Would You Like to Learn our Top 10 Ways How to Diffuse Essential Oils Without a Diffuser?
Then keep reading!
Did you know there are plenty of ways to diffuse essential oils in your home, spa, office or more without using an essential oil diffuser?
While diffusers are certainly one of the more common ways to diffuse essential oils and enjoy aromatherapy, some of the other methods can certainly be simpler, cheaper, or even more effective (depending on what benefit you’re hoping to achieve from diffusing). Some essential oils are even best when used without a diffuser.
Essential Oil Diffusers
As we mention in the Complete Guide to Essential Oil Diffusers, the practice of aromatherapy and diffusing essential oils dates back thousands of years to the ancient civilizations like the Mesopotamians, Greeks and Egyptians. They had learned how to harness the organic ingredients around them and use steam to turn them into essential oils, but they didn’t have diffusers back then!
The modern diffuser as we know it has only been around for about two decades. In the Complete Guide to Essential Oil Diffusers, we discuss the four main types of diffusers.
The Four Types of Diffusers
The most common diffuser lately is the ultrasonic diffuser. The ultrasonic diffuser uses water and a small, vibrating disc to diffuse the essential oils. Our favorite and the other popular diffuser, The Nebulizing Diffuser, diffuses essential oils without requiring heat or water, leaving them in their purest form. Instead, the nebulizing diffuser uses an atomizer to diffuse the essential oil into a mist of tiny particles.
The other two types of diffusers are the heat diffuser and the evaporative diffuser. With the rise of the ultrasonic diffuser and the nebulizing diffuser, these last two diffusers have become less popular and commonplace, but they both still have times when they can be great and convenient. The heat diffuser operates without water and uses a source of heat, like a lamp or a candle warmer, to diffuse the essential oil. The evaporative diffuser is the last type of diffuser. Evaporative diffusers work without heat and use some type of absorbent material to hold the essential oils and slowly diffuse them over time.
So Do Diffusers Work?
Yes! Diffusers definitely work, and as we mention in the Complete Guide to Essential Oil Diffusers, there are plenty of general benefits you can get from diffusing essential oils. But the benefits you receive from diffusing essential oils will depend on the type of essential oil, the kind of diffuser and the quality of the ingredients of the essential oil. Essential oils made from pure, organic ingredients are much more likely to assist with your goals of healing and wellness.
Here are our top 10 benefits you can gain from diffusing essential oils. Remember, this is just a general list!
Our Top 10 Ways to Diffuse Essential Oils
- Improve Sleep
- Stress Relief
- Relieve Headaches & Migraines
- Boost the Immune System and Fight off Colds & The Flu
- Create a Healthy Environment by killing Bacteria & Mold
- Improve Lung & Respiratory Health
- Support Digestion & Control Appetite
- Improve Cognitive Function, Memory & Concentration
- Balance Emotional Health & Hormone Levels
- Repel Insects & Eliminate Odor
How to Diffuse Essential Oils
In our blog post about Nebulizing Essential Oil Diffusers, we show you the 5 easy steps to diffuse essential oils. With the Utama Spice Danau Satu Diffuser, it’s as simple as putting in a few drops of essential oil, plugging in the diffuser and turning it on! Because the Danau Satu is a nebulizing diffuser, it works without water, so other diffusers may require a few more steps like adding water or attaching to a candle warmer.
But as we mentioned earlier in the article, there are more ways to diffuse essential oils without using a diffuser. Some involve simple DIY recipes and others might be more challenging. Below, we’ll discuss our favorite 10 ways to diffuse essential oils without having to get a diffuser.
Our Favorite 10 Ways to Diffuse Essential Oils Without a Diffuser
- Inhalation
- Topical Application
- Mix with Carrier Oil and Massage
- Bath
- Facial Mask
- Ingest or Drink
- Baking
- Diffuser Bracelet
- Spray Bottle
- Candle
1. Inhalation
Direct inhalation is probably the simplest way to enjoy the healing and wellness properties of essential oils without using a diffuser. Many of the same benefits as diffusing can be gained this way and the method is much more portable, allowing you to enjoy essential oils wherever you’re able to take a bottle.
In our post about Lavender Essential Oil Benefits, we talk about how to use lavender essential oil to help counter anxiety, achieve mental clarity and fight off colds. To do this, we recommend placing a few drops of lavender essential oil in your palms, rubbing them together and taking a few deep breaths with your palms a few inches from your face.
Since lavender essential oil is also great for your skin, this is a great way to inhale the essential oil without a diffuser, while also enjoying some healing benefits for the skin.
2. Topical Application
Many essential oils, just like Lavender, contain an abundance of antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal properties, making them safe for the skin. But they’re not just safe, many have proven to add great healing benefits. In another article about the benefits of lavender essential oil, we show you How to Use Lavender Essential Oil for Your Skin. Lavender essential oil can be used to treat acne, fight wrinkles and even improve blood circulation.
