I know you are wondering how does an essential oil diffuser work? We will cover the main types of essential oil diffusers, how they work and find out which one is right for you. First here is a quick overview about aromatherapy and essential oils.
Essential oils or Aromatherapy oils uses a plant’s aroma-producing essential oils for health benefits. These essential oils are taken from a plant’s bark, flowers, leaves, rind, roots or stalk. Oils are then blended for use in many forms, including essential oil diffusers to improve the quality of air around you. Essential oil diffusers can be used in homes, offices, and even hidden away out of sight.
People have been enjoying the benefits of great smelling air but also Aromatherapy can promote relaxation and help relieve stress. When used properly aroma diffusers are safe and can be used to help treat a wide range of physical and mental conditions. Some of these conditions include anxiety, depression, insomnia, mood disorders, and high blood pressure. This is discussed on WebMD and in the medical communities today. Aromatherapy treatments have been moving out of the exclusive spas and into everyday homes and offices, thanks to modern affordable essential oil diffusers.
Health care provider Kaiser Permanente provides information to patients on how the fragrance of certain oils may stimulate the body to produce pain-fighting substances and their safe effective use. https://tinyurl.com/ycr4jvjf There is nothing better than using them during cold season it to relieve your symptoms. Try eucalyptus essential oil in a diffuser of your choice to help you breathe easier while also adding a refreshing scent of eucalyptus trees to your home.
So, how does an Essential Oil Diffuser Work?
Simply put a diffuser is any device which allows a liquid to evaporate and release an aroma into the surrounding environment. An “Essential Oil Diffuser” permeates oil into the air quickly, filling it with minute aromatic particles that disperse throughout the room. Permeation is regarded as the most natural way to diffuse oil for maximum health benefits. These health benefits are called aromatherapy and extend beyond just their smell. This is how an essential oil diffuser works but there are several different types of diffusers so read on…
Make sure the quality of essential oils used for aromatherapy are the purest. Research has shown that the scent of essential oils enters the brain to stimulate it. This creates a high sense of wellness both physically as well as mentally to aid in your health. http://www.umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/treatment/aromatherapy
With pure essential oils in hand, your next choice is to decide what type of diffuser to purchase and which best fits your needs. The here are four type of essential oil diffusers: Nebulizing, also known as Atomizing, Ultrasonic, Evaporating and Heat Based Let’s look at them a little closer.
The 4 Major Types of Essential Oil Diffusers
Nebulizing Diffusers
Nebulizing or Atomizer diffusers work similar to a basic perfume atomizer. Atomizing is a process that forces the breakdown of essential oils into their smallest molecular form. High-velocity pressurized air is sent through a jet nozzle that causes near instant evaporation. The oils are mixed with steam and form a fine mist. This fine mist is then dispersed throughout your room with amazing coverage.
Nebulizing essential oil diffusers are regarded as the best delivery method because they provide both aroma and therapeutic healing benefits. All this happens without altering the chemical composition of the oils. They break down pure essential oil molecules without any separation of the mixture. The particles are small enough for the body and lungs to absorb them quickly.
Remember that respiratory doctors prescribe the use of medical nebulizers to administer inhalants for medicinal purposes such as treating asthma. Aromatherapy professionals rely on a Nebulizing diffuser to effectively deliver pure therapeutic grade essential oils for maximum healing benefits. Now home diffusers are available for you to buy and use in any room of your house.
While often the most expensive of the diffusers, nebulizing diffusers offer features that often include controls for spray volumes, several timers or longer operations, and an auto shut off feature. Use night or day for the greatest benefits.
Ultrasonic Diffusers
Ultrasonic diffusers are sometimes called Humidifying diffusers. These essential oil diffusers differ from the others by using electronic frequencies that result in ultrasonic vibrations. These vibrations break the essential oils into tiny micro particles that get dispersed as a fine mist into the air. These tiny particles are easily absorbed by the lungs and body for therapeutic effect on the body, mind, and spirit.
While ultrasonic diffusers create a fine mist, they do not produce the same results as a nebulizer diffuser. An ultrasonic diffuser generates sonic bubbles in the water of the device and as the bubbles implode, tiny micron size droplets of water are released from the surface.
Each bubble has a fine coating of essential oil as they float up and rapidly become part of the air in your room. The added water created from this type of diffuser also humidifies the air with a cool mist. This spreads the aromatherapy evenly throughout your room while adding humidity to the air in your home.
Evaporating diffusers
Evaporating style aromatherapy diffusers have a fan that blows air from one area to another through some a filter pad that has essential oils dropped onto it. The air blowing through the pad will cause the oils to evaporate quickly. When this happens the air with the evaporated essential oil is blown into the room. Another type of evaporating oil diffuser is called a Reed Diffuser. A reed diffuser has sticks which sit and slowly draw the oils into the air through evaporation. No electricity is required.
