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The Best Home Fragrance Oil

Last updated on September 26, 2022

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Aromatherapy has been around for centuries, but in recent years, health-conscious consumers have picked up the practice. In fact, the essential oils industry has become a billion-dollar global market, with fragrant oils covering store shelves and powering several different home-based direct sales businesses.

But do these oils actually work? Studies have shown conflicting results, but they seem to be more effective for mental health than physical. Some consumers use home fragrance oils to help with anxiety, depression and insomnia, but studies have also looked at the benefits for physical conditions like nausea, low appetite and dry mouth.

The best thing about these oils is that they won’t hurt you, even if you don’t get direct health benefits from them. In fact, many consumers simply shift to fragrance oils as a more natural way to make their homes smell nice. Fragrance oils can also be more economical than sprays and plug-in air fresheners. Once you’ve invested in the warmer, you’ll just add a few drops of oil to the water for hours of diffused aroma.

Before you jump into fragrant oils, it’s important to look at how you can use them. Many oils claim they work best if used with the corresponding brand of warmer, but the truth is, you can mix and match the oils you use. This broadens your options and can even help you save money. In fact, you don’t even need to buy a diffuser to enjoy the benefits of essential oils. You can diffuse your oil in a spray bottle filled with water or drop your oil on a tissue or cotton ball and set it in a drawer or cabinet.

If you’re just getting started with fragrance oils, start with one or two basics like lavender or tea tree oil, and try them out with a more affordable diffuser before scaling up to something more expensive. This will let you get a feel for things and determine if it’s something you’ll want to stick with long-term.

Our Picks For The Top Home Fragrance Oils

View All Recommendations
Product Overview
Our Take
 Top Pick

Yankee Candle Diffuser Blend Home Fragrance Oil

Don't Waste Your Money Seal of Approval

Yankee Candle

Diffuser Blend Home Fragrance Oil

You’ll get a unique blend of all your favorite fragrances with this oil, which features a blend of citrus, floral and spicy vanilla scents. You’ll simply add five to seven drops of oil to the water in your diffuser and sit back and wait. The bottle is completely recyclable for a sustainable option.

Overall Take

Great for Every OccasionThe lightweight blend of citrus, floral and vanilla scents makes it versatile enough to work for a variety of uses.

 Runner Up

The Body Shop Oil Burner Compatible Home Fragrance Oil

The Body Shop

Oil Burner Compatible Home Fragrance Oil

Bring a little sweetness to your home with this fragrance oil that fills your house with the tempting scent of strawberries. You’ll get 0.3 fluid ounces of product in an attractive bottle that will be a welcome addition to your fragrance cabinet. You can even blend it with other fragrances to get a multilayered scent.

Overall Take

Scent That LastsGet hours of sweet-smelling fragrance from this strawberry fragrance.

 We Also Like

Cocodor Reed Diffuser Home Fragrance Oils, 3-Piece

Cocodor

Reed Diffuser Home Fragrance Oils, 3-Piece

Fill your home with the smell of roses with this set of three bottles of diffuser oil. The scent is inspired by the Centifolia rose in Grasse, France. You can also purchase separately sold reed sticks to soak in the oil and set around your home.

Overall Take

Perfect for BeginnersYou’ll get three 6.7-ounce bottles of scented oils in this set, making it a great way to get started with home fragrance oil.

 Strong Contender

Lagunamoon Essential Oils Home Fragrance Oils, 6-Piece

Lagunamoon

Essential Oils Home Fragrance Oils, 6-Piece

Six milliliter bottles of scent fill your home with fragrance. This set includes eucalyptus, tea tree, orange, lemongrass, lavender and peppermint scents. The oils are sourced from farms with sustainable practices.

Overall Take

Versatile OptionThis set includes a variety of scents to help you switch things up to match your mood.

What to Look For

  • If you’re using an oil diffuser, follow the directions carefully. Some diffusers require you to only use water that’s either distilled, purified or filtered. Using the wrong type of water could damage your diffuser.
  • For best results, put your diffuser in the center of a room so the fragrance distributes evenly. This can be complicated by the fact that many diffusers require a power outlet. Try to find an area where the power cord won’t become a tripping hazard.
  • It’s best to use water that’s room temperature. Chilly or heated water could affect the scent of the oil.
  • Fragrant oils can be sensitive to light and temperature. For best results, store your oils in a cool, dark place like a cupboard. Some bottles are tinted to prevent light from getting in.
  • Although fragrant oils don’t last forever, if stored properly, you can keep them around for six months to a year. After that time, the scent will start to weaken and might even turn. You’ll get a longer life out of your oils if you store them away from heat and light.
  • You can find fragrant oils in a variety of scents. Some oils blend scents to give you a mix of sweet and spicy.
  • You can create your own multilayered scent by combining oils in the same diffusing session. Simply put a couple of drops of two or three different scents. Keep experimenting over the days and weeks until you find the mix that works for you.
  • Never leave your diffuser unattended, and make you sure set it on a flat, even surface to avoid messy spills.
  • Fragrant oils are often sold in sets. Keep in mind that they have a shelf life before you stock up. You might find your oils go bad before you can deplete the bottle if you overbuy.

More to Explore

One of the best reasons for investing in fragrance oils is that you can change the scent regularly. This helps reduce the impact of something known as olfactory fatigue, which is actually built into your biology as a protective measure.

What happens when you encounter a new scent? The sensation travels from the receptors in your nose to the limbic system in your brain. This is where your brain identifies the smell to determine whether it’s something to be alarmed about or not. If the scent you detected was smoke, for instance, you’d know right away that there might be a fire that needed attention.

Once your brain determines the new smell is nothing to worry about, your senses ignore it. This is why you can leave home for a couple of weeks and when you return, you get a fresh whiff of what your house actually smells like to a newcomer. Unfortunately, if you rely on home fragrances, olfactory fatigue could lead you to falsely believe your air freshener is no longer working.

More to explore