
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.
For an even wider choice of aromatherapy gifts you can make this holiday season, you can check out the
Aromatherapy essential oils are are among the most effective ingredients you can treat your skin to. They should never be used neat on your skin however, but are best included in a specially devised preparation along with other natural ingredients. These could include carrier oils such as almond, apricot, avocado, rosehip, jojoba, wheatgerm, and grapeseed. Ensure you only use high quality vegetable oils such as these and never consider using mineral oils like baby oil which can clog pores and do more harm than good to your skin.





Here are a couple of ideas on how to use Geranium oil: