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Reed diffusers have a subtle but undeniable elegance and charm. They look beautiful in any setting, adding to the decor of the room while gently filling the space with your favorite aroma.
You can find a wide variety of reed diffusers in any online store that deals with aromatherapy accessories. But nothing compares to the satisfaction of making one yourself.
To start with, making your own reed diffusers is a great creative outlet.
Making your own reed diffusers is incredibly easy and will hardly take up much of your time.
You can keep your homemade reed diffuser as simple or as elaborate as you want.
You can create your own customized essential oil blends to put in your DIY reed diffuser.
They are so much more convenient to use in smaller rooms such as bathrooms where you may not be able to use a plug-in diffuser.
Making your own reed diffuser can be much cheaper than buying one. There’s one precaution though – if you are looking to cut costs, you could settle for a cheap holder. One thing you should not compromise on is the quality of the essential oil. Always use the best quality essential oil that you can afford.
Essential oils are pure extracts from different plant parts. In addition to their lovely aroma, you also benefit from the therapeutic properties of the essential oil in the diffuser.
Homemade reed diffusers make wonderful gifts for any occasion. You can customize the look of the diffuser to suit the recipient’s home decor and add a bottle or two of essential oil with your homemade gift. They’ll appreciate it so much more knowing that you took the trouble to make it yourself.
How To Make Your Own Reed Diffusers With Essential Oils
Here’s what you need to make reed diffusers with essential oils:
- A glass jar or vase with a narrow neck to slow down the evaporation (see my recommendation below)
- 15-20 drops of your favorite essential oils or EO blends (scroll down for essential oil recommendations and blend recipes)
- 1/4 cup light carrier oil such as Apricot Kernel Oil or Grapeseed Oil
- 2 teaspoons Witch Hazel or alcohol to help the oils travel up the reed
- Reed sticks
Before getting into how to make your own reed diffuser, let’s talk about the ingredients used.
A Look at the Materials Used in Your DIY Reed Diffuser
Glass jar with a narrow neck: It is absolutely important that the container you use meets both of these requirements. This is because essential oils react with plastics and other materials, which can adversely affect their therapeutic properties.
The narrow neck is important to slow down the rate at which the essential oil blend evaporates. You want the oils to saturate into the sticks, not evaporate into the air. This slows down the evaporation so the scent lasts longer. With a large-mouthed jar, you’ll have to replenish the contents every other day.
These glass bottles come with black wood caps with holes in them through which to insert the reed sticks. These are the holders I use for my homemade reed diffusers.
Carrier oils: Using concentrated essential oils can work out to be very expensive. The carrier oil adds volume so the oils last longer. It is important to use a lighter oil that will get absorbed more easily. Apricot Kernel Oil and Grapeseed Oil are the best carrier oils for using in your homemade reed diffuser. Using heavier oils will not work as efficiently.
Witch hazel: The witch hazel helps to dilute the oils so they can travel up the reeds more easily. Cheap vodka is a great substitute for witch hazel.
Reed sticks: Reed sticks are slender long sticks made from rattan or bamboo. These are ideal for the purpose because of their ability to absorb the oil-alcohol mixture evenly. You can either use plain or decorative reed sticks for your diffuser. The reed sticks you choose will impact the overall look of your homemade reed diffuser. Plain reed sticks will give it a minimalistic look while decorative reed sticks will add flair to the overall appearance.
Instructions for Making Your Own Reed Diffuser
Measure out ¼ cup of your chosen carrier oil in a glass measuring cup or any glass container.
Add the witch hazel or alcohol to the container.
Add in 15- 20 drops of your preferred essential oil or blend.
Stir well using one of the reeds making sure that the oils are properly dispersed in the alcohol.
Pour the contents carefully into your glass container.
Note – You could skip the above steps and mix all the ingredients directly into your glass container. If you do this though, you must remember to swirl the container gently but thoroughly so that the oils are properly dispersed in the alcohol.
If you’re using a regular narrow-necked bottle, bundle the reed sticks and insert them into the neck of the vase so that the tips are touching the liquid inside. If you are using this type of glass bottle with holes in the cap, insert one reed in each of the holes in the cover.
While it does not take too much time to make your own reed diffusers, it may take a couple of days before you can use your aromatic creations. This is because it takes a little while for the oil to get fully absorbed into the reeds.
Flip the reed sticks every few days to keep refreshing the scent.
How do Reed Diffusers Work?