This method of diffusion is great for getting better smelling air quickly into any room. However, there is one drawback. Anytime an essential oil is evaporated the physical state of the essential oil will be changed. When this happens some of the lighter more volatile components evaporate much faster than the heavier and less volatile components.
This means you are getting a higher percentage of the lighter components at the beginning of the process and a higher percentage of the heavier components towards the end of the process. This just isn’t very consistent and while it is beneficial other methods provide higher therapeutic benefits.
Essential Oil Burners
Essential Oil Burners or Heat Based diffusers cause the essential oils to evaporate quicker than normal by applying heat, either through burning a candle, or by using an electrically heated vaporizer. The increased temperature will cause the essential oil to evaporate into the air.
Some essential oil burners will use high levels of heat to produce stronger smells, while others use low levels of heat to produce softer aromas. Take note that high levels of heat can actually alter the chemical properties of the oils. Heat diffusers and essential oil burners rely on evaporation. This process actually fractionates the essential oil into its components instead of releasing the whole oil into the air.
These types of heat diffusers are economical and are essentially silent in their operation. They use the least amount of essential oils for longer use in your rooms. You will not gain the maximum health benefits like the other styles of diffusers, but you will enjoy the wonderful aromas that they release.
Comparison Chart of the Different Types of Diffusers:
Diffusers Type / Benefit Provided | Lung Absorption | Aroma | Humidity Added | Price |
Nebulizing | Best you can get | Fantastic | No | High |
Ultrasonic | Good | Great | Yes | Moderate to High |
Evaporating | OK | Great | Trace | Economic |
Heat | Poor | Fantastic | No | Economic |
Qualities to Look for in a High-Quality Essential Oil Diffuser
The type of essential oil diffuser you choose to buy is dependent on the intended use. Some of you will want to gain the maximum health benefits of aromatherapy. The Nebulizing essential oil diffuser will provide the maximum benefits for this type of need.
Those in dryer climates would benefit from an Ultrasonic oil diffuser for both humidity and the therapeutic benefits of lung absorption to stimulate the body and mind. While not as powerful as the Nebulizer diffuser, the dual benefits of ultrasonic diffusers make them a great buy.
Evaporative diffusers and heat diffusers are great with long lasting odor control. Both lack the full health benefits of aromatherapy, but they last the longest. They are also the easiest to refill and require little maintenance. Lastly, heat evaporators usually last the longest and have the lowest care requirements.
With any essential oil diffuser look for following features:
- Warranties from the manufacturer, even if limited
- The ability to load and the refill essential oil easily
- Easy to clean
- Auto-off timers are smart choices
- Output and spray settings are preferred
Most people will not provide the proper upkeep if it is not easy to do. Make sure your favorite diffuser continues to work for years to come, and get an easy to clean oil diffuser.
Essential Oil Blends
No matter what type of essential oil diffuser you choose, you can start enjoying your essential oils right away. Here are a couple of essential oil blends we recommend to get started you’re your new aromatherapy diffuser. The doTERRA Serenity Restful Blend calms your emotions while creating a sense of peace and well-being. This essential oil blend is like having ripe lavender flowers bottled at the time of their peak harvest. Diffuse this essential oil blend throughout the day to help lesson tension and melt away stress. The doTERRA Serenity Restful Blend comes packed with the following high quality essential oils: Lavender Flower, Cedarwood, Ho Wood Leaf, Ylang Ylang Flower, Marjoram Leaf, Roman Chamomile Flower, Vetiver Root, Vanilla Bean Absolute, and Hawaiian Sandalwood Wood.
Another must have essential oil blend is doTERRA Breathe. doTERRA Breathe is a blend of essential oils great for allergies, and during the cold season. This blend includes the following high quality essential oils: Laurel Leaf, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Melaleuca, Lemon, Cardamom, Ravintsara, and Ravensara. doTERRA Breathe promotes feelings of clear airways and easy breathing while minimizing the effects of seasonal threats. The doTERRA Breathe blend can be diffused at nighttime to calm the senses and promote a restful sleep.
There are many essential oils and essential oil blends to choose from. Give them a try and find out which ones will become your favorites for years to come.
How does an Essential Oil Diffuser Work?
I hope this has answered the question of How does an Essential Oil Diffuser Work. Pick out your essential oil diffuser and grab some high quality essential oils like any of the doTerra blends today. You will start to not only enjoy a wonderful new aroma around you, but the proven health benefits await you.
What is your favorite type of essential oil diffuser? Leave a comment below with any thoughts or questions.