With the New Year brings a fresh motivation to do those little tasks that never seem to get done. For a few months now, I’ve been meaning to refresh my reed diffuser jars which have all dried up and I’ve been wanting to try a new reed diffuser recipe to do this.
Previously I have used Jojoba along with vodka and essential oils to refill my diffuser jars however a good quality Jojoba oil can be expensive when you have a few reed diffuser jars that need refilling. So for a change I decided to use Dipropylene glycol.
Dipropylene glycol is used as a base for many commercial cosmetics and skin care and I wouldn’t usually use it for aromatherapy recipes, however for a reed diffuser base I believe it has no nasty side effects. I would avoid it in natural skin care recipes however.
The benefit of using Dipropylene glycol in this case is it’s cost effectiveness so I wanted to test it out and see whether it is just as effective as a base for my reed diffuser refills as Jojoba.
I’m pleased to say it’s worked a treat. I made up two refills last week and since then have noticed the beautiful aromas permeating throughout the house. My husband has even requested I make one up for his office!
So here’s the recipe I used:
Aromatherapy Reed Diffuser Recipe
- 12-16 drops Essential Oils
- Dipropylene glycol (fragrance grade – DPGF)
You will also need a reed diffuser jar and the reeds. If you don’t already have the jar, the best type is one with a narrow neck. You can purchase the rattan reeds online or from a craft shop.
Simply fill your jar about 75-80% to the top with the Dipropylene glycol. Add your chosen essential oils and mix well so the essential oils are dispersed effectively into the base. Add the reeds to the jar and stir gently if you have enough room, if not gently shake the jar.
You can turn the reeds at this stage or you can leave them as they are and the mixture will eventually makes its way up the reeds to diffuse the scent.
Turn the reeds weekly to refresh the aroma, gently shaking the jar at the same time.
Essential oil suggestions
Uplifting blend
- 5 drops Basil essential oil
- 5 drops Lemongrass essential oil
- 5 drops Rosemary essential oil
Relaxing blend
- 4 drops Geranium essential oil
- 4 drops Patchouli essential oil
- 4 drops Petitgrain essential oil
- 4 drops Ylang Ylang essential oil
The blends above I used for the different areas of my home. The uplifting blend is perfect for my office and the relaxing blend for the living area which is upstairs so neither aroma interferes with the other.
For an alternative recipe using the Jojoba as mentioned above please see the Reed Diffuser Refill Recipe.
This is a good article. I just ran out of my reed diffuser oil fragrance and was considering buying some more. I can just make my own 🙂 Thanks for the info. Tamara
Thanks Tamara, I hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂 Rose
I was surprised to see that you use jojoba oil as a base for reed diffusers, I had never come across that before, and I know that organic golden jojoba is incredibly hard to find (and outrageously expensive if you DO find it) due to the worldwide shortage last year. Regular jojoba is definitely less expensive, but still quite a hit to the wallet. Do you prefer it because it’s a liquid wax rather than a true oil? I’ve never heard of Dipropylene glycol and actually had to look it up – where do you find this, locally or just online somewhere?
Hi Carry
Thanks for your comment. I tend to use the regular Jojoba due to the cost, as you say the organic is pretty expensive. Dipropylene glycol, also spelt Di propylene glycol is much cheaper to use and I find works just as well as Jojoba. I buy this online from New Directions here in Australia who have an excellent range of products. I know they have online stores in the US and Canada also.
Thanks
Rose
Where do you obtain Diproylene Glycol? Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Maryse
Depending where you are, I purchase it in Australia from New Directions. If you are in the US you could try Amazon or an online supplier such as Mountain Rose Herbs.