Essential oils are the latest craze in the world of health and wellness, and for a good reason. They smell ohm-mazing. (Meditation reference, anyone?).
You’ve probably heard about essential oils by now as they’ve been steadily, if not rapidly, rising in popularity over recent years. Essential oils have also been an excellent addition to all things self-care and holistic wellness. Essential oils bring us aromatherapy, which is the practice of inhaling natural aromas to experience psychological and physical benefits.
Aromatherapy 101
Perhaps this is entirely new to you. We’ll start with the basics.
Aromatherapy is an ancient medicinal practice that has been around for thousands of years and has roots in ancient China, India, and Egypt. It’s the practice of using essential oils to improve the health of the mind, body, and spirit — it’s a bit of a hybrid between art and science but has recently received more recognition across both fields.
Quick recall: essential oils are highly concentrated liquid compounds extracted from plants like leaves, flowers, herbs, and barks. Each oil carries a unique characteristic profile (or “essence”) of its origin and offers a unique set of health benefits:
Lavender oil and clary sage oil can help soothe stress and anxiety, and they can help you sleep.
Lemon oil or lemongrass oil bolster your mood while easing tension headaches. Other citrus oils like orange oil and grapefruit oil support positive emotions, too, which may help the treatment of depression.
Eucalyptus oil is a strong decongestant, it may help soothe joint pain, and it's anti-microbial, meaning it can help boost your immune system, ward off colds and coughs, and neutralize airborne pathogens.
Rosemary oil and thyme oil are also anti-microbial, especially as a vapor. It can also help soothe sore joints and muscles.
Oregano oil can help boost your appetite.
Peppermint oil, ginger oil, and bergamot oil are all recommended to relieve headaches.
Tea tree oil soothes inflammation, acne, athlete's foot, and bug bites.
Cinnamon oil, vetiver oil, and rose oil may all help you sleep more soundly, especially in a blend together.
Clove oil is a topical painkiller that can assist in easing toothaches.
Cedarwood oil can repel mosquitos.
There are many different ways to benefit from essential oils, and it's important to use caution and follow recommended healthcare and medical advice, especially when using oils topically. Essential oils should only be used topically when applied alongside a carrier oil like jojoba oil or argan oil that can dilute the essential oil so that it will not irritate the skin.
Of course, you can always substitute or bolster topical use with aromatherapy, and there are many types of essential oil diffusers you can use to reap the myriad benefits of airborne essential oils.
Essential Oil Diffuser Benefits
We’ll start by pointing out that there are a few different ways to practice aromatherapy, and using an essential oil diffuser is only one of them. Buutt, we’ll also follow that up by pointing out that an essential oil diffuser is one of the most popular vehicles for aromatherapy, and it’s rightfully earned this top spot.
Benefits of using a diffuser for essential oils:
- Even dispersion of fragrant mist
- Ability to control output (mist output variability)
- Easy to control the amount of essential oil used
- Product design adds to room aesthetic and ambiance
- High capacity: one full tank provides a full day of oil diffusion
- Additional features such as LED lights, multiple timer options, and ETL safety certification
The best essential oil diffuser is an ultrasonic essential oil diffuser. Ultrasonic technology uses silent and subtle vibrations to disperse a fine mist of water and fragrance throughout a room. This differs from other types of diffusers that work slightly differently:
- Heat diffusers use a heating element to break apart the essential oil into microparticles and help it evaporate into the air. High heat sometimes alters the chemical composition of the oil, usually making the aroma more intense, which can be either preferable or undesirable. The problem with heat diffusers is that the heating element can be a hazard in homes with young children and pets because if knocked over, passersby can be burned.
- Evaporative diffusers create a more subtle effect by turning oils into a cool mist. The advantage of evaporative diffusers is that they work very quickly to produce their effect. The disadvantage is that these diffusers don’t do a great job at dispersing the oil evenly. Due to the oil’s molecular weight, the lighter components will evaporate first, followed by the heavier components toward the end.
- Nebulizing diffusers do not use any heat or water and instead atomize essential oils using a system of specially designed tubes. This means your oil is being diffused all at once, resulting in concentrated and uneven dispersion.
Ultrasonic diffusers are the easiest and most effective way of reaping the benefits of essential oils.
Ultrasonic Essential Oil Diffuser
Ultrasonic essential oil diffusers mix the oil with water and use electronic frequencies to create a fine mist dispersed evenly into the air.
The frequencies are created by a tiny ceramic disk positioned under the surface of the water tank. As the disc vibrates, the oil breaks into tiny particles small enough to travel upward and out of the machine. There is no heating unit to pose a hazard, and this technology is whisper-quiet (in other words, your aromatherapy experience isn’t accompanied by an annoying hum or buzz).
This type of diffuser requires only a small amount of oil, allowing you to stay in control of dosage and helping your oil collection last for longer. Another advantage of ultrasonic diffusers is that they may slightly increase humidity levels. The majority of homes and under-humidified, so in most cases, this design is a double-whammy benefit. Keep in mind that the recommended humidity level lies between 30% and 50%, and levels above or below can be harmful to your health.
An ultrasonic essential oil diffuser like this one is a beautiful flower vase shape small enough to fit in any room and available in light wood or dark wood variations. Aromatherapy is an area where the product design matters more than usual because creating an ambiance is part of the overall goal, so the diffuser’s aesthetic is an important factor.
Everlasting Comfort’s essential oil diffuser has a 400ml tank to provide 13 hours of diffusion before needing to be refilled (relative to industry-standard 200ml tanks). This unit also features seven different LED lights to choose from, allowing you to really create the ambiance and oasis of your dreams. And, of course, every day is different, which is why you need multiple timer options (one, three, or six hours) to match your schedule.
People too often underestimate the potency of essential oils, but too high of a dosage can have adverse effects. Everlasting Comfort’s essential oil diffuser features mist output variability enabling you to choose between a gentle aroma or a strong one. The design of this powerful diffuser not only fills your room with a beautiful scent but allows for combining oils to create synergized benefits.
If you haven’t given essential oils a try yet, this is your sign. Essential oils have shown to provide a vast array of benefits, including improved sleep, improved mood, reduced stress and anxiety, pain relief, uplifting and energizing effects, mental clarity and focus, improved skin and hair, and so much more.
Get Your Zen On
An essential oil diffuser is a perfect addition to any home and the best way to practice aromatherapy. Diffusing oils is safe, easy, controllable, and allows you to make all the oil combinations under the sun. If you enjoy delightful aromas, therapeutic experiences, ultimate relaxation, or all of the above, an essential oil diffuser is for you.
Choose your oil, put on something comfortable, grab a snack and beverage, and sit back and relax. It’s time to get your Zen on.
Sources:
Humidifiers: Air Moisture Eases Skin, Breathing Symptoms
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