It’s interesting to take a look at how reed diffusers work to disperse the aroma into the atmosphere.
When you insert the reeds into the vase or bottle, you must make sure that the ends are touching the contents.
The ends of the reeds absorb the oil-alcohol mixture slowly. As the oils saturate the ends of the reeds, they travel up the reed slowly, saturating the whole length of the reed.
The saturated reeds release the aroma of the essential oil or blend into the atmosphere, scenting your room gently.
It will take a few days for the reeds to start releasing the aroma. Covering the top of the reeds and the neck of the vase during this time will help prevent the essential oil from evaporating.
You can control the intensity of the fragrance by adjusting the number of reeds you use. Insert just 2-3 reeds if you prefer a light, subtle fragrance, more if you want a stronger scent.
Flipping the reeds every few days will expose fresh oil into the air. The reed sticks will need to be replaced about once a month.
These DIY Reed Diffusers with essential oils are a great way to scent your entire home without using toxic chemicals. You can make your own customized reed essential oil diffusers using a variety of containers and any essential oil of your choice.
If you are planning on giving your DIY Reed Diffusers away as gifts, simply use different bottles for different recipients and personalize the oil for them. This is a great gift for your mom, grandmother, or teacher.
Best Essential Oils & Blends for Your DIY Reed Diffuser
There is no one essential oil that is best to use in your DIY reed diffuser. When choosing your reed diffuser oil, think about the purpose you are using it for.
These are the best essential oils to help you sleep better, stay more focused, and calm anxiety.
You may want to use romantic essential oils and blends to set the mood in the bedroom, a cheerful diffusion blend to keep the mood bright and cheerful, or floral essential oils to fill your home with floral scents.
This reference guide to essential oils has a detailed list of the benefits of different oils.
You’ll also find plenty of ideas for DIY reed diffuser essential oil blends here.
How to Save Money When Making Your Own Reed Diffuser With Essential Oils
You can save even more money by buying an essential oil set instead of buying individual bottles of oil. Buying an essential oil set works out much cheaper. Also, when you buy a set, you get a variety of essential oils that you can use either on their own or mix and match to create your own blends.
My favorite essential oil set is this 7 x 7 Essential Oil Set by Plant Therapy. It is one of their most popular sets and for good reason. For a decent price, you get Plant Therapy’s top 7 single essential oils + top 7 synergies.
The 7 single oils in this set include Lavender, Lemon, Peppermint, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Cinnamon, and Sweet Orange.
The 7 synergies include Relax, Energy, Tranquil, Sensual, Invigor Aid, Germ Fighter, Immune Aid. This is a versatile collection of synergy blends. Each one is specially formulated to offer powerful health benefits.
The “Directions” tab on this page provides a full list of all the individual oils and synergies along with detailed instructions for how to use each of the oils and synergies on the list. This ensures that you get the full aromatherapy benefits when you use these oils in your DIY reed diffuser.
These are a few other sets that are excellent for use in your homemade Reed Diffuser:
Relaxation Set with 3 x 10ml bottles of relaxation synergy blends, each with a different combination of essential oils. With this Relaxation Synergies Set, you get a bottle each of Tranquil, Meditation, & Relax Synergy Blends.
Wellness Set with 6 x 10ml bottles of 100% pure essential oils and synergies for different conditions. With this Wellness Set you get a bottle each of Blues Buster, Respir-Aid, Germ Fighter, & Immune-Aid Synergy Blends, and Oregano & Eucalyptus Globus Essential Oils.
Fruit Set with 6 x 10ml bottles of fruit-scented essential oils – Tangerine, Pink Grapefruit, Lemon, Mandarin, Sweet Orange & Lime. All of these fruity oils belong to the citrus aroma family but it’s interesting to see how each one has a distinctly different aroma.
If you are planning on keeping your Reed Diffuser in your child’s room, check out Plant Therapy’s KidSafe Organic Blends Set. This set includes 6 x 10ml bottles of Calming The Child, Nighty Night, Immune Boom, Shield Me, A+Attential, and Germ Destroyer Synergy Blends. Each of these blends is made using a different combination of oils, all from the KidSafe line of oils.
Few Things To Consider When Using A Reed Diffuser
Reed diffusers are best for small spaces. They release a very light, subtle aroma of the essential oils used. While this is great for a smaller room, the scent may be unnoticeable in a large space. For diffusing aromas in a large room, it’s best to use one of these top-rated essential oil diffusers for large spaces.
