causes the essential oil to break up into tiny micro particles.
- Pros: Ultrasonic
models only use a small amount of essential oil, and no heat is used to
generate the mist in an ultrasonic diffuser. This method also can act
as both a diffuser and a humidifier, a helpful characteristic if you
live in a dry place.
- Cons: Only a small fraction of the mist is essential oil, and it depends on the air current already in the room to disperse the oil. May not want to add more water to the air if you live in a humid place.
Heat Diffusers
As their name suggests, heat diffusers use heat elements to help the essential oil gradually evaporate into the air. Sometimes they may use the oil mixed with water. Some heat diffusers use very high levels of heat to cause a stronger aroma, however, the best heat diffusers will use a very low heat to avoid drastically changing the chemical constituents of the oils being diffused.
- Pros: Diffusing using heat is an economical yet efficient and silent way to spread the aroma throughout the room.
- Cons: The heat used can change the properties of the oil at the molecular level. This means that the therapeutic benefit of an oil may lessen or change entirely.
Evaporative diffusion is using air flow to spread the scent of the essential oils. A fan blows air through a filter, such as a tissue or a pad that has essential oils dropped onto it. The moving air causes the oil to evaporate quickly, and the air with the evaporated oil is blown into and around the room.
With this method, you will get the oil in segments; the lighter, more volatile components evaporate first, while the heavier components evaporate last.
- Pros: Wind-blown diffusion can be a quiet way to quickly spread the oil’s aroma throughout the room.
- Cons: It may not be as therapeutic of a method because all of the components of the whole oil are not diffused at the same time.
This is an example of an evaporative diffuser. This one clips onto the vent in your car. It opens so you can put in a different felt pad color and change essential oils.
** Quick tip** You can also use a cotton ball, put a few drops of your favorite essential oil and put in the vent and you'll get the same benefits.
You can use different recipes in your diffuser depending on how you want to feel. Going to bed you want something to relax you. Sitting at your desk you may want something to help with concentration. Or sometimes, you may just want to perk yourself up and feel energized. Essential oils can help you do this naturally and without disrupting your endocrine system.
Your endocrine system is the network of glands that produce hormones that regulate metabolism, growth and development, tissue function, sleep, mood and sexual function among other functions in our body.
There are so many chemicals in products that can disrupt our endocrine system. A few to watch out for that are in our everyday life are perfumes, antibacterial soaps and fragrance in many of our household items. It's best to choose fragrance free, creams and lotions, cleaning products and laundry detergent. Get rid of those plug in air fresheners and use a diffuser to freshen and purify the air and you gain the benefits from whichever oil you choose.
Recipe Ideas
Calming (**My current favorite night time blend.) Energizing
2 Drops Breathe 2 Drops Peppermint
2 Drops Serenity 3 Drops Lemon
2 Drops OnGuard 4 Drops Tangerine
3 Drops Frankincense
Calming Concetration
3 Drops Frankincense 2 Drops Peppermint
3 Drops Bergamot 3 Drops Lemon or Orange
3 Drops Lavender
I often diffuse OnGuard which is a proprietary blend doTerra makes. It's a protective blend and smells like Christmas. This is my go to when we have guests or if someone in the house isn't feeling 100%. I also like citrus such as Wild Orange, Lemon or Citrus Bliss. Everyone is different in their likes so just play with different oils and make up your own blends. Please share if you have a blend you love.
Cleaning
One last thing on diffusers is cleaning them. I use the ultrasonic so this is for those. For a light cleaning I will unplug, empty, rise out, and wipe with a soft cloth. For a deeper clean you can rinse and fill with clean water. Add about 10 drops of white vinegar and let run for 3-5 minutes. Drain. If needed, you can dip a cotton ball in vinegar and wipe around the edges. Rinse with clean water and wipe with a soft cloth.
Love and Light,
Elaine
For all your Essential Oil needs give me a call, text, email or check out my website.
ElainesNaturalLife@gmail.com
(702) 768-4556
WWW.MYDOTERRA.COM/ELAINEHANSEN