In a recent post about castor oil, we went over the Ways to Use Castor Oil for Your Eyebrows & Lashes. The simplest method is to use an eyeliner or mascara brush and apply the castor oil directly to the lashes after washing with a light soap. Rinse the oil out in the morning and that’s it!
Topical application can also be used to treat certain symptoms. When we discussed How to Use Peppermint Essential Oil, we mentioned a very simple treatment for nausea and headaches: just apply 2-3 drops of peppermint essential oil on the temples, forehead and back of the neck.
These are all different ways you can use the topical application method to enjoy essential oils without a diffuser. It is important to remember that every essential oil is different and their benefits and the ways you use them are different too. Some may be great for use on the skin, while others might not. Always do some research first!
3. Mix with a Carrier Oil and Massage
Sometimes an essential oil is a little harsher or the area you would like to apply it is more sensitive. For these cases, we recommend mixing the essential oil with a carrier oil or a neutral lotion. A carrier oil is an oil that you can mix with the essential oil to dilute it down but still retain the natural healing and wellness attributes. Some common carrier oils are jojoba oil, coconut oil or grapeseed oil. For instance, in the blog post about Lavender Essential Oil for Your Skin, we recommend mixing lavender essential oil with a carrier oil before applying to sunburned, dry or chapped skin or lips.
Mixing an essential oil or blend of essential oils with a carrier oil can also make it easier to use for a massage. When we spoke about the Benefits of Rosemary Essential Oil, we recommended using rosemary essential oil with a carrier oil to treat pain and improve circulation. Certain essential oils, like rosemary, have anti-inflammatory properties and contain compounds that can expand blood vessels, helping blood flow and relieving pain.
4. A Nice Bath
One of our favorite DIY recipes is from our first blog post about Lavender Essential Oil Benefits: the very relaxing lavender essential oil bath. A bath is a great way to use essential oils without a diffuser because it allows you to enjoy the essential oils on your hair and skin, while also inhaling them. Lavender is one of our favorites for baths but if you’re making your own DIY blend, make sure to use essential oils you know are safe for the hair and skin!
5. A Facial Mask
Another great DIY project to make is the essential oil facial mask. Pick your favorite How To, get your organic ingredients, add your essential oil blend and enjoy! This is definitely a great way to get the healing benefits of essential oils for your face. We recommend using lavender essential oil for this DIY project too because of all of the ways you can use Lavender Essential Oil for Skin.
6. Drink or Ingest
Some essential oils are safe to drink or ingest. But it is important to note that not all essential oils are safe to drink or ingest. Without doing proper research first, drinking or ingesting essential oils is probably the most dangerous way to use essential oils without a diffuser. This isn’t because it’s generally unsafe, but just because it is the method where it is the most important which specific essential oil is being used.
With that being said, there are some wonderful benefits you can get from drinking or ingesting a few drops of the right essential oil.
For instance, in our Peppermint Aromatherapy post, we mentioned that drinking one or two drops of peppermint essential oil can lead to measurable physical performance benefits. This was shown in a study where recipients of peppermint essential oil “showed an incremental and a significant increase in the grip force (36.1%), standing vertical jump (7.0%), and standing long jump (6.4%)”1
Castor Oil also has a few applications when ingested. As we mention in our blog post about Castor Oil for Weight Loss, castor oil can be used as a laxative as well as to induce labor.
7. Baking
Similarly to drinking or ingesting, baking is another way to use essential oils without a diffuser that you should exercise some caution with. Again, most essential oils are safe for consumption, but not all!
Some of our favorite essential oils for baking are Lavender and Rosemary! What are yours?
8. Diffuser Bracelet
Sometimes called a Chakra Bracelet or a lava rock bracelet, diffuser bracelets are a great way to use essential oils without your typical diffuser. While these bracelets technically fall under the evaporative diffuser category, they are very easy to take with and work without water, heat or electricity. So they don’t fit into the typical idea you might have of a diffuser.
These bracelets are usually made with lava rock because they absorb the essential oil. This allows you to take the essential oils with you wherever you go, allowing you to enjoy the wonderful scents and benefits of aromatherapy wherever you are.
9. Spray Bottle
Filling a spray bottle with some water and your favorite essential oil blends can be another great way to enjoy essential oils in your home without the use of a diffuser. This is a simple DIY way to freshen the scent in your home, naturally repel bugs or even disinfect surfaces!
10. Candles
Our last way how to diffuse essential oils without a diffuser is by using candles! Candles can be another great way to freshen the smell in your home and enjoy some of the other benefits of the essential oil you’re using.
Some candles might come infused with essential oils for relaxation or energy like our Lavender and Citrus Fresh Candles. While others might help repel insects like our Bug Be Gone.
If you’re looking for your next DIY project, you can always try making the candle yourself and adding your own blend of essential oils. Just be safe!
We hope you learned some useful ways to diffuse essential oils with a diffuser! We’ll see you at our next article about How to Use Essential Oil Diffusers.
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