A Detailed Study: What Is An Essential Oil Diffuser?

A Detailed Study - What Is An Essential Oil Diffuser?

What Is An Essential Oil Diffuser?

Essential oils and essential oil diffusers may be something of a mystery to you.

Diffusing essential oils, though, has been a common practice for years. It’s the way in which we have diffused essential oils that has changed over time.

In the past, essential oils were used by dropping oil into an open container, onto paper, cloth or a cotton swab. Another method used was to heat the oil slowly to release its aromatic scents into the air.

These practices had a limited range of benefits, though. You were not able to diffuse the oil in its natural form or provide a consistent output of fragrances. These methods would only work for short intervals of time.

Advanced Technology Opens New Possibilities

Essential oils are most beneficial when they are kept in their all-natural state. There was thus a need to formulate a method that would diffuse them while maintaining all of their healthy and beneficial features. This urge to push forward resulted in the invention of the electrical diffuser.

These diffusers have proven to be the optimal and most natural way of healing through harnessing essential oils. The diffuser requires minimal set-up and will operate for 6 hours or longer.

Let’s take an in-depth look to discover precisely “What is an essential oil diffuser?”

Diffusion: What It Is & Why It Is Used

Essential oils are concentrated extracts of valuable parts of plants. Although their strength can be beneficial, it can also cause irritation if applied in too concentrated a form.

When diffused, however, these oils present no adverse side effects.

Diffusion is defined as “The process of turning the molecules of a liquid to a gaseous form through heat application.

Lets delve deeper into how they actually work…

Essential Oil Diffuser Functions

The best essential oil diffusers come equipped with a variety of functions. You may find diffusers with selective LED lights, high & low intensity mist, timer settings and automatic shut-off.

All these features vary from model to model. They are operated easily with the help of just one or two buttons. Diffusers are extremely user-friendly.

  • LED Lights

    Diffusers come with a selection of LED lights in different colors

  • Ultra-Quiet Operation

    Ultrasonic diffusers operate so efficiently that they make almost no noise

  • Automatic Shut-off

    Run your diffuser throughout the night with automatic shut-off functions that turn off the device once all the water has been used

  • Timer Setting

    Select from 30-second intervals of dispersing mist or continous flow

  • Mist Adjuster

    Adjust the amount of mist kicked out from your diffusers

Setting Up Your Essential Oil Diffuser

There are only a few necessary steps you must follow before turning on your device…

  1. Pour in water up to the fill line
  2. Check the instructions: some diffusers use tap water, others distilled water
  3. Put in a few drops of your preferred essential oil
  4. The best practice is to put in 4-5 drops of essential oil in a diffuser with a capacity of 80-100ml
  5. Place the diffuser on a level, elevated surface

The Production of Ultrasonic Frequencies

When the diffuser is turned on, it starts generating ultrasonic frequencies and makes the base of the water containers move. Due to the vibrations produced, the water molecules starts to vibrate at a higher rate and travel to the top where the oil droplets are floating. The water molecules start to leave the surface due to the high level of kinetic energy and increased movement. They become lighter and leave the surface along with the oil droplets.

The higher the frequency, the more molecules will be caused to vibrate quickly and hence cause rapid vibration on the bottom of the container. This will result in a higher rate of vapor production that will come out of the diffuser rapidly.

This process encourages the water molecules to move quickly without heating it up and hence conserves the actual composition of the essential oils. It increases the energy of the molecules without transferring heat energy.

Transferring Molecules From the Diffuser Into the Air:


Why do the micro-molecules thus produced not stay on the top of the diffuser? How do they move to other parts? This is where the diffusion process catalyses the whole work.

The diffused molecules that are expelled into the air by the diffuser travel to other parts of the area due to the diffusion principle. The molecules move from where the concentration of essential oil and water vapors is higher to the parts where it’s lower or where there are no diffused molecules at all.

In this way, the whole area can be filled with essential oil fumes in a natural manner.

Ultrasonic Diffusion Ensures a Homogenized Spread of Essential Oils

Leaving a few drops of essential oil in a corner, burning the mixture or inhaling the scent after putting it on tissue paper or a piece of cloth are methods that people have been using to diffuse the aroma into the air. You might be asking why diffusing like this is not as effective as the diffusion that takes place via ultrasonic diffusers?

Ultrasonic diffusers make it possible to diffuse the essential oil mixture in a continuous way that creates a homogenized environment. You get an equal amount of essential oil molecules all around the room. This is not possible with the traditional approach.

Ultrasonic Vibration Based Diffusion Would not Heat Up the Oils

Another factor that makes the process of ultrasonic diffusion a smart way to use essential oil is that it does not heat up the oils. When you place the mixture into the diffuser it will atomize and diffuse the oil along with the water without producing or transferring heat. This brings out all of the health benefits. Ultrasonic vibration based diffusion is safe and gives the best results.

Diffusion Produces Mild Mist to Ensure Fast and Easy Absorption and Inhalation

The aromatic oils diffused via ultrasonic diffusers create a cool and mild mist without overly humidifying the air. In this way, the mildly diffused oil is capable of penetrating the skin or can be inhaled very easily. The diffused oil can benefit you in many ways. It can help with skin issues and breathing problems, soothes the nerves and lowers stress levels.

The Process of Diffusion Makes The Effect Smooth and Mild When Compared With Direct Application

As stated earlier, essential oils in their concentrated or pure form are intense. They have sharp smell and and when people try to use these oils directly, in the purest form and coming in direct contact with any of the oils, it can be harmful or might cause some side effects. An ultrasonic diffuser uses a mixture of essential oil along with sufficient water. The effects thus produced are mild and give soothing effects without any sort of complications.

Using an ultrasonic diffuser means that you will be blessed with all the natural health benefits in a controlled way that will promote wellness and relaxation without the danger of using the oils neat.

Last Updated: 07/2016

Leia Chester


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