Making Reed Diffuser: Mixing Base, Fragrance, and DPG

Question

I want to make a reed diffuser using a purchased diffuser base.

1. How should I mix the base with fragrance oil or essential oil?
2. Is an approximate ratio of 75% base to 25% fragrance/essential oil correct?
3. The website mentions adding DPG to reduce evaporation. How much DPG should I add?
4. Are there any other recommendations for making a reed diffuser?

Answer 1

How to Make a Reed Diffuser

You're asking about how to make reed diffusers, including the ingredients, proportions, and the role of different components like DPG and alcohol. You specifically asked about mixing a purchased diffuser base with fragrance or essential oils.

Based on common practices for reed diffusers, here's a breakdown:

Basic Components

A standard reed diffuser typically consists of:

Fragrance Oil or Essential Oil: This is the part that provides the scent.
Diffuser Base: This is a carrier liquid that helps the scent travel up the reeds and evaporate into the air.

Your purchased Base diffuser oil is this carrier component, which is the correct and most suitable substance for making a Reed Diffuser.

Mixing Proportions

A common starting point for mixing fragrance/essential oil with a Diffuser Base is around 15-25% fragrance/essential oil to 75-85% Diffuser Base. Your suggested ratio of 75:25 (Base:Fragrance/Essential Oil) is a good starting point and falls within the recommended range for the base component.

You can adjust the ratio based on the strength of your fragrance/essential oil and how strong you want the scent throw to be. You may need to experiment to find the best ratio for your specific fragrance and base.

Role of DPG and Alcohol

DPG (Dipropylene Glycol): DPG is a common solvent used as a carrier in diffusers. It helps dilute the fragrance and allows it to wick up the reeds. If you feel your diffuser evaporates too quickly, you can try adding a small percentage of DPG to your mixture (e.g., start with 5-10% of the total volume) to slow down the evaporation rate.
Alcohol: As mentioned in the previous conversation, alcohol is generally not ideal for reed diffusers because it is highly flammable and evaporates very quickly, causing the scent to dissipate too fast. It is generally avoided for safety and performance reasons.

Using the Purchased Base Diffuser Oil

Since you have purchased a dedicated diffuser base, the simplest method is to mix your fragrance oil or essential oil directly with this base at the recommended proportions.

Relevant Products

The Reed Diffuser Base (Type 1) is a suitable base product for making reed diffusers. Various fragrance oils and essential oils can be used as the scent component.

Answer 2

Update as of 2026-05-24

The original guidance is still broadly valid: for a first trial, mix Reed Diffuser Base with fragrance oil or essential oil and test before adding modifiers. A practical starting range is about 75–85% diffuser base with 15–25% fragrance/essential oil, but the exact maximum must follow the IFRA certificate or supplier limit for the specific fragrance/essential oil used in reed diffuser applications.

Current catalog guidance differs by base type: Reed Diffuser Base (Type 1) is typically used around 70–75% base with 25–30% fragrance, so 75:25 is a reasonable trial if the fragrance is compatible and allowed at that level. Reed Diffuser Base (Type 2) should be started more conservatively, around 80–90% base with 10–20% fragrance oil.

If evaporation is too fast, Dipropylene Glycol can be added gradually, for example starting around 5–10% of the total formula, while reducing the base portion and recording each test. DPG can slow evaporation, but too much may reduce scent throw. DiffuseFix™ is another optional current diffuser fixative to test at about 2–10% when better hold/longevity is desired. Always check clarity, separation, scent throw, and evaporation over several days, using the same reeds, bottle neck size, and reed count. Avoid alcohol as the main diluent when the goal is slower evaporation, because it evaporates quickly and increases flammability.