Ingredients for Diffusers and Room Sprays

Here are the typical ingredients used for different types of aroma diffusers and room sprays, along with the differences between fragrance types.

1. Aroma Diffuser (for machines)

For aroma diffusers that use water and ultrasonic vibration, you primarily need:

• Water: The main carrier.
• Essential Oil or Fragrance Oil: To provide the scent.
• Solubilizer: Since oils don't mix with water, a solubilizer is needed to disperse the oil evenly in the water. Examples include Flora Solve™ Clear, Ultra Solve™, or Free Solve™.

Mix the essential oil or fragrance oil with the solubilizer first according to the solubilizer's recommended ratio, then add this mixture to the water in the diffuser.

2. Reed Diffuser

Reed diffusers use reeds to draw scented liquid up and release the fragrance into the air. The main components are:

• Base Oil/Solvent: A liquid that can dissolve the fragrance and travel up the reeds effectively. Dipropylene glycol (DPG) is a common base used for this purpose as it helps carry the scent and controls the evaporation rate.
• Essential Oil or Fragrance Oil: To provide the scent.

Mix the essential oil or fragrance oil directly into the base oil. The ratio can vary depending on the desired scent strength, but typically ranges from 10% to 30% fragrance in the base.

3. Room Spray

Room sprays can be either alcohol-based or water-based:

• Alcohol-Based Room Spray:

  • Alcohol Base: An alcohol solution, often containing a fixative to help the scent last longer. An example is 8 Hours Fragrance Spray Base (Musk-Free).
  • Fragrance Oil or Essential Oil: For scent.
    Mix the fragrance directly into the alcohol base.

• Water-Based Room Spray:

  • Water: The main carrier.
  • Fragrance Oil or Essential Oil: For scent.
  • Solubilizer: To mix the oil with water. Flora Solve™ Clear, Ultra Solve™, or Free Solve™ are suitable options. Spray Maker™ is also available for creating spray emulsions.
    Mix the fragrance oil or essential oil with the solubilizer first, then add to the water.

4. Types of Scents: Flavor, Fragrance, and Essential Oil

These three types of oils are different in their composition and intended use:

• Essential Oils: These are natural oils extracted directly from plants (flowers, leaves, bark, roots, etc.). They capture the natural scent and characteristics of the plant and may have therapeutic properties. They are used in aromatherapy and natural perfumery. The composition can vary depending on the plant source and extraction method.

• Fragrance Oils: These are synthetic or a blend of natural and synthetic aromatic compounds created in a laboratory. They are designed specifically for scenting products like candles, soaps, perfumes, and diffusers. Fragrance oils offer a vast range of scents, including those not found in nature, and are often more stable and consistent than essential oils. They are generally suitable for diffusers and room sprays.

• Flavor Oils: These are designed to impart flavor, primarily for food, beverages, or lip products. They are formulated for safe ingestion and are not typically used for scenting rooms or diffusers. Using flavor oils in diffusers or sprays is generally not recommended as they are not intended for inhalation.

For aroma diffusers, reed diffusers, and room sprays, you should use Essential Oils or Fragrance Oils. Choose based on whether you prefer natural scents (Essential Oils) or a wider variety of potentially stronger or more complex scents (Fragrance Oils). Avoid using Flavor Oils for these applications.