With a fancier narrow-necked bottle, your DIY reed diffuser will act as a diffuser and a decorative item.
Make sure your DIY reed diffuser is out of reach of little hands and paws as the container can tip over and the oils can spill. Some oils are toxic for little children and pets.
DIY Reed Diffusers as Gifts
DIY reed diffusers make great gifts for anyone and because they are so inexpensive to make, you don’t even have to wait for any occasion. Give one of your lovely homemade creations to someone just because.
To personalize it further, choose a narrow-necked bottle that would go with the décor in their home. A plain glass container may be more appropriate in a home that is done up in a minimalistic style.
If you are making these as gifts, you could choose an individual oil or a blend that resonates with the season. Use any of these Christmas Blends during the Holiday season, or these Haunting Scents during Halloween.
Prefer to buy a readymade reed diffuser as a gift? Check out the options listed below.
Best Essential Oil Reed Diffusers to Buy
In my search for Essential Oil Reed Diffusers to buy, I saw some really cool ones but on reading the description more closely I saw that they did not contain essential oils. Many of the readymade reed diffusers contained ‘fragrances’ and not pure essential oils.
There is a world of a difference between essential oils and fragrance oils. If you are looking to get the health benefits of aromatherapy, then it is important to use essential oils and not fragrance oils. While fragrance oils may smell good, they have zero health benefits.
The Essential Oil Reed Diffusers I’ve shortlisted below are all from reputed brands and they contain pure essential oils.
Chesapeake Bay Candle Reed Diffuser
Chesapeake Bay makes some of the top-rated essential oil reed diffusers on Amazon.
The Chesapeake Bay line of essential oil reed diffusers includes a wide range of options. These are part of the brand’s Mind & Body Collection.
Each diffuser is filled with a unique essential oil blend and packed into a 10-inch frosted glass diffuser. The blends are made from a combination of cinnamon, cloves, orange, lemon, eucalyptus leaf, patchouli, gardenia, cedarwood, and nutmeg oils.
The diffusers come in an array of soft pretty pastel colors. You get 10 reeds with each set.
These are some of the many scents you can choose from in the Chesapeake Bay Candle Reed Diffuser range.
Stillness & Purity
Refresh & Rejuvenate
Peace & Tranquility
Balance & Harmony
Reflection & Clarity
Love & Passion
You can also find Chesapeake Bay Candles with these same scents.
Plant Therapy Reed Diffusers
Plant Therapy has reed diffusers in two interesting aromas – Tangerine Jasmine and Wood Spice. Both smell absolutely divine. Which one is better for you will depend on what type of aroma you are looking for.
Both reed diffusers come in glass bottles with 4 ounces of Plant Therapy’s pre-diluted blend and 10 rattan sticks.
Using these reed diffusers is easy. Just insert the rattan sticks into the bottle. The oil slowly travels up the reeds and releases the aroma into the air. To refresh the scent, flip the reeds upside down so the wet ends are on top and enjoy!
The Tangerine Jasmine Reed Diffuser will fill your space with a citrusy, floral, and spicy aroma. The blend is made up of a combination of Tangerine, Clove Bud, and Vetiver Essential Oils, along with other natural fragrances that give it a light, refreshing fruity and floral scent that’s sure to brighten any space. 
The Wood Spice Reed Diffuser will scent your space with a wonderfully warm, woodsy, and spicy aroma. The blend contains a combination of Patchouli, Ho Wood, Ylang Ylang, Lemongrass, and Clove Bud Essential Oils. The result is a wonderfully warm and spicy scent that will transform your room into a cozy haven.
HOUZZ Interior Lemon Verbena Essential Oil Reed Diffuser
HOUZZ Interior is another reputed brand that offers several different essential oil reed diffusers with a wide range of aromas. Each diffuser comes with 50z. scent and 8 wavy reeds that offer maximum diffusion.
Their eco-friendly formulas are free from alcohol, phthalates, and toxins. You can choose from reed diffusers with any of these blends:
Lavender & vanilla
Lemon Zest & Verbena Blossoms
Lemongrass & ginger
Citrus & Spice
Grapefruit & Orange Blossom
Stress Relief Citrus & Mint
Did you make your own reed diffusers with essential oils or did you buy one for yourself or as a gift? Which was your favorite scent? Share your experience with making and using reed diffusers in the comments below.
Disclaimer: This information is not intended to serve as medical advice. Please consult your physician before using essential oils. Read Full Disclaimer here.
